Ashland, Oregon Visitor's Guide, Part One: What to Do

In the late 1840's settlers crossing the Oregon Trail wandered south and eventually discovered a picturesque little valley near the Rogue River. Since then, Ashland has grown into a city of about 20,000 people and features considerable activities for tourists. Whether you are staying overnight or for several weeks, you are bound to enjoy much of what Ashland has to offer you.

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival offers eleven plays this season on three stages. What many people don't know is that aside from award winning Shakespeare performances, you can also enjoy something new and edgy like Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter. If you want to try to get discount tickets you can take your chances and see if there are empty seats shortly before performances start. For more information you can visit http://www.osfashland.org

Southern Oregon University often features lectures, movies, discussions and more. Visit the campus and look for bulletin boards in the student union to discover what is happening while you are here. Many events are free to the public.

Visit our historic downtown and you can imagine what life might have been like at the turn of the century. The city of Ashland has a pretty strict sign ordinance so your senses can relax and enjoy the view of many lovely shops and downtown eateries. The tallest building in town is the Ashland Springs Hotel, which was built in 1925. Some locals insist that the grand hotel was built on ancient Indian burial ground. Some people think the current building is lovely, some think it is pretentious. It is a town landmark.

If you have kids, you might stop in and visit Scienceworks, a museum devoted to teaching Science through interactive exhibits. You can easily spend several hours wandering around playing with bubbles and seeing what traveling exhibits they are currently offering.

Visit one of our many parks, especially Lithia Park which is near the plaza.

Emigrant Lake is just south of town. Spend an afternoon boating, swimming, water sliding, or just hang out and enjoy the view.

Ashland is full of amazing hiking trails. Tourists can stop by the Visitors Center downtown and pick up maps and other brochures. You'll find the center right next door to the Shakespeare Festival on Main Street.

Drive up to Mount Ashland where you can ski, hike or have a great Italian family style meal at Callahan's, which is set to reopen soon.

Visit neighboring Jacksonville where you can shop for great antiques, see a historic museum or the old cemetery where many Oregon settlers are buried. This Victorian town is full of interesting things to see and do.

The best part about living in Ashland is that there is always something new, so come see what is happening and explore the Rogue Valley.