My photos begin in Ashland and move northward toward Portland. Along the way, my travel companions and I discovered great food and abundant wineries, a historic town, Shakespeare, walks in nature, world famous chocolate, wild animals, and other Southern Oregon mirth.

These golden mountains flank Ashland on the north. The beautiful historic Ashland Springs Hotel. This is me inside the Ashland Springs Hotel elevator. Our group inside the Hearsay. The food is great, and it has an outdoor dining area and garden, original modern art, and live piano music. I ordered their vegetarian entrée, Roasted Roots—charred onion vinaigrette and candied hazelnuts. It was one of those wonderful meals I'll always remember. Hearsay Restaurant is located next door to the Ashland Springs Hotel hearsayashland.com. Here's another restaurant, the Brickroom, located in the Ashland Plaza. They are especially known for their breakfasts and great coffee brickroomashland.com. The Ashland Plaza is the center of town. Two young musicians who requested a dollar to photograph them. They were so adorable I gladly left them a dollar. At the foot of Ashland Plaza is the entrance to Lithia Park, ninety-three acres of wooded hillsides along Ashland Creek oregonencyclopedia.org. The Fairy Pond is the first stop when beginning a trek into the park. This is the bandshell in Lithia Park, for live music and graduations. In 1914, the City of Ashland commissioned John McLaren, landscape architect of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, to design the landscape that still exists today. Ashland is currently planning the next hundred years. Ashland hosts the Lithia Artisans Market to promote handmade local products. It takes place along Calle Guanajuato, just outside of Lithia Park lithiaartisansmarket.com. This is Lynn of Greenspringsgems.com. Ashland also has a weekly farmers market ashlandfarmersmarket.org and a natural foods co-op ashlandfood.coop. This is the historic Varsity Theater, first opened in 1937. This is the home of the Ashland Independent Film Festival that takes place each spring Wikipedia. Ashland is famous for its Shakespeare Festival. This is a shot of the Allen Elizabethan Theatre, where we saw Julius Caesar osfashland.org. Visiting Ashland gave me a chance to visit with my friend Kerry and her doggie Zeus. Your next stop is Medford, Central Point, and Jacksonville Downtown Portland | Breitenbush | Medford | Central Point | Jacksonville | Grants Pass | Wildlife Safari Photos of other places