REDDING, Calif. — Spanning the width of the Sacramento River is Redding's Sundial Bridge. Not only is it a functional art piece, but it’s also the world’s largest sundial.
On average, Redding has 249 days of sunshine, but one of the best times to see the bridge is during the winter at the Garden of Lights show.
During the months of November through January, the glass bottom bridge is illuminated with festive colors. If you follow the more than 4,300 feet of cables holding up the massive sundial, you will end up in a garden of more than a million holiday lights.
If you have any doubts about the number of lights, spokesperson Seth McGaha says you can count them yourself, though it might be tough because the lights cover 10 acres of the botanical gardens.
“So much work is put into installing the lights. We start in the summertime and work all the way through the fall,” said McGaha.
Don’t worry about getting lost. The Garden of Lights is a loop, and along the way you will run into a variety of holiday-themed displays, including the Redding Express railroad. You won’t find any carolers in the garden but there is a musical light show every few minutes.
“Music plays a huge role in the show. We have animation that's synced to the music all throughout,” said McGaha.
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No matter where you are in the light show, you can see the unique architecture of the Sundial. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to tell the time at night or during the day for that matter.
“Once a year it is accurate on the summer solstice. If you look around the Sundial Bridge, there's times that are on the ground and markers, there are times and so the shadow follows that,” said McGaha.
To be fair, most sundials generally don’t keep accurate time anyway and accurate time was the least of world-renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava's problems when the bridge was built in 2004. The $24 million dollar bridge was mostly paid for by private funds from the McConnell Foundation.
The Sundial Bridge not only celebrates human creativity but also the beauty of Redding and the Sacramento River. At the entrance of the bridge is Turtle Bay, a 300-acre cultural center. At the other end is the 17-mile-long Sacramento River Tail which takes you to Shasta Dam.
“The Sundial Bridge is really a magnet. People come here and experience it all year,” said McGaha.
The Garden of Lights is open Nov. 17 to Jan. 7, Wednesday – Sunday from 5-9 p.m.
MORE HOLIDAY LIGHTS ON THE BACKROADS: Enjoy a family friendly ride through a twinkling wonderland of lights on the Folsom Valley Railway.
