UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden

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.

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

Small-batch ice cream made in the shop, with flavors like cupcake, a block from Central Park's splash pad.

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.

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.