Help with Country Life/Culture in Chico and Redding Areas

[StandingLenticular]

We moved to Chico last year and then up to Paradise. I haven't had a bad experience w/ students in downtown; however, I'm usually only there during meal times and during street/farmers markets. The majority of town, especially NE of HWY99 and N of East Ave. is distant from the college's sphere of influence and is more family oriented.

Oh, and Chico is indeed awesome.

[countryway]

Thanks for replies. We just want to be able to enjoy the town and the downtown without battling tons of students acting wild etc. I know Chico has had a reputation for being a party school and that just caused some concern for us. We don't intend to live in the Frat area or the area where the students generally live, but here in Fort Collins, they are everywhere. But I think we are mostly concerned about the downtown area which we would like to enjoy more here but just can't. We actually avoid it. A Sunday afternoon is about the only time one can enjoy the downtown with others who are not students. Any more info will be greatly appreciated.

[WesternPilgrim]

Originally Posted by countryway

Thanks for replies. We just want to be able to enjoy the town and the downtown without battling tons of students acting wild etc. I know Chico has had a reputation for being a party school and that just caused some concern for us. We don't intend to live in the Frat area or the area where the students generally live, but here in Fort Collins, they are everywhere. But I think we are mostly concerned about the downtown area which we would like to enjoy more here but just can't. We actually avoid it. A Sunday afternoon is about the only time one can enjoy the downtown with others who are not students. Any more info will be greatly appreciated.

Countryway, be assured that the students in Chico can be as wild and obnoxious as anywhere in the country - even Madison. It can get very depressing, to be honest. But it does vary from day to day and week to week, and the downtown area belongs as much to the locals as to the students.

Fortunately, the debauchery is mostly contained to downtown and the student areas, and is relatively easy to avoid. In fact you can live your whole life in Chico with minimal exposure to college students. The residential family neighborhoods of Chico are pretty quiet and conservative. All the shopping and dining you need is available without going downtown.

I don't want to scare you off. Downtown is very picturesque. Many of the students are serious and well-behaved. We go downtown several times a week for church and for music events at the university. I have young children, though, and wish they didn't have to see some of the things they see ....

[Chicoan]

Originally Posted by countryway

A short time after this thread we were able to make it to CA to visit and did come up to Chico to look around. We did NOT make it to Red Bluff and other North Valley areas due to time restrictions and that Chico is our prime interest it seems.

We spent an afternoon and evening there before our return to our motel in Sacramento. We were very impressed with the city of Chico as well as the countryside surrounding the town. The topography was beautiful all around from the valley farms and ranches to the foothills, trees and mountians within the city and climbing eastward.

The city seemed clean and attractive with the downtown and historic areas to the newer shopping areas and residential districts. The people seemed to be friendly and our limited interactions with locals were all positive. Bidwell park was awesome. The whole town seemed beautiful, well-kept, and with nice neighborhoods.

Chico, is definitely topping the list of our prospects currently. Our main concern however, is the notoriety of the college being of a party nature. We have heard from others going back decades that the college students can be out-of-control at times with partying. We want to know from locals the truth about this. Living here in Fort Collins, the students can get very wild and run amok all over town and especially the downtown bar scene. The downtown here is lined with bars and there are typical college parties held all over town with students running from party to party. The police are on constant patrol and alert especially on weekends.

When we were in Chico it was a Friday, so we stayed late into the evening and drove around the downtown and university area to observe the behavior. I don't know if we were there on an "off night" but it seemed very tame. We did not see many bars in the downtown and not a whole lot of people trolling the streets at all. We drove around the college and only saw some groups of students walking but not any eccentric behavior. We were only there until 10 pm.

Please, any imput on the subject would be greatly appreciated. In Fort Collins the students absolutely Take Over the downtown and you cannot participate peacefully in browsing the shops except on a weekday or Sunday. Evenings are owned by the students. We really don't want to be in an environment like this again, but we were very impressed with Chico and may have to yet tolerate it if it seems like Chico is a good fit to us otherwise.

Any help from locals would be appreciated. I know Chico State has a much smaller attendance than Colorado State (25,000+) but I am not sure how much that actually makes a difference. We visit Boulder, CO now and then and the same story there as in Fort Collins but worse. Thanks for your help.

Growing up in Chico, the only times you would ever be aware of the college's social scene is when the burning couches make it into the newspaper. I grew up downtown, which is supposed to be the most Chico Statey, and I never had negative experiences with the college students. I think some parts of Nord might have ridiculous concentrations of college students, but you don't want to live in Nord anyway so you're k.

[countryway]

Thanks for the replies. I will surely take this into consideration. The fact that they are primarily Downtown and seem to take it over at times is a turn off. We certainly have too much of that here and kind of had enough of it, y'know? I myself, am a lover of Historic Downtown Districs and throughout my travels never fail to visit. So, an accessible downtown is important to us where we live as we would like to spend a great deal of time there and enjoy it. Fort Collins has one of the most beautiful restored AND preserved downtowns I have seen, and the City has worked hard to preserve it throughout the years. however, it is a shame that the students have to overrun the place and that the city has allowed a plethora of drinking establishments to buy up many of the bussinesses so that it is almost a nightly party after party, especially Wednesday to Saturday.

Thanks again for all your help. I will keep tabs on this thread if you want to say anything further about the subject. As I said, we were there on a Friday a couple weeks ago and it seemed hardly anyone was about at around 9 - 10pm??? I don't know if something was going on somewhere else or if it was normal, but it was pretty tame. I would like to hear that that was a normal Friday, but I don't suppose any of you know for sure as I could not provide the exact date we were there. Thanks for your help.

[the city]

I'd say Oroville or Chico.