Top Ten Things to Show to Our Visitors in or near the Rogue Valley

I don't know about you, but we get a lot of visitors since we moved to the Rogue Valley! We're glad we spent some time getting acclimated to our new surroundings when we moved here from Southern California in 2004.

Here are some of our favorite places to share with the family and friends who come to visit us:

• Crater Lake National Park- 77 miles up Hwy 62 from Medford this is the only National Park in the State of Oregon, and what a park it is! We've done a fair amount of traveling in our time, and the pristine clarity and color of this lake's water is like no other we have seen. Summer is our favorite time to go to this lake, the deepest lake in the United States, since it gets an average of over 44 feet of snow there in the winter. We stop at the Rogue Gorge along the way to hike the trail near the start of the Upper Rogue River, after which one MUST stop at Becky's Café for fresh homemade pie.
• Downtown Medford and the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater - For our theater loving friends, one possibility is having dinner downtown at Oh's Osaka for teppanyaki or sushi, or at 38 on Central, afterward taking in a performance at the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater followed by a visit to Cork's for wine tasting or to Elements for Tapas and Drinks. If we happen to hit Third Friday Art Walk, there are some great exhibits on display at the nearby galleries. All these locations are within walking distance of each other.
• Hellgate Jetboat Cruise - This is a big favorite! We've taken the shorter trips, and the dinner trip, and have immensely enjoyed our experience every time. Our favorite time is in the peak Summer time. Wonderful scenery, wildlife, fun, excitement, guides, and food.
• Historic Jacksonville - there are many great shops here, Leatherworks being one our guests seem to favor, as well as events throughout the year. We enjoy having lunch or dinner at the Jacksonville Inn, or a picnic under the stars while enjoying a concert at Britt Festival. We have yet to miss the annual Children's Festival held in July on the Britt Festival grounds, a wonderful experience for the children.

• Howard Prairie Lake Resort - just 20 minutes from downtown Ashland, yet it can seem a world away. This lake has a wonderful marina, campground and restaurant /facilities. We moor our boat here, and can zip up for a relaxing cruise around the lake after work, a picnic, a refreshing pull in the inflatable or some great trout/ bass fishing. We've enjoyed all that AND great RV camp sites, too.
• Oregon Caves National Monument - for our spelunking friends, this is a nice stop. The drive out is through some of our beautiful forests and along the Rogue River.
• Oregon Vortex and House of Mystery in Gold Hill - a fun trip through beautiful countryside and an interesting tour. We like to have lunch at Miguel's Guadalajara Restaurant afterward, on the Rogue River in Shady Cove.

• Oregon Shakespeare Festival - Another possibility for our theater loving friends/family, there is no better fix than the live performances at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Enjoying a meal at one of the fine Ashland Restaurants followed by a play can be a wonderful experience.

• Wildlife Images - Just north of Grants Pass in Merlin, is what started out as an animal rescue ranch but has become so much more, and is another fun destination through some incredibly scenic countryside.
• Wine and Artisan Foods Tasting tour to the Southern Oregon Wineries. There are many award-winning wines and foods coming out of this valley that we love to share with our guests. A fun way to experience them is on a tour through Ashland Wine Tours.

See you out there!

Karen Cooper - OR/CA Mortgage Consultant - www.Quality4Loans.com