Pause in Ashland, Ore., for peace or entertainment on the way to Crater Lake

The historic Ashland Springs Hotel, which dates to 1925, is one of the tallest buildings in Ashland. It offers 70 rooms and a lot of charm. Ashland is a college town and home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Allen Elizabethan Theatre approximates the open-air theaters of Shakespeare’s day.

Ashland boasts a variety of shops and restaurants, making it a nice complement to a visit to Crater Lake.

A classic Schwinn is parked at the curb.

Restaurants and shops line the plaza on North Main Street in Ashland.

Among the things for which Ashland is known is its mineral-rich Lithia water, said to be healthful and calming. It flows from fountains in the center of the downtown plaza.

Flowers bloom in Ashland’s Lithia Park, 93 wooded acres in the middle of the city.

A pedestrian bridge crosses Ashland Creek in Lithia Park.

For peace and tranquillity, Joshua Smith prefers tossing sticks. He’ll play catch with anyone who happens past his spot in Ashland’s Lithia Park.