Recently, we had an opportunity to spend time in Ashland Oregon before and after leading a retreat in the mountains just outside town. In some ways, it reminded us of the Adirondacks in upstate New York, largely because of the size of the town, the small shops and the people’s warmth.
Shakespeare Festival Outdoor Theatre Set
Known for lots of fun and eclectic things to do in the summertime (as well as out in nature), here are a few things worth noting when you’re ready to head to this small northwestern American town.
Shakespeare Festival & Outdoor Plays
Founded in 1935, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a regional repertory theatre, and offers matinee and evening performances of a wide range of classic and contemporary plays not just limited to Shakespeare.
The set is absolutely spectacular. It boasts the oldest existing full-scale Elizabethan stage in the Western Hemisphere, built on the site of the old Chautauqua theatre established in 1893.
After the sun goes down.
In addition to Shakespeare, you can see important stories that helped shape our history, such as Jane Ayre, which was playing while we were there. It was the first time we had seen the production. Bravissimo.
Lithia Park
We discovered quite a bit about Lithia Park from a walking tour led by Peter Finkle (aka WalkAshland.com). Although we started the tour downtown, we ended up in Lithia Park fairly quickly, which began as eight acres in 1892. Back then, it was a place where the Chautauqua Association brought entertainment and culture to the area. Its current location originally housed the original Shakespeare Theater in 1935.
Peter Finkle, Tour Guide with WalkAshland.com
There were a series of events that marked the history of the park, including the time that the old flour mill was torn down and the creation of lower duck pond and waterfall in 1910. The modern version of Lithia Park was designed by landscape architect John McLaren in 1914—he also apparently designed San Francisco‘s Golden Gate Park. The trees you’ll find here are fairly diverse, from oaks, conifers and madrones, to willows, maples and sycamores, all hearty in order to withstand the four seasons of America’s Northwest.
It’s quite enchanting in the summer and you can listen to musicians, go for a walk, hang out by a waterfall, read a book, or simply BE.
There’s also the renowned lithia water fountains in Ashland’s Downtown plaza which were installed in 1927 to provide natural lithia water to the public. There’s also a water source in the park as well; you can tell by the sulphur smell and the orange color.
Part of the park includes a Japanese Garden which was central to the park‘s design. They recommend that you walk the garden counterclockwise as the designer Toru Tanaka intended. You can get a map of the garden on their website, where you can also learn about core Japanese philosophies.
Shopping
Now for some of our favorite picks. Note: we tend to be biased towards old, cultural and esoteric, so bear that in mind.
3 Magpies Antiques: Located on East Main Street, you’ll discover this gem. It has reasonable prices compared to some of the more expensive trendier shops along the main drag. There’s no shortage of items to keep you busy, from antique record players, books, clothing, plates, lamps, furniture and spoons to statues, carpets and esoteric relics from yesteryear.
Old World Artifacts: Located on 4th Street (next to Noble Coffee). Old World Artifacts offers a unique and unusual shopping experience with items from around the world. You’ll discover Buddhas, Hindu relics, rugs, singing bowls, antiques, clothing, Goddess statues, home decor, jewelry and more. Let’s just say that we had a hard time leaving the store and didn’t leave empty handed. Finally, we have a golden Thai statue to add to our collection. Thanks to owner Franklin Corbin for his rich knowledge and historical facts.
Photo credit: Old World Artifacts Facebook page
Gypsy Road Studio: Located on the main drag of Ashland, this is a must-not miss shopping experience. In from out of town and need to fly home? Owner and shop manager Heather can ship it for you. Favorite picks here include original art across cultures and time periods, statues, esoteric objects and prints, gemstones, furniture, carpets and masks. And OMG, the place is packed upstairs and down.
Below is a picture of Heather and her mother in the store.
Heather’s mom (left) and Heather to the right
Create your own Etching at the Shakespeare Theatre: Located outside (you’ll pass it if you’re doing a walking tour), you can create your own etchings or buy prints. Below is a large one that was on display while we were there.
There is also Apothecary, a gem of a spot for mixed herbs and concoctions but you can also get drinks there as well.
Rogue Valley Metaphysical Library
We discovered a fascinating metaphysical library just on the outskirts of town. Located on 1757 Ashland Street, the library is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm. They have a video archive and countless books that span a number of diverse categories, from angels, UFO’s, the after life, the soul and the hero’s journey to crystals, quantum physics and alternative health. And beyond.
If you’re a local, you can become a member and take books out to read and return, similar to a public library. There are aisles and aisles to choose from; however, if you’re not a member, they have a free section where you can just take a book home with you. In the “free” section, I mostly discovered older titles, but also books from more famous authors where they may have two or more copies (Deepak Chopra, Ken Wilbur, Pema Chodron, etc). You get the idea. For those interested in metaphysical topics, it’s an amazing place to spend a couple of hours on a rainy afternoon.
The Oregon Vortex & House of Mystery
Located in nearby Gold Hill Oregon, The Oregon Vortex & House of Mystery is known for its famous circular area with unique phenomena. It’s been open to the public since 1930 and has left many people in awe. Think of it as a glimpse of a “strange world where the improbable is the commonplace and everyday physical facts are reversed.”
The Oregon Vortex is a spherical field of force, which is apparently half above the ground and half below the ground. A vortex, essentially a whirlpool of force, is the basic form of our universe. The so called phenomena that makes this place so mysterious is the strange sightings as you witness people walking from one place to another. For example, nowhere in the circle can you normally stand erect.
The other strange thing is that when a taller person walks towards a shorter person on a level platform, as they recede from you towards magnetic south, they appear taller. When they approach you, coming towards magnetic north, they become shorter. We witnessed this with Jorg and Anthony who demonstrated for us on an area that we measured with a leveling device.
The House of Mystery (the construction you see behind us in the below photo) was originally an assay office and later used for tool storage, built by the Old Grey Eagle Mining Company in 1904. The Native Americans apparently called the area the “Forbidden Ground.” We did notice feeling a bit dizzy at times and more fatigued and did not hear any birdsong (or see any birds) within the circular area. According to the tour guide, everyone responds differently to the energy.
Nearby Jacksonville
Jacksonville is a small town (just under 3K in population) roughly five minutes from Medford (the closest airport to Ashland, which is about 20-30 minutes away). It was named for Jackson Creek, which flows through the community and was the site of one of the first placer gold claims in the area. Since it was part of the early Gold Rush era, it’s not surprising that some people describe it as a ghost town. It has that energy in a charming small town America kinda way.
There is the historical Jacksonville Inn, where you can get drinks at the bar or buy bottles of wine.
At the Jacksonville Inn, there was live music when we passed through on a hot summer night in July.
The entire town of Jacksonville is a designated National Historic Landmark. Walking through the center of town, you can feel the roots of the 1850’s gold rush. There are naturally self guided walking tours, but you can also take a trolley or haunted history tour as well. There’s an eclectic mix of independently owned shops, restaurants, spas and lodging.
Wine lovers will appreciate the Applegate Valley Wine Trail with 20 small, intimate wineries to discover, along with five tasting rooms right in town (we stopped at two). There’s also the Woodlands Trails which offer 20+ miles of walking and Forest Park is a great option for hiking and mountain biking.
Below, old world charm meets antiquity and ghost town years gone by.
Ashland’s Outskirts
The Ashland you don’t typically see when you’re on vacation is the dry mountainous countryside up in the hills, off the beaten path. It’s where we held our retreat and where wildlife play. On this land, you’ll find coyote, also known as the American jackal, prairie wolf, or brush wolf—there were plenty of them where I lived in Africa.
There’s also no shortage of rattlesnakes, bear, fox, eagles and hawks. I was pretty much okay with all of them except for the rattlers, although I realize with such hot dry temperatures that surpass 100 degrees, it’s their stomping ground. The views are breathtakingly beautiful from this spot (roughly a few miles from the center of Ashland).
Take in a Concert at the Britt Festival
We lucked out as Rick Springfield and Richard Marx (our era) were touring together and we were able to grab tickets to see them on our last night in the area.
The Britt Festival offers a wide range of musical performances from June through September. Britt’s performance venue can seat up to 2,200 people and its naturally formed amphitheater is set among majestic ponderosa pines and native madrones. It is set on the picturesque hillside estate of 19th century photographer Peter Britt. Below are a few shots from our magical evening watching Springfield and Marx perform separately and together.
Rick Springfield on stage
Mount Ashland
You can ski on Mount Ashland in the winter time, but the mountain also offers great hiking during the summer. We went up to meditate, walk, climb the rocks and have a picnic. Spending time amongst her leaves, rocks and twigs was magical as were the views.
Walking Through the Town: Art, History & Nature
Walking through the town itself is interesting as well as its brimming with history. Take in the art galleries (there’s tons of them; you’ll find a free art gallery magazine at the local Chamber office downtown) and just absorb the history as you meander through the town. Note some of the pretty architecture as well.
You’ll also see deer roaming around the town, including across people’s lawns in the suburbs as well. It’s not just an occasional spotting either.
Day Trip: Mill Creek Waterfalls Hike
Mill Creek Waterfalls is only about an hour drive from Ashland. The loop is about a mile and a quarter and I’d allocate about two hours or so for the hike, largely because you’ll want to stop, take pictures and maybe even sit and stare at the beauty for a while. Or have a picnic.
The first quarter mile is downhill towards the river gorge and then you hit views for both Mill Creek Falls and Barr Creek Falls within steps of each other. To the left are what they call “The Boulders.” It’s a fairly easy hike, so it’s manageable by all level hikers. Below, Anthony looks out over Barr Creek Falls at a lovely resting area among the trees.
The walks in and around the area are beautiful as well: rivers, trees, bird life and diverse fauna in all directions.
Day Trip to Crater Lake
Above and below, the infamous Crater Lake
Crater Lake is roughly an hour and 45 minutes drive from Ashland, so it’s a long day trip or a great overnight getaway if you choose to stay at the lodge or a nearby hotel. There’s plenty of hiking and you can get boat rides on the lake itself but advanced reservations are recommended. Truth be told, I’d allocate a full two days for the experience because there are things along the way to visit, such as the waterfalls hike mentioned above as one example.
Apparently, this was the largest eruption in North America in over 500,000 years, and it created a 5-mile wide, 1-mile deep depression that eventually became the lake. It apparently has visibility to as deep as 130 feet, which is pretty astounding. I also discovered that Crater Lake is important in Klamath and Modoc Native American history and culture.
Standing at one of the view points to Crater Lake in late July
The beauty will have you at hello and you’ll want to gaze at her for hours on end despite the crowds.
Be sure to stay until the sun sets.
Restaurants
Our favorite spot was a place called Alchemy Restaurant & Bar, but be sure to read our article on Ashland Restaurants for a run down on some of the other places we dined while in town. The post also includes a handful of great coffee and tea offerings as well.
Above and below: Alchemy Restaurant & Bar in Ashland
We also enjoyed Hearsay Restaurant Lounge & Garden which has great ambiance inside and out. We loved their Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna plate.
The Ahi Tuna at Hearsay
There are some wonderful cafes as well. We visited a half a dozen or so coffee and tea bars while we there. Below is the Bloomsbury Cafe & Wine Bar, which has reliable internet and offers not only great croissants, sandwiches, homemade breads and muffins, but wine as well. Their iced coffee had me at hello.
Our favorite Italian pick is Osteria La Briccola, especially for its pasta and appetizer plates.
Prosciutto Plate with Shaved Fried Pumpkin at Osteria La Briccola
Our Restaurant Picks in Ashland Oregon
Be sure to read our Restaurant Picks for Ashland.
Hope you enjoyed our Summer Travel Guide to Ashland Oregon. Here’s a short video of some of our “out in nature” highlights.
Have you traveled to Ashland? What experiences did you love?
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
