Destination Vacaville

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...

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 th...

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...

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 Kamay...

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...

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 abou...

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 mis...

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...

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 fill...

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. D...

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&a...

With Visit Vacaville's staff taking a short break for the holidays, Melyssa wanted to wish you all Happy Holidays and a wonderful New Year on behalf of everyone at Visit Vacaville!

Alli Harris is the go-to person for cookies in Vacaville and Solano County. Alli's passion for baking started with her helping her grandmother bake when she was a little girl. Now she's a licensed home baker with a business in Downtown Vacaville called Because Carbs . That's not all! Alli recently beat out 10,000 applicants to participate in the Super Bowl of cookie baking and decor...

Solano County residents and tourists have come to love Journey Coffee Co . With locations in Vacaville, Fairfield, One Lake, and Downtown Vacaville, Journey Coffee continues to grow. They recently opened two new venues, Journey Downtown and The Library. Journey Downtown is a performance venue where all people are welcome. The Library is a wine and whiskey bar located next door to Journey Downtown....

The Vacaville Ballet Company's mission is to not only delight audiences with amazing performances, but to teach ballet to both children and adults. Join Meghann Rust, Board President of the Vacaville Ballet Company , and Melyssa as they chat about the many ways the dance company contributes to the culture of Vacaville.   Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

Melyssa chats with Eric Dakin, Dakin & Dakin's Managing Broker, about new projects and retailers coming to the City of Vacaville. Vacaville is a destination point for shoppers coming from the Bay Area, Sacramento, and the rest of California. It's home to Restoration Hardware , Williams-Sonoma Home , West Elm , and Crate and Barrel . Joining that impressive list of stores is Serena &a...

Vacaville is home to the oldest standing structure built in Solano County, the historic Peña Adobe . Cricket Kanouff, President of the Peña Adobe Historical Society, joins Melyssa in this episode of Destination Vacaville. They chat about the history of Peña Adobe, fun the entire family can experience at the historical site, and upcoming events planned for the Fall. Destination Vacaville? Let'...

Vacaville is one of the premiere agritourism destinations in California. So when you visit the area, make sure to stop by the family-owned Soul Food Farm . Melyssa sits down to chat with Alexis Koefoed, part of the wife & husband duo that founded Soul Food Farm 20 years ago. Alexis shares the farm's history, the relaxing environment for visitors to sit and relax (while enjoying a cup of c...

Vacaville is getting a new park and playground that will be for everyone! Play 4 All Park will be all-inclusive for children and adults of all abilities. It's the first of its kind in Northern California. Our host Melyssa chats with Tom Phillippi, of Phillippi Engineering, about how the park is intentionally designed for anyone of any ability to use, what it took to get it built, and how the...

Destination Vacaville is back with a new season of the podcast! We kick off the second season with Comedian Ben Rice. Ben is the host of Beer 40 Community Tap House's Comedy Night , which is every 3rd Thursday of the month. Ben chats with Melyssa about curating the show, how he got into comedy, and what to expect when you attend Vacaville's premier comedy night. Ben also hosts his own po...

Destination Vacaville returns with a new season in August! Executive Director and Host Melyssa Reeves gives a quick update for the upcoming season of the podcast. Thanks for listening and we look forward to bringing you a new season of the podcast next month. Destination Vacaville? Let's go!

Vacaville is proudly celebrating Pride Month! In celebration of Vacaville's LGBQTIA+ community, DJ Pocket stopped by to chat with Melyssa about community, how to support LGBQTIA+ folks, and information about Pride Ball 2022 . It takes place Saturday, June 25 at the Hide-a-Way Lounge & Grill in Vacaville. It's free to attend for anyone 21 and over! Some of California's best Drag...

Fire Chief Kris Concepcion sits down with Melyssa to enlighten both residents of Vacaville and tourists visiting the city about ways to stay safe during fire season. Chief Concepcion lets us know how to reduce fire risks for residential homes, what to do in the event of a fire emergency, and how to stay informed via the Nixle app system. The Nixle system works for both residents and tourists of Va...

Fiesta Days is one of Vacaville's oldest celebrations. Its roots go back to the late 19th Century! Karen Juilfs, the General Chairperson for Fiesta Days, joins Melyssa to share what is happening at this year's event. This year the festival runs from Friday, May 27 to Monday, May 30. There will be live music, lots of delicious foods, beverages, a car show, and plenty of fun for families,...

Visit Vacaville is happy to announce the return of the beloved Creewalk ! Join our host Melyssa as she chats with Kristin Milliken, Recreation Coordinator at City of Vacaville. Kristin updates listeners with summer events at Creekwalk, including concerts dates, entry fees (only $3!, free for kids 12 and under), and fun, cultural events the City of Vacaville has planned for Fall 2022.  Destination...