What started as an effort to merge the museums of Redding into one entity turned into the 300-acre cultural complex and environmental education center known today as Turtle Bay Exploration Park. Now home to a museum, indoor and outdoor live animal exhibits, botanical gardens, the Sundial Bridge—a functioning sundial that will tell you the time of day based on shadows created by the light from the sun—and rentable spaces for meetings and events, the park has a plethora of opportunities for attendees.
“Turtle Bay is home to over 50 living animal species and 35,000 historical artifacts, and is specifically designed to offer guests many opportunities involving up-close viewing and learning,” says Tim Bauer, group events director at Choose Redding Lodging. The Sundial Bridge was designed by architect Santiago Calatrava and acts as a trailhead for miles and miles of routes for hiking and biking.
Of interest to planners, there is a space directly under the Sundial Bridge available for gatherings along the Sacramento River, and both the botanical garden and museum might be rented as well. Depending on the space and setup chosen, Bauer notes Turtle Bay accommodates groups of up to 200. Planners will find audiovisual equipment and catering on-site, the latter through Mosaic Restaurant. Overnight accommodations can be booked at the nearby Sheraton Redding Hotel at the Sundial Bridge, which also offers another 33,237 square feet of meeting space.
Bauer adds that depending on when a planner chooses to host at Turtle Bay, the park also has special events going on that groups can enjoy. “Visiting anytime between March and May allows attendees to experience the Lantern Festival, and if they come in April during Kool April Nites, they can attend car shows as well. An early December event can help get attendees in the mood for the holidays by attending the Redding Garden of Lights.”
