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.
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.
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.
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 Bidwells
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.
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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