You've got three choices on routes. The hwy 20 to 101 as previously described. The 299 route thru Redding to 101 as you described (the route I almost always use). The third is hwy 44 to hwy 89 Mt Shasta, I-5 to Grants Pass then hwy 199 to Crescent City. All are good routes and I've done all three many times. The big issue on 299 between Redding and Hwy 101 is road construction. Several large projects to straighten the road with one way traffic delays. Based solely on driving ease,from Reno I would go the I-80 to hwy 20 route.
The fastest is probably Grants pass to Crescent City.