What Locals Love About Living in Woodland, CA

Less than a half-hour from downtown Sacramento, Woodland is a family-friendly town with a rich agricultural heritage. In fact, many current residents have ties to the farming community, with farms, ranches, and orchards surrounding the town’s historic core.

The Gable Mansion

Speaking of history, there are plenty of attractions in Woodland that draw locals and visitors alike. The historic Woodland Opera House, built in 1885, now hosts community theater, musicals, and other performing arts. Woodland is also home to the California Agricultural Museum, which has the rarest collection of historic tractors in the nation. There’s also the Woodland Train Depot Museum, which has vintage locomotives.

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Although Woodland has a robust history, it’s also a vibrant city with modern-day conveniences. Shopping, dining, and community events are a way of life here. But at its heart Woodland retains its small-town charm. The pace of life here is a bit slower. The days are a bit quieter. Following are some of the things that locals love about living in Woodland, CA.

Woodland: Close to It All

Woodland’s location can’t be beat. Although it’s a semi-rural community surrounded by bucolic farmland, it’s just 30 minutes to Sacramento and 20 minutes to Davis. It’s easily accessible by I-5 and Highway 16 and is minutes from Sacramento International Airport. It truly provides the best of both worlds: A relaxed way of life but access to every convenience.

Woodland’s Diverse Food Scene

Being that Woodland is the heart of California’s agricultural belt, it comes as no surprise that there are some great restaurants to be found here. Whether you’re looking for upscale, farm-to-fork cuisine or a casual, family-friendly eatery, you’ll find it in Woodland. Following are some of our top picks.

Father Paddy’s Irish Pub

• Kitchen 428 Restaurant. Located in a historic building, this popular eatery specializes in seasonal, sustainable, and locally sourced ingredients. Steaks, seafood, salad and small plates are on the menu. The attached bar, Mojo’s Lounge, has drink specials and trivia nights.
• Morgan’s on Main. Looking for hearty, stick-to-your-ribs comfort food? You’ll find it at Morgan’s on Main. Burgers, sandwiches, pasta, and steaks are their specialties. They also offer internationally inspired shareables, plus a full bar.
• Father Paddy’s Irish Pub. This traditional Irish pub offers everything you’d expect: live music, Irish beer, and authentic Irish cuisine like shepherd’s pie and corned beef. But they also serve American favorites like burgers, sandwiches, and salads.
• The Hive Tasting Room and Kitchen. It doesn’t get more farm-fresh than The Hive, which specializes in dishes infused with honey straight from their 2-acre pollinator garden. Salads and sandwiches are available, or you can taste local honey or mead, a honey-based wine. They also have live music.

Family-Friendly Attractions in Woodland

Families love Woodland for its many attractions and amenities that appeal to kids. For starters, they have numerous parks and greenspaces — 27 to be exact — as well as a community aquatic complex and sports park. There’s also the Woodland bike loop, a 16+ mile route that winds through the city.

Nearby is Velocity Island Park, a wakeboarding and paddle boarding park that also has a floating obstacle course and swimmable beach. Other kid-friendly attractions include Mosaic Children’s Museum, an creativity and art space, the Kids Clubhouse, which has indoor climbing structures, and Mimi’Z petting zoo, home to a variety of animals.

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Woodland’s Community Events

Locals love that Woodland has a strong sense of community, and nowhere is that more visible than in its many community events. From seasonal celebrations to local festivals, there’s always something going on in Woodland. Following are some highlights.

California Honey Festival

• California Honey Festival. This annual event celebrates all things honey. It offers honey tasting, food, educational activities, vendors and live entertainment.
• Yolo County Fair. This old-timey fair honors the agricultural legacy of Yolo County with animals, competitions, rides, and of course, plenty of food.
• NorCal Celtic Festival. One of the largest Celtic festivals in the state, this offers traditional competitions such as caber tossing as well as Scottish highland dancing and pipes and drums. There is also Celtic-inspired food, local vendors, and whisky tasting.
• Dinner on Main. This annual autumnal dinner celebrates local farms and farmers with a farm-to-fork banquet served on communal tables lining Main Street.

One-of-a-Kind Shopping in Woodland

Sure, Woodland has its national retailers and its big-box stores for all necessities of daily life. But it also has a handful of unique shops and one-of-a-kind boutiques. Its quaint, walkable downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places, with original brick buildings and century-old facades. Many of these buildings are now home to charming shops offering clothing, gifts, antiques, and much more. Highlights include:

• Haven a Boutique, which specializes in women’s fashion, home décor, and gifts.
• My Sister’s Closet, a consignment shop that has an ever-rotating inventory of designer and vintage clothing and accessories.
• Embellish Décor & Gifts, which offers holiday items, specialty gifts and home décor.
• The Wild Grove Collective, which features handmade items from local artisans, including jewelry, candles, beauty items, and crocheted goods.

Find the Best of Both Worlds in Woodland

With a rich history rooted in agriculture, Woodland, CA retains its small-town, Americana charm. But it’s balanced with modern conveniences, making it a great choice for those looking for a relaxed way of life. From outdoor spaces to community events, great restaurants to unique shopping, Woodland has something for everyone.