While en route to Mount Shasta to spend the night at the Shasta Mount Inn Retreat & Spa on a quiet street named Birch, we made a quick detour to the quirky town of Weed. I employ that adjective on the basis of my visual contact with a gentleman crossing the street with a yellow boa constrictor draped around his neck-for no apparent reason. When I asked a few passersby about it they didn’t seem to be concerned. And maybe that is why so many people flock to this majestic region of California where Mount Shasta rises to 14,162 feet and where those in search of more than a mundane road trip find acceptance and renewed energy.
That journey led me to the aforementioned inn owned by David Knowles, a master massage therapist who once practiced in Hawaii before opening his dream bed and breakfast in this enchanting community. The original Victorian residence was built in 1904 by the town’s mayor and renovated in 1991. Views of majestic Mount Shasta and Black Butte from the Twin Peaks Room are exhilarating. Five spacious guestrooms feature the Swedish Tempur-Pedic mattress and pillows providing ultimate comfort, something to savor after a massage in the inn’s intimate spa.
Accommodation prices range from $125 to $175. A 60-minute massage is $65. As for breakfast, brace yourself for Dave’s home cooking, where guests sit around the kitchen table to enjoy his specialties from omelets to pancakes. This is the perfect hideaway where you can literally chill out for a few days amidst the stunning scenery of this mountain community. A morning perusing at least a half dozen crystal shops and bookstores along Mount Shasta Boulevard and bookstores is a stand-alone trip revealing the spiritual side of this peaceful town that seems to be blissfully out of sync with the 21st century. The Crystal Room and Soul Connections, two interesting boutiques, carry celestially creative items such as healing tools, crystal singing bowls, Tibetan ritual supplies, feng shui books and CDs, divination tools and a wealth of new age metaphysical supplies.
For mountain culture in the way of mountaineering, biking, backcountry, or park skiing and climbing, Shasta Base Camp provides the gear for your expedition. If you’re in the mood for a retreat in Southern Oregon, continue the drive on I-5 to Lithia Springs Resort & Gardens of Ashland in Ashland, Oregon, and Irish Suites (both categories are outfitted with two-person jetted spa tubs that fill with natural mineral water). Rates include afternoon hors d’oeuvres and a marvelous breakfast that makes the trip here worthwhile. If you plan to attend the Ashland’s Shakespeare Festival, make your reservations well in advance as you will be minutes away from Ashland’s Theatre and Dining District.
The I-5 between Ashland and California’s Shasta District is a treasure trove of discovery, from bakeries and thrift shops in small towns such as O’Brien to the Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding. With the cost of gas dropping to record lows, now is the time to hit the road and discover the nooks and crannies that make travel what it should be-stress-free and simple.
Information
Shasta Mountain Retreat & Spa: 530.926.1810; www.shastamountain.com
Mount Shasta Visitor’s Bureau: 530.926.4865; www.mtshastachamber.com
Shasta Base Camp: www.shastabasecamp.com
California Official State Visitor’s Guide: www.visitca.com
Lithia Springs Resort: www.lithiaspringsresort.com