Turtle Bay Exploration Park

We've done Turtle Bay as a day trip, but to get the most out of your visit you might want to plan a weekend away and combine Turtle Bay with a visit to Shasta Caverns, also in the Redding area. Or make it three or four days and spend some time on Lake Shasta, too.

Turtle Bay is a pretty good sized complex that features permanent and traveling exhibitions. This was a home for the "Art of the Brick" Lego exhibit as well as "Grossology," both of which were worth the drive.

Specs Type: Museums Distance: Day trip Area: Redding Ages: All Ages Cost: $ Address: 844 Sundial Bridge Dr, Redding Information: www.turtlebay.org

Animal exhibits, intricate bonsai displays and a butterfly garden have also been on display here. Permanent exhibits include the Paul Bunyan Forest Camp, which is an educational center modeled after an old-time forest camp. There's also a botanical gardens and a small collection of resident animals, which includes a porcupine, a vulture and a desert tortoise. And of course there's the 700 foot Sundial Bridge, which crosses the Sacramento River and links Turtle Bay's north and south campuses.

You could easily spend a whole day here, depending on what exhibits are on display at the time of your visit. Make sure you check their website for the details before you go, and plan your visit accordingly.