Bidwell
Mansion State Historic Park
525 The Esplanade
/ (530) 895-6144
Web
site
The Bidwell Mansion,
a three-story Italianate villa, was completed in
1868 and was the home of Chico founders, John and
Annie Bidwell. Many famous historical figures,
including John Muir, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and William
T. Sherman, were guests at this restored mansion
located adjacent to Chico State University in downtown
Chico. Guided tours are available daily.
Blue
Room Theatre
139 W. 1st Street / (530)
895-3749
Web site
The Blue Room theatre is an independent theatre
group dedicated to challenging artists and audiences
with plays of depth and vibrancy in an intimate
environment.
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Chico
Art Center
450 Orange Street / (530)895-8726
Web
site
Located in the renovated
old Chico railroad depot, the Chico Art Center has
ongoing visual art displays featuring California
artists. The center also offers classes, lectures,
and workshops.
Chico
Creek Nature Center
1968 E. 8th
Street / (530) 891-4671
Web
site
Chico Creek Nature
Center is the interpretive center for Bidwell Park.
Programs feature nature walks and a Live-Animal/Living
History Museum designed to encourage responsible
interaction with the environment.
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Chico
Creek Theatre Festival
Please check back soon
for more information
Chico Rooks
(530) 343-ROOK
Web
site
United Soccer League
(USL) team.
Chico
Museum
141 Salem Street
/ (530) 891-4366
Web
site
The museum is located
in the beautiful Arts and Crafts Carnegie Library
building. The history of Chico is featured as a
permanent exhibition. Many rotating historic exhibits
are also featured. There is no cost but donations
are appreciated.
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CSU
Chico Performing Arts
CSU, Chico Campus / (530) 898-4296
Web
site
Chico Performing Arts
offers a wide variety of live performances from
jazz and musicals to drama and dance. Please call
or visit the website for current listings of events.
Downtown
City Plaza
Centrally located in
downtown Chico, this park area is perfect for lunch
or relaxing. Concerts are given in the Gazebo on
Friday nights during the summer. Concert schedules
are available at the Chamber of Commerce, located
at 500 Main Street, and schedules often appear in
downtown shop windows.
Downtown
Murals
Chico is home to many
fabulous murals. They are a delightful touch to
an already charming downtown. A complete mural map
is available at the Chamber of Commerce, located
at 500 Main Street.
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Farmer's
Market (held every Saturday, year round, rain
or shine)
(530)893-3276
Web
site
The Farmer's Market,
a long-time Chico tradition, features fresh fruit,
produce, flowers and more. Held at the Municipal
parking lot on East 2nd Street and Wall
Street from 7:30am-1pm.
Come rain or shine all year long.
Friday
Night Concerts (all year 7 pm –8:30 pm)
Web
site
Downtown Chico Business
Association (DCBA) presents the Friday Night Concerts
in the City's Park Plaza (located between Main,
Broadway, 4th, and 5th Streets).
For more details contact the DCBA at 345-6500.
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Gold Nugget Museum
502
Pearson Road / (530) 872-8722
The
Gold Nugget Museum is a history museum of the Paradise
Ridge. While the Museum covers the full range of
human history on the Ridge, its focus is on the
Gold Rush years. The largest almost pure gold nugget
ever found in California, weighing in at 54 pounds,
was discovered here in 1859. The Museum is a community
leader in commemorating California's 150th anniversary
of the discovery of gold and becoming a state.
Honey
Run Covered Bridge
Web
site
One of the few covered
bridges left in California and the only tri-span
bridge in the United States, Honey Run Covered Bridge
is located in beautiful Butte Creek Canyon just
outside of Chico.
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National
Yo-Yo Museum at Bird In Hand
320 Broadway /
(530) 893-1414
Web
site
This is the home of
the Duncan Family collection and features yo-yos
from the 1920s through the 1950s. The world's largest
yo-yo can also be found here.
Orient & Flume
Art Glass Studio
2161 Park Avenue / (530)
893-0373
Web
site
Tours are available
to view the world renown Orient and Flume glass
artwork being created. Studios are open for individual
tours or guided tours of groups of 15 or more.
Satava
Art Glass
819 Wall Street (530)
345-7985
Web
site
Studios are open Mon-Sat
9am-4pm. Hand-blown art glass and studio demos available.
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Shakespeare
in the Park
Cedar Grove, Lower Bidwell
Park / (530) 891-1382
Sierra
Nevada Brewing Company
1075 East 20th Street
/ (530) 893-3520
Web
site
Sample award-winning
ales produced on-site and enjoy fine dining in Sierra
Nevada's taproom and restaurant. Tours of the brewery
are available.
Stansbury
House
307 W. 5th Street / (530)
895-3848
A guided tour is available
of the 1883 former home of Dr. Oscar Stansbury.
The Victorian home is beautifully preserved. Tour
prices: $1 adults, $0.50 children. The
house is located on the corner of Fifth and Salem
streets, and was listed on the National Register
of Historic Places in 1975.
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Thursday
Night Market (6:00pm - 9:00pm, all summer)
Web
site
The Downtown Chico
Business Association presents, The Thursday Night
Market, a farmers market and entertainment for all. Held
between Main and Broadway and 2nd – 4th Streets. For
more details contact the DCBA at 345-6500.
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Bidwell
Park
view
park map
Bidwell Park, Chico's
crown jewel, was established in 1905 by Annie Bidwell,
wife of Chico's founding father, John Bidwell. Originally
the land was part of the Bidwell's Rancho del Arroyo
Chico, one of the first major agricultural proprietorships
in California. After John Bidwell’s death, Bidwell
Park was donated to the City of Chico via a series
of deeds between 1905 and 1911. The original property
was approximately 2,300 acres. Since that time,
the City has purchased additional land, such as
Cedar Grove in 1922 and 1,200 acres of land south
of Big Chico Creek in Upper Park in 1995. Today,
the total Park size is 3,670 acres (nearly 11 miles
in length along the banks of Big Chico Creek), making
it the third largest municipal park in the United
States. The park features an 18-hole golf course;
baseball fields; swimming holes; and a children's
playground; plus roads and miles of trails for jogging,
hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding.
Movies, such as the
1937 filming of the original Adventures of Robin
Hood starring Errol Flynn, gave the park national
attention with its towering oaks, bubbling creeks,
and miles of majestic views. Other movies filmed
in Bidwell Park include Gone with the Wind and Red
Badge of Courage
Bidwell Park is comprised
of three major sections: Lower Park, Middle Park
and Upper Park. Bidwell Park is divided by Manzanita
Avenue. The area west of Manzanita Avenue is referred
to as Lower Park and the area to the east is referred
to as Upper Park.
Lower Park is flat
and level with a thick canopy of Valley Oak woodland
and riparian vegetation, which provide ample shade
for visitors. Lower Park is a treasure trove
of recreational opportunities for the public, including
playgrounds; natural swimming areas; and vehicle-free
roads for runners, cyclists, rollerbladers and walkers
– all which are within walking distance to downtown
and the university.
Middle Park features
ball-playing fields, picnic areas, the World of
Trees walk (which is accessible to the physically
challenged) and the Chico Creek Nature Center, the
park's environmental and informational headquarters.
This portion of Bidwell Park is open to motorized
traffic, providing the perfect venue for some of
Chico's unique outdoor cultural events, such as
Shakespeare in the Park performances and the Chico
World Music Festival.
Upper Park remains
relatively untouched with majestic canyons overlooking
Big Chico Creek, which contains some of the most
spectacular swimming areas in Northern California. Upper
Park is located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada
with dominant plant communities of chaparral, blue
oak woodland, riparian vegetation, mixed evergreen
woodland, and ponderosa pine forest. The terrain
varies from rolling to steep, with many rock formations,
including the unique Chico Sandstone and Lovejoy
Basalt rocks. In recent years, Upper Park has become
a mecca for mountain bikers with 25 of its 35 trails
open to cyclists. Equestrians and hikers also share
this vast playground of recreational opportunities.
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Recreation
in Bidwell Park
Bidwell Park caters
to many recreational past times. For those interested
in swimming, the Sycamore Pool, located at the One-Mile
Recreation Area, is an uncommon swimming experience.
It is a concrete pool built around Big Chico Creek
with lifeguards on duty from Memorial Day weekend
to Labor Day weekend each year. When swimming in
Big Chico Creek be sure to use caution. Water which
may appear to be shallow and/or slow moving can
actually be swift and powerful. Stay in areas
where there is no white water and when possible,
swim with friends. Also, as with all other activities,
bring enough drinking water to stay hydrated.
Mountain biking is
one of the most common activities that takes place
in Bidwell Park. There are miles upon miles of trails
to ride on. Some of the basic bike rules are:
No riding on Yahi
Trail (a pedestrian only trail).
No bikes on Upper
Park trails when closed due to wet conditions.
Helmets must be worn
by people of all ages when riding off of pavement
in Upper Park.
To further ensure that
you have a safe and enjoyable time, bring plenty
of drinking water and a tire patch kit.
Horseback riding is
yet another common past time in the Park. Because
Park trails are mostly multi-use, there are abundant
riding opportunities for equestrians. Basic equestrian
rules are:
No horses on Upper
Park trails when closed due to wet conditions.
Keep horses 100 feet
away from established picnic areas.
Cross the creek only
at established and signed horse crossings.
Hiking in Bidwell Park
is a perfect way to spend a day. All trails in Bidwell
Park are open to pedestrians. The pedestrian-only
Yahi Trail in Upper Park is a recommended visit.
Yahi Trail offers hikers miles of scenic views along
Big Chico Creek. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes
and to bring plenty of drinking water.
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