While walking around checking out the animals we had an impromptu tour by one of the caretakers. She spent extra time talking to us about the animals. It was obvious that the animals are truly loved and well taken care of. The park is extremely clean, and the animals seem happy. I liked the fact that each animal gets time outside of there enclosures giving them a happier and healthier life. read more

My boys love this place. The renovation to Paul Bunyons camp is really neat. I'd been coming here for years to walk the trails and visit the animals they have. I just wish the day passes were a little more affordable for a family of three. The employees are top notch and super friendly and still love bring my friend and family members here. read more

They give a coupon that I suspected was out of good merit. It was half off so I figured why not. No, after using the "coupon", we quickly realized more than half the park was closed, only the boring old decrepit part being accessible, and they were just trying to get their money. It has been 3 years and we haven't been back. read more

Programs and playgrounds for kids, animals to visit, and a peaceful and well-air conditioned room for playing legos, blocks, and checkers; this is a regular haunt for my family. We have always gotten our money's worth from an annual pass to Turtle Bay Exploration Park. However, this year, we got an even better value by utilizing the ASTC Travel Passport Program. Just one visit to Seattle's Pacific Science Center would have set us back nearly $80. Instead, admission was free because we already had a Turtle Bay pass. With fun to be had both locally and afar, we are happy to be recurring members of Turtle Bay. read more

I am really impressed by Turtle Bay. Correction: I am really impressed that Redding has a place like Turtle Bay. I have been to a lot of museums in my day. For the most part, Turtle Bay doesn't really offer anything new to me. However, it definitely offers something new to Redding. I never really considered Redding to be anything other than a cultural void. But I think it's fantastic that they've made such an effort to create something unique. It started with the Sundial Bridge, which is DEFINITELY unique (apparently a lot of people thought the Sundial Bridge was going to be a waste of money--I totally disagree. It turned out great.). They expanded from there, and now there's a museum with a lot of outdoor activities and indoor exhibits. My family and I were there for the Titanic artifacts exhibit, which was super cool. I also recommend the indoor fish area, where they have fish (mostly native, but some not) in a display that looks like the Sacramento River. There's also a butterfly exhibit. Negatives? I felt sorry for the birds. They have an exhibit with several large birds--hawks, large owls, and a turkey vulture--and their cages are too small. read more

Animals! Birds! It is basically my idea of heaven! My husband is active military duty, and we asked if they had a military discount. We expected to get 10% off, but we were thrilled to find out that we were able to get in for free (up to five people). We only had to pay a dollar per person to get in to see the birds, which included one cup of nectar. Maybe it's not the best for little ones as birds land all over you, but we had a blast. My father in law even got popped on (another warning).. The staff was incredibly helpful and the prices in the gift shop weren't too outrageous. It seems like a really educational place for those who have kids as well and also provided a lot of great picture ops. read more

The Turtle Bay cafe is wonderful!! I love the espresso, they have excellent panini and soup took friends there for lunch after trying it out they loved it. They are under staffed so you will be waiting for your food however that's not their fault it's upper management, the security guard lady chased off a very scary Vagrant white man who seemed to be stalking the cafe I was afraid to go out but she took care of him immediately!! Thanks to her I felt safe and respected. The trails are very well kept as is the landscaping the people using the area are friendly, the kids love it and will tell you so, the dogs are friendly and if not the owners are very responsible so there are no problems. It's one of my favorite places to go eat or stroll my 2 dogs love it more than I do they are always excited. On the opposite east side of the river in their open space is a dog park were good dogs can run free. They love it there too. But if you have a mean dog don't come and ruin it! read more

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This park is pretty dope. But it doesnt have turtles! Ahh, I'm kidding :) The area around the bridge is fantastic. The park has heavy pedestrian traffic in the early afternoon and the bridge has a really nice breeze blowing across so it's def a nice place to take a stroll, run or have a picnic. I went to the park on a Sunday so the giftshop and informational area was closed. But I had a great time in the park anyway. read more

Here's your reason to go to Redding! What a cool place with such pretty surroundings! My favorite part other than the butterfly exhibit was their interactive display where you can stock your wagon for the Oregon trail. Let me play with a fake 5 pound bag of coffee and some hard tack and I will be happy all day. Nothing entertains me like the idea of packing up a wagon and venturing out through the mountainside.... The buildings and grounds are really well maintained and the cost of entry is pretty reasonable. Their cafe seemed to have a lot of great selections & their coffee wasn't bad. You can take that and go down to the water by the bridge and get your feet wet, if you're so inclined! Fun! read more

Wonderful! Always something new, as well as some great new renovations, such as a fantastic playground!

Great museum. Beautiful exhibits, clean, well-maintained. Our family (mom, dad, 15-yr old boy, 13-yr old girl, and 9-yr old boy) were all entertained for 3 hours. It's not huge (by Sacramento/Bay Area standards), but well worth the time. Don't miss. Plus it's right in front of the bridge, and parking is free. read more

Cute place, a lot nicer than I was expecting! I grew up in Sacramento so a lot of the exhibits were old hat for me (I lived near the American River and Effie Yeaw Nature Center has a lot of stuff on river habitats and American Indians), but it's well maintained, and the underwater river aquarium is neat to look at. The current special gecko exhibition was really cool -- who knew there were so many kinds of geckos? They have some birds in a small aviary -- the red-tailed hawk looked a little penned up, actually, and kept trying to fly around and hang from the sprinkler pipes when folks were staring at him. They've also got a barn owl who is imprinted on humans and keeps screeching at you nonstop because he thinks you'll give him treats. Heh. Big bummer: Butterfly exhibit is closed for the winter. Alas! If I lived nearby, I'd certainly take the kids, if I had kids. There's a bunch of cute things to do in "Paul Bunyan's Forest" and I bet several kids of my acquaintance would spend hours playing with the water feature where you can dam off the flow of water on a flume using plastic boards. The gift shop actually has some nice stuff that's reasonably priced, and not just cheap plastic crap with the museum logo slapped on it. I actually found a nice necklace in there and bought it to remember my vacation by -- silver with amethyst, peridot, and citrine. Cute! The Sundial Bridge is worth a gander. Make sure to go underneath it -- a nice cool place to sit and rest for a little while. Anyway, it's a good stop on the way back from Ashland, though I don't know if I would make it a yearly destination. Maybe on a cooler day I would have spent time roaming the botanical gardens, so next time that might be something to do. read more

Came here due the positive reviews but really think it's over rated. Besides the Animal Show, there is barely anything else in the park to do. Very small, no animals. Small parrot enclosure that was fun to feed parrots, but that was it. And 3 turtles, in a tiny pond. The Forest Camp is not that special and what you'd find at a playground, for free. If you've gone to other zoos, such as SF or Oakland Zoo, or other outdoor children venues, this is pretty disappointing. read more

Cute little park! We enjoyed it. I only knocked it down a star for the cost. I thought it was a little pricy compared to other aquariums that seemed to have more animals. They do have a great variety, and it's a small aquarium, rescue center, Gardens, etc. they have variety. They're in the process of building a bigger playground, which will be fun when it's done. We enjoyed ourselves, but we probably won't come every time we are passing through Redding. The kids say once was fine. read more

Grandma here, today I visited Turtle Bay with my daughter and her 2 1/2 year old twins. Wow! This is a great place to bring children. Everything is set up with small people in mind. Lots of hands on educational exhibits that would appeal to many different age groups. The place is huge too, you could come back several times for repeat visits. In fact, my daughter bought a membership before we left since you can apply your days' admission to this cost. I will say that we went during the school day midweek so it was not very crowded. I can see how large groups of school kids coming in would change the dynamic. Staff was very friendly and helpful. read more

I thought this would be an amZing spot to watch the sunrise but it ended up not being that. The skyline was too far away. However, this place would be a rad spot to watch the sunset! I'll try and make it today! They have a nice hiking trail and this really cool sundial bridge I haven't seen yet. Lots of people walking their dogs too! It's a nice place to get away and enjoy a little nature while still being in the middle of the city. read more

Turtle Bay Exploration Park - Museums Near Me - Redding, California

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I imagine this place can be worthwhile if you have small children. Quite frankly, I'm just not that interested in the long term effects of construction sounds on caged birds and small mammals. As most of the exhibits were closed this was the most available option. The crow that has learned to feign injury in a bid to escape is heartbreaking. Let him out FFS. The sundial bridge is wonderful however, and free. Skip the museum and see. read more

This is a really great place for kids of all ages. The exhibits change which makes returning exciting.

Nice park with some good exhibits about local history, animals, and some science topics. Good for families. Plenty of free parking very close. This is a nice spot to stop by if you're in town for just a couple hours up to a half a day. Take the short walk across the sundial bridge and you're on the Sacramento River Trail. Nice place to be able to see the river. read more

A beautiful facility. There are permanent exhibits which highlight various historical and environmental elements of the Redding area. Very educational and interesting. A great place for field trips, which the local schools always take advantage of. They also have a great playground for the kids as well as fish and other animals to check out. I really enjoy the seasonal exhibits as there is always something new and intriguing that is waiting to be explored. Today, my husband and I went to check out the Toytopia exhibit. A history of toys and games and as usual, lots of great hands-on activities for both adults and children. I think I was having more fun than most of the children! Unfortunately, we spent so much time exploring in here, that we didn't make it over to the Civil War exhibit that was also being showcased. Luckily, even though they closed at 4:00, their cute little cafe was still serving so we moseyed over for some small hot cocoas and walked around the sundial. Definitely a great place to go spend a few hours with the family. Not just for those who are from out of town and are unfamiliar with the area, but for LOCALS (which I highly suggest go check it out to learn a little more about this beautiful area that you call home). read more

Certainly the best natural history museum in the area. Some of the ethnographic-themed exhibits are very good. My sisters, who volunteered here for years, told me that in making the exhibit on the Wintu Indians, for example, the museum worked closely with the tribe for input, which is of course the responsible thing to do. [It's been my experience that tribes are too often left out and not given input into representations of...themselves.] So, kudos. The outdoor walks and exhibits involving animals are pretty cool, too. I can't quite give 5 stars, because I feel that admission is overpriced. read more

Visited The World's Largest Dinosaurs. It was okay. The 60 foot dinosaur was large but it did not look real, especially in the face area. It was more of an exhibit made for an educational purpose, not to be a real representation of the dinosaur. The other exibits were okay. I don't know if any of the bones were real or just copies. There were dinosaur and pre historic forest murals, but the modern ceilings and walls on the building took away any effect of being transported back into time. A dissappointment. Further inspection of Turtle Bay was deppressing. The salmon tanks needed to be cleaned. The fish looked sick. I walked through the "Wildlife Woods", more like the "Captive Animals Pens". Small square enclosures with some sort of boxed fencing. Take my hat off to the bobcat. That animal looked mean and cantankerous, but needed a larger enclosure. read more

We came on a stormy day in October with our four year old daughter. It was hard to be outside (and I was impressed that they had loaner umbrellas) but the interior exhibits were well done. Much is more accessible to older children, of course, but we loved the river aquarium and the cave leading down to it. The wetlands restoration is terrific and exemplifies what can be done along so much more of the Sacramento. It was cool to stand on the Sundial bridge and watch flyfishers working the waters upstream. This is wonderful natural history exhibit and well worth a stop along I-5. I also want to compliment the friendy and helpful staff. They went out of their way to find out that we could enter on a reciprocable membership in a museum at home and to recommend a McDonalds where our daughter could play before we continued our trip. read more

Pretty, if doing trails as always, on all trails, don't run alone... travel w others for safety. Its a woodsy area. Beautiful bridge. Great photo ops. Trails for biking etc. like all public places, lock cars don't leave valuables... The lit up bridge at dusk is worth seeing. Sits above Sacramento River. This location is an Absolutely gorgeous morning setting! Really nice when morning air is crisp, and taking a stroll over bridge with coffee. Love this location! read more

Turtle bay... not just turtles! I thought the park was going to be all turtles and i was shocked to find only the 3 turtles at the end haha, still had lots of fun read more

I take my Grandson here two or three times a week. We both love the atmosphere here, everyone is so friendly and helpful. He is looking forward to the Dinosaur Experience to open we both love feeding the birds and look forward to the Butterflies read more

This place is so awesome! I love the trail and the informational placards are fun for the kids. Feeding the turtles and sticking their toes in the water is so much fun for them and it doesn't cost a thing! read more

Turtle Bay Exploration Park - This place is super cool!! Not gonna lie though... This bridge is a little freaky - Museums Near Me - Redding, California

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We came here on a Wednesday, it was a good experience for the kids. They have a garden where you can go but I would recommend wearing comfortable shoes. The museum itself had many things for both adults and kids to explore. read more

So a pretty neat place even for adults as I found out. Looks like they're building a Sheraton nearby too which should be awesome. This place is worth it just for the Parakeet cage, seriously, adorable little buggers who flock on you if you spend the $1 for the nectar feeding cup. Everything else is okay and a bit sad for the animals there especially the beautiful hawk and eagle who are stuck in their tiny cages :( Feel like letting PETA know but there's enough of that everywhere. Great for kids. Finished the whole place in like an hour though. read more

Too small of enclosures for the animals! Come on turtle bay I felt there should be warning signs before you enter that animals are in tiny spaces. We left feeling sad not to mention how stressful it must be for the wildlife in those teeny tiny cages while not being able to get away from constant construction noise like a double whammy.. please make it about the animals and use some of that boasted acreage for them. I'm not sure if we will come back I'm honestly torn and will research a way to help my daughter explore but not at the cost of supporting wildlife in captivity like this. read more

My family like to go here even in the winter. It is so relaxing and enjoyable seeing the all the characters in this park. Walking around the park is fun and refreshing. We always have good experience in every visit. This is a fun place to bring kids along . We will come back here again. read more

Best time exploring! What a great place hidden in a small city. We could have spent all day there and still not done everything. read more

Turtle Bay Exploration Park - Lorikeets were fun - Museums Near Me - Redding, California

I'm giving such a low review because of the poor conditions for the animals on display. It was just sad. There is plenty of room there to expand each animal's living area. Other than that, I thought it was a great place. read more

Fun little place, but not worth the price. We chose to go knowing from a previous experience, but wanted to see the dinosaurs. It was an okay exhibit, not what I expected from the billboard, but okay. read more

This was a great place for the kids! I have a 4 and 8 year old and they had a lot of fun in the museum and the play area outside. Make sure to bring water and a change of clothes since they will get wet! There is also a small zip line and animal area. The museum participates in the ASTC reciprocal program so your family can get in for free if you are a member. The museum is close to the sundial bridge, which is super cool as well. We stopped here on a road trip and spent two and a half hours at the museum and play area. We explored the bridge and it's a short walk down to the water of the Sacramento River. The area is clean and safe. The arboretum is also nearby and if you're part of the Horticulture reciprocal program your family can enter free as well. We didn't have time to visit the arboretum. This was a beautiful area and I look forward to returning! read more

Please learn from us. DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES IN YOUR CAR! Smash-grabs are not uncommon in the Turtle Bay parking lot. There are no security cameras in the parking lot, and within 1/2 hour, our car had been broken into. read more

Turtle Bay Exploration Park is a 300-acre campus along the banks of the Sacramento River with educational and entertaining activities and experiences that interpret the relationship between humans and nature. The Park tells the story of the region and its people through a museum that includes the Visible River Aquarium, Native American history and exhibits, interactive experiments, and changing exhibitions; wildlife exhibits; Paul Bunyan's Forest Camp; California's largest North American butterfly house (seasonal); an amphitheater; and, across the Sacramento River, the McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. The gardens feature 20 acres of Mediterranean climate display gardens, a children's garden, medicinal garden, and two beautiful and unique water features. Enjoy a snack and refreshments at the Museum Store and Coffee Bar, which has captivating views of the Sacramento River as well as the world-famous Sundial Bridge. As a gateway to the Sacramento River Trails, Turtle Bay celebrates far Northern California as part of the world we share. read more

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Turtle Bay is such a great place for kids and families, however if I was just by myself I don't think it would be fun. They offer fish exhibits with "maps" to identify the fish. They offer other exhibits that explore the earth and wilderness native to Shasta County. Another exhibit on the building of Shasta Dam. They also offer special ones that rotate throughout the year. They have a few wild animals that you can get pretty close to(in cages) as well as a birds of prey live show where the birds fly over your head. Thy also house a reptile exhibit in this area. They also have a big playground area with water play as well. read more

The museum itself was ok. They have some animals outside in cages for you to see. Some were there some were not. I think they are rescued animals. Hard to see some of them. Inside the river exhibit was pretty neat. Lots of fish. They have reptiles, amphibians and stuff in cages. Some interactive exhibits dealing with the history of northern California. It is really small and was kind of disappointing. read more

A LOT OF WALKING!!! If your kids cry, whine, scream carry me, yell I'm tired, I'm bored easily as normal kids do then don't go or go for a couple of hours. There's a lot to do and see but walking, hiking, jogging, biking and people watching is most of it. Sometimes you will see the turtles but the view is not like a foot away its mostly further so your kids might say I can't see! Take them binoculars to save the headache. Not much seating, water fountains or compfy break stops on trails or bathrooms so again think kids!! Hahaha... Its a nice place but take a map, plan accordingly, take a stroller, sweaters and water just incase weather changes quickly, there's steep edges so watch your child. The area near pool seems to be reserved, bathrooms are clean, pool is open to public at random times and there's a fee, haven't used so I'm sure about cleanliness of pool/area. Playground is gated, not much shade, near clean bathrooms, picnic tables but might be reserved. Soccer fields, basketball, there's a lot to do and see....again some areas are reserved with no signs so check before starting a game of b.ball, family party, etc. There's a big cost just to go inside bldg. Which isn't worth it, enjoy the free things the park has to offer. There's kayaking, fishing,etc. Too. I did see clothes, shoes, condoms, underware, poop (dog and human) along the trails,lol so be advised. read more