Redding Area Information
With its natural beauty, abundance of recreational opportunities, and
excellent quality of life, Redding successfully combines the ambiance of a
small town with the amenities of a large city. The outdoor lifestyle,
affordable housing and remarkably low crime rates attract many people from the
larger urban areas, creating both a diversified culture and a growing center of
commerce and industry.
Redding
has
become a favorite location for conventions for hosting groups from all over the
nation, offering a number of large hotels equipped with convention facilities
and a state-of-the-art Convention Center. Local accommodations range from
modest, for those on a tight budget, to luxurious suites. There are also
numerous RV parks, cabins, houseboat rentals and a wide selection of public and
private campgrounds. Recreational visitors can enjoy outdoor activities to suit
every taste, including fishing and boating on the
Sacramento
River
as it winds through town.
Once visitors experience
Redding
,
they return again and again. Maps, information packets, dining and hotel guides
are available at the Greater Redding Chamber of Commerce, located just off
Highway 44 on
Auditorium Drive
.
For more information, call (530) 225-4433.
Location & Quality of Life
Redding
is located in Northern California, just
south of
Shasta
Lake
, nestled between the Cascades and
the Trinity Alps. Its central location on I-5 in
Shasta
County
has made it the nationally
recognized marketplace of northern
California
,
serving the adjacent counties of Tehama, Trinity and Siskiyou.
Shasta
County
’s
metropolitan area has the distinction of being a modern business community
comfortably located in the midst of the finest recreational area in
California
. Residents
and visitors enjoy excellent shopping, the latest in cultural and educational
facilities, and a wide variety of outdoor leisure-time activities.
The Redding Metro area is the regional center of
Northern
California
for health and legal services, retail shopping and
employment. Its location at the junction of I-5 and highways 299 and 44 make
Redding
the gateway to
the Cascade and Trinity Alps recreation areas. Shasta Dam and
Shasta
Lake
,
with 350 miles of shoreline, provide the area’s abundant water supply and
inexpensive electrical power. The
Sacramento River
meanders nine miles through the middle of town, beginning just outside the City
below Shasta Dam. This stretch of river is one of the finest trout-fishing
waters in the
Western United States
.
The
Redding
and
Shasta
County
area has been selected by The Searchers, a nationally renowned data research
company, as one of the best places in the country to retire. The quality of
life, clean air, low crime rate and affordability of housing are just a few of
the 70-plus sets of criteria used in its determination. Also noted are a vast
array of recreational opportunities, excellent medical facilities, and social
activities that would enhance anyone’s retirement plans.
Climate
Climatologists describe the climate in the
Redding
area as
Mediterranean
, with hot, dry summers
and cool, wet winters. Average high temperatures during July and August
frequently exceed 90 degrees but drop to the low 50’s in winter. Annual
rainfall averages 33 inches, most of which falls between November and March.
Business
Economic Development & Business Environment
The outdoor lifestyle and air quality of the metropolitan
Redding
area have attracted many highly
skilled people from larger urban areas, creating a choice labor force. Both
Money Magazine and Expansion Management Magazine have recognized the
Shasta
County
metro area for its quality business environment.
Redding
’s
overall job growth in a five year period was more than double the national
average (19.9 percent compared with 8.7 percent). The increase in the number of
businesses in the city is almost triple the national average (38.8 percent
compared with 13 percent) for the same period.
Favorable zoning laws and the availability of low-cost electricity in
Redding
give many
industries a competitive advantage.
Redding
also offers an extremely successful Down-Payment Assistance Program to aid
first-time homebuyers. Affordable commercial and residential real estate,
low-cost skilled labor and a low crime rate also contribute to
Redding
’s rapid growth.
Redding
’s outstanding new
Civic
Center
allows city services to be accessed from one location, and its new
Permit
Center
provides one-stop customer service to the community. The city has also embarked
on an aggressive industrial recruitment program to bring in manufacturing jobs
that help make a community strong.
Business Expansion
One of the key components of the
Shasta
County
’s
business retention plan is to acknowledge and cater to small businesses,
particularly those that help create a diverse economy with industrial linkages
between local manufacturers. The Redding City Council has developed a number of
local incentives for industrial development and businesses that create new
jobs.
Shasta Metro Enterprise Zone
The Shasta Metro Enterprise Zone consists of 51 square miles of commercial and
industrial sectors of the Cities of Redding,
Anderson
,
and
Shasta
Lake
as well as adjacent industrial areas of
Shasta
County
.
Special incentives offered by the Enterprise Zone include sales and tax credit,
hiring assistance, business expense deduction, net operating loss carryover and
net interest deductions for lenders.
Occupations in Redding
Retail Trade
Government
Services
Manufacturing
Agriculture
Transportation, Commercial, Utilities
Construction
Wholesale Trade
Finance
Municipal Services
Shasta County is governed by general law with an elected Board of Supervisors;
Redding, Shasta Lake City and Anderson each have the Council-Manager type of
government. Local law enforcement agencies serve City and County residents by
working closely with community groups to maintain
Redding
’s low crime rate.
Residents of
Redding
are well protected by seven staffed fire stations located throughout the city,
covering 70 square miles and protecting a population that now exceeds 80,000.
Local volunteer units of the California Division of Forestry provide additional
protection while a new vegetation management program emphasizes fire
prevention.
Health Care
Redding
serves as the regional health care
center for
Northern California
. The city has
two major hospitals with state-of-the-art treatment facilities:
Redding
Medical
Center
, which features a nationally
recognized heart surgery program, and
Mercy
Medical
Center
,
Redding
’s
designated trauma center. There are also 15 convalescent hospitals, a specialty
hospital, a private hospital, a large veteran’s outpatient clinic, three
retirement communities, 32 assisted living facilities and five nursing homes.
Education
Shasta County’s educational system includes great public and private schools,
quality early childhood education, high schools scoring above average in STAR
(Standardized Testing and Reporting) and SAT exams, an excellent community
college, private, accredited, four-year colleges, and a nearby university.
Schools range from small sites of less than 100 students in grade school to
large high schools serving over 1,000 students. There are over 30 private
schools, such as the very fine
Bishop
Quinn
High School
and
St.
Francis
Middle School
, which offer excellent
educational programs.
Shasta
Bible
College
Beautifully situated on 23 acres,
Shasta
Bible
College
is located east of downtown
Redding
and has
approximately 200 students enrolled in courses. The college has been granted
Course approval by the California Council for Private Postsecondary and
Vocational Education pursuant to
California
’s
Education Code.
Shasta
College
Shasta
College
,
a two-year community college, has been in existence since 1948. It is fully
accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of
the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The college serves Shasta,
Tehama, and
Trinity
Counties
. More than
12,000 students enroll annually at
Shasta
College
in programs
leading to university transfer, occupational-technical training and personal
enrichment.
Simpson
College
Simpson
College
and
Graduate
School
is a private, Christian, fully
accredited liberal arts institution. The college currently serves over 1,200
graduate and undergraduate students. The highly successful Degree Completion
Program offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in Business and Human Resources
Management, Psychology, and Liberal Studies.
Simpson
College
’s
undergraduate program offers Associate of Arts and Bachelor of Arts degrees.
National
University
Founded in 1971 in
San Diego
,
California
,
National
University
is a private, accredited,
nonprofit institution of higher education. Since its founding, the University
has provided access to high-quality lifelong learning opportunities to a
diverse population of adult learners.
Recreation & Entertainment
Tourist Facilities,
Shopping
& Entertainment
Redding
Convention
Center
The Redding Convention Center and Visitors Bureau
markets the Convention Center to organizations all across the nation. The multipurpose
building is able to host a variety of cultural, performing arts and business
events. It is situated in a park-like setting near the
Sacramento
River
’s edge just off Highway 299 West.
Hotel/Motel Meeting Space and Restaurants
In addition to the Convention Center, hotel and motel properties in
Redding
have a total of
19,753 square feet of meeting space. There are 38 hotels and motels with a
total of 2,450 rooms located within the city. Due to
Redding
’s proximity to Interstate 5 and
its large tourist trade, there is an abundance of eating establishments in the
area. Over 200 restaurants offer a wide variety of ethnic foods. Fresh seafood
is usually available in area restaurants, as the City is located only 160 miles
from
Pacific Ocean
fishing fleets.
Shopping
There are 12 major shopping destinations in the
Redding
area, including
two enclosed malls, nine major shopping centers, and a factory outlet center.
Turtle
Bay
Exploration
Park
The
Turtle
Bay
Exploration
Park
,
a 300 acre cultural and scientific center focusing on the Sacramento River
ecosystem and its surrounding forests, has received $7 million in ongoing
development funds from the city of
Redding
.
The complex currently includes three museums, a summer butterfly house, the
Arboretum on the River, and a visitor’s center. Construction is underway
on the interpretive
Exploration
Park
, which features
wildlife exhibits, an aviary, gardens and fine art exhibitions. The
project’s crown jewel is an exquisite harp-shaped pedestrian bridge with
the suspended deck designed by the world-renowned Spanish architect Santiago
Calatrava.
Shasta College Theater and
Art
Gallery
The Shasta College Theater and the
Shasta
College
Art
Gallery
have been offering first-class
entertainment to
Shasta
County
residents for more
than 20 years. The Shasta College Fine Arts Program offers quality cultural
entertainment with more than 50 performing arts events each year.
The Old City Hall Gallery and
Performing
Arts
Center
is a lovely historic building which is listed in the National Register of
Historical Places. The structure, with its landmark bell tower, is located in
the historic area of downtown
Redding
.
Regional Recreation
Local Parks
There are 529 acres of parkland within city limits, including the magnificent
Sacramento River Trail System. Recreational facilities include lighted baseball
fields, public swimming pools and tennis courts, hiking trails, boat launching
facilities, golf courses, soccer fields, a BMX bike park and a skateboard park.
A new 100-acre Sports Complex is currently under construction in northeast
Redding
. In addition,
Shasta
Lake
City
maintains 16 acres of parkland and
Anderson
has 400 acres
devoted to the preservation of riparian habitat.
When it comes to outdoor recreation,
Northern California
has it all. Pristine lakes, wild and scenic rivers, spectacular mountain peaks,
State and National parks, massive wilderness areas, caverns and caves are all
within a 75-mile radius of the cities of
Redding
,
Anderson
, and
Shasta
Lake
.
The Sacramento River Trail and
Redding
’s
popular trail system offer an ideal setting for walking, jogging, hiking and
biking.
Lake
Shasta
,
located 15 miles north of downtown
Redding
,
is the most impressive body of water in the area with 350 miles of shoreline
and depths of up to 515 feet. Shasta Dam, the second largest dam in the
United States
, rises 602 feet and is three times
the height of
Niagara Falls
.
Regarded by many as one of the most impressive of all American structures, it
includes vista facilities and displays that interpret the story of the dam.
Shasta
Lake
is part of the
Shasta-Trinity
National Forest
.
Lake Shasta Caverns are the largest caverns in
California
. A narrated guided tour includes
a boat ride across the lake and a short bus ride up the mountain to the
caverns’ entrance. This attraction is open year-round and is accessible
only by boat.
State Highway 299 West provides access to the Trinity Alps Wilderness Area.
Trinity
Lake
is home to
California
’s
largest nesting population of bald eagles and a wide variety of wildlife.
Beautiful
Whiskeytown
Lake
provides year-round opportunities
for boating, hiking, mountain biking, seasonal rock climbing and backpacking.
Other facilities include a boat-launching facility, three campgrounds, picnic
areas and beaches.
Historic “Old Shasta” is located just six miles west of Downtown
Redding and was the original County seat. In the early 1850’s, Shasta was
the leading mining center of the far north. Today, the state-operated museum
contains many exhibits that portray the historic Gold Rush Days.
McArthur/Burney Falls State Memorial Park, located east of
Redding
,
is one of the most popular attractions in northern
California
. The 565-acre park offers campers
and visitors a spectacular view of the falls, which cascade 129 feet.
Lassen
Volcanic
National Park
is located about an
hour’s drive east of
Redding
via State Highway 44. The park encompasses 165 square miles of the 2,000 square
miles of the
Lassen
National Forest
.
Mt.
Lassen
was the only active volcano within the continental
United
States
until
Mt.
St. Helens
erupted in
1986.
Mt.
Lassen
last erupted in 1915. Park
attractions include 50 lakes,
Lassen Peak
(10,457 feet), hot
sulphur springs, beautiful
waterfalls, and numerous signs of geothermal activity throughout the park. Park
facilities include six campgrounds, picnic areas and cross country skiing.
Thirty minutes south of
Redding
on Interstate 5
and just a few minutes south of
Anderson
is the
town of
Red Bluff
, where the
Sacramento
River
is spanned by a diversion dam. In the salmon viewing plaza,
closed-circuit television enables visitors to watch these great fish swimming
upstream. The
Ide
Adobe
State
Historic
Park
,
located north of Red Bluff on the banks of the
Sacramento
River
, offers an extensive interpretive program.
Shasta
County
’s diversity offers
everything from mountain biking to baseball, from fishing to golf, and from
hunting to scuba diving. The recreation opportunities are as unlimited as your
dreams of adventure.
Annual Community Events
Redding
is host
to many popular special events throughout the year. Some of the larger annual
events that are well attended by both local residents and out-of-town visitors
include:
Kool April Nites (April)
This annual event showcases classic cars and music of the ’50s and
’60s. Visit the website at
www.koolaprilnites.com
Rodeo Week (May)
A tradition in
Redding
since the 1930’s,
this event celebrates the Old West history of
Redding
with the largest parade in
Northern California
.
Other activities include a three-day professional rodeo, pancake breakfast, a
bank “robbery” and a street dance. Visit their website at
www.reddingrodeo.com
Shasta Art Fair and Fiddle Jamboree (May)
This Victorian/Gold Rush celebration, which usually takes place on
Mother’s Day weekend, offers entertainment, arts and crafts, exhibits,
food and fun.
Air Show (May)
The Redding Air Show takes flight at the Redding Municipal Airport and is
graciously sponsored by the Exchange Club of Redding.
Shasta District Fair (June)
The Shasta District Fair, which is held for five days in mid-June, features
over 8,000 exhibits and 600 livestock animals. The fair’s entertainment,
auto racing, and five days of horse shows and competitions draw over 100,000
people.
Annual Lighted Christmas Parades (December)
Redding
presents a nighttime Christmas parade featuring holiday-themed entries
twinkling with lights. A similar parade is held in Red Bluff at the end of
November.
You can find more information about Redding on Wikipedia.org
