Things To Do In Shasta Lake

The native beauty of Bidwell Park serves as the scenic backdrop for Bidwell Park Golf Course, a 6,363-yard layout comprised of two distinct 9-hole experiences. Characterized by parkland-style terrain, the front nine includes two of the round's more difficult tracks: the 520-yard, par-five fifth hole and the 412-yard, par-four sixth hole, both of which demand accurate drives and approach shots down narrow fairways and into greens guarded by sandtraps. The back nine ripples over Northern California foothills, creating shot opportunities where golfers will have to adjust their swings for up- or down-hill targets. Though water only comes into play on two holes, a stream runs throughout the entire course, attracting wildlife and caddies who need a place to wash the grass stains out of their coveralls.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 71/72 course
• Length of 6,363 yards from the tips
• Course rating of 70.4 from the tips
• Slope rating of 126 from the tips
• Three tee options

A stress-shedding family-friendly sport for splatter soldiers of all types and stripes, paintball grants its combatants the perfect backdrop for one-on-one duels or group-oriented maneuvers. Spread out your tickets over six solo sessions, or round up five friends, coworkers, or NBA starters for a fast-paced adrenaline-fueled jaunt across unique indoor and outdoor terrains that can include pastoral fields and themed villages. Each trek arms guests with a battle mask and goggles, semiautomatic paintball marker, hopper and tanker, and orientation that lays out the rules, safety precautions, and the symbolism behind to Jackson Pollack’s early work.

While teaching jazz dance in the 1960s, Judi Sheppard Missett decided to step away from tradition by offering an experimental class that allowed her students to simply dance without the judgment of mirrors or the constraints of rigid technique. In these sessions, she began infusing popular dance moves with specific fitness workouts to forge a distinctive blend of cardio exercise, strength training, and dance instruction. Little did she know that this “just for fun” class was the prototype for what would become the national fitness sensation known as Jazzercise.

Today, Jazzercise takes its aerobic techniques from a variety of sources that include jazz dance, hip-hop, resistance training, Pilates, yoga, and kickboxing. The class formats, which vary according to different toning goals, are just as diverse as the program's move set. Instructors cultivate a noncompetitive atmosphere where all exercisers—with the exception of those marked as cursed by jazz-hand palm readers—are welcome regardless of age, build, or fitness background.

Since opening to the public in 1926, Benbow Inn has entertained Hollywood elite, foreign dignitaries, and traveling motorists alike with a wealth of both outdoor and indoor pursuits, nestled amid the towering redwoods that share the banks of the Eel River. Early on, the Inn’s prime spot near the Avenue of the Giants made it a popular stopover for tourists traveling up the coast or searching for a more impressive Christmas tree. The sprawling complex’s tranquil gardens and majestic mountain setting provide an ideal respite from the road for weary travelers. Though the hotel’s long-held commitment to upkeep and service has earned it a place on the National Register of Historic Places and a four-diamond rating from AAA, its real treasures lie outside its Tudor walls. Visitors while away the time with such activities as swimming and boating on the river, perfecting pitches on the 9-hole Benbow Valley Golf Course, or hiking through the redwoods of the Kings Range while longing for prehensile tales from which to swing.

In addition to hotel rooms and cottages, Benbow Inn hosts campers on more than 100 pull-through and back-in sites at its RV Resort, which won the Best of The West Award in 2004. Here, travelers enjoy the peace and quiet of their spot in the woods, which balances the rusticity of the outdoors with such creature comforts as cement patios, picnic tables, and full hookups, including cable TV.

Course at a Glance:

• 9-hole, par 35 course
• Total length of 2,674 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 66.3 from the back tees
• Course slope of 115 from the back tees
• Three sets of tees per hole
• Scorecard

Silverthorn Resort traces its history back to August 1, 1853, when settler George Silverthorn and his wife, Lucy, a native Wintu woman, established one of Northern California's first ferries across the Pit River. The Silverthorn's descendants stayed in the area to the present day, watching the river age and mature into a strapping, full-grown lake with more than 375 miles of shoreline dotted with picturesque docks and cabins. A marina outfitted with a pro shop and general store refills ships and pantries with needed supplies, and a pizza pub refuels visitors with the daily recommended allowance of pizza, live music, and cold beer.

Houseboats glide across Shasta Lake's calm waters, where vacationing anglers can fish for trout, salmon, and bass. The 40,000-acre lake allows plenty of room for wakeboarding, tubing, and other watersports. Around the lake, a network of trails wends hikers and cyclists across the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, where Mount Shasta stands about 50 miles north of the lake.

Shasta Glide 'n Ride's tour guides time their running commentary, broadcast through headsets, to the whir of Segway wheels propelling patrons through scenic stretches of the paved Sacramento River Trail. First, riders hone Segway skills during a brief session that includes hands-on training, an instructional video, and tips on how to garner the best mechanical performance by impersonating a mother robot. With new Segway knowledge in hand, tours embark from the parking lot at Turtle Bay Exploration Park. Roadsters obediently bend to their riders’ whims as they zoom across the nearby Sundial Bridge and through sunning flocks of wildlife to the tune of tales about the Gold Rush and Old West. Available cooling vests enable comfortable treks, even on days with 100-degree temperatures or hot-cocoa downpours, and modern technology allows Segways to slice through fog or light rain. Patrons can also design their own tours atop rental bikes and pedal through local flora and fauna for hours at a time.