I grew up in the Napa Valley and currently live in the Sacramento area. Redding is nice but is the Devil's armpit in the Summer. No offense, but the heat is just unreal. Napa is nice, but super expensive. I absolutely love Durham(near Chico) and the small towns near it like Gridley etc. If I were choosing between Redding and the Chico area, I'd pick the Chico area in a heart beat! Lots of rivers and scenery in Butte County. I don't think I'd pick Chico, but one of the nearby, small towns. Hope this helps!