With a deep-blue lake of seemingly infinite depths, rolling valleys producing quality Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, and a thriving theater-arts community, southern Oregon attracts visitors with an appreciation of both outdoor adventure and high culture. While the rugged landscape of southern Oregon remains captivating throughout the year, the majority of landmarks, vineyards and festivals are best enjoyed during the warmer months.
Natural Wonders
- Formed from centuries of rain filling the crater of a collapsed mountain, Crater Lake attracts visitors, who marvel at the clear, icy blue water. The lake is best enjoyed during the short summer season, before the first snowfall in September. Approximately 150 miles southwest of the lake lies the Oregon Caves National Monument. These marble caves, formed three to five million years ago in the Siskiyou Mountains, are open from late March to early November.
Wine Country
- More than 60 wineries are nestled in the valleys of southern Oregon. Sample Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the tasting room of Rogue Valley's Dancin Vineyards, open mid-February through December. In Applegate Valley, Troon Vineyard is known for their Zinfandels, which can be tasted in the Carlton Tasting Room, open on the weekends throughout the year -- except January. The Henry Estate Winery of Umpqua Valley has an elaborate garden ideal for picnics, in addition to a tasting room open daily.
Culinary Adventures
- At Rogue Creamery, named for its Rogue Valley locale, visitors can sample the famous Rogue blues at the factory's adjacent Cheese Shop. In addition to Rogue's cheeses, the shop offers more than 100 different specialty cheeses from around the world. Inside the shop is a viewing window through which spectators can observe the production of Rogue cheddars. Rogue Valley also is home to the Lillie Belle Farms Chocolate Shop, where guests can purchase locally made bonbons, berry cordials and other chocolate works of art, including chocolate-covered bacon.
Festivals and Theater
- In Ashland, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival runs from February through early November, performing more than 10 different plays by Shakespeare and other classic writers. For five days every April, film lovers head to the art deco Varsity Theater in downtown Ashland for the Ashland Independent Film Festival. Each summer, Britt Festivals hosts several concerts featuring world-class musicians from a number of genres, including classical, blues and jazz. Performances are held under the stars at a naturally formed amphitheater in Jacksonville.
