Ashland, Oregon: where culture runs deep, local cuisine is celebrated, creative inspiration is bountiful, and thespians are the coolest kids in town.
Ashland, Oregon is more than just a touristy little town with a world-class repertory theater and a pretty park. It is a place where culture and memories run deep, creative inspiration is bountiful, local cuisine is celebrated, and Shakespeare reigns.
I still remember the first play I ever attended in Ashland, many years ago in the Angus Bowmer Theater. It was “Our Town,” Thorton Wilder’s 1938 classic play-within-a-play, set in fictional Grover’s Corners around the turn of the 20th century. I went with my favorite aunt, who had been raised in a small town not unlike Grover’s Corners, adding yet another layer to Wilder’s theatrical onion and offering us abundant fodder for our post-theater conversation. That weekend, in addition to strolling the shops and lunching in Lithia Park, we attended Shakespeare’s “Taming of Shrew” and George Bernard Shaw’s “Major Barbara” as well. I recall the three days we spent in Ashland as some of my fondest times with my Auntie.
Recently, I’ve had a number of opportunities to revisit Ashland, and while much has changed in the years between my first play and my most recent, much remains the same: the beautiful scenery, the vibrant arts scene, and above all, the cheerful, welcoming community.
If you are planning a visit to Ashland, here are a few must-dos to put at the top of your list:
Stroll: Lithia Park
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.”
– from Troilus and Cressida
With ninety-some acres of well-maintained paths, lush green lawns, two duck ponds, a Japanese garden, a formal rose garden, wide open spaces, tennis and badminton courts, and picnic areas, Lithia Park has something for everyone. Set in the center of Ashland adjacent to the theater area, this 125-year city park is daily from dawn until 11pm.
Butler-Perozzi Fountain
If you are the sort of person who likes to have a plan, I suggest that you check out the Lithia Park Trail Guide online. Printed guides are also available for purchase at the following locations:
- Ashland Parks & Recreation Office, The Grove, 1195 E. Main St.
- Ashland Chamber of Commerce Kiosk, on the Plaza in Ashland
- Ashland Chamber of Commerce Office, 110 E Main St
Rejuvenate [or maybe not]: Lithia Water
“Glory is like a circle on the water, which never ceaseth to enlarge itself, till, by broad spreading, it disperses to naught.”
– from Henry VI, Part 1
In the early 1900s, the residents of Ashland discovered that their town sat smack next to a lithium-rich spring. At the time, lithium was being touted as a health tonic, and the city tried to capitalize on this trend by building a health spa. Soon however, plans were abandoned as the lithium fad faded.
You can try lithium water today at the downtown Plaza at the northern most tip of Lithia Park, where a multi-spout “Lithia Water” fountain still stands.
Pro-Tip: Be forewarned – [in my opinion] Lithia Water tastes terrible, kind of like that egg salad you left in the fridge a couple too many days.
Discover: Downtown Ashland
“I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it.”
– from As You Like It
Downtown Ashland streets are lined with bright, cozy boutique shops offering a wide variety of goods, including home décor, artisan pottery, handcrafted jewelry and clothing, gourmet foods and wines, and art by both local and internationally recognized artists. Oh, and yarn. Lots and lots of beautiful yarn.
Nosh: Greenleaf Restaurant
“Tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers.”
– from Romeo & Juliet
The Greenleaf Restaurant has offered delicious vegetarian, vegan, organic, gluten-free, & carnivore dining options on Ashland’s Plaza for more than three decades. It’s a great place to pick up a fresh, locally sourced salad or tasty sandwich. Everything on the menu is available to go, and if you ask them nicely, they will even pack you a marvelous picnic lunch to take to Lithia Park!
Flashy Photo-op: Guanajuato Mural
“Live a little; comfort a little; cheer thyself a little.”
– from As You Like It
Dedicated in 2016, “Las Calles” [“The Streets”] was created to honor Ashland’s sister city of Guanajuato City, Guanajuato, Mexico. Located in downtown Ashland on the exterior side wall of Sesame Asian Kitchen restaurant facing Calle Guanajuanto, it represents a “kind of peace wall. A wall that connects two cultures, two cities, two nations.” [- Barry Thalen, mural patron]
Maybe we need more murals.
Marlynn [UrbanBlissLife.com] practices her cheer moves. She’s still got it, baby!
Fancy-Pants Eats: Larks
“Dost thou think, because thou are virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?”
– from Twelfth Night
Surprisingly, Ashland is a little like the theater district in Manhattan, in that before showtime, restaurants fill up with well-heeled theater-goers out for a night on the town, and empty once the show doors begin to open. One of the most popular places in Ashland for a before-the-theater meal is Larks, located in the beautiful, historic Ashland Springs Hotel.
Larks offers diners a truly authentic Farm-to-Table experience. With seasonal ingredients delivered daily from local farms, Larks’ kitchen, under the direction of Executive Chef Franco Console, creates fresh, flavorful, innovative, regionally-inspired dishes that are the hallmark of fine Pacific Northwest cuisine.
One of Chef Franco’s guiding tenets is “know our farmers,” and he is passionate about creating a connection between his restaurant’s guests and local farmers, ranchers, distillers, and winemakers.
My halibut dinner at Larks was succulent and perfectly cooked. So good – I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!
Larks Restaurant {at Ashland Springs Hotel}
212 East Main Street
Ashland, OR 97520
541.488.5558
Out on the Town: Shakespeare & Beyond
I wonder if Angus Bowmer had a glimmer, when he put on Ashland’s first three-day Shakespeare Festival back in 1935, of what his vision would become, and how it would someday shape everything – from pop culture to politics – for his town and far beyond.
“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
– from Hamlet
Visiting Ashland during Shakespeare Festival season and not seeing at least one play is like visiting Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower. It simply isn’t done. But don’t worry if Shakespeare isn’t your jam, because the Festival puts on a broad selection of productions – everything from classic, long-bearded tragedies to fresh, provocative comedies to political activist dramas, and everything in between. There is sure to be something on the lineup that will bring you to your feet.
With a season that now stretches from February to October, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is the largest repertory theater in the United States. Visit the OSF website for information about tickets and plays.
Empty stage, ready for ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ [There are no photos allowed during the actual play.]
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Disclosure: My dinner at Larks and ticket to Beauty and the Beast were complimentary as part of a Travel Oregon press trip. As always, all opinions and images are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running, and at the same time allow us to keep traditional advertising to a minimum. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!
If you ever find yourself traveling through southern Oregon’s beautiful Applegate Valley between Medford and Grants Pass, Pennington Farms is one stop you must plan to make. I fell in love with the place the first time I visited.
