Photo courtesy of Jenny Graham/Oregon Shakespeare Festival

By Jamie Hale | The Oregonian, OregonLive

In 1935, the city of Ashland loaned a local teacher $400 to stage two of Shakespeare's plays inside a dilapidated theater in town. By the end of the decade, the new Oregon Shakespeare Festival was nationally known, and the southern Oregon town had found itself a niche.



Today, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the city of Ashland are inseparable. The presence of The Bard – and all the people who gather to stage his works – has made Ashland the cultural capital of southern Oregon, and perhaps the most vibrant small town in the state.



Because of the festival, Ashland has become a dinner-and-a-show kind of town. Before show time, the many good restaurants and bars will fill up, emptying like clockwork once seating begins. After the ovations, bars fill up once more, mixing craft cocktails and pouring mugs of mead. While nightlife is the highlight, by day Ashland is a place surrounded by natural beauty, from local Lithia Park to the stunning Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument nearby.



It's an interesting culture for the region – especially in contrast to other southern Oregon locales, like Klamath Falls and Medford – but it's one that has allowed Ashland to become not just another local destination, but one recognized the world over. Shakespeare might have lived in England, but he would have felt right at home in Ashland.

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ATTRACTIONS

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Photo courtesy of Jenny Graham/Oregon Shakespeare Festival

1. Oregon Shakespeare Festival

The focal point of Ashland, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival isn't a one-off event, but a nearly-year-round production of plays – many penned by The Bard, with original works mixed in for good measure. It runs from February through October, and while tickets can get pricey, there's always the free Green Show that starts in June.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

2. Lithia Park

One of the most beautiful urban parks in Oregon, Lithia Park is nearly 100 acres of paved pathways, trails and green space that run alongside Ashland Creek. Several small bridges cross the trickling creek, leading to tucked away alcoves of picnic tables, shelters, an amphitheater and an ice skating rink. The park was designed by John McLaren, the landscape architect responsible for Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

3. Lithia Water

Ashland’s famous Lithia Water – natural spring water with trace amounts of lithium salts – was once thought to be a healing tonic, leading city officials to pipe it into drinking fountains downtown. Today, the water is best known for its terrible taste, though the fountains remain a local attraction.

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Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian

4. Ashland Springs Hotel

The historic hotel originally opened in 1925 as the Lithia Springs Hotel, but after a major renovation, it re-opened in 2000 as the Ashland Springs Hotel. It's one of the most prominent buildings downtown, and in 1978 was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Rooms run from about $89 to $329, depending on season and accommodations.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

5. Schneider Museum of Art

Gallery space might be limited, but Southern Oregon University's own Schneider Museum of Art fills it well with socially-conscious work from a diverse set of artists. This winter, the museum showcased internationally-recognized local Betty LaDuke, Mexican immigrant Maria de Los Angeles and Portland artist Storm Tharp. Admission is a suggested donation of $5.

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FOOD AND DRINK

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

6. New Sammy's Cowboy Bistro

There are few restaurants in Oregon as storied as New Sammy's Cowboy Bistro. The "slow food" establishment is helmed by chef Charlene Rollins, who owned a critically-acclaimed restaurant in Northern California before fleeing to France when the creditors came calling. She and her family returned stateside to Ashland, where they set up New Sammy's in a rundown roadside shack. Today it serves a phenomenal $15 prix fixe lunch, alongside a fresh dinner menu and expansive wine list.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

7. Hither

Married couple Wesley Reimer and Corrie Robinson-Reimer have spent their careers in restaurants in Portland, San Francisco and New York, and last year they brought that experience to a new venture in Ashland: Hither Coffee & Goods. The small, simple space serves up fresh-baked pastries, good coffee, and small breakfast and lunch menus. The creamy herbed eggs on toast are a nice way to start the day.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

8. Morning Glory

You might have a long wait at Morning Glory, but at least it will be cozy. The popular breakfast spot is built into a house and comes with some appropriate amenities: a fireplace and comfortable chairs in the waiting area, with funky décor and a variety of seating options, including garden tables outside. A lot of people come for the lemon ricotta stuffed French toast, but the scrambles and omelets are a solid bet as well. Just be sure to get the fresh-baked muffin in lieu of toast.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

9. Smithfield's

Smithfield's proudly proclaims itself as a "meat-centric," "nose-to-tail" restaurant, with a dinner menu that goes from bacon-wrapped shrimp to a 12 oz. rib eye. As advertised, the meat here is exceptional, made all the better with rich béarnaise and green peppercorn sauces. Their affordable "happy hour & a half" is also a great way to nibble through all the meaty offerings.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

10. Brickroom

With a prominent spot overlooking The Plaza, Brickroom is one of Ashland's newest go-to spots, drawing crowds with a hip aesthetic and modern design.The menu is weirdly heavy on sandwiches and salads, so stick with something simple, like the Brickroom Burger, and spend your money on a cocktail instead – an area where the restaurant excels.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

11. Alchemy

Set inside a glass-walled addition to the homey Winchester Inn, the bar at Alchemy is a terrific spot for cocktails. The drink menu is as creative as it is extensive – with drinks like I'm Not Really a Blonde and My Dad Made Me Wear This Stupid Sweater – and the atmosphere is surprisingly laid-back given the imposing look of the back-lit wall of libations.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

12. Oberon's

Dubbed "Ashland's Most Ashlandiest Spot," Oberon's is a perfect accompaniment to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Here, they pour mead from taps built into wooden casks, offer several kinds of hot toddy, and occasionally host patrons in Medieval garb. Yes, there's food and live music, too, but the real draw is the pure Ashland atmosphere.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

13. Caldera Brewing

Every small town in Oregon needs a brewery, and in Ashland the beloved beer comes from Caldera (with a nod to Standing Stone Brewery). There are two places in town to try the brewery's extensive offerings: the small tap house just off The Plaza, or the larger brewery and restaurant across town.

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OUTDOORS

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

14. Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

Put the recent politics aside for a moment and just enjoy the beautiful scenery at the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. Set at the confluence of three mountain ranges and the Great Basin desert, the monument is considered an "ecological wonderland," accessible via day hikes and long stretches of wilderness.

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Terry Richard/Staff

15. Mt. Ashland Ski Area

The southern Oregon ski area tops out at 7,533 feet, and operates five lifts and 23 runs on 220 acres of skiable terrain. Mt. Ashland was originally popular among local backcountry skiers in the 1950s, who built a lodge and one lift there in 1963. The ski area is typically open late January through mid-April.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

16. Alice in Wonderland trail network

It's officially named the Ashland Watershed Trail system, but you might as well call it Alice's Hiking Trails in Wonderland. Connecting Lithia Park to the Oredson-Todd Woods and several scenic segments of the Siskiyou mountains just south of town, the trail network is a nod to Lewis Carrol, with the White Rabbit Trail, Queen of Hearts Loop, Jabberwocky mountain bike trail and others.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

17. Oredson-Todd Woods

Since the Oredson-Todd Woods connect with Siskiyou Mountain Park and the aforementioned Alice in Wonderland trail network, it's easy to consider it just one part of a much larger whole. But the three miles of forested trails in the small park are among the loveliest in the area, and are perfectly suitable for a simple wooded stroll close to town.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

18. Emigrant Lake

A Jackson County park just outside of town, Emigrant Lake is a great summer destination, with a campground, RV park and a twin-flume 280-foot water slide. The lake itself – a reservoir created by the Emigrant Lake Dam – is open to boating, fishing and swimming.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

19. Mount McLoughlin

Portland has Hood, Bend has the Three Sisters, and Ashland has Mount McLoughlin. The 9,500-foot-tall mountain lords over the northeast horizon, and features one of the prettiest peaks in the Cascades. You can hike to the summit via the Mount McLoughlin Trail, or enjoy it from afar at places like Hyatt Lake or Lake of the Woods.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

20. Siskiyou Mountains

Ashland is located at the northeast tip of the Siskiyou Mountains, one of three mountain ranges that converge in the region. The Siskiyous don't have the tallest peaks, but get considerable precipitation, and are therefore lush with vegetation and ecological diversity. Most of the land is managed by the U.S. Forest Service's Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District, where hiking, fishing, mountain biking and skiing opportunities abound.

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Honorable mention

Bloomsbury Books and Café, Breadboard, Brothers Restaurant, Crater Lake, Greenleaf, Hearsay, North Mountain Park, Sammich Ashland, Standing Stone Brewing Company, wine.

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Dave Killen/The Oregonian

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB