Things to do in Sacramento Valley
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Cafe Bernardo
This is a Midtown favorite serving all meals. Stop by for strong coffee or have a full-on meal with pasta, a grilled skirt steak and wine. There's an outdoor seating area and an adjacent martini bar that's popular around happy hour.
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Bidwell Park
Starting right downtown, 3670-acre Bidwell Park is the nation's third-largest municipal park. It stretches 10 miles northwest along Chico Creek with lush groves and miles of trails. The upper part of the park is a fairly untamed wilderness, surprising to find in the midst of an American city. Several classic movies have been shot here, including The Adventures of Robin Hood and parts of Gone with the Wind.
The park is full of hiking and mountain-biking trails and swimming spots. You'll find pools at One-Mile and Five-Mile recreation areas and swimming holes (including Bear Hole, Salmon Hole and Brown Hole) in Upper Bidwell Park, north of Manzanita Ave; expect some skinny-…
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Chinese Temple
By the levee, the Chinese Temple is a compelling draw that really exceeds expectations. Today there is no Chinatown in Oroville, but at one time the town was bustling with more than 10,000 Chinese. A 1907 flood wiped out Chinatown and many Chinese stayed to help rebuild the levee, but their numbers rapidly dwindled afterwards.
During the 19th century, traveling theater troupes from China toured a circuit of Chinatowns in California. Oroville was the end of the line, and the troupes often left their sets, costumes and puppets here before heading back to China. Consequently, Oroville has a collection of 19th-century stage finery unrivaled anywhere in California. The old te…
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American River Parkway
The American River Parkway, a 23-mile river system on the north bank of the American River, is surely Sacramento's most appealing geographic feature. It's one of the most extensive riparian habitats in the continental US. The park's network of trails and picnic areas is accessible from Old Sacramento by taking Front St north until it becomes Jiboom St and crosses the river, or by taking the Jiboom St exit off I-5/Hwy 99.
The parkway includes a nice walking/running/bicycling path called the Jedediah Smith National Recreation Trail that's accessible from Old Sacramento at the end of J St. You can rent bicycles at the waterfront from Bike Sacramento.
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Hedrick Ag History Center
The Central Valley is all about agriculture, and its people are proud of their history. Well worth a side trip is the huge Hedrick Ag History Center, which has the world's largest collection of antique tractors and one of the biggest collections of old trucks. Check out the Deere One-Horse Plow, a 1910 relic, or the 1917 Riker Fire Engine, plus there's hundreds of other vehicles produced by Mac Trucks, John Deere, Caterpillar, Allis Chalmers, Dodge and Pierce-Arrow from the 1890s through to the 1940s. The center is in Woodland, just a few miles north of Davis via Hwy 113.
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William B Ide Adobe State Historic Park
Set on a beautiful, shaded piece of land overlooking a languorous section of the Sacramento River, the William B Ide Adobe State Historic Park preserves the original adobe home and grounds of pioneer William B Ide, who 'fought' in the 1846 Bear Flag Revolt at Sonoma and was named president of the short-lived California Republic. These are humble digs for a president. To get to the park, head about a mile north on Main St, turn east onto Adobe Rd and go another mile, following the signs.
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Honey Run Covered Bridge
The historic 1894 Honey Run Covered Bridge is the sort of covered bridge you encounter in Washington Irving stories like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. There are few in California and none like this one, whose roof consists of three separate sections. Take the Skyway exit off Hwy 99 on the southern outskirts of Chico, head east about a mile, turn left onto Honey Run-Humbug Rd; the bridge is 5 miles along, in a small park.
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Lake Oroville State Recreation Area Visitor Center
From downtown, follow Oroville Dam Rd or Olive Hwy (Hwy 162) to the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, home to numerous outdoor activities and the 770ft Oroville Dam. Completed in 1967, it's the tallest earthen dam in the US. The Lake Oroville State Recreation Area Visitor Center has exhibits on the California State Water Project and local Native American history, plus a viewing tower and loads of recreational information.
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Red Bluff Lake Recreation Area
The Red Bluff Lake Recreation Area, on the east bank of the Sacramento River, is a spacious park full of trees, birds and meadows. It offers numerous picnicking, swimming, hiking and camping opportunities and has interpretive trails, bicycle paths, boat ramps, a wildlife viewing area with excellent bird-watching, a fish ladder (in operation May to September) and a 2-acre native plant garden.
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Forebay Aquatic Center
The Forebay Aquatic Center, just off Hwy 70, rents bikes for around US$7 per hour. They also offer sailing classes, youth programs, summer camps, kayaking classes, moonlight paddle excursions and several other courses. They have a number of canoes, a variety of kayaks and handful of sailboats available for rental, too (a certain level of competency must be demonstrated to rent sailboats).
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Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park
Chico's most prominent landmark is Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park, the opulent Victorian home built for Chico's founders John and Annie Bidwell. The 26-room mansion was built between 1865 and 1868. Bidwell, having served in the US Congress, was well connected, and many US presidents visited the house. You'll learn all about it by taking the tour, which starts every hour on the hour.
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Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
One of the best-known, and finest, craft breweries in the country (too big to officially qualify as a 'microbrewery') is the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, which makes many excellent brews, most notably Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Free tours are given at 14:30 daily, and continuously from noon to 15:00 Saturday. There's also a pub and restaurant.
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Freeman Bicycle Trail
The Freeman Bicycle Trail is a 41-mile off-road loop that takes cyclists to the top of Oroville Dam, then follows the Feather River back to the Thermalito Forebay and Afterbay storage reservoirs, west of Hwy 70. The ride is mostly flat, but the dam ascent is steep. Get a free map of the ride from the chamber of commerce.
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Huntington & Hopkins Hardware
Drop by the Huntington & Hopkins Hardware, an exhibit of the business run by two of the Big Four railroad barons. The store, a rough reproduction, is stocked with the innocuous merchandise (doorknobs, lanterns, railroad spikes etc) upon which some huge fortunes, and the nation's most important railroad, were built.
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Spirit of Sacramento
One of Old Sac's great features is its riverfront setting. The Spirit of Sacramento, an 1842 paddle wheeler, makes one-hour sightseeing tours of the Sacramento River that are well worth the price. There are also cocktail and dinner cruises. The boat leaves several times daily in summer from the L St dock.
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Tubing Rentals
In summer tubing on the Sacramento River is extremely popular and really fun. Inner tubes can be rented at grocery stores and other shops along Nord Ave (Hwy 32) for around US$6. Tubers enter at the Irvine Finch Launch Ramp on Hwy 32, a few miles west of Chico, and come out at the Washout off River Rd.
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Delta of Venus Coffeehouse & Pub
This groovy converted Craftsman bungalow has a very social and shaded front patio. The chalkboard menu has breakfast items, salads, soups and sandwiches, including some vegetarian and vegan options. At dinner time you can order jerk-seasoned Caribbean dishes and wash it down with a beer or wine.
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Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge visitors center
Serious birders might want to head to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge during winter, where the migratory waterfowl are a spectacular sight. The Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge visitors center is off I-5 near Willows; driving (around US$3) and walking trails are open daily.
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Tower Theatre
The Tower District consists of a small stretch of shops, bars, ethnic restaurants and the landmark Tower Theatre, a beautiful 1938 art deco movie palace. The Tower Records chain started here and the original sign survives on the theater (the current store is across the street).
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Chico State University Information Center
- Chico, USA
- Sights › University
Ask for a free map of the campus, or inquire about campus events and tours, at the information center on the main floor of Bell Memorial Union. The attractive campus is infused with sweet floral fragrances in spring, and there's a nice rose garden at its center.
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Chico Museum
Located in the former 1904 Carnegie Library. It contains a historical museum, a re-creation of an old Taoist temple altar and rotating exhibits. The Chico timeline, traces the city's history from 1837 to 2000 with photos and other artifacts and can pull you in.
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Moxie
Moxie is darkly lit and romantic, and the service is cordial and down-to-earth. The menu applies Californian attitudes to American standards and seafood specialties, with some fusion cross-breeding. Great crab pot stickers and mashed potatoes.
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Sacramento River Discovery Center
The Red Bluff Lake visitors center, called the Sacramento River Discovery Center has kid-friendly displays about the river, questionable propaganda on the benefits of cattle grazing and information on the Diversion Dam just outside its doors.
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Winters Opera House
Davis' long-standing favorite live music venue, Palm's Playhouse, moved to the town of Winters, about 12 miles west of Davis. Shows take place in the historic Winters Opera House. The old hall is an absolutely fantastic place to see a show.
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Crocker Art Museum
The city's small but handsome house of fine art, the Crocker Art Museum is in the former residence of 19th-century California Supreme Court Judge Edwin B Crocker. It contains his visionary collection of California art.
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