Cross Calatrava's Sundial Bridge (and look for trout) in Redding

Cross Calatrava's Sundial Bridge (and look for trout) in Redding

Why: It’s the biggest sundial in California, and you can sort of see through it.

What: Designed by Santiago Calatrava of Spain, this bridge has been a celebrity since the day in opened (July 4, 2004), surrounded by a 300-acre parking along the Sacramento River. The bridge's 217-foot-tall, slanted white pylon (the technical term, I just learned, is gnomon) draws you in, and the glass-and-steel deck makes it semi-translucent. On the morning I crossed the bridge, the place was busy with moms and strollers and dogs and kids and dads and anglers.

Don't count on the bridge as a timekeeping device, though. Local leaders say it doesn't work in winter; in other months, it's basically impossible to read except between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. But it's so attractive that people can't stay away, nor can swallows. (They may be scant in San Juan Capistrano, but they're nesting here.) 

The Turtle Bay Museum next door gave the project’s detailed history. Its aquarium tanks show what the river looks like below the surface, including plenty of fish. You'll also read about the fighting between natives and immigrants here in the 1850s. (For gory details, see the section on author Joaquin Miller or read his book “Life among the Modocs: Unwritten History.") There's also an arboretum and playground.

Where: 840 Sundial Bridge Pkwy., Redding, 551 miles north of downtown L.A.

How much: Crossing the bridge is free. Museum admission is $16 for visitors age 16 and over, $12 for children age 4-15

Info: Turtle Bay Exploration Park

 

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