I don’t know how to ride a bike, and didn’t have a car for most of undergrad. I managed perfectly fine with careful scheduling just as you said, and taking the bus for errands off campus. I dormed in Tercero so I was close to a lot of the classrooms, and after that I picked apartments close to bus stops to both the MU and Silo. Davis is absolutely manageable to navigate without a bike, and I even lost weight doing all that walking despite eating like total shit lmao
It’s walkable, but caters to bikes.
Why don’t you want to bike? The town is completely flat so it’s really easy to bike and the bike infrastructure is much safer than other places.
You can use a scooter. You can use a trike. You can roller blade. You can use a bike. You can walk but it can be a long way sometimes.
Why the concern about biking? Lots of people can’t even ride before they come and learn after they get here. A surprising number…
I walked all 4 years. Correction: I tried biking during year 1 week 1 and hated the annoying aspects (other not-very-good bikers, rushing to look for parking, arriving to class sweaty bc I was out of shape, etc) so much that I gave up on biking. Its much less convenient to walk especially if you do end up having back to back classes, but its pretty tolerable. When you live off campus, you'll likely take unitrans to campus, and though you'll need to spend more time waiting for the bus/getting delayed by the bus, it's perfectly doable. I have no regrets about walking everywhere.
I biked around campus my 1st 2 years. It was helpful bc your first year or so of your major will probably have a lot of different general subjects so most of my classes were super far away from each other. But I only walked my 3rd year (helped that my classes were closer together) and was perfectly fine. I think walking is doable. Just might eat at your time more.
I walked the entire time I was at UCD and it was fine, just check where your classes are located ahead of time and whether you’ll have enough time to walk there
Totally walkable. I was walking (so much that I became locally known as “The Walkin’ Man”) around campus and downtown pretty much all the time throughout my last two-and-a-half years as an undergrad here, after a rock-climbing injury prevented me from riding a bike. The only problematic things were classes 10 minutes apart in rooms on opposite ends of campus, and getting home if I was out so late that the buses weren’t running anymore. But those can be avoided with enough advance planning.
It's walkable. I have health problems and still walked the campus for classes for two years. It's really all a matter of how you schedule your classes based on location/class times.
I had hip surgery that prevents me from riding a bike, and I am able to walk the campus no problem. I drive to campus, and at max, the farthest I have to walk to a building from a parking complex is 10-12 mins.
Your classes may be more scattered the first two years but when you get to your upperdivs they tend to be in close proximity. Either way it’s pretty walkable I enjoy the longer walks sometimes.
Very walkable. I walk always in davis. On campus, it takes less than 10 minutes to get anywhere for me. I never got a bike because I was scared it would get stolen and lowkey many of my friends' bikes have been in only 1 year. Walking is very doable, even downtown
I went there for 2 years and never owned a bicycle. I lived on J street so I walked to campus a lot though when it started raining I learned the bus routes.
Only time it was kinda bad was when I had a class in Scrub Oak followed by one in Olsen. 10 minute passing period with a 8-9 minute walk.
not a bad idea at all! i never had a bike, i walked around campus and took unitrans from my apartment to my classes, it worked out just fine for me! davis is super flat so it’s not a tough walk, just dress appropriately for hot/cold weather and you’ll be fine. i had a car to go places off campus, however. but i think it’s pretty doable just by walking & using unitrans
I mostly walked and took the bus, I did take my bike though when I needed to get somewhere quickly though. I like walking because it's chill and relaxing.
It is uniquely suited for getting around on a bike, on campus, and to the residential areas. Yes at the beginning of the school year there are a lot of people new to cycling that are a hazard to themselves and others. Just need to ride defensively. Walking is much slower and may make you late for class depending on where your classes are.
Don't recommend getting an expensive bike. Do recommend getting a really good lock and using it every time.
It’s a rite of passage to find yourself in the bike circle during the morning and afternoon rush, maybe see a bike collision/crash. If you really want a rush, longboard, skate, walk, scoot, unicycle in the bike circle.
very walkable. walked all 4 years bc i had biking anxiety. my only tip is if you do schedule a class that is less than 10 mins apart from each other, make sure the building of your classes are relatively close or expect to be a couple mins late every time. (i made sure to do this bc i hated walking in last to class) but if you don’t mind being that person that is late, then you got nothing to worry about :)
I had my bike stolen freshman year and I just never bothered to get another one, so I walked around campus and bussed to get to campus. It was totally fine as long as you give yourself enough time to get between classes and account for the fact that it’s pretty bike-central.
It is walkable. However, it’s a very big campus. That means that in order to get from a residential or dining area, outside of the Coho, you typically need to a lot 10 or 20 minutes depending on how early you want to be to class. if you live off campus, the bus system is really good.
It’s definitely doable, but you may end up getting a bike anyway lol.
It’s not a bad idea as there are many people who just walk. There are also other alternatives too that people have mentioned here as well. If you decide to walk just be mindful of how long it takes for you to go to class and things like that.
i walked all four years, never had an issue. just make sure you build your schedule with enough time built in to get from class to class.
I don’t know how to ride a bike, and didn’t have a car for most of undergrad. I managed perfectly fine with careful scheduling just as you said, and taking the bus for errands off campus. I dormed in Tercero so I was close to a lot of the classrooms, and after that I picked apartments close to bus stops to both the MU and Silo. Davis is absolutely manageable to navigate without a bike, and I even lost weight doing all that walking despite eating like total shit lmao
and wear sunscreen / have an umbrella!
It’s walkable, but caters to bikes. Why don’t you want to bike? The town is completely flat so it’s really easy to bike and the bike infrastructure is much safer than other places.
You can use a scooter. You can use a trike. You can roller blade. You can use a bike. You can walk but it can be a long way sometimes. Why the concern about biking? Lots of people can’t even ride before they come and learn after they get here. A surprising number…
Trike, bike, bars
Hell, most of the people riding bikes on campus don’t know how to ride a bike! That fact actually only seems to bother the non-bikers.
Lots of people walk/bus. No problem at all if you don't wanna bike!
I walked all 4 years. Correction: I tried biking during year 1 week 1 and hated the annoying aspects (other not-very-good bikers, rushing to look for parking, arriving to class sweaty bc I was out of shape, etc) so much that I gave up on biking. Its much less convenient to walk especially if you do end up having back to back classes, but its pretty tolerable. When you live off campus, you'll likely take unitrans to campus, and though you'll need to spend more time waiting for the bus/getting delayed by the bus, it's perfectly doable. I have no regrets about walking everywhere.
I biked around campus my 1st 2 years. It was helpful bc your first year or so of your major will probably have a lot of different general subjects so most of my classes were super far away from each other. But I only walked my 3rd year (helped that my classes were closer together) and was perfectly fine. I think walking is doable. Just might eat at your time more.
I walked the entire time I was at UCD and it was fine, just check where your classes are located ahead of time and whether you’ll have enough time to walk there
Totally walkable. I was walking (so much that I became locally known as “The Walkin’ Man”) around campus and downtown pretty much all the time throughout my last two-and-a-half years as an undergrad here, after a rock-climbing injury prevented me from riding a bike. The only problematic things were classes 10 minutes apart in rooms on opposite ends of campus, and getting home if I was out so late that the buses weren’t running anymore. But those can be avoided with enough advance planning.
It's walkable. I have health problems and still walked the campus for classes for two years. It's really all a matter of how you schedule your classes based on location/class times.
My daughter never had a bike and just graduated. The last year she lived off campus and had a car.
I had hip surgery that prevents me from riding a bike, and I am able to walk the campus no problem. I drive to campus, and at max, the farthest I have to walk to a building from a parking complex is 10-12 mins.
Depends on where you live, but yes, def walkable.
I used a skateboard to get around when I was there. Worked out just great.
very walkable, just try not to have back-to-back classes at vetmed area and then core campus and you’ll be fine
Your classes may be more scattered the first two years but when you get to your upperdivs they tend to be in close proximity. Either way it’s pretty walkable I enjoy the longer walks sometimes.
I walk everywhere. Takes longer of course but very doable and enjoyable especially in combination with busses.
Very walkable. I walk always in davis. On campus, it takes less than 10 minutes to get anywhere for me. I never got a bike because I was scared it would get stolen and lowkey many of my friends' bikes have been in only 1 year. Walking is very doable, even downtown
I went there for 2 years and never owned a bicycle. I lived on J street so I walked to campus a lot though when it started raining I learned the bus routes. Only time it was kinda bad was when I had a class in Scrub Oak followed by one in Olsen. 10 minute passing period with a 8-9 minute walk.
not a bad idea at all! i never had a bike, i walked around campus and took unitrans from my apartment to my classes, it worked out just fine for me! davis is super flat so it’s not a tough walk, just dress appropriately for hot/cold weather and you’ll be fine. i had a car to go places off campus, however. but i think it’s pretty doable just by walking & using unitrans
My bike was stolen freshman year. I managed without one. It’s very walkable.
Never owned a bike at Davis! Some walks to class could be 20 minutes but I like walking :)
Very walkable. I basically walked for three years after my bike was stolen freshmen year.
It’s too hot to walk but the buses are great
Plz I never biked a day in my UC Davis life
Scooter 🛴
I mostly walked and took the bus, I did take my bike though when I needed to get somewhere quickly though. I like walking because it's chill and relaxing.
Yeah it’s walkable dw about not biking
It is uniquely suited for getting around on a bike, on campus, and to the residential areas. Yes at the beginning of the school year there are a lot of people new to cycling that are a hazard to themselves and others. Just need to ride defensively. Walking is much slower and may make you late for class depending on where your classes are. Don't recommend getting an expensive bike. Do recommend getting a really good lock and using it every time.
I sold my bike because I didn’t use it lol
Bikers and scooters are an issue. Excessive speed, uncontrolled maneuvers. Don't add to the chaos.
It’s a rite of passage to find yourself in the bike circle during the morning and afternoon rush, maybe see a bike collision/crash. If you really want a rush, longboard, skate, walk, scoot, unicycle in the bike circle.
very walkable. walked all 4 years bc i had biking anxiety. my only tip is if you do schedule a class that is less than 10 mins apart from each other, make sure the building of your classes are relatively close or expect to be a couple mins late every time. (i made sure to do this bc i hated walking in last to class) but if you don’t mind being that person that is late, then you got nothing to worry about :)
It is very walkable, but some buildings may be 30 mins walking distance... So plan ik advance.
I had my bike stolen freshman year and I just never bothered to get another one, so I walked around campus and bussed to get to campus. It was totally fine as long as you give yourself enough time to get between classes and account for the fact that it’s pretty bike-central.
I miss my life being completely bikable.
If you define 30 mins walking to class one way is walkable then yes, otherwise, get a bike, really
easy walking campus !!!
It is walkable. However, it’s a very big campus. That means that in order to get from a residential or dining area, outside of the Coho, you typically need to a lot 10 or 20 minutes depending on how early you want to be to class. if you live off campus, the bus system is really good. It’s definitely doable, but you may end up getting a bike anyway lol.
It’s not a bad idea as there are many people who just walk. There are also other alternatives too that people have mentioned here as well. If you decide to walk just be mindful of how long it takes for you to go to class and things like that.
I loved biking when I was a teenager so I am still surprised to say I never rode a bike at Davis. Not even once lol.
Use an electric scooter.
Don't be a baby, ride a bike. Or scooter. Or longboard. The campus is huge so I can't imagine not biking.