For a girlfriend getaway, or mother-daughter trip, check out Ashland, Oregon. Theater lovers, foodies and nature enthusiasts all agree that this small hamlet north of the California border is a cultural epicenter the over 50-years of staging Shakespeare and modern plays. It’s not a secret any more, so reserve your tickets early.
Girlfriend Getaways
I just returned from four days in Ashland with a group of girlfriends. We stopped on the drive north from San Francisco at spectacular Mt. Shasta. Then for three nights we luxuriated in the beauty of Ashland’s location in the foothills of the Cascade and Siskiyou Mountain ranges.
Stylish cocktail bars, restaurants, art galleries, vineyards and more than 30 Bed and Breakfasts attract tourists from April-November.
On the go in Ashland
We ere on the go the entire time we were in Ashland, walking around town admiring the quaint Victorian homes, shopping (there’s no state tax and everything seemed much cheaper than in California), and we saw four shows in three days-two in the afternoons and two in the evenings in the outdoor Elizabethan theater.
For garden lovers
The 93-acre Lithia Park has duck ponds, a rose garden, lawns, swans on lakes and miles of trails along a steam and through forests. There’s a band shell that hosts concerts too.
Where to stay?
I’ve stayed in a charming B&B, at the fancy Westchester Inn, and most recently at the well-located, grand dame of hotels, the Ashland Springs Hotel, located just 2 blocks from the theaters. Check out the Chamber website for lots of accommodation ideas.
Don’t miss
A morning walk in Lithia Park, a back stage tour.
