Ashland, OR

Address:Ashland, Oregon

Ashland, Oregon, located in the foothills of the Siskiyou and Cascade mountain ranges just north of the California border, is a popular cultural and outdoors destination. In addition to the famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival, come to this region to enjoy first-class skiing, hiking and biking, in the natural beauty of Oregon.

Ashland's most well-known attraction, drawing thousands of tourists, is the nearly year-long season of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Ashland has staged Shakespeare's plays from February through October since 1935. It has produced the bard's complete canon three times, and since 2000, the festival community has augmented the offerings with at least one new work each season by another playwright. The plays are staged in three theaters, including the outdoor Elizabethan Theater which draws flocks of tourists to its evening shows during the summer. Throughout the year there are activities and lectures for people of every age, with scholars and guest lecturers from around the country. You can take a backstage tour exploring the history, design and technology of repertory theatre (stairless tours are available with three days notice).

The area is nestled in the foothills of two gorgeous mountain ranges, so make sure to take advantage of the natural beauty while you're here. Mount Ashland offers downhill skiing, a halfpipe and terrain park and nighttime skiing from December to April. Miles of hiking trails, including the Pacific Crest Trail, can be found up on Mount Ashland in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Bike riding the 31-mile Siskiyou Crest route, you will see spectacular views of the Siskiyou Mountains and Mt. Shasta. A favorite of bikers, the Bear Creek Bike and Nature Trail runs along Bear Creek, then down the valley to Medford.

Ashland's many pristine mountain lakes are perfect for anglers to try their hand at catching steelhead, salmon and trout. In the summer months enjoy white-water rafting or jet boat rides on the Rogue or Klamath River.

Lithia Park, a 100-acre park stretching along the banks of Ashland Creek starting near downtown, offers a Japanese garden, flowers, ponds, fountains, and a scenic babbling brook. The park also has tennis courts, two public greens, and miles of hiking trails. The 28-mile Lithia Loop biking trail is a favorite. There is also a great playground. The park is famous for its water, with a strong mineral taste and slight effervescence. To make the most of this natural resource, visit the Waterstone Spa at the Lithia Springs Resort & Gardens. This mineral spring spa is set in a mountain environment and specializes in nutrition and diet.

There are five golf courses in Ashland, including the Oak Knoll Golf Course, nine holes nestled among beautiful oaks on a rolling hillside at the southern end of the Rogue Valley.

The center of town is called the Plaza. On Main Street you will find specialty stores and plenty of art galleries, many of which are open late on the first Friday of every month. Four galleries housed in a collection of cottages on the banks of Ashland Creek specialize in wood and glass art. The organic Ashland Vineyards and Winery is also worth a visit. Families will want to check out the ScienceWorks hands-on museum, with over 80 interactive science exhibits exploring energy, anatomy, chemistry, perception, motion, engineering and more.

Ashland has a busy nightlife, with bars and cafes offering live music and many good restaurants. In addition to the Shakespeare festival, the town sees an amazing range of theater productions, including musicals, professional dinner theater, intimate productions at the Oregon Stage Works, and well-regarded plays produced by Southern Oregon University.

If your visit to Ashland is focused on the Shakespeare Festival, you'll find it most convenient to choose an inn within walking distance of the theaters. Treat yourself with a stay at Coolidge House, an 1875 Victorian located right on bustling North Main Street. Guest suites have sitting rooms and large luxurious bathrooms, most of which come with either a whirlpool bath or a claw-foot tub. The ShuttleBug service will deliver food to your hotel room and help you with shopping and errands.

Only a short drive from Ashland is the otherworldly Crater Lake National Park, with its emerald centerpiece, Crater Lake. The six-mile-wide lake lies a caldera formed when the volcano, Mount Mazam, collapsed approximately 7,700 yrs ago. You can see all the way to the bottom of the 1,943-foot-deep lake, through crystal-clear water fed by melting snow. Take a boat tour to the center of the lake, drive around the scenic rim, or hike in old-growth forests in the park. The Sinnott Memorial Overlook and its accompanying museum have exhibits focusing on the history of research on the lake and the geologic history of historic Mt. Mazama. It is a good idea to check the weather before going to the lake, as visibility is drastically reduced by rain and fog. Dress in layers, the weather can change rapidly.

Accommodations are available at the historic Crater Lake Lodge and the nearby Mazama Village Motor Inn, as well as at two camp grounds.

Ashland is located in Jackson County, Oregon, near Interstate 5 and the California border, in the south end of the Rogue Valley. Most people drive to Ashland, however there is an Amtrak station 70 miles east, at Klamath Falls, serviced by a daily shuttle bus directly to town. The Medford International Airport is located 15 miles north, and a shuttle, taxis and some hotels provides service from the airport to Ashland.