Chico

The Chico Air Museum is a museum dedicated to aviation, aircraft, and space artifacts. Located at the Chico Municipal Airport, the Chico Air Museum was established to collect, maintain, and exhibit the history of aviation, aircraft, and space artifacts and educate visitors on the importance of the industry.

The museum houses a variety of aircraft, artifacts and aviation-related exhibits in a well-maintained World War II-era hangar that was once part of the Chico Army Airfield and located next to the Chico Air Attack Base.

The museum also features an outside static display area, an extensive collection of scale models of airplanes, and an extensive aviation research library. The Chico Air Museum is open from Thursday through Sunday.

Chico Air Museum, 165 Ryan Ave, Chico, CA 95973, Phone: 530-345-6468, Map

The Gateway Science Museum is a small, kid-oriented museum that features interactive and hands-on science activities and exhibits, and quality programming in the field of science, technology, and engineering for children of all ages. Part of CSU Chico, the science museum is devoted to the advancement of science literacy and life-long learning and also brings world-class traveling exhibitions to the region and serves as a gateway connecting the community of Chico with the State. Located at 625 Esplanade, the Gateway Science Museum is open to the general public Wednesday through Sunday, year-round.

Gateway Science Museum, 625 Esplanade, Chico, CA 95926, Phone: 530-898-4121

Bidwell Park is a public municipal park in Chico that features an array of attractions and points of interest and a nature center. The park spans 11 kilometers in length and boasts 3,670 acres of beautiful landscapes, ranging from unusual rock formations such as the Chico Formation sandstone, thick canopies of trees, and the Chico Municipal Golf Course. The third largest municipal park in California, Bidwell Park is divided into Upper, Middle and Lower sections and points of interest in the park include Sycamore Pool, a beautiful pool built in the late 1920s with concrete decks, walls, and bottom to contain Big Chico Creek that offers a unique swimming experience. Other attractions include Caper Acres Playground, Cedar Grove, Horseshoe Lake, Monkey Face rock formation, Alligator, Bear and Salmon Hole, Diversion Dam, and Devil's Kitchen.

Opened in 1865, Bidwell Mansion is a famous historic home that was once the residence of General John Bidwell and Annie Bidwell from late 1868 until 1918. Located at 525 Esplanade, the construction of the three-story, 26 room Victorian mansion began in 1865 on Bidwell’s 26,000 acres, and it became the social and cultural center of the upper Sacramento Valley. Now a museum and State Historic Park, the Bidwell Mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is open for the public to explore on hour-long guided tours during the week. The Bidwell Mansion Visitor Center shows a video for those visitors who cannot access the second and third floors of the mansion, and there is also a gift shop, museum, theater, and comfortable lobby.

Bidwell Mansion, 525 Esplanade, Chico, CA 95926

The Chico Certified Farmer's Market (CCFM) is a local market in Chico that offers a variety of organic and natural produce, products, and handcrafted items from artisans and farmers in the region. The market is one of four farmers’ markets in Butte County that operate on Saturdays and Wednesdays year-round, as well as two seasonal markets known as Tuesday Paradise and Saturday Oroville. Visitors to the market can find an unlimited selection of freshly picked, locally grown fruit, vegetables and herbs, nuts, honey, and homemade olive oil, prime meats and chicken, fresh eggs, freshly baked artisan bread, handcrafts, and handmade items, and prepared foods to go.

E 2nd St, Chico, CA 95928, Phone: 530-893-3276, (website link)

The Silverdollar Speedway is a famous car race track in Chico that has been hosting car races since 1962. The track is a high-banked, quarter-mile clay oval surrounded by grandstands that can seat up to 7,000 spectators. The fourth auto racing track to be built in the Chico area, the Silver Dollar Speedway first began as a one-half mile track where Big Sprint Car Races were held between 1948 and 1950.

In 1962, the Valley Auto Racing Association was formed, and the present track constructed and has been the only track in Northern California to operate on a primarily Friday night weekly schedule ever since. The Silver Dollar Speedway hosts a weekly Friday night show between early April and the end of August with the main attraction including 410 sprint cars, dirt-modified cars, and pure stocks. The Speedway also hosts several other big events throughout the year, including three days of racing during the Silver Dollar Fair on the Memorial Day Weekend.

Silverdollar Speedway, 2357 Fair St, Chico, CA 95928, Phone: 530-350-7275

Housed in the historic Andrew Carnegie Library in the heart of vibrant downtown Chico, the Chico Museum is dedicated to displaying the history of Chico. Located next to the California State University campus, the Chico Museum features a variety of memorable permanent and rotating exhibits and displays that celebrate the heritage of Chico and the influence it had on the surrounding region. The museum has two galleries called the Carnegie and Patrick Galleries that permanent host displays, including a topographic map of Northern California, the Chinese Temple, and a Native American Exhibit. The Chico Museum is open from Thursday through Sunday.

Chico Museum, 141 Salem and 2nd St., Chico, CA 95928, Phone: 530-891-4336

Orient & Flume Art Glass Company produces fine art glass pieces using traditional and contemporary motifs. Drawing inspiration from nature, the artistic works are made in both iridescent and crystal clear glass and different styles, ranging from paperweights and fruit to animals and vases. Glassworks is artfully made on site in the glass workshop and available to purchase in the main gallery. Established in 1972, Orient & Flume has been nationally acclaimed for its excellence in design ever since and can be found in the permanent collections of the most prestigious museums in the world.

Orient & Flume Art Glass Company, 6702, 2161 Park Ave, Chico, CA 95928, Phone: 530-893-0373

DeGarmo Park is a 36-acre community park in northwest Chico that offers a range of amenities and facilities for the public to enjoy. The park has youth softball fields and multi-use turf fields, a playground for children, a dog park where dogs can be unleashed, several picnic shelters, restrooms, and walking paths.

199 Leora Ct, Chico, CA 95973, Phone: 530-895-4711, (website link)