Red Bluff is a friendly, affordable riverfront county seat (population ~14,700) with a compact downtown, regular farmers’ markets and events, easy I‑5 access, and abundant outdoor options on the Sacramento River and nearby trails—great for multi‑week assignments if you want a quieter base that still feels like a real town.
For weekend variety, Redding (about 31 miles north) and Chico (about 40 miles southeast) are an easy drive for bigger restaurants, shopping, regional hospitals and nightlife if you want occasional city options without being stuck in a place that has nothing to do.