An Adventurous Girls Weekend in Redding, California

Brought to you by Visit Redding

Choose your adventure in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Photo by Kyra Leach.

Sometimes you just need to get away. The girls weekend is a time-honored tradition where women can take a few days to get out of the house and find reprieve with fellow ladies. Some prefer a pampering and relaxing trip. Others prefer adventure and the beauty of nature. This list is for the latter.

Redding, California provides the best way for a girls trip in the great outdoors. From spending a day on the water to waterfall hunting to wining and dining, the Shasta Cascade has a little bit for anyone looking for adventure. Here are some ideas for your next girls weekend in Redding:

Get Out on the Water

The beautiful water of Whiskeytown Lake. Photo by Chandler Hecht.

The waterways surrounding Redding are some of the most pristine in the country. From the relaxing days on the lake, to the adventurous rafting trips through white water, there are so many ways to soak in the sun on the water in the area.

The most popular lake in the area is Shasta Lake, which is the largest recreational reservoir in California. The lake is popular for water sports like skiing or wakeboarding, while also being a relaxing reprieve on the water. While at Shasta Lake, check out local favorites like Lake Shasta Caverns or Shasta Dam. You can also check the Little Backbone Creek natural waterslide, a favorite amongst locals.

For a more relaxing day on the water, Whiskeytown Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in NorCal. You can go out on a boat, enjoy the beach at Brandy Creek or go on a kayaking adventure. Another calm day on the water is floating the Lower Sacramento River, which will take you under the Sundial Bridge and give you fun views of the town from the water.

Dining Out

Photo by The Park

Over the past decade, unique restaurants have been popping up all over Redding, competing with the mainstays that have been around for decades. The combination of old restaurants with the new culinary players in town has helped Redding become an extremely underrated town for foodies across NorCal.

The coffee shops of Redding are particularly popular, with places like Theory Collaborative and Heritage Roasting Co. providing some great caffeine and breakfast items in the morning. You can also grab some delicious morning meals at breakfast mainstays like Corbett’s Restaurant and Deja Vu Restaurant.

For a more casual meal, Wilda’s Grill is one of the most unique eateries in town, serving “healthy comfort food” like their famed Budd Bowl. You can also eat a historic meal in Downtown Redding at Damburger, which has been serving its unique burger and fries since 1938. Also downtown, The Park is Redding’s food truck hub which serves a rotating menu of food trucks along with beer on tap, live music, bocce ball, cornhole and firepits.

For a more elegant experience, try Mosaic Restaurant followed by a nigh time stroll across the Sundial Bridge.

Go on a Hike

Bumpass Hell in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Photo by Quentin Burgess.

There’s no lack of hiking opportunities in Redding, which boasts over 225 miles of trails inside the city. Once you drive a little bit outside of the city limits, world-renown hikes are right at your fingertips.

The most popular area for hiking is Lassen Volcanic National Park, which sits just an hour east of Redding. In Lassen, you can see fascinating hydrothermal activity at Bumpass Hell, visit a stunning waterfall at Kings Creek Falls, find a wildlife utopia at Manzanita Lake, or hike to the top of a volcano on Lassen Peak. It’s truly one of the most underrated National Parks in America.

Another stunning hike is just north of Redding in the Castle Crags Wilderness, where majestic rocks come reach for the sky unlike anything you’ve seen in your life. The Castle Dome Trail stretches about 5.5 miles roundtrip and increases in elevation a couple thousand feet. Before you take off from the trailhead, be sure to check out the vista point, which offers great views of Castle Crags, Castle Dome, Grey Rocks and Mt. Shasta.

Another option to hike around town is the Sacramento River Trail, which stretches 40-miles roundtrip from Redding to Shasta Lake. This paved trail has stunning views of the Sacramento River and Keswick Reservoir, ending at the mighty Shasta Dam. Walking across the bridges can be a beautiful experience, or you can rent a bike and complete the entire trek in one day.

Wine Tasting

Photo by Burnsini Vineyards.

The wineries in Redding have experienced growing popularity in recent years, with experiences for every taste bud available. You can sip from 32 wines on tap at Vintage Public House in downtown Redding, or sit down at an outdoor tasting at the unparalleled Moseley Family Cellars. The city’s oldest bonded winery, Matson Vineyards, offers tastings of its blends and delicious dessert wines on the weekends.

Sitting just outside of Redding is the popular Burnsini Vineyards, where you can walk their beautiful property and watch them bottle the wine. Dakaro Cellars Estate‘s grapes are grown in the area’s volcanic soil, providing a fun and unique experience. For an outdoor setting, visit One Maple Winery in Lewiston for a serene garden wine tasting.

Waterfall Chasing

Burney Falls. Photo by Nick Rickert.

Probably the most popular adventure for visitors to Redding, waterfall chasing is a time honored tradition in the area. In fact, there are 19 spectacular waterfalls you can visit nearby, making your waterfall decision somewhat difficult. We recommend seeing as many as you can.

The most popular waterfalls to visit are along NorCal’s world-famous waterfall loop, which was recently featured in National Geographic. On that loop, you can see Burney Falls, dubbed the Eighth Wonder of the World by Teddy Roosevelt, as well as the three tiers of McCloud Falls, Potem Falls and Hedge Creek Falls. You really can’t go wrong with any of those.

In the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, you can take the easy hikes to Whiskeytown Falls and Crystal Creek Falls. In Lassen Volcanic National Park, Kings Creek Falls and Mill Creek Falls are both spectacular

Fishing Adventure

Photo: Wild Waters Fly Fishing

The number of female fishermen have seen a significant rise in recent years and for a good reason. There’s nothing quite like holding a fish in pristine waters, and Redding is known as the fishing mecca of California.

The best place to catch a fish in Redding is undoubtedly the Sacramento River, holding a large amount of big, beautiful trout. Fishing with a guide on a boat is a fun way to spend a day and probably your best bet to catching fish. Even if you don’t land one, there’ no bad days on the Sac.

There’s a few rivers nearby that are world-renown for their fishing opportunities. You can fish for the elusive steelhead on the Trinity River. You can land a “Rainbow of the World” on the McCloud River. Or you can spend a day on the famed Pit River. No matter where you choose to go, you’ll likely see A TON of fish. Good luck!

Active NorCal

Telling the Stories of Northern California

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