50 Things To Do This Summer in Vacaville – 2013 Edition

It’s finally June! Our warm Northern California weather always brings great opportunities to get outside and have some fun, so we’ve compiled a list of 50 Things To Do This Summer in Vacaville. How many activities can you check off before September?

1. Play a round of disc golf at Lagoon Valley Park
2. Camp out under the stars
3. Fly a kite at one of Vacaville’s many parks
4. Grab a sandwich at Mr. Pickles (don’t forget to clip the coupon in every Vacaville Magazine)
5. Get your groove on at the Vacaville Blues Festival, July 6^th-7^th
6. Take a tour at Fenton’s Creamery to see how ice cream is made, then enjoy a sundae 🙂
7. Take a spin on the Nut Tree carousel
8. Watch the sunrise
9. Try your aim at Midway Paintball
10. Bowl a strike at Stars Recreation Center
11. Mingle with neighbors at a block party barbeque
12. Try a new local restaurant every week
13. See a show at the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre
14. Take a scenic drive through the Vacaville hills
15. Head to Town Square every Wednesday for “Lunch Time Entertainment”
16. Win a prize at the Solano County Fair, July 31^st – August 4^th
17. Lose yourself in a good book
18. Keep it local at the Vacaville Farmers’ Market every Saturday
19. Step back in time at the Vacaville Museum
20. Make popsicles by freezing your favorite beverage in a cup with a popsicle stick
21. Stimulate your creative side with a visit to the Vacaville Art Gallery
22. Take a picture with one of the Nut Tree Nutcrackers
23. Play a game of Ultimate Frisbee
24. Fire up your taste buds with the new BBQ menu at Blondies Bar & Grill
25. Picnic at your favorite park
26. Cool off at Vacaville Ice Sports
27. Use hashtag #Vacaville for your Summer photos on Instagram and get featured on the Visit Vacaville photo stream and Facebook page!
28. See all the new releases at matinee prices until 6pm at Brenden Theatres
29. Make a wish on a shooting star
30. Beat the heat with a hand-crafted root beer or specialty brew from BJ’s Brewhouse
31. Shop the Premium Outlets Back-to-School Sale, August 1^st-5^th
32. Do a tasting at a nearby winery
33. Start your weekend at the Creekwalk Concert Series every Friday
34. Get crafty at Bella Terra in Downtown Vacaville
35. Embrace the heat at the 6th Annual Rib & Chili Cook Off in Town Square, August 3rd
36. Take a stroll in the shade through the Historic Downtown neighborhoods
37. Play laser tag at Stars Recreation Center
38. Learn something new at the Vacaville Public Library
39. Take photos of local wildlife
40. Go for a hole-in-one at Green Tree Golf Club
41. Challenge yourself with a new exercise routine
42. Clear some clutter with a garage sale
43. Save with a free Vacaville Premium Outlets coupon book, voucher available at Visit Vacaville (located in the Nut Tree)
44. Get your game on at Centennial Park
45. Tend a garden and watch it grow
46. Hike or bike the Lagoon Valley trails
47. Visit Peña Adobe, the oldest building in Solano County
48. Get involved as a volunteer
49. Make a splash at Graham Aquatics Center
50. Unwind at the Art, Wine, & Brew Festival, August 30^th-September 1^st

Best Places to Eat/Drink and Watch the 49ers in Vacaville

It’s playoff time and you’re in luck – it’s also Vacaville Restaurant Week, which means you can enjoy great meals and snacks at special prices while watching the game. For more details on that, visit VacavilleRestaurantWeek.com.

Here’s a list of the Five Best Places to Eat/Drink and Watch the 49ers on their quest for six in Vacaville, CA.

1. Blondies Bar & Grill:

Blondies is a full service restaurant bar and grill for the entire family with a unique menu provided by Executive Chef Jason Johnson of Curbside Cuisine. Chef Jason adds an island-fusion edge to bar and grill standards, with the Banh Mi Burger and Hawaiian favorite, the Loco Moco.

And what playoff game would be complete without pork rinds made fresh by Chef Jason on game day? See the process for yourself:

2. City Sports Bar & Grill

For delicious food prepared by Chef Joey Jaraba Jr. and a HUGE screen for watching the game, City Sports Bar & Grill at Stars Recreation Center is always packed on game day. If you’re not already in the mood for a 1/2 lb burger & fries for only $6, give the nachos or steak quesadilla a try. Portions are huge, so you’re sure to be stuffed, and the bar is always fully stocked.

3. BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse

For a selection of award-winning beers (or BJ’s Handcrafted Root Beer), there’s no better place to watch the game than on BJ’s giant flat screen TV’s in the bar.

4. Buffalo Wild Wings

More than just a sports bar, Buffalo Wild Wings offers a full menu which far exceeds the expectations of traditional pub fare. Adorned with big screen televisions and a healthy tap selection, you’ll be able to enjoy the game while partaking in a wide variety of wings & sauces, burgers, flat-bread pizza, salads, chicken wraps, sandwiches, ribs and more.

5. Burger City Cafe & Grill

Burger City may not have the largest televisions, but as you can see, they make up for it with the size of their food! It’s not necessarily a sports bar, but it’s a great burger joint with a bar & local sports are always on the flat screens.

Vacaville Restaurant Week is almost here!

Attention all foodies… the greatest week 10 days of local dining you have ever experienced is almost here!

Vacaville Restaurant Week was created by Visit Vacaville to highlight the diversity of the Vacaville dining scene! Restaurant weeks in San Francisco and Sacramento have seen great success while showcasing their broad diversity. Now it’s time for Vacaville restaurants to come together with the community and celebrate a week of fabulous dining.

The participating restaurants in this year’s Restaurant Week include:

Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria
The Bistro by Courtyard Marriot
Blondie’s Bar & Grill
China House
City Sports Bar & Grill
Clay Oven Grill & Bar
Fuso Italian Restaurant
Just Cakin’ It
Mary’s Pizza Shack
Merchant & Main
Murillo’s Mexican Food
Pietro’s #2

Are you excited yet? Let us know by leaving a comment, and then stop by VacavilleRestaurantWeek.com for all of the details!

Happy National Pumpkin Day!

Pumpkin Milkshake à la Burger City

October 26th, 2012 is National Pumpkin Day! To celebrate, drink up some delicious pumpkin beverages at your favorite Vacaville restaurant or bar. Here are some Fall fresh drinking options for you:

• Burger City – Sip a sweet & savory Pumpkin Milkshake while you enjoy a big burger & fries (the burger & fries are only $5.95 through October).
• BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse – Try the award-winning Pumpkin Ale with your deep dish pizza! It’s not as in-your-face with pumpkin flavor as we expected, which was a pleasant surprise.
• Tahoe Joe’s – Down a delectable Pumpkin Spice Martini.

Best Pumpkin Spice Latte: Starbuck’s vs Peet’s

Of course, you can always stick with the seasonal favorites from Starbuck’s (Pumpkin Spice Latte) or Peet’s Coffee & Tea (Pumpkin Freddo). If you’re averse to overt coffee flavor and/or are a diabetic, go with the Peet’s version. Click the photo above for a review of the two.

Bacon and Pumpkin Pasta Recipe

If you’ve already met your budget for eating out this month, eat in with one of the recipes from our “Fall Fun!” board on Pinterest, like this healthy and delicious Bacon & Pumpkin Pasta.

Random Pumpkin Day Facts: 

Did you know that the word “pumpkin” comes from the Greek word “pepon,” meaning “large melon”?

Pumpkins can be grown on every continent except Antarctica, and the United States produces about 1.5 billion pounds of them each year. A Wisconsin farmer grew the largest pumpkin ever recorded. He used seaweed, cow manure, and fish emulsion to grow his pumpkin, which weighed a total of 1,810 pounds and was the size of a dumpster!

National Root Beer Float Day!

Happy National Root Beer Float Day! We suggest going to Fenton’s in the Nut Tree Plaza for your root beer float outing! 🙂 http://instagr.am/p/N_r5-iPyRf/ via Visit Vacaville Facebook

50 Summer Activities for Vacaville!

Here at Visit Vacaville, we’ve compiled a list of 50 things to do around our city during the summer months. How many activities can you check off before September?

1. Play a round of disc golf at Lagoon Valley Park
2. Camp out under the stars
3. Fly a kite at one of Vacaville’s many parks
4. Grab some Mr. Pickles (don’t forget to clip the coupon in every Vacaville Magazine)
5. Challenge friends to a karaoke sing-off
6. Save with a free Vacaville Premium Outlets coupon book, voucher available at Visit Vacaville (located in the Nut Tree)
7. Take a spin on the Nut Tree carousel
8. Watch the sunrise
9. Try your aim at Midway Paintball
10. Bowl a strike at Stars Recreation Center
11. Mingle with neighbors at a block party barbeque
12. Try a new local restaurant every week
13. See a show at the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre
14. Take a scenic drive through the Vacaville hills
15. Head to Town Square every Wednesday for “Lunch Time Entertainment”
16. Win a prize at the Solano County Fair, August 1st-5th
17. Lose yourself in a good book
18. Keep it local at the Vacaville Farmers’ Market every Saturday
19. Step back in time at the Vacaville Museum
20. Make popsicles by freezing your favorite beverage in a cup with a popsicle stick
21. Stimulate your creative side with a visit to the Vacaville Art Gallery
22. Take a picture with one of the Nut Tree Nutcrackers
23. Play a game of Ultimate Frisbee
24. Fire up your taste buds with Buffalo Wild Wings’ “Blazin” wing sauce
25. Picnic at your favorite park
26. Cool off at Vacaville Ice Sports
27. Host a game night
28. See all the new releases at matinee prices until 6pm at Brenden Theatres
29. Make a wish on a shooting star
30. Beat the heat with a hand-crafted root beer or specialty brew from BJ’s Brewhouse
31. Shop the Premium Outlets Back-to-School Sale, August 2nd-6th
32. Do a tasting at a nearby winery
33. Start your weekend at the Creekwalk Concert every Friday
34. Get crafty
35. Embrace the heat at the 5th Annual Rib & Chili Cook Off in Town Square, August 4th
36. Take a stroll around the Historic Downtown neighborhoods
37. Play laser tag at Stars Recreation Center
38. Learn something new at the Vacaville Public Library
39. Take photos of local wildlife
40. Go for a hole-in-one at Green Tree Golf Club
41. Challenge yourself with a new exercise routine
42. Clear some clutter with a garage sale
43. Treat yourself to Fentons Creamery’s handcrafted ice cream
44. Get your game on at Centennial Park
45. Tend a garden and watch it grow
46. Hike or bike the Lagoon Valley trails
47. Visit Peña Adobe, the oldest building in Solano County
48. Get involved as a volunteer
49. Make a splash at Graham Aquatics Center
50. Unwind at the Art, Wine, & Brew Festival, August 31st-September 2nd

Freebirds World Burrito Vacaville [REVIEW]

“If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?”

– “Freebird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Freebirds, if you left tomorrow I would miss you very much. Vacaville’s new burrito hotspot opened this week to much anticipation. For the uninformed, Freebirds is a regional chain of fast casual burrito restaurants that was founded in 1987 in Isla Vista, California by two self-proclaimed “hippies” Mark Orfalea and Pierre Dube. This is not your typical burrito joint.

Beware of the “death sauce” seated at every table

As you walk in, the era of lawlessness and free love as defined by the 1960’s envelopes the bustling storefront. As you wait in line you are cheerfully greeted by Libby, the motorcycling Statue of Liberty, and extremely friendly Freebirds employees stroll by taking and delivering drink orders. I’ve never seen it done like that before and it was a nice and unexpected touch.

Libby riding her Motorcycle of Freedom 

Let’s get down to brass tacks. How is the food? Well in a word: Aaaah-mazing. The burritos, bowls and tacos are highly customizable and come in four unique sizes. Hybrid (being the smallest), Freebird, Monster and Super Monster (roughly the size of a mortar round. I’m talking Man Vs. Food here). I ordered the recommended burrito size “Freebird” and it was more than enough.

Super Monster – not for the faint of heart

The tortillas are steamed fresh and offer unique choices like cayenne or spinach alongside the standard flour and wheat. Where Freebirds really differentiates from the pack is their choose-your-own adventure menu that offers more than 40 different types meats, cheeses, beans, vegetables, sauces and salsas. There are over a trillion different possible combinations! Best yet are most offerings are free of charge (except for items like extra meat, cheese or guacamole).

The staff was incredibly friendly throughout my experience and the prices were on par with most fast causal fresh mex restaurants. I would definitely come here again and try a different flavor combination! You must try Freebirds, your stomach will thank you.

A Taste of Margaritaville in Downtown Vacaville

Today I headed out to Los Reyes Restaurante Y Cantina to enjoy some quality Mexican cuisine and catch some live music at Town Square. Downtown Vacaville Business Improvement District is putting on free intimate concerts every Wednesday through September 26th to entertain the midday lunch crowd. Today, Causalities of Friendship performed for a few hours under the beautifully designed triangle-shaped awnings. The weather was perfect and they had the audience mesmerized as they played well-known hits like “Margaritaville” and “A Pirate Looks At 40” by Jimmy Buffett. If you didn’t catch today’s performance, don’t worry. The Lunch Time Concert series will continue next week, so go ahead and grab lunch from one of our 26 restaurants and treat yourself to a relaxing afternoon under the balmy Vacaville sun. 

For a list of upcoming performances click here.

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for up-to-date event details, exclusive contests the latest news about Vacaville!

Restaurant Review: Panera

Today, I decided to try Panera for lunch. Vacaville is home to a plethora of fun places to grab a bite, and Panera did not disappoint. For those who may not know, Panera is a chain bakery and coffee joint that serves up signature cafe items like soups, salads, and sandwiches. On this trip (there will be more), I ordered a combo 1/2 Caesar Salad and a side of French onion soup. FUN FACT: The “Caesar” in Caesar salad did not come from the Roman general Julius Caesar, but from an Italian immigrant named Caesar Cardini. Cardini apparently created the salad when he was cooking for a 4th of July dinner and ran out of other salad ingredients.

Julius Caesar would have been proud

The salad I received was substantial and served with romain lettuce, freshly grilled and seasoned chicken and topped with Parmesan cheese. Next up is the French Onion Soup. The French onion soup, or Soupe à l’oignon, is an onion and beef broth based soup usually accompanied by a topping of seasoned croutons and  melted gruyère cheese.

Onion soups have been popular at least as far back as Roman times. At the time, they were seen as food for poor, as onions were plentiful and easy to grow. 

My soup, while a little on the salty side, was a perfect accompaniment to the vinegary Caesar dressing. Overall, it was a great dining experience and the service quick and friendly. I would definitely recommend this place to visitors or residents of Vacaville any day!