Fun things to see on the way to Lassen?

September 3, 2008 12:15 PM

Roadtrip filter: Driving from SF Bay Area to Lassen this weekend for camping. What are some cool things to see along the way?

We'll be driving up to Lassen Saturday and coming home Monday. We plan on leaving early in the morning Saturday and leaving late morning Monday. I think we're set on things to do at Lassen, but I was wondering if anybody had suggestions of things to see along the way. Monuments, weird roadside attractions (like the Thing or the Trees of Mystery), neat small towns, or just cool stuff would be appreciated. We will probably take I-5 most of the way, though I sort of want to take 99/89 one way.

Thanks!

posted by kendrak to Travel & Transportation (4 answers total)

Best answer: I drove up to Lassen a couple weeks ago. The drive to the north entrance is much, much shorter than the drive to the south one, though it doesn't really look that way on the map.

There's not really a lot to see on the way, unfortunately. Granzella's in Willows has a really good muffaletta. The Olive Pit in Corning has a laughably large selection of olive products and pickled things. You should stop in.

There are a couple of casinos on the way, Rolling Hills being the largest and nicest.

In Redding, the Turtle Bay museum is really great, and the Sundial Bridge is cool to see.

Also be warned that there's ongoing road construction in the park itself. When I was there in August, there were three spots where they had the road down to one lane and were using pilot cars. The wait can be up to 30 minutes. The construction seems to be mostly on the southern end of the park.

Have fun!
posted by mudpuppie at 1:32 PM on September 3, 2008

Oh -- if you're taking 99, take a swing through downtown Marysville. The downtown area has a bunch of neat old buildings, though most of them are abandoned now. At one time, during the timber boom, it was one of the largest and richest cities in the state.

(Honestly, though, taking 99 and 89 would make for one hell of a long trip. Plan on being in the car all day.)
posted by mudpuppie at 1:34 PM on September 3, 2008

Response by poster: Thanks for the tips! We'll look out for the construction in the south part of the park.

I don't think we'll really take 99 and 89, but it could be fun.
posted by kendrak at 9:18 PM on September 3, 2008

Best answer: I'd definitely take a dogleg through the Chester/Lake Almanor area to see both a great lake and some wonderfully quaint communities. Chico can be pretty nice too, and if you head down HWY 32 back to yon I-5 you can catch a glimpse of the weather carp, just west of Orland on the north side of the road. Unless you've got burning business on 99, its best to be avoided: north of Marysville much of it is two lanes and often prone to being dragged down by ag trucks -- its almond season, dontcha know.

Sadly, the most interesting thing you'll see along I-5 will be the Sutter Buttes.

Redding is also home to NorCal's last remaining Liquor Barn, for those of an age to be charmed by its backwardness in the modern age.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 12:03 PM on September 4, 2008