Discover Ashland: Theater, parks, and nature

Ashland brings together theater history, designed cultural spaces, and nature. The destinations below offer different highlights. This can help you narrow down the kind of stay you want; you can then check a hotel’s specific features by reviewing its listing.

Theater, art, and science

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival was founded in Ashland in 1935 and has three stages, including the open-air Allen Elizabethan Theatre. The Ashland Playwrights Walk is an interactive, self-guided tour through Ashland; bronze plaques explore theater, art, and history. At the festival, the stages are the cultural focal point; on the walk, it is the self-guided format and the plaques’ themes. You can consider these two different ways to experience theater and culture.

The ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum offers interactive exhibits, hands-on workshops, and STEAM programs. It is designed for learners of all ages. Alongside the themes of theater and local history, it offers a different focus: science through hands-on activities and learning. Individual programs may change, so check which workshops and STEAM offerings are currently scheduled before visiting.

Lithia Park: city location, woodland, and history

Lithia Park is a 100-hectare park in central Ashland. It follows Ashland Creek through undeveloped woodland. Its central location and route through woodland describe two different aspects of the park. Its history dates back to 1892, when it began as an eight-hectare park. It was a place where the Chautauqua Association brought entertainment and culture to Southern Oregon. Its history is therefore also connected to the cultural history of the wider region.

The Ashland Japanese Garden is in the heart of Lithia Park, above the Butler Bandshell. Admission is free. Its location within the park and above the bandshell gives you a specific geographic reference point for visiting the garden. Since admission policies can change, check the latest information in advance.

Natural areas and their different highlights

In North Mountain Park, the Nature Center is located between the sports field and Bear Creek. The park provides habitat for birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. In 2020, the Nature Center opened Ashland’s first Nature Playground; its opening features included a water pump, a sandbox, climbing rocks, and building materials. This area therefore combines information about habitat for different groups of animals with a description of a designed play space.

Ashland’s Creek to Crest Trail System runs from the Bear Creek Greenway to the Pacific Crest Trail. These two endpoints give the trail system a different character from the individual natural areas: its route can be understood through these named destinations. By contrast, Acid Castle Rocks is a collection of large boulders on a hillside above Lithia Park. If you are considering a trip to the rocks, check current trail conditions in advance, as conditions and descriptions may change.

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Back to the broader travel overview: Jackson.