Ashland, Oregon: Theater and Mountain Escape

[CypressSighter]

Ashland. Shakespeare, hippie juice bars, dusty hiking boots, that time a raccoon almost stole my lunch in Lithia Park. Let’s get weird.
First, the theater—Oregon Shakespeare Festival. People wear costumes just to sit in the crowd and there’s always at least one guy pretending to be Hamlet outside the porta-potties. Saw Macbeth last time. Half the audience knew the lines better than the actors, some guy in the third row kept muttering about “the Scottish play” curse. I ate a turkey leg and dropped half of it in my lap, looked like a medieval murder.
Downtown: Bookstores, patchouli, three kinds of organic kombucha and six coffee shops in a single block. Some local handed me a “crystal for clarity” when I asked for directions—still lost. If you stay at the Ashland Springs Hotel, be ready for the ghost stories. My room key card demagnetized five times, I blamed spirits, the desk blamed my phone, probably both right.
Hiking? Hit up Grizzly Peak for the sunrise. Or “sunrise”—clouds blocked everything but it still felt like a pilgrimage. Ran into two barefoot hikers named Raven and Star who offered me homemade granola (I took it, still alive).
Local eats: Mix Bakeshop, bacon-cheddar scone, chased with a latte the size of a birdbath. Found the co-op, left with a $9 apple and a new respect for Ashland grocery shoppers.
PS: Don’t skip the hot springs. Also, be ready for random parades. I walked out of a coffee shop and got swept up by a marching band in banana costumes. Can’t make this stuff up.
Anyone ever get stuck in a snowstorm on I-5 here? Also, who’s got the best seat for summer outdoor theater? Fight me if you say anything but front row, left side.

[CardinalCamper]

I don’t do Shakespeare unless it’s got a happy hour, but dang if Lithia Park isn’t the prettiest spot for people-watching. Got lost in the Japanese gardens and ended up at a duck pond with a flute player. Ten outta ten.

[RockyRambler]

One time I camped near Emigrant Lake, tried to grill burgers, raccoons literally stole the buns out of my hand. Never trust a raccoon in Ashland. Also, does anyone know where to get the best street tacos?

[ShenandoahShuffler]

I thought I’d be fancy and go wine tasting. Accidentally got on a pedal-powered bar crawl with a bunch of Shakespeare actors. Learned zero about Pinot Noir, but plenty about stage fright.

[ArkansasNomad]

I-5 was closed last winter for what felt like a year. Ended up in Talent, Oregon. Don’t ask. I still can’t find my tire chains.

[HawkeyeHiker]

Best parade: Halloween. Saw a six-foot-tall chihuahua, a Shakespeare wizard, and what I think was a walking latte. Never seen so many tutus outside of ballet.

[QuakeChaser]

Lost a sandal hiking Siskiyou. Found a geocache, two lizards, and a sock that definitely wasn’t mine.

[BourbonBuff]

Mix’s pecan pie changed my life. Don’t @ me.