In the heart of Northern California, Tehama County’s fertile farmland makes it a great culinary destination. From olives and nuts to vineyard-fresh wines, this hidden corner along Interstate 5 rewards travelers who take the time to explore.
What to Expect in Tehama County
Take a short detour off Interstate 5 near Corning or Red Bluff, and you’ll need extra room in your car trunk for olives, nuts, fruit, wine, and other pantry goodies. Tehama County’s rich soil from the Sacramento River floodplain produces ideal growing conditions for farm crops and fruits of the vine. This fertile landscape overflows with succulent olives, heirloom tomatoes, crunchy walnuts, just-picked berries, juicy peaches and plums, and fruit-forward wines.
Tehama County Olive Oil
Start exploring in Corning, a town blessed with the ideal climate for growing olives. Sevillano or queen olives—the firm, green fruit that tops martinis—have been grown and brined here since 1897, but you’ll also find Mission and Manzanillo olives, often used for olive oil.
Corning boasts the country’s largest olive processing plant, but it’s the smaller olive shops that will lure you in. Swing by The Olive Pit for a freshly made, olive-stuffed muffaletta sandwich, then shop the endless shelves of garlic-stuffed, Cuban-style, and jalapeño-stuffed olives. If you’re feeling adventurous, order a blood orange and olive oil milkshake—it’s surprisingly sweet and creamy.
While you’re in the olive groove, swing by Corning Olive Oil Company for artisan oils with intriguing flavor profiles—the top sellers are citrusy blood orange and zesty lime. They also sell dipping oils for sourdough bread or vegetables. Finish your olive feast at Nash’s Olive Oil, where you’ll most likely meet Nash, the owner and grower.
Tehama County Fruit Stands
Throughout Tehama County, roadside stands sell fresh fruit and nuts in season, typically May to October. Heirloom tomatoes, juice-down-your-chin peaches and plums, and just-picked berries, as well as fresh pies and honeys make a drive through the county one of constant temptation. In Los Molinos, browse the healthy goods at Julia’s Fruit Stand. Depending on what’s ripe on the Brandt family’s 50-acre farm, you might find heirloom and cherry tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, plums, or walnuts. In Red Bluff, Red Bluff Grown’s farm stand offers a wide array of seasonal produce, from melons to tomatoes to zucchinis.
Tehama County Wines
Wine grapes grow in Tehama County’s soil, too. Only five miles off I-5 in Cottonwood, Burnsini Vineyards makes rich, luscious reds. Taste Zinfandel, Sangiovese, and Petite Syrah, or take part in barrel tastings or wine yoga events. Red Bluff’s Tuscan Ridge Estate makes 25 varietals and blends, and the owners serve wood-fired pizzas on the weekends.
In southern Tehama County, one of California’s most fascinating wineries flourishes in the hamlet of Vina. New Clairvaux Vineyard sits on the land where railroad baron Leland Stanford harvested grapes in the 1880s. Today New Clairvaux is the only monastic winery in the country, run by Trappist-Cistercian monks in collaboration with with fifth-generation winemaker Aimée Sunseri. The monks take part in all aspects of the winemaking process from harvest to bottle, and New Clairvaux has won numerous accolades for its Barbera, Petite Sirah, and Tempranillo wines. Reserve a spot for a 75-minute tour and tasting.
Things to Do Near Tehama County
Just beyond Tehama County, a mix of fun, outdoorsy towns and natural wonders awaits. In Chico, home to California State University, Chico (also known as Chico State), you’ll find a thriving arts scene, historic Bidwell Mansion, and the sprawling Bidwell Park with trails, swimming holes, and shaded picnic areas.
Head north to Redding, where the Sundial Bridge spans the Sacramento River and Turtle Bay Exploration Park offers family-friendly exhibits.
East of Red Bluff lies Susanville, a gateway to outdoor adventure with fishing, hiking, and access to the Bizz Johnson Trail. For a dramatic change of scenery, visit Lassen Volcanic National Park. The park’s geothermal features include Bumpass Hell, where boardwalks wind past steaming vents, boiling springs, and bubbling mud pots.