Vacaville

Relax at Soul Food Farm, Vacaville

Relax at Soul Food Farm, Vacaville

Silvia

A half done watercolor paintingWith a name like Soul Food Farm, it was no surprise that our first encounter following the signs to the farmstand was a group of watercolor painters. There is definitely a heart and soul present here. This place offers opportunities for people searching for relaxation and nature.

Tomatoes, figs, shito peppers and olive oilWe strolled over to the farmstand, which is so instagrammable, you wonder where your big white hat is. But in all honesty, they offer wonderful produce, delicious little cakes, homemade jam, ACME bread, and so much more. The owner told us that her main business has now become olive oil.

A little berry pieAs we indulged in the little berry pie in the dreamy setting in the olive grove, we connected with nature. 

A bouquet of rosehipsThere is an attention to detail that shows in every corner of the little farmstand. For example, a vase with rose hips and a mannequin wearing dried flowers show off the attentiveness. As we were leaving, a family with young kids got out of their car. You could tell that the kids were excited to be there. Maybe on their way to pet some sheep?

Two sheep at Soul Food Farm, VacavilleI am amazed at their local partnerships and their commitment to issues such as community land use and workers’ rights. Alexis Koefoed, one of the owners, is the president of the Pleasants Valley Agriculture Association (PVAA). 

I highly recommend stopping by Soul Food Farm! They are located at 6046 Pleasants Valley Road, Vacaville, CA. The farmstand is open April – December; Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm. By the way, the watercolor group is there every Friday.      

A sign at the driveway to Morningsun Herb Farm with their opening hours

Purchase Herbs, Morningsun Herb Farm, Vacaville

Silvia

One of the greenhouses at Morningsun Herb FarmFall is a great time to plant. And if you are in the Vacaville area, Morningsun Herb Farm is a great place to pick up all that you’ll need to beautify your garden, not only herbs.

The nursery can be quite overwhelming, with rows and rows of perennials and herbs, augmented with fruit trees on the side. I think I counted 4 double rows just for all the lavender varieties. My tip is to check out their website: https://morningsunherbfarm.com/ and come up with a plan. I ended up with two varieties of thyme and some lime mint. 

A planting statue as part of a garden at Morningsun Herb Farm in VacavilleAs an extra bonus, the Herb Farm is having its plant sale – 35% off all plants until Sunday, October 12th, 2025. If you act quickly, they also have a sale on soil and amendments (10%) and garden art (15%) until September 21st, 2025.

Now, I do love a nice nursery, but I love this one even more. You can stroll through relaxing gardens, and you can feed chickens and donkeys! 

Two of the donkeys you can feed at Morningsun Herb FarmOn Saturday, September 20th, 2025, Morningsun Herb Farm will participate in the PVAA 9th annual open farm day. They present an all-day program featuring interesting talks and a demonstration on the distillation of lemon verbena. 

Morningsun Herb Farm is located at 6137 Pleasants Valley Road in Vacaville. Their fall hours are Wednesday – Sunday, 9 am – 5 pm. The overflow and large vehicle parking lot is located at the second driveway at 6147 Pleasants Valley Rd.

 

I did not receive any compensation for this post.

A collection of rocks

Acquire Crystals, Rock Shop in Vacaville

Silvia

Stones in boxes from the Rock ShopIt was on a hunch that we stopped at the Rock Shop in Vacaville. Mainly we liked the name and it looked intriguing from Hwy 80. Entering the place you immediately know that it is quite an attraction. 

The Rock Shop is possibly the largest rock and mineral store in the world! There are beads and spheres, geodes, chrystals, and clusters. 

A room full of amethyst cathedralsRooms reserved for amethyst cathedrals, each priced so high I’d advise you not to come with little kids.  But if you have a little explorer they might like the fossil stones. 

A fossil fishOne room is dedicated to the fish of Fossil Lake. This lake is known for its abundance of fossils and is located within the Fossil Butte National Monument, in Wyoming. 

I also like the jewelry and little trees made from polished stones. One of these trees near the entrance is possibly over 15 feet!

A tree made from polished stonesThe Rock Shop is open Monday – Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm, Sundays from 10 am to 5 pm. Located on 5115 Quinn Rd, Vacaville, CA. 

Do you enjoy the look and feel of rocks?

Order an Ice Cream Sundae, Fentons Creamery

Order an Ice Cream Sundae, Fentons Creamery

Silvia

The sign for Fentons Creamery in VacavilleWhether you believe that Fentons Creamery is the inventor of the rocky road flavor or not, you have to admit their small-batch, handmade ice cream is delicious. Bay Curious, a KQED podcast, demystifies the rocky road ice cream legend. But in the end even they can’t tell you for sure the true inventor of the flavor. 

THE BERRY GO ROUND sundaePersonally, I am not the rocky road flavor type, so I won’t chip in here. Nonetheless, if you are a lover of decadent sundaes you should visit either the Oakland or Vacaville Fentons Creamery. They do serve diner food, like burgers and shakes, but make sure you leave plenty of room for the massive desert. Of course you can also join the line for getting a scoop of your favorite flavor. Just like the ending of the Disney movie ‘Up’ you can take your ice cream to go; or hang out outside.

According to their Wikipedia page Fentons is the “state’s longest continually operating creamery, with a small herd of dairy cows in West Marin.”

Sign for Fentons Creamery in OaklandFentons in Oakland is located at 4226 Piedmont Avenue. The Vacaville location is at the Nut Tree Mall, 1669 E Monte Vista Ave.

Other Bay Area must-try ice cream spots are:

Rocko’s ice cream tacos,

It’s-it ice cream sandwiches, and

Marianne’s  

What is your favorite spot for ice cream?

Visit the Secret Redwood Grove, Jack Hume Grove, Vacaville

Visit the Secret Redwood Grove, Jack Hume Grove, Vacaville

Silvia

A sign that reads Jack Hume GroveIf you are looking for inspiration for a short hike near Vacaville to start the New Year, I can recommend the Jack Hume Grove as a  very attractive destination. A part of Lagoon Valley Park, the Jack Hume Grove, is surprisingly quiet and calm. We walked by some disc golfers to reach the grove. The road that goes by it is being newly paved. 

The grove is a tribute to Jack Hume, a conservative philanthropist and co-founder of Basic American Foods. He was best known as the world’s largest producer of dried onion and garlic. 

A path among redwood treesThe grove itself is not large but conveys the calmness one feels among redwoods. A few nicely constructed walkways give you a bit of an elevation change. The augmented waterwise plants on the rim of the grove and the dried up stream are interesting additions.

Overall this is more of a picnic destination than a workout place. Unless you decide to venture out of the grove and enjoy the mountainous paths or spend some time along the lagoon.

Lagoon Valley Park is located at 1 Peña Adobe Rd, Vacaville, near the I-80 exit of Peña Adobe Rd. Parking is $5 per day with options for a 6 month or year pass. You can use the Park Mobile app or use one of two pay stations, which accept exact cash or credit card payment. 

There is currently construction on the way to improve the park. Please check the city’s website for updates.  Jack Hume Grove has many paths and some stairs

If you are interested in seeing larger redwoods I highly recommend the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton.

Where will you hike on your First Day Hikes?

 

Historical Landmark sign with the Pena Adobe house in the back

Admire the Adobe Peña, Vacaville

Silvia

The front of the Mowers-Goheen Museum at the Pena Adobe ParkIf you are looking for a  pitstop with a roadside attraction you should stop at the rest area on route 80 near Vacaville, Peña Adobe Park. The bathrooms are okay for a public park, but the location holds the oldest structure in Solano County! 

The first settlers in the Lagoon Valley were the Vaca and the Peña family. Both houses were built in 1842, but only the Peña house remains. Vaca’s house was destroyed in an earthquake in 1892. 

Adobe oven at the Pena Adobe ParkNext to the Peña house is an adobe oven, an early open air kitchen. In 1880 another kitchen was added. This little house is now the Mowers-Goheen Museum, showing off artifacts of the archeological dig that occurred in the 1960s. On the first Saturdays of each month February thru December from 11:00am – 2:00 pm, the Mowers-Goheen Museum is open and volunteers offer tours of the historical park.

The adjacent Willis Linn Jepson Garden is being restored by UC Davis. There are a lot of native plants in their beginning stages, and the signage promises a wide variety of plants.

Inside the Pena Adobe houseNot surprisingly the archeology digs in the 1960s also found remains of indigenous peoples, who were buried in the Burial Grounds nearby.

If you can’t make it to the public tours you should check out the YouTube channel for the Peña Adobe Historical Society. While the house and the museum are only open on the first Saturday of the month, you can still peek into the windows on the first floor.

The nearby Lagoon Park charges $5 for parking; there is no charge or admission to see the historic park. 

Resources

Peña Adobe Historical Society

https://www.penaadobe.org/

Eagle Scout Project by Jason Hanson, 2006

https://www.penaadobe.org/images/2017/eaglescoutpena.pdf

City of Vacaville

https://www.ci.vacaville.ca.us/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/20/991?locale=en