Welcome to Ashland, Oregon
A year-round cultural mecca surrounded by natural beauty.
Ranked in the top 10 of "The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America" and home to America's oldest Elizabethan theater and the world-famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland is the cultural capital of Southern Oregon. With its theaters, galleries, and restaurants, as well as great outdoor recreation, including Southern Oregon's only ski area Mt. Ashland, this vibrant small town has become a desired travel destination to thousands of visitors each year.
Where the Siskiyou and Cascade mountain ranges intersect, you'll find this historic cultural mecca with year-round entertainment and an amazing culinary and wine scene. Ashland was built upon theater, innovation, and wellness; it's a town rich in cultural opportunities.
What to Love
- Dozens of cultural attractions
- Beautiful scenic outdoors
- Amazing wine and culinary scene
- Home to America’s oldest Elizabethan theatre
People & Lifestyle
As the cultural capital of Southern Oregon, you can never say that living in Ashland is boring. It's a small town with a big personality. Residents and tourists alike appreciate the area's numerous attractions, gorgeous natural beauty, plentiful recreational opportunities, and dynamic culinary scene. Families enjoy the city for its top-notch schools and range of lush open spaces, well-maintained parks, and outdoor regions where you can bike, hike, fish, swim, picnic, camp, and more. Anyone who appreciates artistry and creative energy will thrive here.
Plus, Ashland only has a population of approximately 21,000 people, making it easy to build a tight-knit sense of community among your neighbors. Despite being on the smaller side, the level of artisanship and theatricality present in Ashland rivals some of the country's biggest cities, with plenty of live performances occurring year-round alongside events, festivals, and an assortment of other social gatherings.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
Ashland boasts a diverse wine and culinary scene with over 100 restaurants, all independently owned and/or family-run.
Amuse Restaurant is an excellent and trendy French-inspired restaurant serving seasonally-inspired dishes.
Dubbed Ashlands "most Ashlandiest spot,"
Oberon's Restaurant and Bar epitomizes everything that makes Ashland great and so revered for its creative and theatrical spirit. This eclectic Shakespearean restaurant is inspired by the bard's Midsummer's Night Dream and serves creative cocktails and rustic British-style eats.
Tucked inside the homey Winchester Inn behind a glass-walled addition,
Alchemy is a casual bar and excellent spot for cocktails, featuring a creative and extensive list of options. Coffee enthusiasts frequent
Hither Coffee & Goods, a simple yet elegant space for good coffee, fresh-baked pastries, and other breakfast and lunch items. Local watering hole
Louie's is perfect for game nights.
Things to Do
The
Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a regional repertory theater in Ashland and the city's crowning jewel. Each year this theater performs dozens of contemporary, classic, and Shakespearean plays.
Just a short distance away from the lush
Lithia Park is the
Ashland Springs Hotel, a landmark beaux-arts-style hotel that first opened in 1925. It's also conveniently located near the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Ashland is the home of the beautiful
Southern Oregon University campus, one of the top-rated colleges in the states. There are plenty of events held for the public throughout the year.
Schools
