There are few places that I love more than Chico, Ca. After living there for college and a bit after that I absolutely fell in love with the area. It is such a rich community with many opportunities to learn grow and explore. Being from the bay area, it was nice to be just 2.5 hours away at school and be in a totally different environment. My time there was definitely well spent and a season of life that will always be held close to my heart. For those of you that have been or desire to go, here is a list of some of my favorites places and things in the area. It will be a fun day that you have never experienced before! Feel free to get lost in the beauty of the are and off track as needed. Kids of all ages will enjoy the day aswell.
Bring:
A coat
Full tank of gas
Smiles
Bibles, journals
Student ID (always ask for discounts)
Maybe $30
Your favorite board game
Go early, it’s going to be a fun day!
Breakfast (you could probably split something)
Breakfast Buzz (breakfast burritos are buy one get one free on Tuesday), Morning Thunder (bagel sandwiches are awesome, pancakes are HUMUNGO)
Head to the Park and either walk around 5 mile (it takes about 45 min) or head up to upper park and climb monkey face
From there go to the Perk, bring your bible and a notebook, get your favorite drink and soak up time with the Lord and good friends, journal at least 4 pages and share about the things the LORD is teaching you in life and from HIS Word. Chat a little, be still a little, and just relish in our Lord.
OK onto some Chico History! Take the tour at Bidwell Mansion!
Get lunch to go at Spiteri’s Deli 971 East Avenue Chico, CA 95926-1377 (530) 891-4797
Take it to the monastery at Vina, there should be a table or someplace place to eat, bring a blanket just in case!! (it’s about 15 min N of Chico)
Abbey of New Clervaux 26240 Seventh Street Vina, CA 96092-0080
Basically they are rebuilding a church from Spain in 1200’s, its super cool and a gorgeous place, just remember that it is a monastery, all theology and traditions are theologically off, but the location is beautiful, check out the pictures and read up at the websites: WWW.SACREDSTONES.ORG and http://www.newclairvaux.org/index.html
Head back into town and get over to T Bar grab a drink and hit the shops (antique stores galore downtown, bird in hand yo yo museum! Get a demo> , tom foolery, Nantucket, made in chico, chico paper, zucchini and vine, magna carta, used bookstores, colliers hardware…favorite!)
From there it should be time for dinner…. More choices!
Downtown: Plutos, broadway heights, chada thai, pita pit,
A farther drive: burger hut, la hacienda, hulas, cal pasta (you can take it and cook it at home!)
Depending on what you do for dinner might dictate your dessert:
Shuberts (2nd best ice cream in the nation!), Milkshakes from big al’s, Jon and bons, Powell’s candy
You can play your board game at jon & bons or grab something and play at home.
If Take 5 movies is still open you can get 5 movies for 5 days for 5 or 10 bucks, what a deal!
End with looking through your photos uploading pics to fb, laughing and talking about what a fun day you had.
Season Highlights:
Spring: Blossom tour (For a copy of the Self-Guided Spring Blossom Tour brochure, contact the Chamber), Wildflower ride (totally do-able even if you don’t ride a bike regularly, just do the flat flower in the valley), Table mountain flowers!
Summer: Shooting the flumes in Paradise, Dinner in Butte Meadows *ends in Sept, Float the sac river (get tubes from Johnny’s)
Fall: Apple festival in Paradise, Taste of chico
Year round: Farmers market (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday), Honeyrun bridge, Exotic animal refuge
