Davis is a lively, compact college town anchored by UC Davis — ultra-bikeable, safe and walkable with year-round farmers’ markets, lively cafes and breweries, community events, bike trails and easy short commutes, so it’s comfortable and interesting for multi-week stays and can quickly feel like a home base.
Nearby big-city options keep weekends fresh: Sacramento (≈15 miles) for government, sports and an airport, and the Bay Area (San Francisco/Oakland/Berkeley within roughly 75 miles) for world-class dining, arts and weekend escapes.