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.

This local favorite offers a range of cof­fees and teas, local­ly made pas­tries, and a robust food menu, ensur­ing there’s a warm drink (or bite) for every­one to enjoy.

Oroville Muse­um Marvels

After break­fast, dive into Oroville’s rich his­to­ry by explor­ing the 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. To get a clos­er look at how it’s all made, call (530) 893‑0373 for cur­rent hours when the artists blow glass.

Din­ner Delights at Sofi’z Kitchen and Bar

Warm your taste buds with a vis­it to Sofi’z Kitchen and Bar in Down­town Chico, where fresh­ly made, authen­tic Pak­istani dish­es serve up wel­comed warmth even on the cold­est of days.

Live Pro­duc­tions with Lax­son Auditorium

Chico Per­for­mances is the place for live pro­duc­tions, host­ing dozens of shows annu­al­ly out of Lax­son Audi­to­ri­um on the Chico State campus. 

From stand-up to sym­phonies and stu­dents at the start of their careers to sto­ried pro­fes­sion­als, there’s always some­thing great hap­pen­ing at Laxson.

Chico His­to­ry Unveiled

Immerse your­self in Chico’s his­to­ry at the Chico His­to­ry Muse­um, fea­tur­ing per­ma­nent 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

Ven­ture out and 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

Those look­ing for an invig­o­rat­ing out­door expe­ri­ence should 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.

Live Shows at First Street Theater

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

Sip and Savor at Argus Bar + Patio

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