Opinions on Davis, CA?

Too Asian.

Too flat.

In all seriousness, it's a college town with a really chill culture that's unfortunately dying. Farmer's market, biking, cheap/good college food, co-ops, healthy/attractive people. I've a few theories for why this chillness is being destroyed, but you don't wanna hear 'em.

For running, way too flat and not many dirt trails.

Not really a running town, but a nice enough place to live short term. The university team is cruddy but improved some since the transition to D1. Davis high has a far better program and has good access to green spaces. Relatively limited for soft surfaces overall there. You're more likely to find a good ultimate game than a decent running partner.

Depending on your level and event focus, pool running would be

important there or even the treadmill. West Davis, further out than

VetMed is more livable and some of the larger condo associations and apartment complexes have decent to good exercise facilities. Like most of the UC system, Davis is getting overbuilt (destroyed), and so some nature has been disappeared...but there is a good bike path heading out towards Winters. If you go in with realistic expectations, you won't be too disappointed.

Ran there for college. Less than a decade ago.

Running is acceptable there, but not great. Mostly gravel/dirt levees and farm trails are your best options. Flat and flatter are your choices. At least you don't have to worry about competing with cars, you can get 6 to 16 mile loops with only a few miles on relatively low traffic roads.

While it is a not amazing place to run, it's pretty great for cycling. Lots of long open roads to cycle. 40 minutes and you're into the hills.

The nightlife is pretty decent and as another poster pointed out, low key. This is very much a college town. The college dominates the town, it changes dramatically when school is in or out for the year as 1/3rd of the population comes and goes.

Time of year can make a difference with weather. Summers are pretty damn hot and don't cool off very much at night. Winter tends to be very rainy. I always hated the winters, but I really enjoyed the summers despite the heat, as the town turned sleepy and peaceful.

Do you like heat? Like 6 months of the year at 100 degrees?

You you like the smell of cow shit?

Mexicans?

Fat chicks?

Nothing to do?

Then you'll love Davis!

#2 guy for hs California cross goes there, so it can't be too bad for running.

The running in Davis terrible. Depending on your age and whether you want to live in a bubble or an urban area, sacramento would probably be a better place to spend a summer.

Aggy wrote:

The running in Davis terrible. Depending on your age and whether you want to live in a bubble or an urban area, sacramento would probably be a better place to spend a summer.

If you've ever run there, you would know:

1) it isn't terrible, it is kind of ok. The majority of the country really isn't any better. It's better than most of the Midwest for running. We think of it as bad only because it is near so much great running in California.

2) It is spelled "aggie"

Don't pretend to know things you dont. The op came here for real advice, not pointless hating. Just give an honest opinion if you have one. If you've never been there or only been there for a day or two, your "opinion" isn't helpful.

Davis has a quaint downtown and is only 20 minutes West of Sacramento. The prevailing breeze is from the West in the summer so the air quality is better in Davis. It's just very hot in that area during the summer and the surrounding countryside is flat and largely devoid of trees. Davis High School has produced many excellent runners. Their girl's team has placed 2nd at NXN the last two years in a row.

If you're looking for hills, Davis has none. It can be very hot during the day, but early morning and sunset are usually still decent for running in the summer.

If you'd like hills and trail, Lagoon Valley park in Vacaville is not that far away for a weekly or every other week run.

The town itself has miles of greenbelts (Google Davis greenbelt). You can run quite far without worrying about traffic. If you'd like a little escape from pavement, you can put together a three mile loop around the Wildhorse Golf Course on the north side of town. About 1.5 miles of that would be gravel path.

The UCD outdoor track is generally pretty clear of official use during the summer.

If you'd like to mix it up, you're within driving distance to the American River Parkway in Sacramento, which runs a good 20+ miles to Folsom. Kim Conley (UCD grad) runs there all the time.

In July, there's the Davis Moonlight run. If the weather cooperates, it's a fun event: food vendors, music, etc. The race isn't as competitive as some of the fall races, but it's definitely something to do.

Overall, Davis is a very nice place to live. I'm not sure if you're already coming from California but, if not, Davis would put you in range to go wherever you'd like in Northern California: bay area, Tahoe, all of that good stuff.

If only for a couple months, you'll be okay. Long term, it's not so good. High priced; snooty; ultra liberal (maybe this is okay for you). Short term though you'll have good looking college girls; good places to eat; and, downtown Davis is quaint. Running is decent, but you'll quickly run out of routes and within a couple of miles in any direction be out on flat narrow country (boring) roads subject to high winds during certain times of the year.

Davis actually has great running routes, you just have to know where it is. The greenbelt is a good start and if you don't want a lot of pavement, just run on the grass next to the path. The high school team runs on the levee and the farm fields all across town. You could easily get 16 miles on dirt farm fields. If you want hills, it is not a far drive to Auburn (Western States trails) or Vacaville. UCD and DHS have had phenomenal runners (Fiona O'Keeffe, Brendan Gregg, Kim Conley) so, to say the least Davis running is good.

Thanks for your input everyone. I'm from the midwest, and I currently do the majority of my runs on concrete, so a lack of routes with soft surfaces doesn't really worry me. No hills is kind of a bummer, though. I run cross country and track, and the program I am part of generally tries to get in some hill workouts every few weeks over the summer. I actually kind of like the sound of Davis from the descriptions of everyone else (except for It's happening in Davis!). I'll probably give it a shot.

Yeah OP live it up in Davis!!! Wild summer, much run, so warm, but fun anyways. Enjoy!

Cops too gestapo.

We've gone this far and no shout-outs to the NorCal distance Project, or whatever they call themselves.

Davis must be working somehow for Wartenburg and company. They've been taking a few scalps down there...

Went there for College running is pretty good over there for tempos and medium long runs also there is a good amount grass fields for repeats. As most people said it is pretty flat so it's pretty easy there to maintain a solid pace. It gets hot there during the summer so I would recommended running in the morning. There is an 9 and 8 mile loop around campus if you start from the track go through the arboretum across the railroad tracks and head down the levies. There are some other trails near the golf course on the north side of town. If you want to run a long run I would head out to the American river trail or to Folsom lake as it gives you some variation. During the summer it is pretty chill and most people are friendly. I would also recommend bring a bike to get around.

LRC for life advice guy wrote:

I have the opportunity to live in Davis for a couple months this summer. Has anyone on here lived there? How was it for running and life in general?

"Opportunity" is not the word most people would use if threatened with a term there.