You’ll be in Southern Oregon during one of our prettiest months! Without knowing what type of activities you enjoy, or who will be in your party, I’d recommend a combination of art, dining and outdoor pursuits in the area. A good home base is Ashland, where you can take in a Shakespearean play with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, dine at one of our many farm-to-table restaurants, and take a stroll along Creek street on a weekend to see the work of local artisans. I recommend eating at Sesame, Brickroom and Liquid Assets during your stay.

From Ashland, you can take a day trip to float the Rogue River with Noah’s Rafting, or set out on your own to raft the section of the Upper Rogue from Shady Cove (we like working with Rapid Pleasure, because they’ll give you a shuttle service to the put-in point along with your raft rental). If you’d rather hike, try Pilot Rock if you’re not afraid of heights, or the trails at Mt. Ashland Ski Area. You can also take a day trip to Crater Lake National Park…a must see.

In nearby Medford, the weekly farmer’s market is lovely in the Lithia Commons, and Rogue Creamery always has fresh, award-winning cheese in Central Point. In historic Jacksonville, try the Applegate Wine Trail, or take a day to swim at Applegate Lake. A walk along the downtown area of this tiny town is worth the effort, too!

Further north, the Umpqua area near Roseburg offers waterfalls, river swimming, and hiking along the North and South Umpqua, though the water will still be running a bit fast for most swimmers. From Grants Pass to the coast on the Redwoods Highway, you can stop at Oregon Caves National Historic Site and be on the coast at Brookings within a few hours.