Kite Flying

Davis Lumber checkout counter special flown against backdrop of clouds

Yes, you can legally fly kites in Davis, up to the highest heights. In fact, with the steady breeze and open space, Davis is pretty perfect for making a bit of colored fabric and string soar through the blue.

"Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country"

— Anais Nin

Places to fly

While you can fly a kite at most parks, some have trees and/or structures that make it problematic. Good locations include the Community Park, Hutchison IM Field, Mace Ranch Park and Russell IM Field. If you've flown in one, add the pros and cons of each location! You can also fly a kite in Davis Cemetery, although some might find this disrespectful.

Getting a kite

Although you can make your own (check out My Best Kite or Skratch-pad for some easy plans), you can also get pre-made kites at Alphabet Moon or many of the stores that sell toys like Target. Over the river is the kite store in Old Sacramento, which has an amazing selection. And of course, you can always order over the internet if you're looking for a specific kite.

Groups to try

• The Kite Flying Society is a group at UC Davis.

Finding Good Wind

Depending on the type of kite you'll need different wind conditions. Some ways to find out if there's enough wind for your kite are the "University Airport Aviation Weather Report" (60 minute and 48 hours give your wind trends), Weather Underground Almanac (history of previous days recordings), or the NWS (3 day history). Check with the packaging of your kite to find out what speeds are good (or web forums if you built your own off a web design).

2011-07-29 10:37:54   Through anecdotal testing I've found that the Hutchison IM Field is the best place in town to fly a kite. It's the most open (from trees and buildings) and doesn't have anything blocking winds from the SW (which seems to be the most common direction at least in the spring and summer). —AlexMandel

Thanks for the tip(below) Harper Junior High School turned out to be a fairly good spot to fly too. —AlexMandel

2011-07-29 11:39:43   I've seen people flying at Harper Junior High School when I drive on the Mace curve...

I saw some pretty huge kites once —StevenDaubert