Ashland, Oregon: Lithia Park and Shakespeare.

Home of the Oregon Shakespearean Festival.

Ashland Hills in Autumn.

Lithia Park:

The Ripple of Ashland Creek.

An Alcove in the Trees.

Colonnades of Red.

Forward ~ Ashland Hills in Autumn.

Back ~ Mt Shasta from Hwy 97.

Brad and I invite you to explore the Diverse Loop Tour: Travel Directions,
Map and Scenery. To Arrive in Ashland on the Diverse Loop
Tour See Below.*

Things to Do ... Things to See ... in Ashland, Oregon.

Ashland boasts the Oregon Shakespearean Festival and more. Take a walking tour
of Lithia Park and enjoy the gardens, play tennis.

Walk in the park. Enjoy yourself relaxing on the green lawn under the trees. That's a given. :-)

Shopping is fun in Ashland even though I don't normally like it, and especially hate shopping malls. But in
Ashland ... Local artisans display their wares in quaint little shops. The Rare Earth, with roots in the 60s, offers artistic
imports: furniture, glassware, bead door hangings, clothing, candles, CDs in the basement ... Soundpeace offers semi-
precious stones in jewelry, some of it locally handcrafted, a diversity of books promoting eastern spirituality, Celtic, & more. The Unicorn Store offers beautiful gifts, glassware, collectibles, more than I can think of right now. It's just a great store. There are other stores, the names of which I cannot recall right now: A great bookstore on Main Street; it's on the right as you head away from the hub of town. A nice store with local works of art, the name of which includes Heart on Main Street. A great bakery, also on Main Street, not the one with the restaurant that is closer to the hub of town, although that bakery does
have a nice restaurant. The bakery I'm thinking of is more like Great Harvest in Portland & Salem; the bakers offer
whole grain breads, great cinnamon rolls, healthy food that also tastes good. Head away from the hub of
and look on the right side of the street. It's by the laundromat. You'll find it.

The Greek restaurant on the corner of Main Street and Water Avenue is very good, and they offer tables creek side,
as do many of the restaurants along the creek. The locals like Murchies, I believe it's called, a Mexican restaurant cum bakery. It's located underneath the Ice Cream/Fudge shop on the banks of Ashland Creek. I've eaten there. of
course, but the Mexican food seems just like anyone else's. That's my opinion anyway.
I've seen great restaurants come and go in this town.

Of course, the hot springs on Hwy 99 should not be missed. They used to be called Jackson Hot Springs, and
it's always hard for me to think of the new name, because I don't usually need the name. :-) I know where they are. but I do remember the word Wellness - something like Wellness Springs. But anyone in Ashland would know what you were talking about if you asked about Jackson Hot Springs. In July, towards the middle of the month, they have a sort of country fair.

Christmas is beautiful in Ashland, the city lends itself very well to the holidays. Summer boasts a small Saturday
Market for local artisans on Ashland Creek that expands into Lithia Park over the 4th of July.

The Ashland Food Coop is a great grocery store, offering natural and organic foods to the discerning. Oh! and the bed and breakfasts; great Victorian homes transformed for the delight of tourists coming to taste of Ashland and all its glories. Be sure to plan ahead, this city promotes tourism, and does very well with it. After all, it's Shakespeare ... Although I did like it better when Shakespeare was performed in the park; the theaters are enclosed now ... still ... Ashland is a great place to visit.

Finally: don't confine your adventure to Main Street and the hub of restaurants and stores you'll find there.
There are some great galleries down on A Street. Like everywhere else, this city is expanding.

Don't forget skiing on Mt Ashland, that would be the last exit from I - 5. Also, Ashland is nestled in the Siskiyou Mountains
with all the scenery, sightseeing, hiking and other such opportunities so implied. The Kalmiopsis Wilderness is nearby, waterfalls, as well as, Crater Lake National Park. Plan your excursion to take in as much as you can. :-)

For change of pace, historic Jacksonville, 6 miles west of Medford, ( Medford is 10 miles north of Ashland) hosts the
Britt Music Festival, an annual classical music festival. While you're out and about in this area, check out the Applegate
River, there are some great swimming holes. People swim with and without suits.

I've told you what I like, but there is much to appeal to everyone in this town that thrives on outside business.
Check it out for yourself. :-) - gm

Directions to Ashland when taking the Diverse Loop Tour.

Travel Oregon and northern California while staying at Gathering Light ... a retreat
in southern Oregon near Crater Lake National Park, a hop and a skip from Ashland, Oregon too.

Travel to Gathering Light ... a retreat from Ashland, Oregon:

There are several alternative routes to the retreat from Ashland. The easiest is given in the Directions from
Medford. You may prefer to consult a map of Oregon for the other alternatives. I can give you enough information to make
it if you're adventurous. Both routes are very picturesque, one is highway 66, or the old highway, which eventually
winds back into Klamath Falls. The other is Dead Indian Memorial Road - it's called that because at one time
people came along and found several Indians dead, no one knows how they died, but that became
the marker for this stretch of road. Both take you through the Cascades.

Access both routes in Ashland. The route along Hwy 66 is clearly marked from Hwy 99 in Ashland. The sign says Klamath Falls, and I believe, Hwy 66,
and it turns onto Siskiyou Blvd. This is also the turn you need
to take to get to Dead Indian Memorial Road.

Hwy 66 skirts Emigrant Lake. The hills are dotted with Oak, and spring brings
lovely purple wildflowers. Dead Indian Memorial Hwy, which connects with Hwy
40 by Lake of the Woods, offers 2 stunning views of Mt McLoughlin. One of the
views is right off the road, the other is up by Lake of the Woods, and you must
turn off. There's some sort of campground where you need to turn. That's the
only marker I can think of. If you get close to Lake of the Woods & see such a
sign as that on your left, turn off; & see Mt McLoughlin set in the forest. Lake
of the Woods is a very beautiful lake if you want to drive along the banks
& check it out. Consult the Medford directions to complete the Dead
Indian Memorial route. Regardless your choice, all are lovely.

Travel Directions to & Day Trips of about 100 miles from the retreat.

Little Known Scenic Places near Crater Lake & Gathering Light ...
a retreat: Travel Directions, Map & Scenery.

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Contact Brad at Gathering Light ... a retreat.