What North State Families Should Know About California’s Great America For many families in Shasta County and the broader North State, California’s Great America in Santa Clara has long been worth the drive. Whether it was a special weekend getaway from Redding, a school-group outing, a Grad Nite adventure, or a multi-generational road trip south, the park offered thrills, water slides, and classic amusement-park fun that felt like a real treat after a few hours on the road.