Theater in Ashland, Oregon - 24-Hour Travel Guide
Leaving Ashalnd
Overview - Famous for the Shakespeare Festival, we take in a play in the afternoon and evening, and spend the morning in the Park.
Breakfast - It's hard to believe that a setting as beautiful and natural as this offers daily immersion in Shakespeare, music, and art. Walking down the street feels like an artistic experience. So start the day with a walk along Main Street. Most places are not open, but it gives a nice start to the day. Have breakfast at the Morning Glory, which is by far one of the neatest places. There is not much competition at breakfast in any case, but even if there was, this would win the prize.
Morning -
Assuming you have tickets for the plays in the afternoon and/or evening, take the morning to explore Lithia Park. one of the neatest things is how all the trees are labeled with names, which to a lover of nature, makes it fun. There are little trails just about everywhere, and they crisscross the river which runs through the park. Lithia Park was named for it's bubbling natural spring water known as Lithia water, which has a high concentration of lithium, and has been used for years by the Native Americans for the sick and the elderly.
I recommend starting up at the top of the park, and wandering down hill, till you get to the shops. By then the shops will be open, and there is no end to the delight of shopping. I particularly recommend the Native American store.
Lunch - A nice place for lunch is right on main street, at a little Italian restaurant that has a balcony overlooking main street. It's called Martino's, and while the food is not all that special, it is just cool to be able to watch the comings and goings from above.
Afternoon - Time to take in a show. There are matinees, play readings, and evening events, and there are both Shakespearean and contemporary plays, so you might mix and match what you choose. There are also backstage tours available.
Dinner - You have plenty of time after the afternoon performance to have a drink and an lovely dinner before taking in the evening show. A fun place to eat before the show is the Black Sheep pub, where you can have your drink and then eat. Don't worry about timing; everyone is usually in a hurry to get to a show and the staff is used to that. Besides, you are only a two minute walk from the theater.
After Dark - Time for another play. Personally, I like to do Shakespeare in the evening, because it is so magical, and then I can go to sleep dreaming I am some fair maiden or heroine. I can't say enough about the quality of the Shakespeare plays here in Ashland. Basically, it's what put them on the map.
Sleep - You may not agree, but for me, I'd rather save my pennies for theater and eating. So I stayed at the Best Western, which has a neat gabled building, and reasonable rooms. It's not gorgeous, and if I were here for more than one night, I probably wouldn't opt for this. But if you are just in and out, you could do worse.