Animal Encounters

Visit Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding

01.15.2025

Located where Redding’s famous Sundial Bridge overlooks the Sacramento River, Turtle Bay Exploration Park is 300 acres of gardens, a museum and playground, aquarium, and unforgettable up-close animal encounters!

All the wildlife at Turtle Bay (current count 120 animals) have been rescued from across the country and aren’t able to survive in the wild … grey and red foxes, golden eagle, Alaskan porcupine … you can visit these animals at Turtle Bay, including their fantastic “Behind the Scenes” encounters. Meet, feed, and interact with animal ambassadors like Gucci the Opossum and Timber the Beaver.

Found tangled in a wire fence in Alaska at just five weeks old, Bristle the Porcupine delights in getting meals, walking around, and climbing into your lap! Bristle’s favorite meal? Hard biscuits—otherwise known as compressed tree bark.

Be sure to visit the Parrot Playhouse (included with park admission). This aviary of colorful lorikeets (aka lorries) is a walkthrough interactive exhibit … buy a $2 cup of nectar and birds will flock to you for some feasting, landing on your arm, shoulder, head (!) ... yep, these small parrots of Australian descent are friendly when it comes to food. They're also quite beautiful, with vibrant feathers and unique tongues that have bottle brush tips (perfect for swooping in and scooping out plant nectar). You might even meet Keswick the yellow-billed magpie, found only in Northern California; this intelligent beauty can mimic your sounds. So try a little karaoke.

MEETING TIP: If you’re planning meetups or meetings at Turtle Bay, there’s a lovely outdoor pavilion, and also the rustic, cabin-like Mill Building, where you can reserve tables. Bonus: The Mill Building has indoor animal displays, a museum, and kid-friendly events like puppet shows.