Stop 1
Redding
777 Cypress Ave, ReddingRedding might be the Californian city you’re missing and it’s one you shouldn’t miss. Northern California’s biggest town offers much more than a quick stop off of Interstate 5, including lively culture, world-class kayaking and the only bridge in the world that functions as a sundial. Redding’s 217-foot/66-metre-high Sundial Bridge, open to walkers and cyclists (but not cars), was designed to minimise its impact on the Sacramento River’s salmon-spawning habitat. This city cares about its waterways and strives to protect their clarity, both for wildlife and the kayakers who take to the local rivers and lakes. But you don’t have to be paddle mad to have fun here. Hire bikes and pedal 10 miles along the Sacramento River Trail. Watch the sunset from the riverside deck at View 202. Spend the night or saddle up for the day at the Wild Horse Sanctuary. Learn about nature’s wonders at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park and McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. And of course, it’s only an hour’s drive to Northern California’s two spectacular volcanoes, Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen.