Skip to ContentA two-day plan for Chico that puts each stop on a day when its posted hours match: Bidwell Park, downtown and the Chico State area on day one, then either Lake Oroville or a longer drive on day two. Every day and hour comes from the operator’s page, and the table below says which day each place is open.
Checked November 3, 2026
- 2Days
- Fri-SatDays the Bidwell Mansion visitor center is open
- Thu-SatGateway Science Museum days
- 8 a.m.Lake Oroville day use opens
Read this first: the hours, fees, rules and closures on this page were taken from the sources named beside them; we read those sources on November 3, 2026. State Parks, the City of Chico, Chico State, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and the Gateway Science Museum pages named in the table. This is not legal, medical or safety advice. They change, so check the agency or business named before you rely on them. Anything we could not read is marked Not Confirmed where it appears. A plan is a suggestion, not a guarantee that anything is open.
What Is Open Which Day
| Place | Days and hours as posted | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Bidwell Mansion visitor center | Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | State Parks, Nov 3, 2026 |
| Gateway Science Museum | Thursday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Nov 26, 2026 and Dec 20, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 | Posted hours, read Oct 29, 2026 |
| Chico State campus tours | Weekdays, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Chico State, read Oct 29, 2026 |
| Sierra Nevada taproom | Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. | Brewery, read Oct 29, 2026 |
| Caper Acres playground | Closed Mondays (Tuesday if Monday is a holiday) | City of Chico, Nov 3, 2026 |
| Horseshoe Lake lot E gate | Closed to cars Sundays, Mondays and in wet weather | City of Chico, Nov 3, 2026 |
| Lake Oroville day-use areas | 8 a.m. to sunset | State Parks, Nov 3, 2026 |
Day One: The Park, Downtown and Campus
Morning: Lower Bidwell Park
Start at the One-Mile Recreation Area. The City’s gate table (updated 10/16/26) lists the North One-Mile parking lot opening at 7:30 a.m. and closing at 9 p.m. April to September and 7 p.m. October to March. Details: Bidwell Park and Bidwell Park entrances.
Midday: Chico State and The Esplanade
Weekday campus tours run 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. On Thursday to Saturday the Gateway Science Museum at 625 Esplanade is open from 11 a.m.; on Friday and Saturday the Bidwell Mansion visitor center at 525 Esplanade opens at 10. See Chico State and the Esplanade.
Evening: Downtown
Eat and drink downtown; hours and parking are on eat near downtown Chico. The Sierra Nevada taproom posts 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Day Two: Choose One
Option a: Lake Oroville
Day use is $8 per vehicle and the day-use areas open at 8 a.m. Add the dam visitor center and downtown Oroville for lunch. See Lake Oroville and Feather Falls and eat near Oroville. Our day trips guide gives about 45 minutes each way.
Option B: Lassen, in Season
The National Park Service says the park highway is closed at both entrances from approximately November to June. If you travel in summer or fall, read Lassen from Chico first.
Option C: Brewery Tour
Tours at Sierra Nevada start at $13.25 on the page we read October 29; see the tours page and book ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I spend two days in Chico?
Spend day one in Lower Bidwell Park, on the Esplanade and downtown, and day two at Lake Oroville, on a brewery tour, or at Lassen in season. The table shows which days each place posts open hours.
Which days is the Bidwell Mansion open?
The mansion is closed after the December 2024 fire. State Parks says the visitor center is open Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sources
- California State Parks, Bidwell Mansion SHP: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=460 (read November 3, 2026)
- City of Chico, Trail, gate and facility status and hours: https://chicoca.gov/Our-Community/Parks-Recreation-and-Experience-the-Outdoors/Park-Trails/Trail-Gate–Facility-Status-and-Hours/ (read November 3, 2026, updated 10/16/26)
- Chico State, Visit: https://www.csuchico.edu/visit/index.shtml (read November 3, 2026, read Oct 29, 2026 on our campus guide)
- California State Parks, Lake Oroville SRA: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=462 (read November 3, 2026)
Keep Planning
Trip Loop
Pick an itinerary and see its stops as a closed loop that ends where it starts. Distances are straight lines between pins and approximate; roads are longer. Open the loop in Google Maps for real driving directions.
Cite this page: It's Chico, “Chico in Two Days: A Plan Matched to Posted Hours”, itschico.com/itineraries/chico-in-two-days/ (updated ). By the It's Chico editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.