Ashland Things to Do

There is lots of great rafting near Ashland and many rafting companies. We did the Upper Klamath with's Noah's Adventures. Noah's picked us up and dropped us off at the hotel and took care of everything. Breakfast, solid lunch and beverages are provided, and they have splash guards and fleeces if you need them. The guides were both competent and fun. I had never rafted before and was nervous about it for the first little bit but ended up loving it. The river was not at all crowded and we saw an Eagle and a huge Rattle snake (he was safely on a cliff below us).

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Lithia Park is adjacent to the downtown area of Ashland and offers a haven for weary shoppers. The 100 acre park includes duck ponds, a playground, and a Japanese garden. You can picnic there and sample bubbly (somewhat smelly) lithia mineral water from two fountains.

The day we were there, couples sat together on benches and families waded in the water next to the bridge.

If you have the chance try to get tickets for the Shakespear Festival.
There are really great plays in an amazing atmosphere - the stages ....
It's certainly worth going there. (but if you go in Sept. like we did, bring blankts as it's outdoors)

A trip to Jacksonville, Oregon is enjoyed by many visitors. Jacksonville is a gold-rush town, well preserved and alive today. There is a good museum there, in the old county courthouse, and many old buildings and lively shops. It is especially noted for its summer-long music festival featuring the best of the type--from blues to Bach, and all between. Many people put this ahead of Shakespear!
A nice piece of history within a living community.The Britt Festival is open-air, set on a hillside overlooking the town and much of the Rogue Valley. The music features well known performers, including big names, and musicians (including classical) from over the world.

This repertory theater is about 65 years old, and has won every award available- including a Tony. It has three theaters, one built after the original Globe; one small,in-the-round indoor site (The Black Swan), and one no-seat-is-not-excellent, indoor, elegant site (the Bowmer). The productions here are better than those in Stratford-on-Avon, England. Shakespearean plays are done in rotation over the years so that all are staged in time. Only the bard's plays are presented in the outdoor theater, but the Black Swan does experimental works, and the Bowmer presents many different, well-known, classic, and contemporary works as well as some Shakespearean plays. Thousands attend these productions, from February to October, each year. This is world class theater.

There are three duck ponds in the park that are fed by water from Ashland Creek. Park benches and shade trees make these places very meditative for those who read.

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There are many dedicated bridges along the hiking trails of Lithia Park. These images show just a two examples...