Chico Guide
Mary Kate and Sean have spent a lot of time together in Chico, and have gathered some of their favorite spots for you to enjoy during your visit.
| Where to Eat | Things to Do |
Things to Do in Chico
Chico is a wonderful town that has a little bit of something for everyone. You can enjoy downtown, visit nearby nature, learn about local history, or even buy local produce at the farmers market year-round. We hope the below recommendations help you enjoy your free time during your visit.
Shop and Eat Almonds at the Saturday Farmer's Market
Chico is surrounded by some of the richest agriculture in the country, and you can experience it at Saturday's farmer's market, open from 7:30am - 1:00pm. Our favorite thing to buy is the fresh almonds. The Chico area is famous for growing almonds (California as a whole produces 80% of the world's commercial almond supply) and the locals here pronounce them "ammonds" because you shake the "l" out of them.
Swim or Picnic at One Mile Recreation Area
Perhaps one of Chico's most unique features, One Mile Recreation Area offers a swimming area that at first resembles a regular swimming pool, but upon closer look you'll notice it's actually a concreted-over river bed! Enjoy a blast to the past in recreation, since they certainly don't do this to rivers anymore.
Explore Downtown Chico
Downtown Chico is full of a huge variety of small businesses that really help contribute to the town's character. We encourage you to explore on your own, but some of our recommendations are the Magna Carta stationary store, 3 C's Boutique, Collier Hardware, and Made in Chico. Also don't miss the National Yo-Yo Museum and Chico Magic - a Magic the Gathering trading store.
Hike at Upper Bidwell Park
Upper Bidwell is one of the largest munipal parks in the country that's fantastic for hike or bike rides. However, DISCLAIMER: the park has recently gone through some prescribed burns and is very dry at the moment, so the landscape will not be as beautiful as pictured at this time.
Learn about Chico at the Bidwell Mansion
Chico was founded by pioneer John Bidwell, and at his residence-turned museum you can learn about what makes Chico a truly American town. Bidwell struck gold during the gold rush of the 1840s, but realized his new wealth wouldn't last so he decided to invest it. He bought land on what is now Chico, and decided to buy as many seeds he could find to plant them and see what grows. Once he found the right crops for the area, he invited farmers to come work with him and the town was born.
The Mansion alone is a wondeful site to see, where he and his wife Annie hosted many famous guests including President Rutherford B. Hayes and General William T. Sherman. You'll also learn about Annie on the tour and why Bidwell park is named after them.
Drink Sierra Nevada Beer
We'd usually recommend a brewery tour at Sierra Nevada, but unfortuantely tours are not being offered right now due to COVID restrictions.
However, you'll be able to enjoy Sierra Nevada beer all over town. Some of the best places to get it are the brewery's restaurant, Parkside Taproom, the Bear, and Burgers & Brew. Look for Old Chico on tap - this is a specialty brew that is only released within Chico to honor they style of the very first brewery that operated in the town.