Visiting UC Davis

Welcome!

The University of California, Davis is the third largest of the 10 campuses of the University of California system. UC Davis presents a congenial atmosphere for living and studying on its beautiful 5,300-acre campus. Over 30,000 students are enrolled at the UC Davis campus; about 7,000 of these are in graduate or professional programs. See UC Davis by the Numbers or view the interactive walking tour of the UC Davis campus.  

Effective January 1, 2014, the UC Davis campus is 100% smoke and tobacco free.

The city of Davis is located in California's Sacramento Valley, approximately 15 miles west of Sacramento. The relatively flat terrain has allowed Davis to become the "City of Bicycles" with over 50 miles of bicycling trails. Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountains are a two hour drive to the east, and offer hiking, snow boarding, skiing, and other outdoor sports. The numerous cultural attractions of the San Francisco Bay area are just over an hour to the southwest, and the beautiful Napa Valley wine region is only 50 miles from Davis. The campus and the community of Davis also feature frequent concerts, art exhibits, lectures, films and theatrical performances, including many at the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. The Vacaville Premium Factory Outlets are located about 20 minutes west of the campus.

Transportation To & Around Campus

Air. Davis is located approximately 30 minutes from the Sacramento Airport (SMF), and 90 minutes from the Oakland (OAK) or San Francisco (SFO) airports. Transportation options from all three airports include a rental car, taxi, or airport shuttle service.  The three shuttle services providing door-to-door service to Davis include: Davis Airporter and the SuperShuttle.

Connecting to Amtrak. From the Oakland or San Francisco airports you also have the option of using the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to get to an Amtrak train station, and then taking the train to Davis. To take the train from SFO, board the BART train in the airport and take it to Richmond station, where you can transfer to Amtrak. To take the train from OAK, catch the AirBART bus in the airport. This bus takes you to the Oakland Coliseum BART station. From there, take BART to Richmond station, where you can transfer to Amtrak.

Train or Bus. Amtrak travels through Davis, with the Davis station located about .25 mile from campus. Greyhound also offers service to Davis.

Car. Davis is conveniently located on Interstate 80, about 20 miles west of Sacramento. It is helpful to use a campus map to locate campus buildings and nearby parking prior to your arrival. Parking is restricted on the core of campus, and parking lots around the perimeter of the campus have meters and permit dispensers offering daily parking permits using cash or credit card.

Taxi. If you need a ride around Davis or beyond, here is a list of the local taxi companies:

• Village Cab (530) 753-8294
• College Cab (530) 756-4444
• Dan's Cab (530) 756-5600
• Davis Cab (530) 756-5555
• Friendly Cab (530) 750-1111

Bicycle Rentals. The UC Davis campus, with its 5,300 acres, is one of the largest campuses in the system. A bicycle can be a handy way to speed your travels around campus, and they're available to rent on campus from the Bike Barn. Located in downtown Davis, Ken's Bike & Ski also offers bike rentals on a weekly basis, with extended business hours.

Hotels & Restaurants

The City of Davis has a fine selection of lodging options and restaurants. Please see the Yolo County Visitors' Guide. The six accommodations within easy walking distance of the campus are:

• Hilton Garden Inn
• Hyatt Place
• Best Western University Lodge
• The Vine Inn
• Best Western Palm Court
• Aggie Inn
• University Park Inn & Suites

Some restaurant options:

Shopping, Sightseeing & Wine Tasting

 

More Davis Resources

Resources for Davis & Surrounding Communities:

• DavisWiki
• Yolo County Visitors Guide