Chill to Charm: A Cozy Winter Weekend in Butte County

Break­fast at Mug Shots Cof­fee House

Start off the chilly day with hot cof­fee or tea from Mug Shots Cof­fee House in Oroville to warm you up from the inside out. With a range of cof­fees and teas, local­ly made pas­tries, and a grow­ing food menu, there’s a warm drink (or bite) for every­one to enjoy.

Oroville Muse­um Marvels

After break­fast, delve into Oroville’s rich his­to­ry by explor­ing Bolt’s Antique Tool Muse­um, home to the largest known col­lec­tion of hand tools in the world. Con­tin­ue your his­tor­i­cal jour­ney at the Butte Coun­ty His­tor­i­cal Soci­ety Muse­um, where cap­ti­vat­ing exhibits show­case the coun­ty’s past, from gold min­ing to its native pop­u­la­tions, and more.

Win­ter Wildlife Watch­ing at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area

Wit­ness the beau­ty of win­ter wildlife at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area in Gri­d­ley. Bun­dle up and bring your binoc­u­lars for a chilly yet reward­ing expe­ri­ence spot­ting migra­to­ry birds and oth­er wildlife dur­ing their annu­al trip through Butte County.

Glass­blow­ing at Ori­ent & Flume Glass Co.

Warm up with a vis­it to the glass­blow­ing stu­dio at Ori­ent & Flume in Chico. Wit­ness skilled artists breathe life into glass, cap­tur­ing nature’s beau­ty in every piece, or treat your­self a unique gift to bring home. The gallery is open Mon­day through Sat­ur­day, and you can get a clos­er look at how it’s all made as the artists blow glass — call (530) 893‑0373 for cur­rent hours.

Din­ner Delights at Momona

Warm your taste buds with a vis­it to Momona in Chico. Cus­tomize your ramen or rice bowls, rel­ish in Hawai­ian bao, and indulge in Japan­ese, Hawai­ian, and Tai­wan-inspired dish­es, plus a deli­cious menu of unique cock­tails. You won’t want to have a sin­gle sip or bite of it to go to waste!

Expe­ri­ence Live Pro­duc­tions at El Rey Theater

Cap off the day with live enter­tain­ment at the his­toric El Rey The­ater in Down­town Chico. Check their events cal­en­dar for a vari­ety of music, com­e­dy, and dance per­for­mances, mak­ing it the per­fect way to end your evening on a high note.

Chico His­to­ry Unveiled

Immerse your­self in Chico’s his­to­ry at the Chico His­to­ry Muse­um, fea­tur­ing exhibits on the ​“Evolv­ing Chi­nese Tem­ple” and ​“Chico Through Time.” Become a Chico expert and gain insights into the city’s rich heritage.

Avi­a­tion Adven­tures at Chico Air Museum

Brave the chill to explore the Chico Air Muse­um near the Chico Munic­i­pal Air­port. Get up close and per­son­al with jet- and pro­peller-dri­ven air­craft in the out­door part of the muse­um, and warm up inside with fas­ci­nat­ing arti­facts, dis­plays, and, of course, more planes!

Win­ter Hik­ing at Upper Bid­well Park

Look­ing to brave the cold? Explore the beau­ty of Upper Bid­well Park and enjoy the crisp air and scenic trails. Bun­dle up and embark on a refresh­ing win­ter hike through one of Chico’s favorite nat­ur­al wonders.

Thai Com­fort at Cocodine

After a brisk hike out­side, head to Coco­dine Thai Cui­sine for authen­tic Thai cui­sine. The warm cur­ries and grilled dish­es will be a per­fect rem­e­dy for the cold weather.

The­atri­cal Delights at First Street Theater

Return to Down­town Chico for a cap­ti­vat­ing show at First Street The­ater. Run by Cal­i­for­nia Region­al The­atre, this inti­mate venue offers live plays and musi­cals, pro­vid­ing a cozy and enter­tain­ing escape.

Sip and Savor at Argus Bar + Patio

Extend the evening at Argus Bar + Patio, a pop­u­lar cock­tail bar in Down­town Chico. Enjoy their amaz­ing Gin Rick­eys and moji­tos while savor­ing a vari­ety of bev­er­ages. With food trucks on week­ends and live music, it’s the ide­al place to stay warm and enter­tained in the chilly night air.