New to Ripon? Here are a few of our favorite things

Down­town Shopping

Down­town Ripon offers a won­der­ful mix of unique bou­tiques, spe­cial­ty gift shops, and local mer­chants lin­ing Main Street and near­by Wilma Avenue. Whether you​’re look­ing for fash­ion­able appar­el, antiques, flo­ral arrange­ments, or hand­made trea­sures, you​’ll find some­thing spe­cial just min­utes from your doorstep.

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Restau­rants & Local Eateries

Ice Cream Empo­ri­um – Per­fect spot for home­made ice cream, espe­cial­ly fun with vis­it­ing grand­kids out on the patio!

Fal­con​’s Lair – A styl­ish, Old-Hol­ly­wood – inspired lounge with live music and small-plate din­ing — per­fect for a date night or catch­ing up with friends.

Isabel​’s Vin­tage Café — Local favorites known for hearty break­fasts and clas­sic Amer­i­can fare.

My Gar­den Café — Casu­al spot in Town Square serv­ing break­fast and lunch clas­sics, includ­ing veg­e­tar­i­an options.

The Vine House – Offers upscale din­ing fea­tur­ing farm to fork, French inspired cui­sine, with a Cal­i­for­nia flare with out­door seat­ing or a cozy, ele­vat­ed ambiance indoors.

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Parks & Out­door Recreation

Mavis Stouf­fer Park – A wel­com­ing neigh­bor­hood green space with walk­ing paths, pic­nic tables, and plen­ty of room to relax.

Mistlin Sports Park – Ath­let­ic fields and open lawns for strolls, sports, or fam­i­ly gatherings.

Caswell Memo­r­i­al State Park – A peace­ful nat­ur­al retreat along the Stanis­laus Riv­er, great for easy river­side hikes, pic­nick­ing, bird­watch­ing, swim­ming, tub­ing, or canoeing, 

Ripon Trail Sys­tem – Sev­er­al trails con­nect neigh­bor­hoods and parks, with the Stanis­laus Riv­er Trail about 1 mile from Bethany — per­fect for gen­tle exer­cise or a morn­ing stroll.

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Ripon Farm­ers Market

Every Thurs­day evening (May – Sep­tem­ber, 5 – 8 PM), the down­town mar­ket comes alive with more than 50 local ven­dors offer­ing fresh pro­duce, arti­sanal foods, live music, a fam­i­ly-friend­ly beer gar­den, food trucks, and inter­ac­tive art.

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Com­mu­ni­ty Events & Festivals

Almond Blos­som Fes­ti­val (Spring) – A long-stand­ing Ripon tra­di­tion with a ven­dor fair, fun run, pan­cake break­fast, art show, car­ni­val, and activ­i­ties for all ages.

Porch­fest (August) – Local musi­cians per­form on front porch­es around town for this charm­ing, walk­a­ble, fam­i­ly-friend­ly music festival.

Scare­crow Fest (Octo­ber) – A sea­son­al cel­e­bra­tion with dec­o­rat­ed scare­crows, crafts, and fun fall activ­i­ties through­out the month.

Main Street Day (Octo­ber) – A clas­sic small-town fes­ti­val with clas­sic cars, pan­cake break­fasts, crafts, live music, a pet parade, and a health fair.

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Arts & Culture

Ripon Area Com­mu­ni­ty The­atre – Com­mu­ni­ty-dri­ven plays and musi­cals staged through­out the year, cel­e­brat­ing local talent.

Ripon Com­mu­ni­ty Art Show – An annu­al show­case of local artists held dur­ing the Almond Blos­som Festival.

Artzy Café (The Paint­brush Play­ground) – A cre­ative work­shop and café offer­ing casu­al art class­es, paint kits, and com­mu­ni­ty art activities.

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His­to­ry & Landmarks

Clarence Smit Muse­um – Locat­ed in the his­toric library build­ing, this small muse­um pre­serves Ripon​’s her­itage with pho­tos, arti­facts, and displays.

Ripon His­tor­i­cal Soci­ety – Ded­i­cat­ed to pre­serv­ing Ripon​’s his­to­ry through archives, exhibits, and peri­od­ic edu­ca­tion­al events.