Tag: Oregon Bed and Breakfasts

Elizabethan Theatre

The gem that is the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is not to be missed. Operating nine months of the year (from February through October, with the outdoor theater open from June), OSF presents both classic and contemporary plays in repertory, using Shakespeare as its standard. Plays are performed most days of the week in three theaters simultaneously: the contemporary Angus Bowmer (named after the drama professor who started the festival in 1935), the intimate Black Swan, and the open-air Elizabethan Theatre designed to look like England’s fine old Globe Theater.

Since the festival is enormously popular, performances sell out months in advance. Don’t let that discourage you from showing up even at the last minute, however. Some of our best success stories occurred when we arrived at the box office on the morning or the evening of a performance, taking advantage of the inevitable cancellations and no-shows. The Festival Box Office is very professionally run—let the folks who work there give you tips on how to increase your chances of getting in at the last minute.

A wonderful variety of extra activities are scheduled at OSF every week: backstage tours (this is especially fun at the Elizabethan Theatre), informal chats with the actors, lectures by the directors or “dramaturgs,” and in summer, an always-enchanting pre-performance show in the main courtyard. At the corner of Pioneer and East Main you’ll find the Festival Exhibit Center, showcasing costumes, props, audio and video footage from the earliest performances, and over 60 years of photographs.

Directions to the OSF grounds at 15 S. Pioneer Street: Coming from the north on Main Street, turn right on Pioneer. From the south, take Siskiyou Blvd, which veers right to become Lithia Way as it nears the festival grounds. Turn left on Pioneer.

Lithia Park occupies about 100 acres adjacent to the Shakespeare Festival grounds.

Lithia Park

It’s a lovely place to stroll between shows. Notice the drinking fountains in Lithia Plaza, which is surrounded by restaurants and shops, but be careful which fountain you choose for a drink! Some produce a sulfurous, lithium-laden mineral water that bubbles up just east of the city, and it’s definitely an acquired taste. Early Ashlanders had hoped to build a world-class spa around the local lithium springs, but the idea never quite took off.

There are many excellent delis and bakeries in town, perfect for stocking up on picnic fare. Ask your innkeeper for recommendations. Chateaulin Fine Wines & Gourmet Foods, for example, presents a marvelous high-end assortment of pâtés, cheeses, and wines. It’s located at 50 E. Main Street next to Chateaulin Restaurant Français.

Ashland boasts an intriguing assortment of art galleries. First Friday Gallery Walking Tours (from 5 to 8 pm on the first Friday of every month) is popular, as is the annual Taste of Ashland Walking Tour in spring.

Downtown Ashland

You can meet artists in a casual atmosphere while sampling a local red from the Rogue Valley’s best wineries as you amble through galleries downtown and in the Historic Railroad District. The city is also very proud of its Schneider Museum of Art on the University of Southern Oregon campus. Facilities include four small galleries where a broad range of exhibitions is presented.

You’ll have no trouble finding stellar accommodations in this town—it’s where some of Oregon’s finest inns are located. Among our favorites are Romeo Inn, Country Willows Bed & Breakfast and Winchester Inn Restaurant & Wine Bar.

The Pacific Northwest is truly a feast for the eyes. Waterfalls, mountains, rugged coastlines, picturesque islands and plenty of city attractions lure visitors each year to this region, which includes Oregon, Washington and Canada’s province of British Columbia. There is no shortage of things to do, and whether you are an outdoor enthusiast or wish to simply relax and enjoy the scenery, the Pacific Northwest has something for everyone.

Doing a little research using KarenBrown.com, you can find several interesting itineraries to consider. Travelers could spend time exploring the coast or perhaps stick with a region like Southern Oregon, which offers everything from cave exploration to a world-class Shakespearian festival. Exploring Portland with its day trips to hot spots such as Mount St. Helens is another option. Discovering Seattle and the Cascade Mountain region is yet another fun-filled itinerary. Travelers also might consider exploring the San Juan Islands or heading up into British Columbia, where you’ll find Victoria Island and all the sites of Vancouver. For more information, check out our Pacific Northwest itineraries.

As for lodging, readers at Karen Brown’s World of Travel have chosen some of the region’s best hotels and inns. Here are some award winners:

For a romantic interlude, try the Channel House in Depoe Bay, Oregon. This secluded inn was named by KarenBrown.com readers as the Pacific Northwest’s Most Romantic place to stay. The guest rooms all afford a sea view and also include a fireplace and an outdoor whirlpool tub where guests can relax and listen to the waves as they crash upon the shore. You can take a whale-watching trip, drive to some of the area’s lighthouses or take a trip to the world’s largest sea lion cave.

Although it’s billed as a fishing lodge, the Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge is probably one of the world’s most romantic. While it’s a great spot for a men’s weekend retreat, you could celebrate the happiest of honeymoons here, as well. The Van Zante family’s hospitality has earned the lodge the Warmest Welcome award by Karen Brown readers. The lodge boasts views of the river and tree-covered mountains. There are plenty of guest rooms and suites to choose from, as well as two guest houses. All feature romantic, contemporary dcor, and many have fireplaces. Several suites include outdoor soaking tubs.

Named by Karen Brown readers as the Pacific Northwest’s Greatest Value, the Otters Pond Bed and Breakfast is a secluded retreat located on Washington’s Orcas Island. Guests at Otters Pond will be enchanted by the natural setting. The Washington bed and breakfast is surrounded by 20 acres of protected wetland and home to plenty of birds and a few of the namesake otters. A few guest rooms include a fireplace (some a clawfoot tub), and there is a huge outdoor hot tub sheltered by a Japanese-style teahouse with shoji screens.

The Sooke Harbour House is one of those places where you can just relax and pamper yourself to your heart’s content. The oceanfront setting, located on the whimsically named Whiffen Spit Beach, offers stunning sea views. There is a full-service spa as well, so you can book a relaxing massage. Each of the guest rooms this British Columbia bed and breakfast has been individually decorated with a special theme and features handmade artwork, from pottery to pillows to Native crafts. Several rooms include an outdoor soaking tub on a private patio or balcony, and all of the guest rooms have a fireplace. The Sooke Harbour House was named as the Pacific Northwest’s best Splendid Splurge by KarenBrown.com readers.

Check out our selection of properties for Oregon, Washington or British Columbia hotels and bed and breakfasts.