All the possibilities of the wide-open, Central Oregon landscape and Native American culture await at Kah-Nee-Ta. Explore the high desert trails by horseback or tackle the 18-hole championship golf course. There’s also volleyball, tennis and swimming in the resort’s signature hot springs pool. Enrich the family in the traditional arts of basket making and jewelry in the nearby Museum at Warm Springs. Adults can step away to throw a few quarters into the slots at the resort casino or sashay to Spa Wanapine for massages, facials and manicures.

If the family is feeling the pull of the coast, Newport’s your spot. Voyage out to sea with Marine Discovery Tours as part of Spring Whale Watching Week, March 19-26. Oceanic wonders are within reach at the tidepools and other hands-on displays at the award-winning Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Hatfield Marine Science Center. The exploration continues in Mariner Square, in the Undersea Garden, Ripley’s Believe-It-or-Not, and The Wax Works. Newport’s two iconic 19th century lighthouses, Yaquina Head and Yaquina Bay, beckon from their spectacular bluffs.

Eugene offers up a mix of worldly gee-wiz and local Willamette Valley flavor. At the Science Factory Children’s Museum and Exploration Dome, local scientists go small — no, smaller — in explaining the cutting edge of molecular research during Nano Day, March 26. Kids see the secrets behind their favorite toys in the exhibit Toys, The Inside Story. Oregon Duck fans can hop a Eugene Pedicab for the Duck Sports Hall of Fame Tour. Discover how the first Nike shoe was created at the Nike Store, visit historic Hayward Field, check out the new Matthew Knight arena and explore several local halls-of-fame. Also, don’t miss foot stomping in the Barn Dance at Spencer Creek Grange, and a local rendition of The Wizard of Oz .

If Portland is your destination for Spring Break you can hit three great family-friendly attractions in Washington Park and never lose your parking spot.  Or, take the TriMet Light Rail Service (Max) right there if you are traveling green.  First, you can monkey around at the Portland Children’s Museum as Curious George kicks off Spring Break. Next, venture around the world at the World Forestry Center where each day explores the unique and interesting cultures of five locations including: Russia, Mexico, Japan, South Africa, and Hawaii. Last, but certainly not least, pop over to the Oregon Zoo for a tropical celebration.  Get crazy with crocodiles and party with the polar bears during the Zoo’s Gone Wild.

Founded in 1982 as Actors Theatre, Camelot’s home from 1990 to 2011 was at a former feed store that was converted to a 104-seat theater. In May 2011, supported by donors, foundations and loans, the new 164-seat state-of-the-art James Morrison Collier Theatre Building opened in downtown Talent. The new theater has a larger capacity, a beautiful interior, much-needed backstage enhancements –  and there’s not a bad seat in the house.

Camelot’s current production is “Woody Guthrie’s American Song,” running through September 9. Conceived and adapted by Peter Glazer, the musical debuted in 1989 and has been performed all across America. This humorous and heart-wrenching tribute to Guthrie shines as local, talented actors and musicians take us on a journey through his life as a troubadour and extraordinary observer across the country in the 1920s and 30s. The actors do a great job singing more than two dozen Guthrie songs and sharing his stories about the hardscrabble times of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. I’m always amazed by the versatility of theatrical sets in small theaters; this one is another winner.

Peter Wycliffe, Tyler Ward and Scott Woolsey robustly sing the role of Guthrie at three different ages, interwoven with the characters of two of the women in his life, portrayed by the very talented Tamara Marston and Kendra Taylor. Not only do the performers sing, dance and act, but they also play musical instruments throughout the production, supported by the onstage musical trio of Peter Spring (bass), Mark Tuttle (fiddle) and James Abdo (guitar). Under the direction of Livia Ginese and musical direction of Mark Reppert, it’s very obvious that this tightly-knit company has fine-tuned “American Song” into a performance worthy of big city venues with small town prices. Such is the beauty of the arts scene in Southern Oregon.

“Woody Guthrie’s American Song” runs through Sept. 9. Curtain is at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays, and at 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are available online at www.camelottheatre.org.

Wineries and breweries bring beverages chosen to partner with the cheeses. At one demonstration, Cheese Bar owner Steve Jones and food writer Janet Fletcher will evaluate significant cheese and beer pairings, “cheese and beers that have a relationship,” Caldwell says. “Cheesemakers and brewmasters who developed a product with the other in mind.”

Entry is $15 and includes sampling and demonstrations. Wine tasting costs an additional $5. For a meal built entirely around Oregon cheese, pull up to the table on Friday, March 15, at the Ashland Springs Hotel for a special meal created by Los Angeles cheese monger and chef Chester Hastings ($95).

Save the date: With Oregon brewers and cheesemakers getting all friendly, it was bound to happen; this fall will see the inaugural Double EE Festival in Corvallis, a big cheesy, sudsy party brought to you by the Oregon Cheese Guild and the Oregon Brewers Guild. Stay tuned for details.

Ashland Springs Hotel, the historic downtown boutique-inn, is hosting the chocolate festival all weekend. Start your Friday night off right with a gallery walk; nibble on local wines and artisan chocolates while perusing Ashland’s illustrious arts scene.

Oregon chocolatiers show off their best and most unique combinations at the tastings, going on Saturday and Sunday between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the hotel. Try unexpected combinations like chocolate-and-tequila truffles or bite into a square inch of pure decadence from Coastal Mist or award-winning candies from Lillie Belle Farms.

And don’t fret about that 10-pound New Years resolution, chocolate can actually be the dieters friend. Learn about the additional benefits from this magical plant at the “Secret Health Benefits of Chocolate” demonstration on Saturday or check out the “Use of Cacao in Spa Treatments” session to learn about the healing powers of coco (Chocolate and massage? Yes, please!).

This truly indulgent weekend isn’t complete without a visit to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Opening on February 26, this almost 9-month-long festival attracts thespians and enthusiasts from around the world. Be one of the first to see this year’s performances. Kicking off the season are classics including Hamlet and Pride and Prejudice, alongside modern pieces such as Well.

Day One:
Ashland is conveniently located about equidistant from San Francisco, Portland and Bend. We arrived in the early afternoon on Friday and checked into the Ashland Springs Hotel. Built in 1925, the boutique hotel was renovated a decade ago and provides luxurious accommodations, including the newly remodeled Waterstone Spa across the street, which was our first stop. Champagne in hand, we each settled in for a pedicure.

After a quick change in the room we headed downtown for the First Friday Art Walk. Ashland has a vibrant arts scene. The galleries are located within easy walking distance of each other and on this night, the scene was buzzing with patrons, artists and musicians. Eventually we made our way to Peerless Restaurant in the railroad district. We shared small plates of Spanish stewed chickpeas and wild forage mushroom risotto, and finished up in time to walk the four blocks to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Angus Bowmer Theatre just as the lights were dimming for the 8 p.m. showing of Hamlet. Needless to say, we fell asleep that night just as our heads hit the pillow.

Day Two:
Ashland is located on the south end of the Rogue Valley, just 15 miles from the California border, and has mild weather year-round, with crisp, cold winters and hot summers. This morning started with bright sunshine and a complimentary breakfast at Larks restaurant in the hotel. We set off for a mid-morning hike at Table Rock in Sams Valley. Our trail led us on a steep two-mile climb through lush shaded forest and plateaued on a flat, wide-open summit where we were rewarded with a 360-degree view of the Rogue River and Siskiyou Mountains.

Down the trail and on the road again, this time with growling stomachs, we made a detour into Jacksonville. We grabbed sandwiches and meandered through the town. Established during the gold rush, the historic town has the same façade it had over a century ago. The main drag is dotted with brick-faced boutiques, one-room banks, wood buildings with saloon-style doors and Queen Anne-style homes.

We headed out of town for dinner at New Sammy’s Cowboy Bistro in Talent. The funky outpost doesn’t look like much sitting on the side the highway, but don’t be fooled by its shabby adobe frame. Inside, husband-and-wife team Vernon and Charlene Rollins (they’re both Chez Panisse expats, where she was a chef and he a sommelier) serve up gourmet food, much of it sourced from their extensive vegetable garden behind the restaurant. After a desert of homemade ice cream and marionberry tart, we headed back to Ashland for round two of the Shakespeare Festival: Pride and Prejudice.

Day Three:
Our final day was all about chocolate. Despite feeling melancholy about our impending departure, we started the morning with a walk in Ashland’s Lithia Park. Located in the heart of downtown, the park contains 93 acres of forest and streams, duck ponds and open field, playgrounds and hiking trails. By the time we made it back to our hotel, the sixth annual Chocolate Festival had just begun. We ventured through the labyrinth of chocolatiers, our mouths watering as we perused (and sampled) delectable truffles and bars, rich sauces, homemade marshmallows, special pastries and hot cocoa. It was a grand way to end an equally grand weekend. Well-fueled on sugar, we sadly parted ways, each of us heading in opposite directions. We know there will be more getaways in our future, but it’s hard to imagine another as perfect as this.

The whale watchers were also out in force but the weather was a little rainy and windy – not good spotting weather.

At Beverly Beach State Park we found millions of little pieces of colorful plastic, including caps and lids that probably once went onto the plastic containers that had been smashed to smithereens. Some of the stranger items we picked up included kitchen utensil handles, toy car wheels, marine rope and a large piece of nicely trimmed sheetrock.

As we turned in our bags of trash, we started seeing and hearing goats! A large group of them had acted as pack animals. They probably thought their owners were collecting snacks for them. We saw one of them trying to eat another’s harness.

If you’d like to join in on the fun next time, the Great Oregon Fall Beach Cleanup will be Saturday, September 15, 2007.

In Newport, as we ate Abby’s Pizza we asked, “north or south?” Our newest co-worker, who had most recently lived in San Francisco, hadn’t been past Yachats so we decided “southward ho!” And why not try to make it to Bandon before dark? It’s good to have a goal.

Our first stop was in Florence, where we toured my old haunts on the back roads around Sutton Lake where I grew up. We checked out the carnivorous pitcher plants at Darlingtonia Wayside; a short little boardwalk takes you around some of Mother Nature’s more fascinating creations.

We needed more sustenance so we stopped at BJ’s Ice Cream which has dozens of amazing homemade flavors. I highly recommend the Bittersweet Nugget.

At Reedsport we made a detour up Highway 38 to wildlife watch at Dean Creek Elk Viewing. The bulls were on one side of the pasture and the females (cows) and the younger males were on the other. Kinda like most people’s backyard BBQ dynamics!

We made another side trip to Winchester Bay in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, also known as ATV heaven. There are four staging areas, some with camping. We can still hear the ATV-buzzing in our ears. In August you can try your skills at DuneFest.

In Charleston we stopped for more snacks and postcards, this time at Davey Jones Locker store. Nothing keep road trippers in peak form like circus peanuts and soda pop!

We made it Bandon at dusk and drove along the rocky coast line. The old town had many more shops compared to the last time I was there in 2000.

We headed back over Highway 42 through Coquille, Winston and then went up the interstate at Roseburg. We had a great day of beautifying an already-beautiful state and enjoying wherever the road (and my Mini Cooper) took us.

Editor’s Note: For more information on beach activities, check out our Oregon Coast page.

What’s your favorite thing about living in Oregon?

As an Oregon native who’s spent a fair amount of time outside the state, I’m still convinced that Oregonians are about the nicest people anywhere. I’ve heard a number of out-of-staters say the same over the years. Is it Oregon’s lower speed limit, the fact that we don’t have to pump our own gas or the lack of sales tax? My opinion is that Oregon is just a great place to live.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy Oregon?

Doing the things with my family that we’ve always done around the South Coast: Go to the beach, go boating, fishing, crabbing, clamming, picking berries. We’ve always loved the hands-on part of enjoying Oregon’s freshest, most delicious foods in season.

What’s the one tip you always give to visitors?

Oregon’s nicest weather is in September, not the summertime (in the Southern part of the state, at least). And don’t try to drive Highway 101 from the California border to Portland unless you’re planning on spending about 12 hours on the road.

Describe your perfect Oregon Vacation…

My perfect Oregon vacation would be a tour of the Western half of the state in the springtime from Ashland/Medford for theater and wine tasting past Crater Lake to Bend/Mt. Bachelor, north to Mt. Hood (with skiing at both mountains), west to Portland for great food, sightseeing and shopping, south to Eugene with a stop at the U of O campus, west to Florence to see the rhododendrons and south down the coast.

Have a question for Sarah? Ask her here in the comments or find out other ways to contact her on our Facebook Page.

But Farm to Fork was born in Southern Oregon, a fitting locale for the last, on-farm feast of the 2012 season. Organizers and participants couldn’t have asked for a better day, either: one of those warm, dry afternoons of falling leaves under clear skies that newcomers to the region rave about.

We arrived just in time to join the tour that farm co-owner Josh Cohen was leading through fields of collards and kale for the winter community-supported agriculture program that he and his wife, Melissa Matthewson, operate for some 80 local families. The couple also sell organic produce at farmers markets, including the Web-based Rogue Valley Local Foods. Our dinner featured Barking Moon fruits and vegetables, including green beans, tomatoes, chard, eggplant, zucchini, peppers, apples and pears.

Chef Courtney Sproule of Din Din Supper Club in Portland masterminded the menu. Whereas Domingo, a former Portland chef, used to prepare the meal, Farm to Fork now contracts with chefs around the state, so he can concentrate on the business of designing, marketing and orchestrating this bash.

Read the full story of Sarah’s Farm to Fork experience in the Applegate Valley on her blog, The Whole Dish.

Editor’s note: Travel Oregon is on the road with Farm to Fork during their 2012 series. Read about their other dinners around Oregon. 

Known for taking risks (“Hamlet” does hip-hop? More on that later.), the 1984 Harvard grad spent 20 years mixing things up on stage as co-founder of the experimental Los Angeles-based Cornerstone Theater. He also directed dozens of plays and taught theater at UCLA, USC and other universities before finally making his way back to Oregon.

This February, Rauch kicks off his fourth season as Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Artistic Director — and what a season it will be. The 11-play repertoire includes four Shakespeare pieces, a literary classic (“To Kill a Mockingbird”), a modern comic tragedy (Tracy Letts’ “August: Osage County”) — even a world premiere (“Ghost Light” by Tony Taccone). And, for the first time ever, OSF will produce a large-scale classic musical (“The Pirates of Penzance”), featuring a 14-piece orchestra, on its outdoor Elizabethan stage.

“People who don’t know OSF think of it as a short season,” says Rauch. “They don’t realize the length.” This year alone, Rauch and his 500-person team will sell more than 400,000 tickets and put on a staggering 822 performances from February to November. And Rauch is in charge of it all — not to mention, he’s simultaneously securing plays, and picking directors and actors for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

“People come to OSF for a variety of experiences,” says Rauch. “It’s my job to make a kaleidoscope of colors as bright and varied as possible.” And he’s doing so with gutsy gusto.

In his four years at the top, Rauch has radically increased the amount of new work commissioned by OSF, now in its 76th season; launched a 10-year project to create 37 plays about American history; and created the Black Swan Lab, charged with developing new works for the stage. Rauch is especially talented at putting new spins on old classics; last year’s audience won’t soon forget how he brought “Hamlet” into the 21st century with modern getups and a hip-hop scene at the castle.

So, what has the hardest working person in theater aflutter this season? Rauch is directing “Measure for Measure,” his favorite Shakespeare play. “It’s funny, dark, and hard to categorize but it looks at the collision between politics and morality,” he says. “It’s a brilliant play with a strong cast and it’s going to be a knock out.”

Now, as OSF audience development manager, Casillas finds that increasing diversity of festival goers is a big part of her job. Through collaboration with community organizations, special events, multi-cultural marketing and other efforts, Casillas works to increase access for people of various ages, socio-economic levels and racial and ethnic demographics as well as people with disabilities. “Diversity exists. Inclusion has to be created,” she says.

Inclusion is a regular principle at work within OSF at large. One outcome is a diverse cast. And this year, four of the shows in the lineup were written by playwrights of color — “Two Trains Running,” “The Liquid Plain,” “The Tenth Muse” and “The Unfortunates.” Casillas credits the internal diversity and inclusion structure for this. “It is really significant. It is really necessary to have the conversation internally.”

After four years on the job, Casillas regularly fields calls from arts organizations around the country wanting to know how OSF has succeeded so well in diversity inclusion. “We are not inviting communities of color to a one-off. We are inviting them to a long lasting relationship that includes collaboration.”

The 2013 season kicks off February 22-24 and includes Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Cymbeline” and “King Lear.”