With Rogues in Southwest Oregon

A sparsely populated part of southwestern Oregon has become a favorite of mature travelers for vacations and retirement. Attractions are the area’s scenic beauty, temperate weather, modest vacationing costs and large selection of activities.

Called the Rogue River Valley, the area is composed of small towns, including Medford, Rogue River, Ashland and Jacksonville. Of its 210,000 residents, about 50,000 are over 55.

The western border of the Rogue River Valley is near Oregon’s dramatic coastline, where the Pacific Ocean crashes along rocky shores and sandy beaches, with many stretches on which surf fishermen try their luck. The coastline also offers an abundance of spots along U.S. Route 1 that are good for sightseeing, and there are several historical lighthouses.

Charter boats take fishermen hoping to catch prized coho or chinook salmon, and the area is also good for hiking and camping.

In the valley, Ashland is a center for theater, both contemporary and Shakespeare. A summer and fall program of stage presentations at six area theaters, all within walking distance in downtown Ashland, are surprisingly professional. Box office prices are a welcome change from big-city ticket shock, with tickets--including Shakespearean presentations--costing $8 to $21.

Ashland also offers a series of food, crafts, art and music festivals. Bicycling, white-water rafting, horseback riding, camping and mountain biking are other activities in the Ashland area, which has a variety of modestly priced lodging and dining facilities.

Five miles west of Medford is the historic town of Jacksonville, where gold was first discovered in Oregon in 1851. Buildings from that era are still in use today as restaurants, gift shops and boutiques. Here, too, are music and art festivals, auctions, street fairs and arts and crafts displays. Visitors can get a pleasant overall view of Jacksonville during the summer on a trolley tour that runs on the hour daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. People can board at stops that are marked throughout the town. Cost is $3.50 for adults, $1.50 for youths 12 and under.

The Rogue River, running through the valley and after which the valley is named, draws visitors for steelhead fishing, rafting and jet-boat rides. Medford is the center of the Rogue River Valley and its largest city, home of the famed Harry and David mail-order house, which each year ships hundreds of thousands of gift baskets of fruit, jams, jellies and other products throughout the nation. Free daily tours are conducted through the enormous plant displaying all facets of the multimillion-dollar operation. A showroom and restaurant are also open to the public. For more information, contact Harry and David, Bear Creek Orchards, Medford, Ore. 97501, (503) 776-2121.

Of interest to mature travelers may be the Rogue Valley Manor, an impressive retirement facility that offers rental accommodations to senior visitors for $30 per night for two people, including three meals daily. The Manor has 230 apartment units with kitchens and baths, and 113 cottage units with cable TV and other facilities. For a free information packet, more information or reservations, call (800) 848-7868 or write to Rogue Valley Manor, 1200 Mira Mar, Medford, Ore. 97504.

For additional information on southwestern Oregon, contact:

Ashland Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 1360, Ashland, Ore. 97520, (503) 482-3486.

Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 33, Jacksonville, Ore. 97530, (503) 899-8118.

Medford Visitors Bureau, 304 S. Central Ave. Medford, Ore. 97501. (503) 772-6290.

Grants Pass Chamber of Commerce (representing the Rogue River Valley area), P.O. Box 970, Grants Pass, Ore. 97526, (800) 547-5927.