Yolo County is located north of California between Napa, Sacramento, and San Francisco Bay. This county is most renowned for its cuisine and vast agricultural landscapes. This charming countryside offers impressive attractions like wetlands, museums, and sunflower fields. Experience local dining at some of the best restaurants in Yolo County or go on a scenic bike ride in the countryside.
Yolo County, California, is a state filled with culinary experiences, microbreweries, fresh produce, and wineries. This agriculturally diverse state is one of the biggest producers of tomatoes and exporters of sunflower seeds. Yolo County is home to friendly locals and an array of experiences.
What Is Yolo County California Known For?
Yolo County, California, is not just a rural agricultural landscape but a town filled with some of California’s best experiences and attractions. A few things that make this county unique are local eateries, sunflower fields, and agricultural activities.
- Exceptional cuisine
- Exploring Sunflower fields
- Agricultural activities
If you’re looking for a county that is well known for using local produce in its eateries, then Yolo County is a great place to visit. Sunflowers and farming make up a large part of Yolo County and the lifestyle of those who live there.
Exceptional Cuisine
From steak houses to Irish pubs and even a taste of Italian, Yolo County has some fantastic places to dine. Locally sourced ingredients play a big part in what restaurants in Yolo County have to offer. Famous farms like Full Belly Farm, Riverdog Farm, and Capay Organic Farm are some of the leading fresh produce suppliers to local restaurants.
If you’re looking for an excellent steak, you must visit Buckhorn Steakhouse. If you’re into Italian food, Hot Italian has a great range of gourmet pizzas made with locally sourced ingredients. And if you’re looking for a tasty breakfast, Savoury Café serves a traditional breakfast, alternating their menu according to the seasons.
Exploring Sunflower Fields
Yolo County is filled with bright fields of sunflowers during sunflower season (mid-June-mid July yearly). Almost 95 percent of sunflower seeds grown in Yolo County are exported worldwide to be grown and used for sunflower oil.
Sunflower fields are grown on private land. Visitors are generally not permitted to walk through the sunflower fields to avoid damage to the crops. However, these gorgeous blooms can still be viewed, and photos can be taken as you drive through the countryside.
Agricultural Activities
Yolo County has incredibly nutrient-rich fertile soil. With sufficient water and a suitable climate for crop growing, Yolo County is an excellent place for agricultural activity. Their biggest crops include nuts and seeds, wine grapes, tomatoes, wheat, rice, and other grains and fruit. The livelihood of this county depends a lot on agriculture, and agriculture is the county’s leading industry.
What’s In Yolo County?
Yolo County, California, has a few fantastic establishments, including working farms, nature parks, and trendy microbreweries. Restaurants and farmer’s markets are popular amongst those visiting Yolo County, and the wine tours are also worth exploring.
Working Farms
There are lots of working farms in Yolo County. As one of the biggest suppliers of agricultural produce, there are ample farms in Yolo County. You can find everything from honey to olives and fruit and vegetables. You can visit Bullfrog Bees for some locally produced honey or tour Seka Hills Olive Mill for olive picking and freshly made olive oil.
Nature Parks And Wildlife Areas
Yolo County is nothing short of beautiful. Discover the natural beauty of Yolo County by visiting a few of the nature parks and wildlife areas. For bird watching, pay Cache Creek a visit. Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area is home to waterfowl and shorebirds. These can be viewed during the winter and spring migrations.
Wineries
There’s nothing more relaxing than having a glass of wine while watching the sunset and endless vineyards in Yolo County. Yolo County is home to a few notable vineyards. Spend an afternoon visiting wineries like Matchbook Winery, Great Bear Vineyards, and Grindstone Winery.
Breweries
Yolo County is becoming well known for not only wine and agriculture but for its microbreweries too. Each of these microbreweries caters to a specific market, and each has a unique approach to making beer. A few of the best microbreweries to visit are Sudwerk Brewing Company, Three Mile Brewing Company, and Bike Dog Brewing Company.
Farmers Markets
The Davis Farmers Market is the best place to shop for locally sourced fresh produce. This market is only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays in Yolo County. You can expect to find fruit, vegetables, chicken, free-range eggs, honey, and free-range meat. If you need to stock up on gifts, the market has a large selection of gift items for sale too.
Local Restaurants
Dining in Yolo County is something extraordinary. The culinary delights include everything you can imagine. From seasonally inspired menus to wood-fired pizza and authentic American meals, Yolo county is known for its local restaurants.
Things To Do In Yolo County
From biking through the beautiful countryside to exploring local nature parks and going on a farm tour, Yolo County has many activities. Whether you’re just visiting or staying, there are unique places filled with a rich history for you to explore. You may find your next favorite eatery or fall in love with a bottle of Chenin Blanc. Whatever you love doing, it can be found in Yolo County.
- Wine tours
- Biking
- Hiking and picnicking
- Water Sports
- Fishing
- Museums
- Flower Picking
Wine Tours
There are a few great tour options for wine tours in Yolo County. You can visit around 7 local wine farms and do wine tastings in their tasting rooms. Famous wine farms that form part of the wine tours are Great Bear Vineyards, Taber Ranch Vineyard, and Turkovich Family Wines.
Biking
Whether you’re looking for a laid-back bike ride or something more challenging, there are various bike routes in Yolo County. If you’re an avid cyclist, the Stevenson Bridge Lopp from Davis route is a bit more complicated but an excellent option for sightseeing. On the other hand, if you’d rather take a more leisurely course, then cycle along the scenic paths, exploring the natural surroundings of Yolo county Park.
Hiking And Picnicking
Ideally, nature parks and conservations have lovely paths and hiking trails to explore the natural beauty of Yolo County. Picnic in some of the most breathtaking places while surrounded by birds and other wildlife. The Cache Creek Regional Park, Yolo Wildlife Bypass Area, and Grasslands Regional Park are a few parks worth exploring.
Water Sports
If you’re a keen adventurer, then Velocity Island is an excellent place to visit. Stand-up paddleboarding, wakeskating, and other water sports are some of the activities you can do when visiting this water park.
Fishing
Catch and releasing fishing at Putah Creek is a great daytime activity for those who enjoy fishing. This park is mainly used for fishing. The Clarksburg fishing area is a popular boating, fishing, and water skiing attraction.
Museums
California Agriculture Museum has a vast collection of historical agricultural machinery. The museum operates from Wednesday to Sunday weekly. For a small entrance fee, you get to travel back in time and experience the machine marvels in interactive exhibits.
Flower Picking
Walkthrough Park Winters and pick your own bouquet. Flowers like marigolds, snapdragons, and sunflowers are just a few of the beautiful blooms you’ll get to handpick when visiting Park Winters.
Famous People From Yolo County California
Yolo County, California, isn’t home to lots of famous people. While some famous people were born in Yolo County, their families soon relocated to other parts of the U.S. Thomas Hayden Church, Edward Hong, and Jana Winternitz are famous people from Yolo County.
Thomas Haden Church
Thomas Hayden Church is an Oscar-nominated actor. He did not start his acting career until he was 28 years old. His most memorable roles were in the movies Sideways and Spiderman 3. Although he grew up in Texas, he was born in Yolo County, California.
Edward Hong
Edward Hong has made a career in acting in TV and film, commercials, and on stage and has even produced his own short film. He was born in Yolo County, California, in 1987. Some of his movies include HollyShorts, FilmQuest, and Screamfest.
Jana Winternitz
Jana Winternitz is known for her role in Funny Story, released in 2018. She was born in 1989 in Yolo County and is an actress and producer. She also won the Jury Award for the best feature narrative for her role in Funny Story.
Yolo County FAQ
Interesting Facts About Yolo County?
Port of West Sacramento is a port in Yolo County used to export construction materials, equipment, and rice. Yolo County makes up 90 percent of the industry share in canning and processing tomatoes in the U.S. The original name of Yolo county was Yola. The largest employer in Yolo County is the University of California in Davis.
Is Yolo County A Good Place To Live?
Yolo County is a great place to live but isn’t for everyone. If you prefer smaller cities and a lower populated place to live, then Yolo may be perfect for you. Yolo has a low crime rate and a reasonably good education system. Housing is slightly cheaper than living in a city, and Yolo has a low poverty rate compared to other cities in the United States.
Is It Expensive In Yolo County?
Compared to other states living in Yolo County is slightly more affordable. Housing is cheaper than the average home in the U.S. At the same time, groceries, utilities, and transportation remain the most costly items when living in Yolo County, California.
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