Parent's insider guide to Parent and Family Weekend 2023

Everything you need to know to about UC Davis Parent and Family Weekend on November 3-5, 2023. The annual event which gives parents and family members of current students the opportunity to engage with UC Davis life — from academics to athletics and everything in between.

You can view and register for the full list of events on our Parent and Family Weekend webpage. 

Schedule at a glance

Download a text reader accessible copy of the schedule here. Please note: schedule is subject to change. Please refer to the full listing of events for updates.

Friday

• Nov 3, 2023 @ 1:00pm - 2:00pm - Botancial Conservatory Tour
• Nov 3, 2023 @ 2:00pm - 3:00pm - College of Engineering Tour
• Nov 3, 2023 @ 3:00pm - 4:00pm - Shields Library Tour
• Nov 3, 2023 @ 4:00pm - 6:00pm - Kick-off Reception
• Nov 3, 2023 @ 7:00pm - 9:00pm - Pizza Party at Woodstocks

Saturday

• Nov 4, 2023 @ 8:00am - 1:00pm - Davis Farmer's Market
• Nov 4, 2023 @ 9:00am - 1:00pm - Arboretum Public Garden and Plant Sale
• Nov 4, 2023 @ 10:00am - 11:30am - Discover College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
• Nov 4, 2023 @ 10:00am - 11:00am - Botanical Conservatory Tour
• Nov 4, 2023 @ 10:00am - 5:00pm - Manetti Shrem Museum of Art: Fall Exhibitions
• Nov 4, 2023 @ 11:30am - 12:30pm - Shields Library Tour
• Nov 4, 2023 @ 1:00pm - 3:00pm - UCD Women's Volleyball Game
• Nov 4, 2023 @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm - Bohart Open House: Monarch Butterflies
• Nov 4, 2023 @ 1:00pm - 4:00pm - Art Spark an Manetti Shrem Museum
• Nov 4, 2023 @ 2:00pm - 3:30pm - Tailgate Town: BBQ Lunch and Resource Fair
• Nov 4, 2023 @ 4:00pm - Football Game Kick Off
• Nov 4, 2023 @ 7:00pm - 9:00pm - Sudwerk Live Music

Sunday

• Nov 5, 2023 @ 9:00am - 11:00am - Brunch at the Segundo Dining Commons
• Nov 5, 2023 @ 10:00am - 5:00pm - Manetti Shrem Museum of Art: Fall Exhibitions
• Nov 5, 2023 @ 1:00pm - 3:15pm - A Conversation with Misty Copeland

*Bolded events indicate an advance ticket purchase or free registration required. Tickets must also be purchased for your student if they plan on attending events with you.

Visit on your own time

• Find a hidden gem or local favorite in Yolo County. Check out the Visit Yolo site for recommendations on things to do, wineries to visit, tours to take and other fun activities. 
• Go for a walk in the UC Davis arboretum our 135 acre living museum.
• Stop at a shop in Downtown Davis. 
• Eat at the Silo or any of the other on campus dining locations.
• Visit the cows (located next to Kearney Hall in the Tercero Residence Halls) and scout for other on campus animals like Cheeto the Physics Cat or the turkeys.  
• Ask your student for a tour of their lecture halls/favorite areas on campus
• Hop on a bike or bring your own and explore UC Davis and the surrounding area.
  • Download the city of Davis bike map.
• Visit the campus bookstore located in the Memorial Union (view hours and locations)
• Visit the Shrem Museum, the new Gorman Musuem of Native American Art, or the many different art galleries in the city of Davis
• Check off as many Aggie Traditions as possible, the list of quintessential UC Davis experiences
• Visit the MU Games Area for a round of bowling, billiards, or console games.

Food Recommendations

Many fantastic eateries both on the UC Davis campus and in downtown will be open throughout the week. There are several popular restaurants in downtown Davis, including Burgers and Brew, Davis Creamery, Paesanos, Woodstock's Pizza, Sudwerk, Crepeville, Cafe Bernardo, and Guads. 

On campus Dining Recommendations are below. Please take note of opening hours and days. Many on campus dining options are only open M-F:

• Segundo Dining Commons: 
• Tercero Dining Commons
• Cuarto Dining Commons
• Latitude Restaurant
• Spokes Grill
• The Gunrock
• Crepe Bistro
• Silo Market
• Coffee Shops
• Food trucks
• Coffee House 

Parking

Please see below for a map of visitor parking areas on campus. You can also view the map here. 

UC Davis uses the "Aggie Park" AMP app that allows drivers to conduct parking permit transactions from their mobile devices. We recommend downloading the free AMP Park app on your iPhone or Android prior to your arrival for the easiest parking experience. The daily rates range from $2, for students, staff and faculty to $18 for visitors. You can visit here for more information on parking. Electric Vehicle parking information can be found here.

Permits are required to park on campus Monday - Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Parking is free on weekends except in parking areas with permit requirements which will be posted in advance. Special event parking rates may apply so always check the posted parking information. Go here to view the parking impact calendar for special events. 

Please visit for Transportation Services FAQ website for additional information. 

If driving on campus, keep in mind no cars are allowed in the heart of campus and many roads are closed to car traffic. Plan accordingly and refer to the campus map for car-free streets. 

Other Transportation Information

Check out transportation services website for more information about traveling to, from, and around campus. Campus is accessible by bike, bus, train and by foot traffic depending on the location and distance traveled. Spin e-bike and e-scooter rentals are also available around Davis.  Download the Spin app from the Apple App Store and on Google Play. 

The I-680 freeway will be closed in the southbound direction between I-580/I-680 Connector and Koopman Road from 9:00 p.m. Friday, November 3 to 4:00 a.m. the following Monday, November 6.

What to bring

If you are attending the football game, we recommend you review the Health Stadium A-Z guide for the most seamless fan experience.  Bags are subject to search and shall be small enough to fit completely under one seat (occupied by bags owner), and shall be so kept at all times to maintain clear aisles, walkways, and stairs. Hard sided cases and coolers are prohibited. Light snacks or modest amounts of food for personal consumption are permitted. Personal Alcohol is prohibited. 

Weather in Davis during the fall can vary greatly especially from the surrounding areas of Northern California. Average temperatures in November range from 72°F to 60°F but can fall as low as 54°F and reach as high as 80°F. For your own comfort, we recommend checking the weather as the weekend approaches to plan accordingly.

If you would like to bring a reuseable waterbottle, there are various water fill stations throughout campus to access when buildings are unlocked (keep in mind, many buildings may be locked on the weekends). You can check out this H20 map for water stations. 

We also hope you bring your Aggie Pride and sport UC Davis merch if you have any (especially on Aggie Pride Fridays!). 

Restrooms

Buildings with public restrooms that should be unlocked and open during the weekend are below:

Memorial Union - Open: 7am-8pm on Friday, 9am-7pm on Saturday and 9am-7pm on Sunday.

Peter J. Shields Library - Open: 7:30am-8pm on Friday, 10am-6pm on Saturday and 10am-12am on Sunday.

Student Community Center - Open: 7:30am-9pm on Friday, 12pm-6pm on Saturday and 12pm-6pm on Sunday.

ARC - Open: 5am-12am on Friday, 9am-9pm on Saturday and 9am-11pm on Sunday.

A list of gender Inclusive restrooms can be found here.

Pets

As per PPM 290-90, Animal Control on Campus, Dogs, except for police dogs and service animals, are not permitted in posted campus buildings and must be on a leash in all areas of campus, except during approved sponsored events or training classes. More information about service animals can be found here. For students and visitors, only Service Animals are permitted in areas where dogs are not otherwise allowed. 

Safety

We recommend all visitors subscribe to WarnMe Aggie Alerts to be notified of any emergencies on campus. Anyone can opt-in by texting "UCDAlerts" to 888777. You can also sign up to receive emergency alerts visit from Yolo Alert. More safety information can also be found on the UC Davis Police Department website and UC Davis Fire Department Website.

Further questions?

Contact UC Davis Parent Programs at parentprograms@ucdavis.edu. Our office is open 8am-5pm M-F. While we strive for a prompt response time, due to the high volume of requests we receive and the limited staffing available during this time, there may be a delay in responses leading up to and during parent and family weekend. 

Aggie insider advice for a memorable parent and family weekend

Do - wear your blue and gold!

Do - enjoy the small town, quiet and quaint vibes of Davis, California's college town.

Don't - underestimate the size of campus. Plan your travel time between locations accordingly. 

Do - plan on visiting campus for Picnic Day, our annual open house. Remember that Parent and Family Weekend is a smaller event.

Don't - forget to order any tickets in advance for our signature events, performances, or sporting events. 

Do - check the full schedule of events for additional drop in activities. 

Do - keep an eye (and ear) out for the UC Davis Marching Band and listen to the fight song.