Things to Do in Davis

In 1947, John B. “Bing” Maloney saw that the city of Sacramento had a golfing problem, and that he, as the superintendent of the city’s recreation department, could fix it. The problem lay not with men shirking their familial responsibilities to squeeze in a round, nor with pastors cutting their sermons short in order to join their congregations on the range. Rather, the city’s “principal problem,” as he called it, stemmed from the fact that the only existing course was a measly, overcrowded 9-hole layout—a disservice to the golfers of the community, who wanted a bona fide 18-hole loop. He took the matter up with city officials, presenting such a watertight case that they unanimously voted to not only build a new course, but name it after him. Thanks to Mr. Maloney’s political strategizing and the design input of M.J. McDonaugh, former associate of the legendary course architect Alister MacKenzie, Bing Maloney Golf Course opened in 1952.

Today, the 125-acre site welcomes golfers with wide fairways lined with stately oak trees and the placid ambiance of mid-century golf-course design. Golfers encounter water just once, on the third tee box, where they must make a choice between flying the pond to reach the green 140 yards away or inventing a golf-ball-sized rocket pack. After a round, players can address newfound kinks in their game at the lighted practice area, which includes a putting green and a 40-station driving range with real grass tee boxes.

Championship Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,569 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 70.8 from the back tees
• Course slope of 121 from the back tees
• Four sets of tees per hole
• Scorecard

Crepes in San Franciso. Butter chicken in Toronto. The organizers behind Dishcrawl connect people with the local dining scenes of cities across the United States and Canada. They do this in two ways—first, through Dishcrawls, which are self-guided tours to an array of restaurants. As guests saunter between establishments, special performers—from interpretive dancers to improv comics—enliven the journey. Dishcrawl's second method highlights single restaurants through special dinners, giving chefs a chance to dazzle visits with their favorite dishes.

Every October, the quiet vegetables fields at Bastiao Farms come alive with the laughter and shrieks of the annual Halloween festival. On one side of the grounds, a motor-powered train makes its way through the haunted corn maze, a massive, growing labyrinth supplemented by three additional corn and hay-bale mazes plus a Halloween-themed pumpkin patch. In other areas of the grounds, children and adults alike can navigate historically engaging sights that include a one-room schoolhouse and a scaled-down Wild West town featuring wooden saloons, storefronts, inns, and a covered wagon that secretly dreams of becoming a hardtop.

Founded in 2001 by a group of enthusiastic thrill seekers, Recreational Rentals helps customers hug curves or crest waves behind the controls of Can-am Spyders or Sea-Doo personal watercrafts. When not riding themselves, staffers replace their old equipment every two years to keep their inventory current and their drag-racing alter egos secret. They also maintain, repair, and upgrade recreational vehicles in a 10,000-square-foot warehouse space.

Vacaville Ice Sports sends skaters spinning, coasting, and pirouetting across a pair of NHL-size rinks. Each day of the week, the facility swings open its doors for open-skating sessions, and, when the ice isn't getting its hard-to-reach itches scratched by public blades, the arena buzzes with hockey leagues, birthday parties, and learn-to-skate classes. An on-site arcade and free WiFi keep mitten-free fingers busy in between ice-based orbits, and the center's snack bar ensures legs remain fully fueled for additional spins around the polar sheets.

Largely self-taught, Shannon Jane Morgan has spent the last 19 years firing up her furnaces and creating delicate, one-of-a-kind works of glass art as the owner and founder of Girl Glass. Her pieces include gracefully curved vases; pigment-dappled paperweights; and whimsical, translucent pumpkins. In private classes, Morgan shares her years of carefully cultivated expertise with students, delving into the nuances of molten glass with tutorials on blowing, shaping, and creating goblets strong enough to survive an operatic high note.