Redding: Home to the World’s Largest Sundial

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Being a born and raised Southern California girl, I am not all that familiar with Northern California. So, when our family was planning a trip to Oregon, we knew we needed to stay overnight somewhere along the way. We had no idea where to stop, and therefore started doing some research to find out where the best place to stay was in Northern California for a family. And let me tell you, I found the answer; Redding, California! By the time we were done with our stay, I was ready to pack up and move! No, like seriously, I was googling home values. P.S. it’s really affordable. Redding is located about 3.5 hours outside of San Francisco, within the Shasta Cascade Region.

And, Redding has it all! The city itself is located in a naturally stunning area. It’s surrounded by trees; the Sacramento River runs through the center and it’s right outside of Lake Shasta with amazing views of Mt. Shasta as your city backdrop. It’s an outdoorsman’s (and woman’s) heaven! You can boat, raft, kayak and play in the river. There are hikes and waterfalls galore. And the beauty of nature is right at your fingertips.

We stayed in downtown Redding at the Sheraton Redding Hotel at the Sundial Bridge and were so glad we did. The area was perfect for our family. The hotel is located on the grounds of the 300-acre Turtle Bay Exploration Park, which meant it was within walking distance of 300-acres of fun and beauty as well as the largest Sundial in the world. Which is absolutely incredible! The hotel combines natural beauty with modern comfort and elegance. It had everything you could want. Plus, with a young family we felt incredibly safe walking the area and because of the great location we could easily walk to the places we wanted to visit, which was a huge added bonus. We enjoyed beautiful evening strolls along the Sacramento River Trail, and taking in the sunset at one of the prettiest places possible without having to ever leave the hotel grounds. Plus, we upgraded to get the lounge and breakfast which meant we could snack all day and weren’t running late trying to grab food before all the adventures we had planned! They even have a fabulous restaurant attached, which provided all the amenities of a full-on resort. The hotel really made us feel welcome, gave us all the comfort we wanted/needed while still effortlessly capturing the beauty of the area and putting it on full display! I literally cannot recommend the Sheraton in Redding enough for your own stay. We definitely plan on staying here next time we come through, and may even bring our furry friend with us as it is pet friendly.

While our stay was short, we took in as much as possible. Our favorite activities were our strolls along the Sundial Bridge at sunset. It provided awe-inspiring views of the large and beautiful Sacramento River. The many trails on the other side of the bridge were easy to walk (even with a stroller) and showed off the natural beauty of the area while providing easy access to some of the city’s many natural wonders. The bridge itself is an architectural highlight you do NOT want to miss! It is a wonderful location at any time of day, but if you go in the evening it is lit up to provide a unique and colorful experience.

And we couldn’t stay on the grounds of the Turtle Bay Exploration Park without visiting, am I right?! My kids (and my husband and I, If I am being honest) absolutely loved this place. We really were quite shocked by what a gem it was. We were thrilled by the Wild Animal Show, which was the highlight for my kids. My daughter was even chosen to participate, which was an experience in itself as she got up close and personal with an actual red-tailed hawk. Thankfully she didn’t try to hold the hawk like she does with most other animals she sees. We then spent hours and hours playing and exploring the grounds which boasted a museum, aquarium, playground, bird feeding, etc. It was a hands-on educational experience that brought the fun of learning to life. And just on the other side of the bridge are beautiful botanical gardens, which are amazing to walk through and enjoy. At $16 for adults and $12 for kids and seniors, with access to everything, this place is a no brainer.

While we enjoyed the area right around our hotel a lot, we also took time to do some exploring of the area’s underground attraction. The region has an incredible display of caverns, which means you are in for a full day of adventuring. At the Shasta Caverns you start your tour with a boat ride across the lake. From there you take a bus ride up the side of the mountain to the cave entrance. These two activities alone were awesome. Plus, the bus ride provided views you just can’t find anywhere else. We love cave tours and try to do them in as many places as possible. But this one surprised us with a fun and very surprising ending. After a stunning display inside the magnificent caverns we ended in the cathedral room and were welcomed by bats! So, it was basically a tour of the Batcave. It was so exciting and for sure a favorite moment from the tour for us all! But, don’t worry, they aren’t close enough to ever feel afraid or threatened. It was honestly such a well-run tour, with so many added elements that made it something to always remember. Pricing is $24 for adults, and $14 for children ages 3-15. The cave does have a lot of stairs to climb so take that into account when planning your visit. For more information go here.

I am already planning another trip to Redding because there is so much we missed as time was not on our side. I am guessing we would need at least a week or more to take it all in. I want to check out Whiskeytown Recreational Area with its trails, lakes and waterfalls. Perhaps take a boat out onto Lake Shasta. I for sure want to visit and do the free tour of the Shasta Dam. They say the elevator going down to the base of the dam sounds just like the Millennium Falcon starting up! Who wouldn’t want to hear that in real life? We also look forward to touring the historical district and experiencing what the old town looked like. Maybe we will visit during the winter and ski Mt. Shasta. It is an easy trip with daily non-stop flights from LAX into Redding on United Airlines, or you can drive like we did and explore the beauty of California all along the way! But however you get there I can assure you of this, Redding, will inevitably win you over!

Our trip to Redding was in partnership with the Redding CVB, who covered our accommodation and entry to all attractions. All content and opinions remain our own.