We Love Cheap Thrills: Free and Budget-Friendly Fun in Butte County

It may take a tank of gas to start these adven­tures, but you won’t have to pay for park­ing or entry along the way.

Take a Dri­ve Along Scenic High­way 70

Hit the open road and expe­ri­ence breath­tak­ing land­scapes all along High­way 70, where you’ll be treat­ed to scenic views show­cas­ing expan­sive fields, rolling hills, and the Sier­ra Neva­da foothills. It’s a per­fect escape for nature lovers and pho­tog­ra­phy enthu­si­asts alike.

Big Bald Rock

An icon­ic gran­ite batholith, Big Bald Rock offers spec­tac­u­lar views over­look­ing Oroville Lake and the Sacra­men­to Val­ley. Chil­dren of all ages will have fun search­ing for the​“snail­rock,” while night owls will love sit­ting under light of the full moon, count­ing the stars in the wane of the moon, or cap­turing some spec­tac­u­lar astrophotography.

Dis­cov­er free and bud­get-friend­ly activ­i­ties in Gridley.

Gri­d­ley Museum

Begin your adven­ture in Gri­d­ley by immers­ing your­self in the region’s rich his­to­ry at the Gri­d­ley Muse­um. This free local gem offers a glimpse into Gri­d­ley’s rich past through exhibits, arti­facts, and even the offices of den­tists, doc­tors, and attor­neys pre­served just as they were near­ly a hun­dred years ago.

Gray Lodge Wildlife Area

Whether you’re vis­it­ing dur­ing the peak of the annu­al win­ter bird migra­tion or explor­ing in the off-sea­son, the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area is an inex­pen­sive spot for wildlife view­ing, nature pho­tog­ra­phy, easy and acces­si­ble hik­ing, and even an auto tour! All you need is a CDFW Lands Pass.

Manuel Vier­ra Park

A Gri­d­ley favorite, Manuel Vier­ra Park packs a lot of action into its 13 acres, mak­ing it per­fect for fam­i­lies with kids look­ing for fun (and free!) things to do. With a sum­mer splash pad, plen­ty of play­ground equip­ment, and pub­lic fields and courts, there’s plen­ty to keep the young ones occupied.

Oroville is packed with free things to do, from nat­ur­al won­ders to an abun­dance of local culture.

Lake Oroville Vis­i­tor Center

Over­look­ing both Lake Oroville and the dam, the Lake Oroville Vis­i­tor Cen­ter offers that chance to explore inter­pre­tive dis­plays, an audio-video room, and ascend the 47-foot view­ing tow­er for panoram­ic views through high-pow­ered tele­scopes, all at no cost. Pair your vis­it with a hike on one of Lake Oroville’s trails for the full experience!

Wine Tast­ing

Oroville wel­comes wine enthu­si­asts with its numer­ous winer­ies offer­ing afford­able tast­ing fees — and prov­ing that a delight­ful wine expe­ri­ence does­n’t have to be expensive.

Oroville State Theater

The Oroville State The­ater is a cul­tur­al land­mark that offers a glimpse into the 1920s with its restored inte­ri­or, vin­tage mar­quee, and authen­tic Wurl­itzer pipe organ. Enjoy $5 show­ings of clas­sic and con­tem­po­rary movies and rea­son­able tick­et prices for spe­cial events.

River­bend Park

Locat­ed along the scenic Feath­er Riv­er, the apt­ly named River­bend Park offers an abun­dance of free activ­i­ties for the whole fam­i­ly. Splash around on a sandy beach, climb the play­ground equip­ment, stroll paved trails, host a BBQ, and even play a few rounds of disc golf.

Chico boasts a mix of his­to­ry and quirky fun for bud­get-con­scious explorers.

Chico Air Museum

Avi­a­tion enthu­si­asts will love the Chico Air Muse­um​’s col­lec­tion of air­craft and exhibits that show­case the region’s avi­a­tion his­to­ry. Kids will have plen­ty to enjoy, with a host of decom­mis­sioned planes — some of which they can even climb inside — while every­one else will love the free admission.

Bid­well Man­sion & Vis­i­tor Center

Dive into Chico’s his­to­ry with a vis­it to Bid­well Man­sion State His­toric Park. Stroll the grounds, take pic­tures in front of the icon­ic Vic­to­ri­an-era man­sion, and learn about Chico’s ear­li­est Gold Rush set­tlers and its founder, John Bid­well, and his wife, Annie — all for free. Or take an offi­cial (and inex­pen­sive) tour of Bid­well Man­sion itself.

Nation­al Yo-Yo Museum

Inside Bird in Hand, one of Chico’s favorite gift shops, the free-to-vis­it Nation­al Yo-Yo Muse­um fea­tures the world’s largest pub­lic dis­play of yo-yos, mem­o­ra­bil­ia, and com­pe­ti­tion awards. It’s also home to BIG-YO, the 1982 Guin­ness Book of World Records hold­er for World’s Biggest Work­ing Wood­en Yo-Yo, so make sure to snap a pho­to with it before you leave! Or stop by on Sat­ur­days at 2pm for a free yo-yo lesson.

Bid­well Park

Bid­well Park is a must when vis­it­ing Chico any­time of year, and it’s all the bet­ter because it’s absolute­ly free to vis­it! From the mild Low­er Bid­well Park to the wilder Upper Bid­well Park, there’s plen­ty to do for every lev­el of abil­i­ty and out­door desire.

Con­clude your bud­get-friend­ly jour­ney in Par­adise, where the won­ders of nature and unique local her­itage take cen­ter stage.

Bille Park

Enjoy this serene nat­ur­al space per­fect for pic­nics, leisure­ly walks, and recon­nect­ing with nature. Bille Park fea­tures expan­sive views of the Butte Creek Canyon but won’t cost you a cent to visit.

Par­adise Lake

Immerse your­self in the beau­ty of Par­adise Lake, where out­door enthu­si­asts can fish, hike, and appre­ci­ate the scenic sur­round­ings. All it costs is a $3 park­ing fee.

Gold Nugget Museum

Delve into local his­to­ry with rotat­ing mini-exhibits offer­ing insights into the region’s past at the Gold Nugget Muse­um. Admis­sion is free, though dona­tions sup­port ongo­ing preser­va­tion efforts.

From his­tor­i­cal trea­sures to pris­tine coun­try­side, Butte County’s rich assort­ment of activ­i­ties pro­vides some­thing for every­one. So pack your sense of adven­ture and come dis­cov­er what makes Butte Coun­ty the per­fect trav­el des­ti­na­tion — no mat­ter your budget.