Things to Do in Davis

Flying chromatic spheres splatter across the turf and cover of Midway Paintball's six fields situated on 22 acres of woodlands and open spaces. Protective rental gear and paintball markers aid games of elimination, capture the flag, and save the king. The western field's buildings shelter tactical retreats, and the hyperball field's huge prone cylinders of corrugated piping allow for cat-like surprise attacks or intimidating sudden naps. Dotted with inflatable cover, the astroturf-covered NPPL–regulation field presents an ideal arena for professional-grade matches.

Laying a hand on a piece of the ornately carved fauna that chase each other around Funderland’s carousel, one can nearly hear the gleeful shouts of the innumerable happy riders who have graced the attraction since it is was built in 1947. A happy chorus of youthful shouts brings the present day back to life, drifting from rides such as the log flume and the Funderland train ride, which chugs slowly past diminutive rustic cabins under the shade-giving arms of evergreen trees. The Red Baron ride whisks youngsters off the ground, granting an improved view of the 2-acre playground as the tiny crimson planes pirouette through the air. Current owner Sam Johnston pays almost daily visits to the family-entertainment emporium and takes pride in the role the park plays in supporting local causes and helping families spend time together amid constant distractions such as work, TV, and the disco dancers that refuse to leave one's living room.

Twenty vertical feet of mostly legs and neck, spotted giraffes lope with languid, graceful movements toward the zoo’s viewing deck, which is alive with the excitement of children and adults. As the audience’s hands reach out to offer elm and acacia branches, long, purple tongues unfurl and lap them up during scheduled Giraffe Encounter feeding times (additional fee required). At the Sacramento Zoo’s sprawling 14.5-acre sanctuary, this is just one of the ways the zoo team brings the public closer to animals in their efforts to nurture public education and respect for wildlife.

Across those green swaths of land, African lions prowl, chimpanzees swing from trees, and red kangaroos play hopscotch. More than 600 animals call this place their home—a sanctuary where zookeepers care for them, practice conservation, and breed endangered species to help them stave off extinction. That dedication extends to all creatures, from the slithering Brazilian rainbow boa to the slinking West African dwarf crocodile. Zoo personnel also organize educational programs such as classes, camps, and overnight sleepovers where visitors can witness hyenas rehearsing their comedy routines away from the crowds. To keep the zoo in the local consciousness, the zoo also hosts themed events and animal exhibitions throughout the year.

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

During his 17-year-long professional paintballing career, Micah McGlocklin clinched five championships, including one with Sacramento XSV, a team he formed in 2003. He has more than 12 years of experience operating paintball fields, and this technical expertise paired with his obvious passion for the sport is evident in the facilities at Davis Paintball. Eager to introduce others to the joys of chromatic chaos, Micah and his staff walk novices through the game’s rules, equipment, and safety tips. Newbies are then organized into teams for refereed bouts on one of nine fields spread across 40 acres. As tenderfoots test out their paintballing skills on fields such as Four Corners and Center Castle—where a roomy distance separates opponents—advanced players can compete in more compact spaces at two hyperball fields, an airball field, and a paint-soaked broom closet.

Rise Yoga's soothing studio begins releasing students' tension with calming, contemporary trappings before they ever set foot in the stress-relieving, mixed-level yoga classes led by experienced and attentive teachers. All of the 60-to 90-minute yoga sessions incorporate gentle stretches and meditative practices, including the beginner-friendly Hatha yoga session, a slow-paced class incorporating long-held poses and calming deep breaths. Vinyasa classes increase heart rates with dynamic flowing movements, sun salutations, and traditional yogic spelling bees in which students bend their bodies into common yoga vocabulary. Yoga therapy works to help students to overcome chronic pain or injuries, and intensive yoga workshops introduce students to the ancient practice or strengthen their relationship to it.