Anderson, in Shasta County in California, is named after Elias Anderson, who granted the Oregon and California Railroad trackage rights and land for a station. Today, the city has a population of 9,000, and is about 10 miles from Redding.

Understand

Visitor information

• 1 California Welcome Center, 1699 Highway 273, ☏ +1 530 365-1180, fax: +1 530 365-1258, info.anderson@visitcwc.com. Information about tourism in the Shasta-Cascades region of California. 

Get in

By car

By car is the cheapest way to go to Anderson. There are two major roads to take: Interstate 5 and California State Highway 273. The fastest way is, by far, I-5 because I-5 is much straighter and CA-273 has construction work on it a lot. However, CA-273 runs along and frequently connects with a major industrial strip called Frontage Road. If you wish to go to one of these places along it on the way, be prepared for a slow ride along CA-273.

By bus

There is only one bus line that goes into Anderson: RABA, from Redding in the north.

• Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA). The route that goes into Anderson. The route is called the Anderson Express, which leaves from Gate 9 at the Downtown Transit Center in Redding and then turns back at the Prime Outlets in Anderson.

Get around

Anderson is a small town, so it is wise to just drive.

See

• 1 Anderson River Park. This, by far, is the largest and most familiar park in Anderson. Most of the sightseeing, however, is just the wildlife. There is plenty of it, though. Birds are abundant, fish jump out of the water (in season), and sometimes, you will see frogs, lizards, and some snakes. The park's facilities include a softball/soccer field, boating, fishing, tennis and basketball courts, disk golf, picnicking and two playgrounds. (updated May 2016)

Do

Annual events

• Shasta Highlands Renaissance and Celtic Faire, Anderson River Park. May 6-7. The Shasta Highlands Renaissance and Celtic Faire is a very large Renaissance fair, usually put on by a group of volunteers known simply as the Friends of the Faire. It is very authentic, where you can practice such medieval leisures as fencing (with real swords), watch jugglers and other performers, eat some good food and simply listen to the volunteers' strange accents. 
• Paesano Days Italian Festival and Bocce Tournament, Anderson River Park, ☏ +1 530 221-1254. Autumn. This free Italian festival mainly advertises its bocce tournaments, but also features a spaghetti feed, live music, activities, craft booths, and raffles. 

Buy

The major shopping area in Anderson is the Factory Outlets. There is also a California Welcome center at the very south end, and Prime 11 Cinemas is located right across from the side that most of the stores are on.

Eat

• 1 Becca's Cafe, 2083 Balls Ferry Rd, ☏ +1 530-365-4511. 
• 2 Burrito Bandito, 2805 E. Center St, ☏ +1 530-378-1400. 
• 3 Oriental Express, 1703 Bruce Dr, ☏ +1 530-365-5988. 

Drink

• 1 All Stars Sports Bar, 2659 Balls Ferry Rd. (east end of Safeway shopping center), ☏ +1 530-378-1102. 

Sleep

• 1 Baymont by Wyndham Anderson, 2040 Factory Outlets Dr, ☏ +1 530-364-0120. There's a little indoor hot tub for soaking. 
• 2 Best Western Anderson Inn, 2688 Gateway Dr, ☏ +1 530 365-2753. 
• 3 GAIA Hotel Anderson, 4125 Riverside Place, ☏ +1 530 365-7077, fax: +1 530 378-1137, stay@gaiahotelspa.com. 

Go next

Routes through Anderson

Medford ← Redding ←

N  S

→ Cottonwood → Sacramento