With nearly 70 public arts sites and more than 50 restaurants, bars, and coffee shops, Redding's Cultural District is a hub of activity. Encompassing the heart of downtown Redding, the Cultural District offers a wide variety of activities to spend your day exploring - we've gathered a few of our favorites down below to give you the perfect day exploring all the art and culture that Redding has to offer!
The Sundial Bridge in Redding, California is the most unique pedestrian bridge in America. Featuring a 210-foot pylon that acts as the gnomon of a sundial, the bridge is one of the largest sundials in the world, casting its enormous shadow on a giant dial plate bordered by a natural garden to the north.
While visiting the bridge, don't forget to check and see what exhibits are on display at Turtle Bay Exploration Park next door! Turtle Bay Exploration Park is a 300-acre campus along the banks of the Sacramento River with educational and entertaining activities and experiences that interpret the relationship between humans and nature. The Park tells the story of the region and its people through a museum that includes an underground aquarium, Native American history and exhibits, interactive experiments, and rotating art exhibits; wildlife exhibits; Paul Bunyan's Forest Camp; California's largest North American butterfly house (seasonal); an amphitheater; and the McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.
The North Valley Art League is a non-profit organization dedicated to the support of local artists, and the promotion and sale of art in Northern California. The League occupies and runs an art gallery out of the historic Carter House on the banks of the Sacramento River in Caldwell Park. Surrounding the Gallery is the Matson/Mowder/Howe Celebration Garden, a native garden that creates a tranquil setting inviting artistic expression in all media.
Redding’s craft beer scene is rising fast with breweries popping up all over the place. Cedar Crest, Woody’s, and Final Draft have set the bar high in the area, offering award-winning beers you can’t help to indulge in. After all, nothing tastes better than a beer poured fresh from a tap that’s brewed only a few steps away. Head downtown to Cedar Crest and play a game of cornhole, grab a bite at Final Draft, or pair a handcrafted beer with a pretzel bun burger and some amazing Tots at Woody's.
Truly a monument to the colorful history of Redding, Old City Hall Arts Center now serves as a central resource for the arts in Shasta County. The gallery offers professional exhibition space to local and regional artists. Built in 1907, this historic building once housed the city's offices, council chambers, and a police department. It still contains one of the original jail cells. Renovated in 1987 to coincide with Redding's Centennial, Old City Hall received a new cupola and was redesigned to house a gallery and performing arts theater.
Maybe you're looking for a souvenir, or you want to find that perfect gift, but no matter what you're looking for Redding's shops will have something for you! The Redding Cultural District offers an eclectic range of local shops, from clothing boutiques like Dandelion and Carousel, to Enjoy the Store, which offers a wide variety of handcrafted local goods.
Downtown Redding has a smorgasbord of great places to eat - you won't be wanting for options here! Places like Kobe Seafood and Steakhouse offer fine dining with some of the best meals in Redding, whereas The Park is a hub for food trucks of all sorts, with a fun, casual patio and live music. There is a wide range of variety, from casual to elegant and ethnic dishes, all within a couple of blocks.
Finish off the evening with a show! The Cascade Theatre, Redding Civic Auditorium, and Riverfront Playhouse all bring fantastic concerts, shows, and plays to the Redding Cultural District. The Cascade Theatre was built in 1935 and has been meticulously restored to its former glory and is listed on the national register of historic places. The Redding Civic Auditorium is a hot spot for not only shows and concerts, but for festivals of all kinds, hosting annual events such as the Kool April Nites car show and Redding Beer Week. And the Riverfront Playhouse showcases the best of local talent with plays ranging from hilarious comedies to heart-wrenching tragedies. One thing’s for sure - wherever you go, you're sure to have an unforgettable night!
Budget at least two hours for the Sundial Bridge and Turtle Bay Exploration Park. Once you’re finished there, it’s a 7-minute drive to the Carter House Gallery. Plan to spend at least a half-hour in the gallery. (Budget more time if you want to explore the surrounding park as well.) After exploring the gallery, it’s a five-minute drive to Downtown Redding, which is fully walkable, with the breweries, shopping, dining, and Old City Hall Art Gallery all within a few blocks of each other. Plan to spend at least an hour at the brewery and/or restaurant of your choice, and another hour looking at the shops. If you plan to catch a show in the evening, the Cascade Theatre and Riverfront Playhouse are within walking distance of the Downtown Redding attractions, however the Redding Civic Auditorium is a 5-minute drive away. Most shows at these venues last 2-3 hours.
