Shasta Lake
Shasta Dam - Shasta Dam is the second largest dam in the United States. From the visitor center, ride down the inside the dam on one of the free dam and power plant tours. You'll need to pick up tickets, tour lasts about an hour, and be there a half hour before the tour starts. Tours are seven days a week, call 530.275.4463 for the schedule.
The visitor center has a small play area for toddlers and coloring pages, as well as information about the construction of the dam. Outside are picnic tables with views of the dam and Shasta Lake; also, take the pedestrian sidewalk that goes over the dam.
Lake Shasta Caverns - A tour of the Lake Shasta Caverns is more than just a walking tour through the caverns. First you board a flat-bottomed catamaran for a 15 min. ride across the lake, then take a bus ride up the steep hillside with panoramic views of the lake from above. The walking tour takes about 45 min. through the caverns with spectacular stalactites and stalagmites, "cave bacon" and "ice cream" formations. Tip: The tour does involve a fair amount of walking up and down stairs, and kids will also have to walk to and from the boat, so it really isn't suited to toddlers or infants.
