Destination Vacaville

Discover the heart of Vacaville's vibrant art scene in this episode as we explore the Vacaville Art League and Gallery. Join us as we chat with Barb Musial, Manager of the gallery, about how this space not only showcases the city's artistic talent but also serves as a lively hub for local creatives to connect and collaborate. Whether you're a resident seeking inspiration or a tourist craving a taste of Vacaville's creative scene, this episode unveils the hidden gem that brings the community together through art.

Destination Vacaville? Let's go! 

The celebration of "I Love Vacaville Week" continues by shining a spotlight on My Friend’s House, a youth shelter dedicated to equipping, empowering, and encouraging the youth in Vacaville. By meeting the immediate needs of homeless and at-risk youth aged 12-24, they strive to prevent them from falling victim to drugs, gangs, trafficking, incarceration, or homelessness. The programs offer comprehensive case management, mentorship, safe environments, and access to essential goods and services like food, clothing, and school supplies. What makes this initiative crucial for Vacaville is its holistic approach, creating a collaborative network of agencies and partners to seamlessly provide mental health care, employment services, education support, and more. This episode celebrates the impactful work of My Friend's House, highlighting their vital role in safeguarding the future of Vacaville's youth.

Destination Vacaville? Let's go! 

Please call 707-44-1988 to volunteer

For people between the ages 18 years old to 24 years old seeking assistance, My Friend's House may be reached by calling or texting 707-685-9753

For adolescent children between the ages of 12 years old to 18 years old seeking assistance, Youth Rising may be reached by calling or texting 707-898-3181

To celebrate "I Love Vacaville Week", we invited Dr. KP of the  Solano SPCA to chat about the shelter. Join us as Dr. KP shares the remarkable stories of animal adoptions and the dedicated volunteers making a difference in the lives of Vacaville residents and pets in need of new homes. From heartwarming tales of rehabilitation to vaccination clinics to the annual Paws for a Cause, discover how Solano SPCA is shaping a brighter future for both humans and their four-legged friends. So whether you're a resident seeking a new furry companion or a visitor eager to learn about Vacaville's caring spirit, this episode promises to touch your heart and inspire appreciation for everything  Solano SPCA does for Vacaville and Solano County.

Destination Vacaville? Let's go! 

Bundle up and lace up those skates, because the Winter Wonderland event at Vacaville Ice Sports is happening from December 15 to January 7!! Glide around the rink, surrounded by twinkling lights and festive decorations that will have you feeling like you stepped into a holiday postcard. Whether you're a seasoned skater or just finding your ice skating legs, this event is the perfect blend of winter magic and laughter for families, couples, and individuals. Don't miss out on all the fun of Winter Wonderland!

Destination Vacaville? Let's go! 

Destination Vacaville is brought to you by Visit Vacaville, the city's official destination marketing organization. Join Alyssa Pardini, President and CEO of Visit Vacaville, as she introduces listeners to the people and places that make visiting Vacaville such a unique travel experience, like seasonal adventures; agriculture tourism; family activities; culinary delights; wine country; and more!  Destination Vacacville? Let's Go!

Destination Vacaville is brought to you by Visit Vacaville, the city's official destination marketing organization.

In this heartfelt and bittersweet episode, we bid farewell and safe travels to Melyssa Reeves, the CEO and President of Visit Vacaville.  Melyssa spent the past 16 years helping build community in Vacaville as well as championing the city as a tourism destination. Melyssa shares how her life's been forever changed by her work and why now is the perfect time to hand her role over to someone new. Everyone at Visit Vacaville wishes her the best of luck in her next adventure! 

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

Whether you're a seasoned DIY enthusiast or in search of the perfect contractor, the Solano County Home and Garden Show is your go-to event for all things home and garden. CEO Shawna Arzadon shares all of the fun and exciting events and exhibits that'll be on display at the Home and Garden Show. Be sure to grab your gardening gloves and plug in those power tools for an episode that's sure to leave you inspired and ready to tackle your next home project. The Solano County Home and Garden Show will be located at the Harbison Event Center, located at 1681 E Monte Vista Ave in Vacaville.

Destination Vacaville? Let's go! 

Vacaville's vibrant outdoor music scene is flourishing in Downtown Vacaville.  Discover the unique venue, Vacaville's Town Square, where some of Northern California's favorite bands will be playing every Thursday night. The evening will be filled with palpable energy that transforms an ordinary night into an unforgettable musical experience. Vacaville's Town Square is located in the middle of the city's restaurant scene, making delicious food and drinks a perfect complement for a lovely Thursday evening filled with music. 

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

High Noon is one busy band. High Noon recently released Swell, a six-song EP. The band played Napa's famous BottleRock Festival and along with several tour dates planned. Not only that, the band has a deep-rooted connection to Vacaville through Brandon Cherry, High Noon's drummer. Brandon delves into the captivating journey of High Noon, exploring their unique sound, described as a "high power, melody and rhythm focused rock band with strong 70’s and 90’s influences". Brandon shares how Vacaville's always been an amazing spot for creativity, artistic expression, and musical exploration.

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

Voice actor and sound designer, David W. Collins, takes us on a nostalgic journey to his roots in Vacaville, CA. David reveals how his passion for storytelling and sound design began to blossom during his formative years in this charming Californian town, eventually leading him to work on many Star Wars productions for LucasFilm and Skywalker Sound. We discover the local influences and experiences that shaped his career, from community theater productions to jamming with his high school band in his mom's garage. Additionally, David hosts his own podcast, The Soundtrack Show, which is "a weekly look at film scores and soundtracks for some of the most popular movies, TV shows, video games and theater pieces of all time."

Destination Vacaville? Let's go! 

In today's episode, we're exploring the rich history and captivating exhibits of the Vacaville Museum with Sarah Olsen, Executive Director of the museum. Located in the heart of downtown Vacaville, the Vacaville Museum is a cultural landmark dedicated to preserving and celebrating the heritage of Vacaville and all of Solano County.

The Vacaville Museum is curating some exciting events this summer, including a trivia night at Journey Downtown at The -Library, walking tours of historic Downtown Vacaville, a reading by Richard Rico, and a talk by NASA Ambassador Zach Amis on the transition from flight travel to space travel. 

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

Lisa Hilas, President of On Stage Vacaville, returns to Destination Vacaville (Episode 11, Season 1)! On Stage Vacaville's mission "is to advance Vacaville’s cultural arts by engaging and cultivating a broad and diverse array of entertainment for all ages and interests, while supporting our local performance artists". 

Lisa shares with Melyssa all of the exciting programming and performances On Stage Vacaville has planned for the Summer of 2023, updates on partnerships, and all of the ways OSV supports the artistic community of Vacaville, and how Vacaville can support OSV. 

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

Vacaville is home to some of the best restaurants in Northern California. One restaurant at the top of the list is Roline's Uniquely Filipino. The restaurant's namesake, Chef Roline Casper, is our guest for this week's episode.

Chef Roline sits down with Melyssa to share stories of making food with her grandmother, what to order if you're new to Filipino cuisine, and why Kamayan (eating with your hands) is the best way to order food for multiple parties and events. Additionally, Chef Roline released a popular cookbook so loved by comic Jo Koy, he featured it in his movie Easter Sunday.

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

Mayor John Carli has served the community and City of Vacaville for over 30 years. His journey began as a police officer before eventually becoming Vacaville's Chief of Police . He retired but felt the call to continue serving his community. That lead to him successfully running to become Vacaville's next Mayor.

Mayor Carli sits down with Melyssa inside Journey Coffee (Episode 28) for this episode of Destination Vacaville. The Mayor shares his ideas about present-day Vacaville, his hopes for Vacaville's future, and why the city is such a wonderful place to live and visit.

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

Vacaville is home to some of the best outdoor events in Northern California. Creewalk is a concert series that takes place every Friday from 6 PM to 9 PM from June to August. Not only is Creekwalk returning, but there will be a big 4th of July concert for visitors and residents of Vacaville!

Kristin Milliken, Recreation Coordinator for the City of Vacaville, returns to give all of the details about the Creekwalk series, the 4th of July celebration, and a few of the other fun events happening in Vacaville. 

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

Brooke Fox returns to Destination Vacaville to talk about the Starbound Theatre and The Saturday Club of Vacaville. Starbound Theatre is an amazing learning and performing center for kids who want to be in the performing arts. Children from the ages of 4 to 17, no matter their skill level or goals, are welcome to attend Starbound Theatre.

Founded in 1909, The Saturday Club of Vacaville's mission is to promote and champion the cultural arts in Vacaville and Solano County. Additionally, the organization has a multifaceted clubhouse close to Downtown Vacaville.

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

If you're a golfer visiting California or you call the Golden State home, Northern California is a golfer's paradise. Now Vacaville is taking golfing into the 21st century with PaylorMade Golf Academy! PaylorMade Golf Academy has one the most advanced virtual golf experiences in all of Northern California, and it's in Vacaville. So now it won't matter if it is too hot, raining, or if bad weather is on the horizon, you can still play golf.

Elliott Paylor, Founder and Owner of PaylorMade Golf Academy, sits down with Melyssa in this episode to share his story. He shares his golfing experience/obsession (over 25 years), why he opened PaylorMade Golf Academy, and what the future of golfing looks like for Vacaville.

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

Downtown Vacaville just keeps getting better! The Main Grape, a wine bar with a large and diverse wine collection, opened in 2023. Tonya Dretzka is Co-Owner of The Main Grape, along with her son Blake Dretzka.

Tonya sits down with Melyssa to chat about what inspired Tonya and Blake to open The Main Grape, future plans for the wine bar (a giant patio), and their very popular wine club (that is filling up very fast). Additionally, The Main Grape has a full beer menu and a growing food menu. The Main Grape is a welcomed addition to Vacaville's vibrant downtown scene.

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

Vacaville and Vacaville's Downtown are going through a renaissance. One of the people who will help lead the way is Taylor McDonald, the new Executive Director of Downtown Business Improvement District.

Join Melyssa as she learns about Taylor's plans for Downtown Vacaville, his journey to becoming the Executive Director, and why he's so happy to be part of the Vacaville community.

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

We're kicking off the first episode of 2023 with Don Burrus, the City of Vacaville's Director of Economic Development Services. Don was the first guest on the podcast back in 2021.

Join Melyssa and Don as they chat about the amazing developments and businesses coming to Vacaville.  Biotech firms are setting up in Vacaville, creating new jobs and other opportunities for residents. There's also new upscale shopping (like Elm West) and hotels opening in Vacaville. Don's even got an update about Trader Joe's! 

Destination Vacaville? Let's go!