Things to Do in Chico in May

May hits the sweet spot for Bidwell Park, the swimming holes below One-Mile Recreation Area are finally warm enough to jump in, but haven't turned into the summer crowds of tubes and float. The 5-mile (8 km) Yahi Trail stays shaded by oaks until noon, and the wildflowers along Big Chico Creek are still hanging on from spring. Morning hikers get the canyon to themselves before the temperature hits 73°F.

May river flows are good for beginners, fast enough to carry you but not the spring flood levels that demand expert skills. You'll paddle past riverfront mansions and through the heart of downtown, where the smell of coffee drifts down from the cafes above the water. The afternoon sun feels warm on your arms but the water temperature hasn't hit the summer chill yet.

The original craft brewery founded in Chico runs their famous tour daily. But May means you can hear the guide explain the hop selection process without summer tour groups talking over them. The fermentation room smells like fresh bread and pine needles, and the outdoor beer garden hits that perfect temperature where a pale ale stays cold but your hands don't freeze holding the glass.

Downtown's weekly street fair runs through May before taking summer break, turning five blocks of downtown into California's best small-town food scene. The smell of tri-tip sandwiches mingles with vegan tacos from the Chico Natural Foods booth, while local musicians set up between the century-old brick buildings. It's the kind of event where you'll see the mayor buying produce next to college students.

May is strawberry season at the u-pick farms around Chico, the kind where you eat as many as you buy, warm from the sun. The driving loop through Durham, Oroville, and Paradise takes you past almond hulling operations (busy processing last year's harvest) and olive groves that carpet the foothills in silver-green. Temperature stays comfortable for rolling down windows through the 25-mile (40 km) country roads.