Redding - Pitstops for Kids

Exploring Shasta Cascade: Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

April 4, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

Northern California hosts wonderful outdoor recreational opportunities for families, from Lassen National Park to Mount Shasta hiking trails and ski areas. If you only have a day, and want a taste of the area’s lakes, trails, and mining history, head to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, just outside Redding, CA.

Whiskeytown is located just 20 minutes from I-5, and I’m ashamed to say I didn’t realize it was there for years! As residents of Southern Oregon with family in Northern California, we drive this stretch of I-5 regularly. We will now add stops at Whiskeytown more often. Here’s why:

Hiking trails and waterfalls:

We visited Whiskeytown in spring, the ideal time to hike to its many waterfalls. However, summer is still a great time to explore this aspect of the park, as the creeks provide excellent swimming holes. Whiskeytown boasts numerous hiking trails of various lengths. Below are our favorites for families:

Brandy Creek Falls: Brandy Creek is located an easy drive from the Whiskeytown visitor center on South Shore Drive, and is only 1.6 miles. You can go out and back and turn around earlier to make the hike shorter, if needed. The trail follows Brandy Creek, which has a series of smaller but beautiful cascading waterfalls, most of which result in tempting swimming holes. There are picnic spots along the way. In summer, this trail provides lots of shade, and I know it would be a good tucked-away spot to spend the day, provided you get there early enough to snag a spot!
Boulder Creek Falls: When Mill Creek Road is open (in the late spring and summer months), the trail to 138 foot Boulder Creek Falls is only one mile. You can also access a trail that ends at the falls via South Shore Drive, but the hike will be 2.75 miles.
Mill Creek Trail: This trail is over six miles, but the first mile takes families past a historic stamp mill, mine, and water ditch, which makes the walk very interesting. If you want to shorten it, just take an out-and-back approach, and stop when you’re ready.

Note: Watch for poison oak on all trails, during all times of year. It’s very active in this area.

Historic buildings and mining artifacts:

The Tower House Historic District at the top of the park is accessed via Highway 299 and features the homestead and mining claim of pioneering friends Charles Camden and Levi Tower. They made their fortune both in mining and in supporting others who came for mining, opening a hotel on the premises and stamp mill. You can tour through their orchards, Tower’s gravesite, the El Dorado Mine (on the Mill Creek Trail), and the hotel and homestead. The buildings are closed in winter, but open on select days for interior tours in summer.

Stop by the visitor center when you enter Whiskeytown to pick up a family guide to the Tower House Historic District. This single paper has talking points for families. It gives a basic itinerary for viewing the area, with suggested questions for parents to ask kids and suggested activities in the site.

After leaving Whiskeytown, be sure to take 30 minutes or so to stop at the historic town of Shasta. This historic state park on Highway 299 (between Whiskeytown and Redding) has the remains of mining era buildings to explore.

Creek and lake swimming:

If you’re visiting Whiskeytown during Redding’s hot summer months, there are four designated swimming beaches along the lake. Only Brandy Creek beach has lifeguards. We suggest taking one of the hiking trails to find a swimming hole a mile or so inland on foot…the crowds will be much smaller and the shade will be fantastic. There are multiple campgrounds within the park as well.

Admission fee:

There’s a $10 per car fee to enter the park, good for up to seven days. Pay this fee at the visitor center at the entrance. If it’s closed, there’s a self-serve fee station at the parking lot. Note: as a National Recreation Area, kids can get national park stamps at the visitor center, and participate in Junior Ranger programming.

Directions:

From Redding, Whiskeytown is on Highway 299, about 20 minutes from downtown. It’s an easy detour from I-5, but will be at least a half-day pit stop if you’re on a road trip.

Shasta Cascade pit stop: Turtle Bay Exploration Park

February 29, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

If you’ve taken I-5 on a west coast road trip, chances are you’ve driven right through Redding, California. We had passed through numerous times before we had the opportunity to stop and check out this Northern California town. If you’re looking for a place to stop with kids, it’s a great choice! The Sacramento River runs through town, offering plenty of opportunity for families to cool off in summer. In the winter, it rarely gets too cold here. The best place to stop within Redding with access to the river is Turtle Bay Exploration Park.

This sprawling indoor and outdoor park is home to a natural history and science museum, botanical gardens, live animal exhibits, butterfly gardens, and walking trails. Young kids will find playgrounds and interactive exhibits, and older kids will love the miles of trail.

Families enter the park via the parking area by the Sundial Bridge. It’s worth letting the kids stretch their legs on this bridge first; it’s pedestrian only, and visually interesting with a tinted glass floor and sundial feature. Afterward, head to the Turtle Bay park entrance and museum, and explore the indoor exhibits. We loved the aquarium with fish from the Sacramento River, the mining exhibits explaining the area’s rich mining history, and the river lab, with information about watersheds and the nearby Shasta Dam.

The museum does a great job incorporating local landmarks, such as Lake Shasta, into its educational exhibits on water and land management.

Don’t miss the temporary exhibits, tucked a bit out of sight in the museum’s Exploration Hall and Art Gallery room. During our visit in the early spring of 2016, they were featuring an interesting Charles Schulz exhibit called Peanuts…Naturally, and an interactive maze-type exhibit on the water cycle in which kids can pretend they’re a raindrop and spin wheels to determine their fate. It was a lot of fun for all of us.

Outdoors, the Paul Bunyan’s Forest Camp is a huge area with winding trails leading to animal enclosures, play areas, and outdoor exhibits. Be sure to grab a program and look for daily shows and demonstrations on offer. Our crew enjoyed the creek water feature at Stipple Creek, where they could create dams and watch a water wheel turn, and the Mill Building, which houses reptiles. The bird exhibits in crude hawks, golden eagles, and magpies, among others. I enjoyed seeing red and gray foxes and a bobcat. By far, our son Tobias’ favorite exhibit was the Parrot Playhouse, where he could feed nectar to lorikeets (bring $1).

Dining at Turtle Bay:

There’s a small gift shop and coffee shop attached to the museum, but while it has some snack type items, you’re best off bringing your own picnic lunch. There are numerous places to eat outdoors, and Redding is almost always warm enough for this. Find a place along the paths by the river, or find shade at the tables outside the coffee shop.

Lunch in Redding:

If you’re not bringing a picnic lunch into the Turtle Bay area, we suggest one of the following two excellent lunch spots for families, only 5-10 minutes from Turtle Bay and the Sundial Bridge:

Wilda’s Grill: This small restaurant has limited indoor seating and some nice patio seating, but the main draw is the great food! Choose between their Buddha bowl (rice and veggies with tofu or chicken), their falafel, or their gourmet hot dog options. Either way, be sure to get their ‘hot mess’ instead of fries: this side order consists of all Wilda’s side dish offerings in one, including sweet potato fries, french fries, onion rings, and cheese and chili fries! I loved the Buddha bowl, and the others each tried a hot dog entree. Located at 1719 Placer Street, Redding.

Carnegie’s: Carnegie’s is a local favorite, with hearty sandwiches, soups, and craft beer on tap. It’s located adjacent to Wilda’s, and often gets crowded at lunch. Take this as a good sign, as we did, and enjoy! Located at 1600 Oregon Street, Redding.

In the area:

From the same parking area, you can access miles of walking and biking trails, especially along the Sacramento River National Recreation Trail. We didn’t see a bike rental shop in the Turtle Bay area, but it would do a brisk business if it existed…this area is perfect for a family bike ride. After crossing the Sundial Bridge, you can pick from several riverwalk trails. If you bring your own bikes, even better. In the summer, Redding gets very hot, so plan to stay close to the river to cool off as needed.

Note: there is currently some construction going on in the area behind Turtle Bay, as they build a Sheraton hotel. It didn’t impact our visit, but families should be aware.

Admission and hours:

Turtle Bay Exploration Park admission is $16 for adults (16 and up) and $12 for kids. Children under age 4 are free. On the 5th and 10th of each month, Turtle Bay hosts ‘Nickel and Dime Days’, in which admission is $10 for adults and $5 for kids. By far the best deal, if you think you’ll find yourself passing through even a handful of times a year, is a family membership for $80/year. Check here for current hours.

Directions:

Turtle Bay is located at 844 Sundial Bridge Drive, about five minutes from I-5.

As we disclose whenever applicable, we were hosted at Turtle Bay Exploration Park for the purpose of review. All opinions remain our own.

Shasta Cascades: Mt. Shasta Ski Park review

February 22, 2016 By Amy Hagstrom

In summer months, majestic Mt. Shasta is a climber’s paradise, but during the winter months, this volcanic peak in Northern California becomes decidedly more family friendly. Mt. Shasta Ski Park offers up 425 acres of downhill skiing and snowboarding, plus tubing and cross-country trails.

Mt. Shasta Ski Park review:

The ski park is located about a ten minute drive from the quirky town of Mount Shasta, off I-5. In town, families will find good eateries and lodging options, including our favorite: Mt. Shasta Treehouse Inn. The ski park itself is ideal for families with beginners and intermediate skiers, with runs for the experts, too. Here’s how to navigate the mountain:

Everyone will start in the same parking lot and buy tickets and other essentials at the one and only base lodge. From the lodge, skiers and riders have the option of heading uphill on the Marmot (best for solid beginners and intermediates) or Douglas (best for advanced and experts). There’s also the small learning carpet directly from the lodge. In total, there are three triple chairs and two carpets.

Note: If you need to rent gear, this option is available at the lodge. However, the line gets long on holiday weekends! Get there early to avoid the rental shop running out of your size. You can also rent in Redding.

We have expert skiers and riders, but our kids still really enjoy going up Marmot to try their skills at the terrain park off Silvertip. While there are some fairly large elements, most are at the beginner and intermediate level, which suits us just fine. From either lift, you can connect with Coyote Butte lift, which has primarily black diamond runs, a larger terrain park (when there’s enough snow), and one blue square (intermediate) that leads into one green circle (beginner).

Kids will find fun trails and jumps along Panther Creek, in the ‘lowlands’ before reaching the lodge, and nice tree skiing off the top of Coyote Butte. What we like best about Mt. Shasta: the entire mountain is very accessible once you have at least intermediate skiers and riders, and all trails and runs funnel down to the same base area. This makes it easier for older kids to feel some independence exploring the terrain without adults hovering.

Dining at Mt. Shasta:

For a small ski resort, Mt. Shasta has quite a few dining options, including three venues in the main lodge, a BBQ place at the top of Douglas Butte, and a full bar. And like any small ski resort worth its salt, Mt. Shasta welcomes families packing in their own lunches, as well. Lockers are available to rent, or you can do what we do: store lunch on available shelves. We’ve never had a problem.

Lift ticket pricing:

All day lift tickets on weekends are $54 for adults, $30 for kids 8-12, and $12 for kids seven and under (or adults over 70). This pricing is very welcome to parents used to paying big resort prices! Monday-Thursday pricing is even lower. Rentals are available at the lodge.

Directions:

Traveling north or south on Interstate 5 take Exit 736 unto Hwy 89. On Hwy 89 drive 4 miles east, on summit turn left into Ski Park Hwy and drive 4.5 miles to the resort. Mt. Shasta Ski Park is about one hour’s drive from Redding, CA.

Enterprise Park and Kids’ Kingdom

June 19, 2010 By Amy Hagstrom

Kids' Kingdom's Fastasy Fountain area.

4000 Victor Ave
Redding CA

We drive through Redding, CA often, and I’m ever on the hunt for a great park. On our most recent pass down I-5, we found one worthy of being declared a pit stop! Kids’ Kingdom is a section of the larger Enterprise Park that spans several city blocks. Whereas the park at large seems to cater to the sports and leisure crowd (lots of soccer fields and picnic areas), Kids’ Kingdom is tucked away under shade trees and could be easily overlooked.

At this smaller section of the park, you’ll find a fun splash/water feature (Fantasy Fountain) with a concrete rocky mountain, sprinkler archways, and a padded floor surface, an expansive wooden fort play structure, and lots of mature trees to climb. We arrived just after the water feature had been turned off for the night, but the kids still had fun climbing the ‘mountain’ and playing in the fort. Combined with a picnic dinner brought from the nearby Subway restaurant, Kids Kingdom made for a great pit stop!

Note: Enterprise Park is not in what appears to be the best part of town. We felt quite safe during daylight hours, but use your own judgment when visiting.

Wooden fortress at Kids Kingdom.

Distance off the interstate: Five minutes.

Hours: Sunrise until sunset. The water feature is on daily, but only until 6 pm on weekends in summer (in other words, not late enough!)

Bathrooms: Standard park bathrooms are located on the far side of the water feature. Warning: the day we visited, the bathrooms were in terrible condition. (This was in the later evening, after a full day’s use, but was still not acceptable.) Hopefully it was the exception, not the rule.

Calvin at the top of the Fantasy Fountain mountain.

Directions: From I-5, take the Cypress exit. Head east on Cypress for one mile, then 1.5 miles south on Victor. Park is on the right. Take the main entrance, then follow the Kids’ Kingdom sign past the open grassy spaces down a short hill. Parking on the right.

I apologize for the poor quality photos; I took them right at sunset, and the lighting was not conducive to photo taking!

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