Lodging

From Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

Best Western Treehouse Motor Inn

The Best Western Treehouse Motor Inn has made a friend for life in my husband. Born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, he’s now lived more years in California, yet you can’t take the Oregonian out of a Oregon boy. In fact, my Oregonian husband appears to be grooming our son to be a future Oregonian. The father and son team have bonded over golfing and watching the University of Oregon fighting Ducks play football.

At least three times a year my husband and son head to Eugene, Oregon for some boy time. The Best Western Treehouse Motor Inn appears to be the half way mark for the drive to Eugene or Sunriver Resort outside of Bend, Oregon.

Family-friendly, Pet-friendly

Our family has stayed at the Treehouse Motor Inn on numerous occasions with and without our dog*. The Inn has an indoor pool, is close to golf and offers stunning views of Mt. Shasta. The property is also budget-friendly. As a parent of two teenagers, I appreciate their child policy; children 17 and under stay free with one paying adult.

Best Western Treehouse Guest Room

The Best Western Treehouse has free wireless and wired Internet access throughout the 98 room, smoke-free motel. In the morning, a full hot breakfast buffet is complimentary.

*TIP: The Best Western Treehouse Motor Inn is pet friendly. There is a $15 per pet fee, per night.

TIP: There are two rooms for the physically challenged on this property.

Photos courtesy of Nancy D. Brown

Best Western Treehouse Motor Inn 1 (530) 926-3101 or 1 (800) 780-7234

111 Morgan Way, Mount Shasta, CA 96067-2557

Moonrise over Mount Lassen Photo by larryflo

Lassen Volcanic National Park just made Frommer’s Top Destinations for 2009. But where will you stay? If you enjoy camping, then you’ll have plenty of options. But if you prefer to “camp” in fine cotton linens, comfy beds, and be served a warm breakfast in the morning, you need to stay at Bridge House Bed and Breakfast in Redding, Calif.

Located on Riverside Drive, Bridge House is a short walk to some of Redding’s best dining establishments and many downtown shops. A short walk takes you to the Market Street Bridge and the river trail, leading to the world-famous Sundial Bridge and Caldwell Park.

Socializing on the patio at Bridge House

Bridge House has four guest rooms, each decorated in the style of the bridge for which it’s named: The Sundial Bridge, the Diestelhorst Bridge, the Dog Creek Bridge, and the Market Street Bridge. Breakfast features a buffet of homemade baked goods, fruit, granola, and a savory entree. Complimentary high speed internet is available for guests.

Redding is a perfect place to base out of while visiting Lassen Volcanic National Park. Lassen has hot springs, sulpher ponds, heat vents, and 150 miles of hiking trails. The park is open year-round, with beautiful lakes, streams, meadows and waterfalls during the spring, summer and fall, and turns into a winter playground with lots of winter ski activities.

Lassen is an easy 30 mile drive from Redding, the second sunniest city in the nation. And talk about quality of life! Whiskeytown Lake is just a few miles out of town, at the base of the Trinity Alps, where hiking, camping and fishing are everywhere. Shasta Lake is full of summertime fun and Mount Shasta is easily accessible for skiing and snowboarding in the winter.

See Lassen Volcanic National Park, one of the top destinations for 2009, while staying in the comfort of the Bridge House in Redding.

Bridge House Bed and Breakfast
1455 Riverside Drive
Redding, CA 96001
(530) 247-7177
info@reddingbridgehouse.com

Photo courtesy of Bridge House Bed and Breakfast

Sundial Bridge Photo thanks to rezlab at Flickr

Redding is bursting at the seams. It could be bursting from pride from the Sundial Bridge that’s getting so much press. Of course the Turtle Bay Exploration Park with its museum at one end of the bridge and botanical garden at the other has helped also.

There’s so much to do around Redding that a weekend isn’t long enough to see everything. This is definitely vacation material with Mount Shasta and Shasta Lake to the north, Whiskeytown Lake and the Trinity Alps to the west, and Burney Falls and Lasson Park to the east. Of course, if you don’t feel like getting into the car you can always walk next door to the water park. Your kids will love  you for it.

A trip to Shasta Caverns is worth your while. A ticket includes a short boat ride on Shasta Lake, a short bus ride up the hill on the opposite shore, then a guided tour of a beautiful cave system that reminds me of a small version of Carlsbad Caverns.

Turtle Bay Cafe Photo courtesy of Turtle Bay

Take a guided tour along the Sacramento River Trail on a Segway with Shasta Glide n’ Ride. You’ll see an underwater viewing area to watch wild salmon and hear wild west stories about the gold rush. You’ll be crossing the world-famous Sundial Bridge–a perfect time to take some photos.

See a different part of Northern California and visit Premiere RV Resorts in Redding. There’s so much to do you may decide to stay awhile.