The Sheraton Redding Hotel at the Sundial Bridge is the comfortable, well-located base Northern California road trips have needed: a modern full-service hotel set on the grounds of Turtle Bay Exploration Park, beside the Sacramento River and the Sundial Bridge, Santiago Calatrava's dramatic pedestrian bridge with its tilted pylon and translucent glass deck. It is contemporary, polished and practical, which is exactly what a trip around lake and volcano country calls for. Rooms are spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows, pillow-top beds and suites for families; Mosaic serves American cuisine with a wine-country slant, there is a lobby bar, and a heated outdoor pool and whirlpool are welcome after a hot Redding day. Step outside and you are on the Sacramento River Trail system, with the bridge, the arboretum and Turtle Bay's museum and gardens all on foot. For cave travelers, the location is the strategy: Lake Shasta Caverns, with its catamaran crossing and bus climb to the cave entrance, is about half an hour north on I-5, Shasta Dam is nearby, and the drive to Lava Beds National Monument's self-guided lava tubes takes a few hours through volcanic country past Mount Shasta. Redding's summer heat is serious — often well over a hundred degrees — which makes the pool, the river trail at dusk and the cool caves the right rhythm. Fit: families, road-trippers on I-5, and anyone combining Lake Shasta Caverns with Lava Beds or Lassen.
The setting is the hotel's best feature. The Sundial Bridge is a genuine landmark, beautiful at sunrise and lit after dark, and the hotel's position on the Turtle Bay grounds means you can walk across it, continue along the river trail and loop back without touching a car. Turtle Bay Exploration Park itself — museum, gardens and arboretum — is a good half-day for families on a non-cave day.
Stay craft
Ask for a room facing the river or bridge, use the pool in the afternoon heat, and plan Lake Shasta Caverns for a morning boat to avoid the hottest hours. If you are heading to Lava Beds, leave early and carry plenty of water, lights and food — services are sparse once you leave the I-5 corridor.
Ask the front desk about parking and fees, and check Marriott Bonvoy rates if you are a member. Practicals and fit: 820 Sundial Bridge Drive, Redding, just off I-5, a short drive from Redding's regional airport. Pair with Lake Shasta Caverns, Shasta Dam, Whiskeytown, Lassen Volcanic National Park and Lava Beds. Fit: families, road-trippers and anyone wanting modern comfort in cave and volcano country.
Why stay here
- ✓Beside the Sundial Bridge
- ✓Mosaic restaurant and bar
- ✓Heated outdoor pool and whirlpool
- ✓Spacious rooms and suites
- ✓Floor-to-ceiling windows
- ✓Sacramento River Trail access
- ✓Turtle Bay Exploration Park grounds
- ✓Easy I-5 access
Good questions
How far is Lake Shasta Caverns?+
About half an hour north on I-5. The cave tour starts with a catamaran crossing of the lake, so plan a morning departure to beat Redding's summer heat.
Can we reach Lava Beds from here?+
Yes, as a long day or overnight trip — Lava Beds National Monument is a few hours northeast past Mount Shasta. Bring water, food and plenty of lights.
Is the hotel good for families?+
Very — spacious rooms and suites, a heated pool, and Turtle Bay Exploration Park and the Sundial Bridge right outside the door.
