It's Always Sunny in Redding, California
Every time we stop in Redding on our way to somewhere else, all of the restaurants off the 5 freeway are packed with CalFire crews battling one blaze or another. It's easy to see why: Redding experiences sunny days 88% of the year, so it stays hot and dry. And Redding is a great home base for flame fighters because it's the biggest city beyond Sacramento and situated within wilderness prone to wildfires.
On our summer roadtrip, we decided to drive a little deeper in this Northern California city two hours (give or take) north of our state capitol to see what it might offer besides long wait times for a table.
After checking into our hotel, we drove to Turtle Bay Exploration Park to take in the famous Sundial Bridge over the Sacramento River. The free attraction is both pedestrian bridge and public art that actually marks the passage of time. The bridge spans a complex of museums (and electric car charging stations) on one side and an arboretum and botanical garden on the other. There also are access points to the sprawling Sacramento River, though swimming is not allowed. One look at the pace of fishing boats pushed by currents, and you understand why its a public safety issue.
It hit 100 degrees as we walked the span; we could have used a river refresher. We got there too late to get our money's worth at the Turtle Bay Museum, which features both natural and cultural history exhibits celebrating the region's roots. We also didn't get very far into the gardens because of the heat. A river trail was a bit more shaded, but we forgot water so we didn't make it far. We could tell these are lovely spots for those with more time and common sense. The entire complex was really quite lovely and surprisingly serene.
There are a lot of independent, ethnic restaurants that you'd never know existed, given all of the chains dotting highway exits. I was surprised at the number of Thai and Vietnamese restaurants for a city this size, such as Rose Garden on Market Street, not far from the Redding Library.
We considered a post-meal drive to Whiskeytown Lake, another nearby attraction that offers numerous recreational options, from kayaking and fishing to camping and hiking to a falls. It's said to draw bald eagles, bears, and mountain lions, too. However, the 20-minute drive from the city center is less appealing when you've already been stuck together inside a car for 10-plus hours.
The next morning we made our way north on a freeway that bisects the beautiful Lassen Volcanic National Park and Mount Shasta Wilderness, home to some of the most amazing waterfalls. Next time, I told myself as I sped past cars with out-of-state license plates.
A week later, on the way back home, we stopped at a Redding diner, per usual. As always, the place was packed ... with CalFire fighters. It was 11 a.m. and already 102 degrees in Redding. We hopped back in our climate-controlled car after the hostess squeezed us in to a corner table, grateful to him and to those who work in this heat.
Redding is one of those places that gets short shrift from those of us who live in better known tourist spots. City officials are trying to turn it into a tourist destination, using the 20-year-old Sundial Bridge as a lure. The Google gods figured after my third search for things to do in Redding they should provide a three-day itinerary, not realizing we were just passing through. But, the activities list is impressive and hits all the right cultural and recreational notes. So we'll be back -- in a fall or winter knowing we'll have clear skies and milder temperatures.
Up next on our summer roadtrip: A closer glimpse at a giant hole.
