Redding

The city of Redding is ideally situated to serve as a home base to visit several area natural wonders, including Lassen Volcanic National Park, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, and Whiskeytown Lake. But this leafy urban center—located about 160 miles north of Sacramento—also harbors surprising gems within its city limits. Discover a buzzing downtown packed with brewpubs and bistros, tour an amazing eco-museum on the Sacramento River, catch a concert at an art deco theater, and explore an extensive trail system. Plus, you can play outside all year long because Redding boasts more than 300 days of sunshine.

What to Do in Redding

Topping Redding's must-see list is Turtle Bay Exploration Park, a 300-acre venue featuring a glass-and-wood eco-museum, arboretum, and seasonal butterfly garden that blend seamlessly with the Sacramento River's ecosystem. Exhibits designed for all ages let you look into a golden eagle's eyes, get close-up with a porcupine, and walk into an aviary filled with Australian lorikeets, one of the world's most colorful birds (don't be surprised if they land on your head).

Outside the museum, traipse across the 710-foot-long Sundial Bridge, part engineering marvel and part art installation. Designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, the pedestrian bridge's 218-foot-high "mast" casts a shadow during daylight hours, creating an artistic timekeeping device. After dark, the bridge's translucent glass floor glows a cool aquamarine.

Time your trip so you can catch a show at the 1935 Cascade Theatre, an art deco marvel. The 950-seat performing arts venue hosts musicians like Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Jim Messina. After the show, cross the street to Vintage Public House for a nightcap and dessert.

Family Fun in Redding

Traveling with energetic kids? Let them bounce around at Rare Air Trampoline Park or climb the walls at Shasta Rock Club. Or take them on a California history field-trip to Shasta State Historic Park. In the 1850s, this was the queen city of California’s northern mining district, with hotels, stores, and saloons in the largest row of brick buildings north of San Francisco.

The whole family can explore Redding by bike. With more than 200 miles of trails within a 15-mile radius, Redding has earned its nickname as "Trails Capital of California." The city's showpiece is the 17.5-mile-long Sacramento River Trail, which begins at the Sundial Bridge and skirts along the riverbanks. (Bring your own wheels or rent them at Redding Sports Ltd or Pedego Electric Bikes.) The colder months bring a whole different set of family-friendly outdoor winter activities, from skiing and snowboarding to snowshoeing, sledding, and snowmobiling.

Where to Eat in Redding

Redding's up-and-coming restaurant scene has lured top chefs from across the country. Sample the city's culinary prowess under the lofty ceiling at Mosaic Restaurant. Located on the Turtle Bay campus, this chic spot serves a modern bistro-style menu three meals a day (dinner entrées include Chilean sea bass, seared duck breast, and pancetta-wrapped salmon). On warm evenings, dine under the tree-shaded patio, then take an evening walk across the Sundial Bridge.

In Redding's revitalized downtown, Market Street Blade & Barrel specializes in American steakhouse classics: New York strip, French onion soup, and beef carpaccio. With views overlooking the Sacramento River, View 202 serves modern American meals and cocktails. Or for local Italian, head to the landmark Nello's Place. 

Coffee, Breweries, and Wine Tasting in Redding

While you're sampling Redding's culinary culture, check out its award-winning beverages, too. Caffeinate your morning at Theory Coffee Roasters, which has earned high honors as one of North America's most acclaimed coffee roasters. Sip artisan suds at Fall River Brewing Company, a top competitor at the Great American Beer Festival, and Final Draft Brewing Company, where signature brews are paired with a tempting menu of pub food. Wine lovers will need to check out the downtown Redding tasting room of New Clairvaux Vineyard, a historic winery located about an hour away and run by a community of Trappist-Cistercian monks and a fifth-generation winemaker. Named 2023’s “Golden State Winery of the Year” in the California State Fair's Commercial Wine Competition,  the Vina vineyard produces several varieties of rosés as well as wines made with more unusual varietals such as Trebbiano, Assyrtiko, and sparkling Bollicine.

Where to Stay in Redding

Choose among the quirky, the charming, and the tried-and-true for your overnight stay. Reserve a room with a picture-perfect view of the Sacramento River at the hilltop Hilton Garden Inn Redding, or sleep in nostalgic 1960s style at Thunderbird Lodge, a modern roadside hotel in downtown Redding. The pet-friendly Americana Modern Hotel offers sleek rooms in the midst of Redding's bustling central district. For an eco-chic stay, book a room at the LEED-certified Sheraton Redding Hotel at the Sundial Bridge, which offers easy access to Turtle Bay Exploration Park, the Cascade Theater, and downtown restaurants.

Things to Do Near Redding

Unsurprisingly, there is a lot to do in the great outdoors that surrounds Redding. Make the city your base camp while you set out to hike to waterfalls or have some fun on the water at Whiskeytown Lake, or check out the  epic scenery at Mt. Shasta. Water sports, camping, and fishing rule the day at Shasta Lake, while mountain bikers flock to Swasey Recreational Area. Lassen Volcanic National Park is also nearby, where you can walk amidst boiling mudpots on a raised boardwalk, and MacArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park also offers a singular experience: the 129-foot Burney Falls, nicknamed the eighth wonder of the world. If just one waterfall isn’t enough, from Redding you can head out on a chasing waterfalls road trip which will lead you to five of the state’s most impressive falls, and also Lassen Volcanic National Park. For more ideas, check out How to Spend a Perfect Weekend in Shasta Cascade and this Shasta Cascade Road Trip.