Page 128 - 2018 Travel Guide to California

REDDING
Your outdoor adventure headquarters
»HIKE, PADDLE,
BIKE, STROLL
Redding Visitor
Information
visitredding.com
SUNDIAL BRIDGE top;
Whiskeytown Falls, below.
CREATED BY MINING and the railroads
in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this
city of 90,000 in the far northern reaches of
California has diversified its economy and
culture in recent years to emerge as an
engaging travel destination.
Located three-hours’ drive northeast of San
Francisco on Interstate 5 beside the Sacramento
River, Redding takes full advantage of its many
nearby natural wonders. It’s an ideal base for
exploring Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen,
Mount Lassen Volcanic National Park and
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. These
prime attractions offer cycling, hiking, climbing,
fishing and camping. The 11-mile Sacramento
River National Recreation Trail, an asphalt path
for walkers and cyclists, follows the river.
Stunning Architecture
Turtle Bay Exploration Park, located near
downtown, is anchored by one of Cali-
fornia’s best examples of contemporary
architecture and engineering: Sundial
Bridge, designed by the renowned Spanish
architect Santiago Calatrava. A striking, can-
tilevered beauty for walkers and cyclists,
with a translucent, hardened glass walkway,
it premiered in 2004 and became an instant
icon of Redding. At one end of the white,
700-foot-long bridge is the span’s namesake:
a sundial, one of the largest in the world.
Turtle Bay Exploration Park also includes the
Redding Visitor Center at 844 Sundial Drive.
126 2018 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
B Y D A V I D A R M S T R O N G
Natural Wonderland
With more than 300 days of sunshine a
year, Redding is first and foremost an
outdoor recreation hub. The Sacramento
River and nearby lakes help locals and
visitors alike to beat the area’s summer
heat with ample opportunities for swim-
ming, kayaking and other watersports;
30,000-acre Shasta Lake is an especially
popular place to chill. Taking free guided
tours and walking across 602-foot-high
Shasta Dam are popular, too. Most
big events are keyed to the outdoor life.
On April 7-8, the popular Sportsman’s
Expo draws crowds. Latter-day cowpokes
will be riding and roping at the annual
Redding Rodeo on May 16. WinterFest,
which runs annually from November
through February, encompasses a wide
range of off-season activities.
Views of 14,179-foot Mount Shasta are
amply available in city and countryside.
Beholding the snowcapped volcanic peak in
1874, naturalist John Muir exclaimed,
“When I first caught sight of it, I was weary
and 50 miles away and afoot. Yet all my
blood turned to wine, and I have not been
weary since.’’
Redding does not neglect indoor fun.
Performances are staged year-round in the
beautifully restored Cascade Theatre, a 997-
seat city landmark built in Art Deco style
and opened in 1934.
VISIT REDDING