Davis Creamery

A little Davis dessert shop for Italian ice made in house and frozen custard, or both layered in a cup. There are games to play while you eat.

Downtown Davis pizza and pasta that every Davis family guide names. It's quick, and kids sometimes get a ball of dough to play with at the table.

A downtown Davis crepe café with a genuinely long kids' list: cheese crepes, sugar crepes, little pancakes, French toast, grilled cheese.

Downtown Davis's park, where the Saturday farmers market sets up, with play areas and Natalie's Corner, a free splash pad for summer. Market plus splash pad is a pretty perfect Saturday.

On campus next to the Mondavi Center, and the pool is summer only. There are no rollaways, so a bigger crew needs two rooms.

A university insect collection with a live petting zoo of walking sticks and hissing cockroaches your kid can actually hold. Public hours are limited, so the free family open house days are the easy way in.