College Connection: A Chico State Weekend Getaway

Brunch at B Street Pub­lic House

Start your day like a sea­soned adult with brunch at B Street Pub­lic House. Indulge in their deli­cious beignets and open-faced sandwiches.

The cov­ered patio is the per­fect spot to ease into your week­end of explo­ration with some fresh air and people-watching.

Redis­cov­er Bid­well Park

One of Chico State’s defin­ing fea­tures is its direct access to the 3,670-acre Bid­well Park, and you can lit­er­al­ly choose your own adven­ture between its low­er and upper sections.

The Chill Route: Stroll through Low­er Park, wan­der over to One Mile Recre­ation Area, and dip your toes in the icon­ic Sycamore Pool.

The Adven­ture Route: Hike up to Mon­key Face in Upper Park for stun­ning panoram­ic vis­tas of the canyon — an authen­tic col­lege out­door expe­ri­ence for any explorer.

Explore the Chico State Campus

Chico State’s park-like cam­pus is per­fect for a leisure­ly walk, offer­ing a blend of his­toric charm and vibrant activity.

• Arbore­tum Stroll: The cam­pus is a cer­ti­fied arbore­tum. Enjoy a tran­quil stroll through shad­ed path­ways, observ­ing unique tree species from around the world.
• Cul­ture Crawl: Catch a head­lin­er at Lax­son Audi­to­ri­um or explore stu­dent-led exhibits at the Valene L. Smith Muse­um of Anthro­pol­o­gy, among oth­er cam­pus cul­tur­al spots.
• Hid­den Gem: Stop by Love­bird Cof­fee for a cam­pus caf­feine fix while you wan­der the shad­ed pathways.

Expe­ri­ence the Uni­ver­si­ty Farm

A few miles from cam­pus lies the 800-acre Paul L. Byrne Agri­cul­tur­al Teach­ing and Research Cen­ter (ATRC), known as the Uni­ver­si­ty Farm. This work­ing farm pro­vides hands-on learn­ing for agri­cul­ture stu­dents and con­tributes to region­al research.

Don’t miss the Jay Gilbert Farm Store housed with­in the Agri­cul­tur­al Edu­ca­tion Cen­ter. It’s a ​“liv­ing lab” where stu­dents gain pro­fes­sion­al skills while shar­ing the boun­ty of the farm — includ­ing meats, nuts, and sea­son­al prod­ucts — with the North State community.

Chow Down at Madi­son Bear Garden

Din­ner calls for a return to a clas­sic col­lege expe­ri­ence: ​“The Bear”.

With its leg­endary burg­ers, famous­ly quirky dec­o­ra­tions, and live­ly out­door patio, Madi­son Bear Gar­den is the per­fect spot to relive those cher­ished col­lege mem­o­ries and expe­ri­ence the authen­tic expe­ri­ence of the col­lege scene.

Late Night: Crazy Horse Saloon

Keep the ener­gy going at the Crazy Horse Saloon. Whether you’re brave enough to ride the mechan­i­cal bull or just want to hit the noto­ri­ous dance floor, it’s a guar­an­teed night of high-ener­gy fun.

Need a milder night out? Duffy’s Tav­ern is the per­fect col­lege-meets-matu­ri­ty water­ing hole.

You’ll need a full night’s sleep after such a busy day.

Refu­el at Sin of Cortez

Work out the morn­ing-after sore­ness with a hearty break­fast at Sin of Cortez. Their famous French toast or Drag­on Pota­toes (famous­ly fea­tured on ​“Din­ers, Dri­ve-Ins, and Dives”) with fresh cof­fee are the per­fect way to refuel.

Note: Sin of Cortez is a cash or deb­it-only estab­lish­ment — a nos­tal­gic nod to sim­pler times (though an ATM is on-site).

Catch a Game & Explore Butte College

Expe­ri­ence the thrill of Divi­sion II ath­let­ics with a Chico State bas­ket­ball, soc­cer, or vol­ley­ball game.

In the fall, catch a foot­ball game at the main cam­pus of near­by Butte Col­lege. This pow­er­house pro­gram has pro­duced NFL leg­ends like Aaron Rodgers. And make sure to explore its cam­pus, which is nes­tled in a beau­ti­ful wildlife refuge.

Healthy Eats: Tea Bar & Fusion Café

For a fresh lunch, head to one of two loca­tions for Tea Bar & Fusion Café. Their ​“fusion of fla­vors” approach includes sparkling or frost­ed tea cre­ations paired with healthy fusion bowls and wraps.

It’s a local favorite for a reason.

Shop Down­town

Nes­tled in the heart of Down­town Chico, The Book­store has been a beloved spot since 1976. This icon­ic shop offers a wide selec­tion of new and used books, from pop­u­lar reads and clas­sic lit­er­a­ture to niche topics.

Step in and dis­cov­er the fun of brows­ing titles for fun, instead of for class.

And before head­ing home, pick up a piece of Chico to remem­ber your trip at Made in Chico.

This unique store proud­ly show­cas­es local cre­ators, reflect­ing a deep love for the city itself. From art and pho­tog­ra­phy to sou­venirs and local­ly made foods and more, you’ll undoubt­ed­ly find some­thing for your­self (and those who wish they had come!).

Final Slice: Wood­stock­’s Pizza

Since 1983, Wood­stock­’s Piz­za has been a go-to for a week­end meal. Locat­ed just blocks from cam­pus, it’s the best place to catch the lat­est game on the big screen and enjoy a ​“Wild­cat” vibe one last time before hit­ting the road.

Chico deliv­ers a vibrant col­lege town expe­ri­ence, deeply influ­enced by its icon­ic uni­ver­si­ty, offer­ing a per­fect mix of cam­pus explo­ration, local fla­vors, and out­door fun.

Whether you’re reliv­ing your own stu­dent mem­o­ries or sim­ply soak­ing in that live­ly cam­pus ener­gy, a mem­o­rable get­away in Chico awaits.