Downtown Vacaville, Vacaville, CA

Downtown Vacaville is the city's old center, and the blocks around Main and Merchant Streets carry more history than anywhere else in town. The early Town Hall still stands here, joined by a museum and an art gallery set in a restored Victorian. This is mostly a commercial and civic district rather than a housing area, with shops, restaurants, the Town Square Library and two theaters. Chain restaurants and the movie complex share the blocks with local places, so it reads as a mix of an older main street and a newer shopping strip. Andrews Park is downtown's green side, with a creek, a paved path and walking trails. The dragon sculpture at Great Wonders Playground is the thing to look for, and the Saturday morning farmers market at Creekwalk Plaza runs through the year. The food list is long. Heritage House Cafe serves a traditional breakfast and lunch in an historic building. Pietro's No. 1 has made Italian food and pizza since 1957. The Main Grape is a tapas bar, and BackDoor Bistro & Wine Bar covers the evenings. For coffee, Attalus Coffee at 374 Merchant Street roasts its own beans, and Journey Coffee operates from a restored 1926 theater on Main Street. Pure Grain Bakery adds German pastries. Daily needs are handled by Lucky Supermarkets inside the district, and the library is a quick stop. Walking works well within downtown itself, though most trips to other parts of Vacaville mean getting in the car. Downtown is a commercial center first, and that shapes what living nearby means. Housing nearby is limited to the edges of the district, so most visitors come in from other parts of Vacaville. For anyone who wants to run an errand, see a movie and eat dinner without moving the car much, Downtown Vacaville is built for exactly that.