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Visitor's Guide
Maps
Geocaching 2
Family activity
sports - skate park
 
 

Fun and Free

 

Traveling on a budget, or simply looking for ways to save on your next vacation getaway?  Redding offers an abundance of activities that you can experience for free or almost free.  Click here for a printable version of Fun and Free Activities

 

  • ARCHITECTURE - Examples of the city's architectural heritage can be seen at the Cascade Theater, Lorenz Hotel, Pine Street School and buildings in the Downtown Mall/Promenade area.
  • ANTIQUE BROWSING - There are many stores in this area.
  • ART - Visit various galleries and see many art-in-public-places displays. Some public, some private, even in city hall.
  • BASKETBALL - Play on city courts in Caldwell Park, Enterprise Community Park, and South City Park.
  • BEACH - For a small day use fee, you can choose among several beaches at Whiskeytown Lake National Recreation Area. There are many trails around the area as well.
  • BIKE RIDING - Bikes are allowed on the Sacramento River Trail, parts of many other trails, as well as bike friendly streets and bridges. View/download our trails brochure.
  • BLUES SOCIETY - Shasta Blues Society jams every Thursday night, 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at Lu Lu's Restaurant, 2230 Pine Street, downtown Redding. No charge, and children are welcome.
  • BMX BIKING - Found in Cascade Park off Girvan Road.
  • BIRDWATCHING - Bring your binoculars and use the Birds of Shasta County (go to bird page, not the PDF directly) guide to help spot your favorite species.
  • BOOKSTORE BROWSING - Several bookstores, both new and used/rare, in the area. Check the phone book for listings.
  • CALDWELL PARK - One of many great Redding city parks, Caldwell features BBQ's to use, picnic areas along the river, two playgrounds, horseshoe pits, a boat ramp, restrooms throughout, a Fish Viewing ladder, skateboard park, and a paved walking trail (the Redding Aquatic Center is located here for a small fee use--seasonal).
  • CASTLE CRAGS - The 4,350-acre park features 28 miles of hiking trails, campgrounds, and picnic areas. A nominal state park fee per vehicle is required. Just 1hr. north of Redding on I-5.
  • CAVE EXPLORING - Walk through a lava tube at Subway Cave, just east of Lassen Park. Take a flashlight, and wear comfortable shoes.
  • CITY HALL - Tour City Hall's artwork (on all three floors, business hours only, rotates quarterly), landscaped gardens, and sculpture park; visit the bubbling Signature Fountain or walk through the meditative Mayor's Memorial Garden.
  • DAM TOUR - Take a free guided tour of Shasta Dam, offered several times a day.
  • DISC GOLF - A nine-basket course is available in Enterprise Park.
  • DRIVE BACKCOUNTRY ROADS - Ask for "An Adventure Around Every Corner!" which is a comprehensive guide to the backcountry roads throughout the Shasta Cascade region.
  • DRIVE SCENIC BYWAYS - Use the "Gateway to a Getaway" brochure that outlines over a dozen scenic drives in this region.
  • CAMDEN HOUSE - Originally a one-room log cabin built in 1852, this historic home located in the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area has had many additions. Call 530-238-6584 for tour times, and more information.
  • ENTERPRISE COMMUNITY PARK with KID'S KINGDOM - The park features a picnic pavilion, roller hockey rink, two soccer fields, disc golf, basketball court, and acres of green grass. KIDS KINGDOM is a favorite playground for children throughout the year suitable for all ages. In the summer months, it features several water activities such as a volcano erupting every few minutes, spouting mushrooms, and a Misting Grotto.
  • FARMERS MARKETS - Featuring local growers at Redding's City Hall and other locations.
  • VIEW WILD GEESE, DUCKS, BIRDS - Stop on Park Marina Drive or on the grounds of Simpson University or Redding Convention Center to watch the birds and waterfowl.
  • FESTIVALS AND EVENTS - Throughout the year, there are Almond, Olive, Honeybee, Blues, Jazz, Strawberry, Salmon, and Beer and Wine festivals in this area.
  • FISH - Go fishing. The Sacramento River, which runs right through the center of town, is considered by many professional fishermen to be one of the top freshwater fisheries in the world! It also has the distinction of the state record King Salmon catch at 88 lbs. Northern California is a fisherman's paradise!
  • FISH VIEWING FACILITY - Adjacent to the Sacramento River in Caldwell Park is a fish viewing facility. It is operational during months when the seasonal dam is in place on the Sacramento River.
  • FLY A KITE - The Redding Convention Center Lawn offers a wonderful unobstructed area for kite flying on a windy day.
  • FRENCH GULCH - Grab some refreshment at the French Gulch Hotel, registered with the National Register of Historic Places. Across the street is Franck's Store, the oldest continuously family operated store in Shasta County. It is now the local meeting place, waterhole, and unofficial museum.
  • HISTORY - Shasta State Historic Park offers restored Litsch General Store and Blumb Bakery as well as a museum that features a small gallery representing 100 years of California art. The museum requests a small donation and is closed on Mondays.
  • JAZZ SOCIETY- River City Jazz Society (http://rivercityjazz.com/) offers free public concerts the 3rd Sunday of each month from 1-5 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 250 Elk Drive, Redding.
  • JOHN F. KENNEDY MEMORIAL - On the south shore of Whiskeytown Lake, commemorates President John F. Kennedy's dedication of the Whiskeytown dam in 1963 shortly before his assassination. There is a small day-use fee to enter the park.
  • KAYAK TOURS - Free, Ranger guided kayak tours are offered during the summer at Whiskeytown Lake! Reservations required: 530-243-4345.
  • SHASTA COUNTY LIBRARY  - The library offers educational research help for K-12, online tutoring and homework help (from 1 - 10pm), and programs for the whole family including music, Guitar Hero, stories and puppet shows, art classes, and more.
  • MARKETFEST - Thursday nights throughout summer at Redding's Library Park (downtown). Certified Farmers' Market and live music, food, and craft vendors.
  • MOSQUITO SERENADE - Live music on Wednesday nights during the summer at the amphitheater in Anderson River Park. Bring a blanket and enjoy the cool river breeze.
  • OBSERVATORY VISIT - Hat Creek Radio Astronomical Observatory  is completely surrounded by mountains that block out all man-made radiation. The disk receivers search for signals from outer space, and also measure movement of the tectonic plates. Visit this collection of modern, high-tech equipment. Call 530-335-2364 for hours.
  • PARADES - Annual Kool April Nights Classic Car Cruise, Lighted Christmas Parade, Rodeo Parade, and Big Bike Motorcycle Cruise are all free to spectators. Check our Events Calendar for dates.
  • PICNIC - Plenty of grass and picnic tables in public areas such as Caldwell Park, Lake Redding Park, Enterprise Community Park, South City Park, and Library Park.
  • RESEARCH LOCAL HISTORY - Reference materials are located at the Shasta County Historical Society (Downtown Mall), the Shasta County Library, and the Shasta College Library. Click here to view/download 50 Historical Places in Redding.
  • ROLLERBLADING - Use your own skates and rollerblade the Sacramento River Trail. Rollerblades are also allowed inside the Viking Skate Country.
  • ROLLER HOCKEY - Enterprise Park has a rink available for use.
  • SKATEBOARDING - Caldwell Park is home to a skateboard park with 3 large bowls, 1 low and 1 high rail, a half pipe, and a vertical wall.
  • SOCCER - 3 public fields for use at Caldwell Park and Enterprise Community Park. Redding Soccer Park also offer its fields when games/tournaments are not in session.
  • STORY TIME FOR CHILDREN - Barnes and Noble 11am Saturdays; McConnell Arboretum and Gardens 10am Mondays in summer; and check local library for current programs.
  • SUNDIAL BRIDGE - Enjoy a stroll across the glass-decked pedestrian bridge over the Sacramento River. Designed by Santiago Calatrava of Spain, it is a work of art in a spectacular setting.
  • TRAIL WALKING - More than 10 local trails and countless regional trails offer abundant opportunities for walking, hiking, and biking.
  • HISTORICAL HOMES TOUR - Take any of 3 self-guided tours of the city's architectural heritage. The buildings are not open for walk-through tours--many are private residences-- but the architecture is stunning.
  • SEE A VOLCANO - Take a summer hike to the summit of Mt. Lassen, a dormant volcano, there is a small day-use park fee per vehicle (road through the park open late June -October).
  • WATERFALLS - Over eight falls to visit, most within State or Federal Parks, which charge a small day-use fee per vehicle.
  • WATER FUN - Enterprise Park is home to Kids Kingdom. In the summer there are misters, spouts, and a volcano that ‘erupts' every 6 minutes.
  • WILD LIFE WATCHING - More than a dozen Wildlife Refuges dot the landscape in far northern California. The Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, located on the California/Oregon border about 2.5 hours north of Redding is home of the largest wintering concentration of bald eagles in the lower 48 states. However, you do not have to go very far to see bald eagles, Canada geese, deer, and an occasional bear. All of these can be seen at Whiskeytown Lake, Shasta Lake, and on the Sacramento River.