Find local treasures
A map-in-pictures of Chico’s distinct areas
Your Chico map.
Chances are you’ve already taken a hundred photos of your new apartment building and the cute guys you saw carrying a futon into the place across the quad. It probably goes without saying that there is much more to the picture of Chico than what’s currently on your smartphone. What we’ve done here is provide a dozen or so images that hopefully will provide a snapshot-map of the general areas of your new home.
1. The University:<br>Stop and smell the Rose Garden at Chico State.
Photo By melanie mactavish
2. Downtown:<br>The heart of Chico beats downtown, where the university, local shops (like the legendary Melody Records, at Fourth and Main streets), farmers’ markets, nightlife and the biggest community events all flow into one vibrant area.
Photo By melanie mactavish
3. The East streets:<br>The quiet side of the numbered streets gets quieter as you stroll east into the tree-lined family neighborhood along Lower Bidwell Park.
Photo By jason cassidy
4. The Avenues:<br>Though it’s largely a residential area, for many people, the center of the Avenues neighborhood which spreads east and west of The Esplanade, is Big Al’s Drive In, with its Happy Burgers and triple-thick shakes.
Photo By melanie mactavish
5. The Far East:<br>It may seem far away, but it’s worth venturing into the area on the east side of Highway 99, where Casey Schmidt (left), Ashley Redding and the rest of the fun staff of local musicians at The Music Connection (973 East Ave.) just might be waiting at the door for you to jam with them. The “old mall” might be gone, but there are plenty of newer (Cinemark 14, Trader Joe’s) and older (Spiteri’s Deli) destinations along East Avenue to make visiting worthwhile.
Photo By melanie mactavish
6. Lower Bidwell Park:<br>The tree-lined loop of Lower Park is the city’s oasis, anchored by the creek-fed Sycamore Pool in the One-Mile Recreation Area.
Photo By jason cassidy
7. Upper Bidwell Park:<br>If Lower Park is where we escape the heat, Upper Park is where we just escape. Trails and the creek extend into the foothills for miles, with many swimming holes (Salmon Hole, pictured) offering respite from the dusty trail.
Photo By jason cassidy
8. Mall Town:<br>Blake Brandt and Marcus Payne work at the Lids hat store in the Chico Mall, which is the hub of the chain and big-box shopping district south of town.
Photo By melanie mactavish
9. South Side:<br>With the Barber neighborhood to the west and Chapmantown to the east, Park Avenue with its Mexican restaurants and tire shops cuts a wide path through two of Chico’s oldest neighborhoods.
Photo By jason cassidy
10. South-campus:<br>One of Chico’s older residential areas has transformed into a mainly student-populated section of town, home to many of the fraternity and sorority houses, as well as the infamous Fifth and Ivy intersection of bars, cafes and restaurants (including the aptly named Five and Eye).
Photo By melanie mactavish
11. NorSac:<br>The intersection where Nord Ave. is T-boned by West Sacramento Ave. is teeming with businesses geared toward the blocks of student-apartments in the area. As such, there is a glorious variety of inexpensive eating options, including the exotic flavors served up by (from left) Monica Mora and Leah Arreguin at La Flor de Michoacan Palateria y Neveria, the Mexican ice-cream shop in the Safeway Shopping Center.
Photo By melanie mactavish
12. The orchards:<br>You realize that you’ve moved into a nut-flavored county, right? Those rows and rows of trees you passed on the way into town? Depending on which way you were coming, they were likely either walnuts (pictured) or almonds.
Photo By melanie mactavish
13. The River:<br>A sleepy section of the Sacramento River is just, like, right over there. Only five miles west.
Photo By melanie mactavish
14. Nowhere:<br>Head a few miles north or south on Highway 99 and you quickly realize that you are on the Chico island now: There’s not much for miles in every direction.
Photo By melanie mactavish
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