Recreation

Golf course - Regional (Butte / Glenn / Tehama)

1st PLACE: Bidwell Park Golf Course

3199 Golf Course Road, 891-8417

Locals and visitors alike love Bidwell Park Golf Course for its sprawling park environs, its variation in layout and the fact that it’s open to all. Add to that a respected pro shop, where players can get their clubs regripped and sign up for lessons, and a bar and grill on-site, and it’s a lot like going to the country club (but without membership fees!).

2nd PLACE: Canyon Oaks Country Club

999 Yosemite Drive, 343-2582

3rd PLACE: Butte Creek Country Club

175 Estates Drive, 343-7979

Local league to join

1st PLACE: CARD Recreational Coed “E” League Friendly Pitch Softball

895-4711, www.chicorec.com

For adults who want to get out and sweat it out in a competitive but fun environment, there’s a great option: the Chico Area Recreation District’s coed recreational softball leagues. With opportunities to play any night of the week with teams made up of friends, families and co-workers, we can certainly see the appeal. Add to that a friendly pitch, and it’s ball time!

2nd PLACE (tie): Bowling league at AMF Orchard Lanes

2397 Esplanade, 895-3257

2nd PLACE (tie): CARD Youth Soccer

895-4711, www.chicorec.com

Martial arts studio

1st PLACE: Azad’s Martial Arts Family Center

313 Walnut St., Ste. 150, 892-2923

Year after year, readers point to Azad’s as their go-to spot for learning martial arts, and it’s a nod to Grandmaster Farshad Azad and his capable staff that clients keep coming back for more. Azad offers 40 years of martial arts experience, including multiple black belts, but that’s not all—he created two of his own forms of martial arts, Jungshindo and Shimkendo, and eagerly teaches them and a host of other forms to beginners and experts alike. (He’s also a great guy—he takes home the title of Best Local Volunteer this year.)

2nd PLACE: Haley’s Martial Arts Center

260 Cohasset Road, Ste. 150, 895-3114

3rd PLACE: Morning Sun Martial Arts

135 W. Eighth Ave., Ste. A, 342-5833

Place for family fun

1st PLACE: Bidwell Park

The jewel of Chico, some people call it. And for good reason—we can’t think think of an outing anywhere in Bidwell Park that doesn’t present ample opportunities for family fun. In the summer, locals love a dip in Sycamore Pool, or a journey into Upper Park for a more adventurous water outing. Caper Acres offers seemingly endless playground fun. And for all the birthday parties, family reunions and just plain enjoy-the-day get-togethers, the picnic and barbecue setups make the logistics easy as pie.

2nd PLACE: FunLand/Cal Skate

2465 Carmichael Drive, 343-1601

3rd PLACE: AMF Orchard Lanes

2397 Esplanade, 895-3257

Place for kids to play

1st PLACE: Funland/Cal Skate

2465 Carmichael Drive, 343-1601

When it comes to play time, kids (and all of our inner children) know what’s up. Whether it’s renting out the rink at Cal Skate for a birthday bash, attending summer camp or just playing a round of putt-putt with friends, Chico’s Funland lives up to its name.

2nd PLACE: Bidwell Park

3rd PLACE: Wildwood Park

100 Wildwood Ave.

Sporting event

1st PLACE: Chico Heat

725-5444, chicoheat.com

When the Chico Heat returned to town in 2016, local sports lovers rejoiced. There’s nothing quite like dressing up in home-team colors and heading out to Nettleton Stadium with the family or a group of friends for good, old-fashioned baseball. The level of play for this collegiate league has proven to be worth the price of admission.

2nd PLACE: Almond Bowl

Chico High vs. Pleasant Valley High football

3rd PLACE: Chico State Men’s Basketball

www.chicowildcats.com

Yoga studio

1st PLACE: Yoga Center of Chico

250 Vallombrosa Ave., Ste.150, 342-0100

For the third year in a row, Chicoans have chosen Yoga Center of Chico as their favorite yoga studio. Clients love the studio because of the relaxing atmosphere, the knowledgeable instructors and their ability to try other disciplines like meditation all in the same serene space.

2nd PLACE: In Motion Fitness

1293 E. First Ave., 343-5678

3rd PLACE: Chico Hot Yoga

1140 Mangrove Ave., Ste. B, 321-0611