The downpour that comes with the Chico winters is well loved by farmers and agriculture majors at Chico State, but despised by the rest of the locals and students.

While crops and trees flourish, the active life of Chico State students diminishes with the torrent that looms over the city during the winter months. Despite several students contentment to stay inside watching Netflix while waiting out the storm, there are more options than binge watching fuller house.

Go to the snow

A lot of students don’t realize how close Chico is to the Sierra Nevada mountains. The snow is only a little over an hour away by car and provides a scenic ride.

If you are into snow sports, Mt. Shasta Ski Park is fairly close to Chico and is much more affordable than going to Tahoe.

If you go to Chester on a clear day, you will have breathtaking views of Lake Almanor and Lassen Peak.

Go Hiking

Chico State is made beautiful by the rain, as trees show their full decadence during the winter. Nearby trails offer students a way to explore parts of Chico that are only available during the rainy season.

Although it might not sound fun hiking when its wet and muddy, going with a group of friends to share the natural beauty of the hiking trails can be an exhilarating experience.

Get Coffee

Relaxing at a coffeehouse is nothing new, but with a primary focus on tests and getting to class, it’s often overlooked by students. Downtown Chico is full of local coffeehouses, each with a different atmosphere and personal charm.

Rather than doing homework in the library drinking sub-par Common Grounds coffee, students can go to a more comfortable environment and have a handcrafted drink.

Go to the movies, a concert or an event

Chico has several entertainment venues scattered across town. The north side of the city has the movie theaters, which offer $5.50 tickets on Tuesdays.

Downtown has the Senator and El Rey, which have some relatively big-name concerts this winter.

The south side of town has the Silver Dollar Speedway, which has regular racing events.

Although staying indoors with Netflix and Hulu might be the popular route to take during the winter months, exploring Chico is a better way to spend time.

Carson Predovich can be reached at [email protected] or @cpredo120 on Twitter.