HOLIDAY SHOPPING

Barbie Chiu

After everything 2020 has thrown at us, we’re ready for the holidays to come as soon as possible this year! If you’re like us, you can’t wait to spread a little cheer and bring a smile to your friends’ and families’ faces.

Benicia’s First Street shopping area has no chain stores or franchises, making it the perfect place to find something truly special for the people you love. If you haven’t started your shopping list, here’s a perfect guide to help you get out of the house, enjoy a fun & relaxing day of shopping (with unique gift ideas), and support independent small businesses while you’re at it!

Make things even easier on yourself this year: Shop Benicia offers eGift cards that can be redeemed at any participating business in the city!

For Your Artsy Friend

Not only is Benicia filled with ,, public art and culture , but the people of Benicia are also extremely talented artists! , The Little Art Shop offers works of art created by 30+ local artists. As an added bonus, it’s located right on the waterfront, with a great view alongside one of Benicia’s loveliest public sculptures: Neptune’s Daughter , created by artist Lisa Reinertson.

,, Once Upon a Canvas and ,, Happy Life Pottery also offer prints from local artists, and at-home delights such as tea towels, aprons, totes, postcards and more. Both also offer classes for your artistic friends: Once Upon a Canvas provides outdoor, socially distanced painting classes while Happy Life Pottery shares their expertise in at-home pottery and metal/clay jewelry classes.

Both offer gift cards, so your friends can choose the perfect gift or class for themselves!

Insider’s tip: make use of Happy Life Pottery’s discounted order pickup code PICKUP for 15% off if you buy online and pickup in-store.

For Your Plant-Loving Friend

Benicia has some amazing florist shops, ,, Daughter of Luna , ,, Sweetness & Light , and ,, Succulents & More , all on First Street . Each location offers different floral arrangements, potted plants and their own sets of personalized small gifts, making Benicia the perfect one-stop-shop to find gifts for anyone who loves things that grow!

For Your spiritual Friend

If you know someone who is curious about the world of spirituality, ,, Angel Heart 4 U is the perfect shop this holiday season. The store is stocked with crystals, ceremonial candles, books, lovely chakra building tokens, and more! Be sure to talk to the super-knowledgeable staff for helpful information on your next purchase.

For Your Furry Friend

Pets are part of the family, too! ,, Pups and Purrz offers pet supplies, accessories, and organic treats to pamper your four-legged family members this holiday season.

For Your “Foodie” Friend

Looking for the perfect gift for that chef in your life? ,, Sepay Groves olive oil has a wide variety of unique flavors of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. With ingredients that range from sage and grapefruit to truffles and chocolate, you’re bound to find a combination that suits your taste!

Another great gift idea for your adventurous foodie friend is a gift certificate from one of Benicia’s many local restaurants! First Street is lined with amazing eateries, all offering gift cards. If you know someone who loves comfort food, give them a taste of the best Hawaiian food around with a gift certificate from ,, Got Plate Lunch . They’ve been voted Best Island Restaurant for four years in a row, so you can feel confident your gift receivers will enjoy it!

For people whose idea of relaxation is a fun & friendly happy hour, a gift certificate to ,, Rellik Tavern or ,, Bruehol Brewery will not go unnoticed!

For Your Home-Loving Friend

,, Romancing the Home will win your heart with its range of high-quality items, including everything from home decor, to garden accessories, to seasonal gifts.

Can’t decide on the perfect gift but want to treat your friends or family to an experience in Benicia? Try ,, Downtown Dollars from ,, Benicia Main Street . They spend like cash at more than 60 downtown Benicia locations.

2023 Benicia Holiday Shopping Guide

By Visit Benicia • 24 Nov, 2023
Happy Holidays! Make Benicia your one-stop shop for holiday shopping this year! Discover quirky shops, one-of-a-kind gifts, and friendly merchants who make it easy to find the perfect something for your special someone . You'll also be supporting small, locally-owned businesses that directly benefit the community! While you're at it, unwind and enjoy a delicious meal at one Benicia's incredible restaurants . And, to really get yourself in the holiday spirit, plan your shopping visit around one of Benicia's many family-friendly (and free) Holiday Events ! We've put together some quick tips in the 2023 Benicia Holiday Shopping Guide:

HAUNTED HISTORY: BAY AREA GHOST HUNTING

By Visit Benicia • 26 Oct, 2023
HAUNTED HISTORY: BAY AREA GHOST HUNTING!

"The Last of Us" Life-Size Bread Sculpture on Display in Downtown Benicia

By Visit Benicia • 04 Oct, 2023
Bakery Creates Life-Size Halloween Bread Sculpture From the Hit Show, The Last of Us Mother/Daughter baking team in Benicia, CA create eye-popping bread sculptures every Halloween, inspired by popular film & television characters An incredible mother/daughter baking team in Benicia, California, who last year made international headlines with their " Pan Solo " bread sculpture, have done it again! This year’s masterpiece is the even more ambitious " The Last of Crust ," a life-size bread sculpture inspired by the hit show and video game The Last of Us , starring Pedro Pascal. The “clickers” from the show, hand-sculpted and baked by Hannalee Pervan and her mother Catherine in Benicia's One House Bakery , are covered in more than 1,000 individually-created "mushrooms." The exhibit took over 400 hours of labor to construct, more than twice as long as "Pan Solo." The creature's man-eating chompers were hand-sculpted and modeled after Catherine's own teeth.

Final Benicia Art Walk of the Season October 14th

By Visit Benicia • 28 Sep, 2023
Attention Art Lovers! Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Enjoy the final Benicia Art Walk of the year, with special exhibitions and live demonstrations at 8 galleries, all within easy walking distance of each other. Keep reading to find out what's happening at each gallery! When: October 14th, 12pm-4pm Where: First Street, Benicia Get directions Benicia Art Walk runs from 12pm-4pm , every second Saturday of June, July, September and October. We recommend arriving a bit early to give yourself time to make a whole day enjoying the city's many artisanal dining and boutique shopping options, as well. If you’re not sure where to start, just look for the blue banners hanging in front of each gallery, or view the 2023 Benicia Art Walk brochure and map HERE . Win a $200 Gift Card for the Arts If you get your Art Walk Passport stamped at each gallery, you can turn it in to one of the participating galleries for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate to be used at one of the 2023 Art Walk galleries! New for 2023: Art Walk Drink Specials Unlock Art Walk Drink Specials! Show your Art Walk pass at Mare Island Brewing Co. and Cullen's Tannery Pub to receive the exclusive offers below. Mare Island Brewing Co. : $1 off any glass of Mare Island Winefitters wine, or draft Mare Island Brewing Co. beer Cullen's Tannery Pub : A unique $5 special cocktail for each Art Walk this summer More Free Family Fun on October 14th! October 14th is Benicia's Family Fall-Tastic Saturday, with five events happening in one day ! In addition to Art Walk , see a dog costume contest at the Dog Festival , view the inside of a fire truck at the Fire Station's Open House or go Shopping at the Book Sale and Craft Fair . All events are free to the public, and there’s always plenty of free street parking nearby.

Family Fall-Tastic Saturday

By Visit Benicia • 28 Sep, 2023
Family Fall-Tastic: Five Events, One Day!

Benicia Art Walk Returns September 9th!

By Visit Benicia • 07 Sep, 2023
Attention Art Lovers! Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Enjoy and explore the Benicia Art Walk . Celebrate one of the Bay Area’s most active art communities, and enjoy entertainment & live demonstrations at 8 galleries in downtown Benicia. When: September 9th, 12pm-4pm Where: First Street, Benicia Get directions Benicia Art Walk runs from 12pm-4pm , every second Saturday of June, July, September and October. We recommend arriving a bit early, giving yourself time to make a whole day enjoying the city's many artisanal dining and boutique shopping options, as well! WIN! If you get your Art Walk Passport stamped at each gallery, you can turn it in to one of the participating galleries for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate to be used at one of the 2023 Art Walk galleries! New for 2023! Unlock Art Walk Drink Specials! Show your Art Walk pass at Mare Island Brewing Co. and Cullen's Tannery Pub to receive the exclusive offers below. Mare Island Brewing Co. : $1 off any glass of Mare Island Winefitters wine, or draft Mare Island Brewing Co. beer Cullen's Tannery Pub : A unique $5 special cocktail for each Art Walk this summer Free Summer Fun Escaping the heat this summer just got a whole lot cooler. The event is free to the public, and there’s always plenty of free street parking nearby. If you’re not sure where to start, just look for the blue banners hanging in front of each gallery, or view the 2023 Benicia Art Walk brochure and map HERE .

Benicia Art Walk 2023 Weekend 2 July 8

By Visit Benicia • 05 Jul, 2023
Attention Art Lovers! Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Enjoy the beautiful weather and explore the Benicia Art Walk . Celebrate one of the Bay Area’s most active art communities, and enjoy entertainment & live demonstrations at 8 galleries in downtown Benicia. When: July 8th, 12pm-4pm Where: First Street, Benicia Get directions Benicia Art Walk runs from 12pm-4pm , every second Saturday of June, July, September and October. We recommend arriving a bit early, giving yourself time to make a whole day enjoying the city's many artisanal dining and boutique shopping options, as well! WIN! If you get your Art Walk Passport stamped at each gallery, you can turn it in to one of the participating galleries for a chance to win a $200 gift certificate to be used at one of the 2023 Art Walk galleries! New for 2023! Unlock Art Walk Drink Specials! Show your Art Walk pass at Mare Island Brewing Co. and Cullen's Tannery Pub to receive the exclusive offers below. Mare Island Brewing Co. : $1 off any glass of Mare Island Winefitters wine, or draft Mare Island Brewing Co. beer Cullen's Tannery Pub : A unique $5 special cocktail for each Art Walk this summer Free Summer Fun Escaping the heat this summer just got a whole lot cooler. The event is free to the public, and there’s always plenty of free street parking nearby. If you’re not sure where to start, just look for the blue banners hanging in front of each gallery, or view the 2023 Benicia Art Walk brochure and map HERE . 

Benicia Art Walk 2023 Returns June 10

By Visit Benicia • 07 Jun, 2023
Attention Art Lovers! Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Benicia Art Walk marks the city's first major public event of the year. Celebrate one of the Bay Area’s most active art communities, and enjoy entertainment & live demonstrations at 8 galleries in downtown Benicia. When: June 10th, 12pm-4pm Where: First Street, Benicia Get directions Benicia Art Walk runs from 12pm-4pm , every second Saturday of June, July, September and October. We recommend arriving a bit early, giving yourself time to make a whole day enjoying the city's many artisanal dining and boutique shopping options, as well! New for 2023! Unlock Art Walk Drink Specials! Show your Art Walk pass at Mare Island Brewing Co. and Cullen's Tannery Pub to receive the exclusive offers below. Mare Island Brewing Co. : $1 off any glass of Mare Island Winefitters wine, or draft Mare Island Brewing Co. beer Cullen's Tannery Pub : A unique $5 special cocktail for each Art Walk this summer Free Summer Fun Escaping the heat this summer just got a whole lot cooler. The event is free to the public, and there’s always plenty of free street parking nearby. If you’re not sure where to start, just look for the blue banners hanging in front of each gallery, or view the 2023 Benicia Art Walk brochure and map HERE .

2023 Mother’s Day Weekend in Benicia

By Visit Benicia • 27 Apr, 2023
Looking for something special to do this Mother's Day? Celebrate all weekend with a special trip to Benicia! Here are some suggestions for delicious bakeries & restaurants, boutique shopping, and fun things to do with Mom on your outing to this artsy, waterfront town! Pro-Tip: Trouble finding the perfect gift? Give Mom the gift of a full day spent together in Benicia with a city-wide Shop Benicia eGift card, redeemable at 60 locations around town! Read on for inspiration on where to eat, where to shop, and what to do !

Benicia Farmers Market + Picnics

By Visit Benicia • 27 Apr, 2023
Make your Thursdays extra special with a trip to the Benicia Certified Farmers Market , followed by a picnic with waterfront views! The Farmers Market happens every Thursday from April 27th to October 26th! You can find the market on First Street, between B and D Streets . When is it? April-August: 4-8pm September-October: 4-7pm Visitors can browse farm-fresh produce, fresh-cut flowers, arts and crafts vendors, specialty foods, baked goods, and numerous gourmet food vendors! Children can enjoy activities like face painting and the inflatable bounce house on the First Street Green. After you are done shopping, set up a picnic to enjoy at Benicia's Waterfront , or at one of its many parks . Read on for some picnic recipes featuring the vendors of Benicia's Farmers market!
Show More
Share by: