In the heart of Northern California, with the Sacramento River running through it, Redding is a place full of culture, history, and an abundance of outdoor activities. Hotels with meeting space are spread throughout the city, which is flanked by 6 miles of the Sacramento River Trail and contains plenty of natural beauty, shops, and restaurants for postmeeting fun.
Vibe: “The vibe here [combines] an old-school mentality with New Age businesses and trends paying homage to the past,” says Visit Redding’s Tourism Marketing Director Danny Orloff. Redding touts views of Mount Shasta to the north and Mount Lassen to the east, and is just a short drive from Shasta Lake and Whiskeytown Lake.
Transportation: Even with its small-town charm, Redding is still centrally located with Interstate 5 thoroughfare arching through it. The Redding Regional Airport offers direct flights to and from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, and Seattle. Several rental car companies provide service from the airport, and rideshare services are aplenty. The Amtrak Coast Starlight train also stops in downtown Redding as it travels between Los Angeles and Seattle.
Hotels: Lema Ranch is a 200-acre property with a 25,000-square-foot building available for rental by nonprofits, government entities, and public schools for group retreats or training sessions, with human-made ponds and 8 miles of hiking/biking trails surrounding it. The Sheraton Redding Hotel at the Sundial Bridge is next to the Turtle Bay Exploration Park, Sacramento River Trail, and Redding Civic Auditorium. Its 33,237 square feet of meeting space is divided among seven rooms—one of which holds up to 400 attendees.
Venues: Besides the 55-year-old Redding Civic Auditorium that provides music and entertainment year-round, another one of Redding’s popular event venues (with full buyouts available) includes the art deco-style, 1,000-seat Cascade Theatre in downtown Redding, within walking distance to shops and restaurants.
Restaurants: Northern California is known for its farm-to-table food, and Mosaic—within the Sheraton Redding Hotel at the Sundial Bridge—serves California-inspired cuisine and craft cocktails, nestled in a lush, natural setting. For something more old school, Jack’s Bar & Grill (opened in 1938) downtown is around the corner from the Cascade Theatre and serves up sumptuous steaks.
Must-Sees & -Dos: If attendees can break away from the conference room for a bit while staying in Redding, they should be sure to spend some time outdoors. “Visit a Sunday farmers market at the Sundial Bridge or check out the Diestelhorst Bridge,” Orloff says, noting attendees might opt to rent e-bikes and ride along the Sacramento River Trail to reach the attractions. For a half-day outing, attendees can venture out to Shasta Lake to visit its caverns or go out for a dinner cruise. Tours of the impressive Shasta Dam built in 1941 are another intriguing option.
