Lake · 57 min east
Manzanita Lake
A flat loop around a lake that mirrors Lassen Peak, good for kayaking and spotting wildlife.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- NPS entrance fee (per vehicle) or America the Beautiful pass
Day Trippin' › Northern California › From Redding
Day trips from Redding
From Redding, Lake Shasta Caverns and Whiskeytown Falls are under 40 minutes away, Castle Crags and Mount Shasta about an hour north, and Burney Falls and Lassen Volcanic National Park each under an hour and a half. The best day trips from Redding, by drive time.
48 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Redding
- Lake Shasta Caverns 29 min north
- Manzanita Lake 57 min east
- Hedge Creek Falls 59 min north
- Mount Shasta 1 hr 6 min north
- Subway Cave 1 hr 12 min east
- Burney Falls 1 hr 18 min northeast
- Lassen Volcanic National Park 1 hr 26 min east
- Ashland 2 hr 17 min north
- Old Sacramento State Historic Park 2 hr 25 min south
- Empire Mine State Historic Park 2 hr 32 min southeast
Within an hour from Redding 6 spots
Waterfall · 59 min north
Hedge Creek Falls
A short walk in Dunsmuir to a 30-foot waterfall you can stand behind, with a view of the Sacramento River and Mount Shasta.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Cave · 29 min north
Lake Shasta Caverns
A guided trip with a boat ride across Shasta Lake and a bus up the mountain to big limestone caverns full of formations.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- Admission
Historic site · 48 min northwest
Weaverville Joss House
The oldest Chinese temple still in use in California, built by Gold Rush miners, in a charming mountain town.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission (check)
Waterfall · 38 min west
Whiskeytown Falls
A 220-foot cascade that was largely unknown until 2004, reached by a steep forest trail.
- 2-3 hrs · Moderate
- Best October to June
- NPS entrance fee (per vehicle) or America the Beautiful pass
State park · 55 min north
Castle Crags State Park
Granite spires shoot up above I-5: stop for an easy view, or take the hard Crags Trail to the base of Castle Dome.
- Half day · Hard
- Best April to October
- California State Parks day-use fee (per vehicle)
1 to 2 hours from Redding 14 spots
Town · 1 hr 6 min north
Mount Shasta
A small mountain town under the 14,000-foot volcano, where you can fill a bottle at the headwaters of the Sacramento River in City Park.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Waterfall · 1 hr 18 min northeast
Burney Falls
A 129-foot curtain of spring-fed water pours over mossy basalt all year; many call it California's most beautiful waterfall.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- California State Parks day-use fee (per vehicle)
National park · 1 hr 26 min east
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Boiling mud pots, steam vents, lava peaks and clear lakes along one scenic highway in one of the least crowded national parks.
- Full day · Easy to moderate
- Highway open about June to October
- NPS entrance fee (per vehicle) or America the Beautiful pass
Cave · 1 hr 12 min east
Subway Cave
A self-guided walk through a lava tube about a third of a mile long, cool and pitch dark.
- 1 hr · Easy to moderate
- Open about late April to October
- Free
Scenic drive · 1 hr 19 min north
Bunny Flat
Drive the Everitt Memorial Highway up to about 7,000 feet for close-up views of Mount Shasta, with snow play in winter and trailheads in summer.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Wildlife · 1 hr 59 min south
Gray Lodge Wildlife Area
A Butte County wetland where the Sutter Buttes rise behind winter waterfowl, with a 3-mile auto loop and a raised viewing platform.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Best October to February
- CDFW Lands Pass (age 16 and up) or a hunting or fishing license
Dam · 1 hr 46 min southeast
Oroville Dam
The tallest dam in the US, with a walk across the top and a visitor center tower at Kelly Ridge overlooking Lake Oroville.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free (check); Lake Oroville day-use areas charge a California State Parks fee
Park · 1 hr 22 min southeast
Bidwell Park
One of the largest city parks in the US, along Big Chico Creek, with creek swimming holes and basalt canyons in Upper Park.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- Free
2 to 3 hours from Redding 25 spots
Town · 2 hr 17 min north
Ashland
A theater town with Lithia Park and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- None; theater tickets extra
Historic site · 2 hr 25 min south
Old Sacramento State Historic Park
A riverfront district of Gold Rush and railroad-era buildings with wooden sidewalks, under Tower Bridge.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Free
Historic site · 2 hr 32 min southeast
Empire Mine State Historic Park
One of California's richest hard-rock gold mines, with a stone owner's cottage, formal gardens and the old mine yard.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission (per person); trails free
Wildlife · 2 hr 36 min northeast
Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge
A driving tour along marshes that fill with huge flocks of waterfowl in migration, with bald eagles in winter.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round (best October to April)
- Free
Lake · 2 hr 46 min southeast
Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
A big reservoir with beaches, bike paths and boating close to Sacramento; Beals Point and Granite Bay are the main beaches.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round (best May to September)
- California State Parks day-use fee (per vehicle)
Trail · 2 hr 42 min north
Table Rocks
Flat-topped mesas with spring wildflowers and views over the Rogue Valley.
- 2-3 hrs · Moderate
- Spring best
- No pass or fee needed
Food · 2 hr 46 min north
Applegate Valley wine trail
Small family wineries along a quiet river valley.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Tasting fees
Historic site · 2 hr 29 min south
Sutter's Fort State Historic Park
A rebuilt 1840s adobe fort that was the end of the trail for many overland pioneers, including Donner Party survivors.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Admission
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Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 96001 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.