Fishing on the Sacramento River
The “Upper Sac,” north of Redding, is known as one of world’s greatest trout streams. The river also offers excellent salmon, sturgeon, and striped-bass fishing. Guides and outfitters available.
Lake Shasta Caverns
200-million-year-old limestone Shasta Lake Caverns, opened to the public in 1964, allow you to venture deep into the earth’s surface for stunning views of calcite formations. Bonus: To get there, you take a 65-foot catamaran across the McCloud arm of Shasta Lake and then a school bus up a switchback mountainside dirt road. Hang on!
McConnell Botanical Gardens
Located across the Sundial Bridge on the north shore of the river, the 220-acre park features California native and Mediterranean species, plus a children’s garden and a medicinal garden. An adjacent nursery sells plants propagated on-site.
Sacramento River Trail
Walk, jog, or bike along this ten-mile trail that links residential communities, local parks, and federal open spaces, including the Turtle Bay/Sundial Bridge complex.
Shasta Lake
The 30,000-acre lake was formed in 1948 after the completion of Shasta Dam across the Sacramento River and includes arms of the McCloud and Pit rivers. Excellent boating, waterskiing, fishing, and houseboating.
Sundial Bridge
Designed by the internationally acclaimed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, this iconic 700-foot pedestrian and cycling span crosses the Sacramento River without touching it, thanks to its main support on the north shore, a 217-foot sundial. Breathtaking.
Turtle Bay Museum & Park
Three hundred acres—indoor and outdoor—of interpretive, educational activities, many hands-on, exploring humans’ relationship with nature. Located at the south end of the Sundial Bridge.
Best Entertainment
Cascade Theatre
A classic small-town theatre dating from 1935, the Cascade was restored in 2004. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the venue hosts a wide range of quality acts, from Lyle Lovett and Robert Cray to Pink Martini and Judy Collins, plus dance, drama, and film.
Redding Convention Center
The largest entertainment venue in the northernmost part of California, this 2,000-seat theatre attracts major acts. For example, a recent staging and broadcast of “A Prairie Home Companion” by Garrison Keillor and crew.