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Jacksonville and Medford Attractions
Pears and roses both grow well in the Jacksonville and Medford area, and these crops have given rise to two of the country's best-known mail-order businesses. Harry & David Country Village, 1314 Center Dr., Medford (tel. 877/322-1200 or 541/864-2278; www.harryanddavid.com), is the retail outlet of a fruit company specializing in mail-order gift baskets. You'll find the store just 1 mile south of Medford at exit 27 off I-5. You can tour the Harry & David kitchens and then wander through the store in search of bargains. In summer the store is open Monday through Thursday from 9am to 7pm, Friday and Saturday from 9am to 8pm, and Sunday from 10am to 6pm; other months the store closes 1 to 2 hours earlier. Associated with this store is the Jackson and Perkins rose test garden and mail-order rose nursery. Not far away, in the town of Central Point, you can see how cheese is made at the Rogue Creamery, 311 N. Front St. (tel. 866/665-1155 or 541/665-1155; www.roguecreamery.com), which is known for its bleu cheeses, including the delicious Oregonzola. The creamery is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm and Sunday from noon to 5pm. Both Harry & David and the Rogue Creamery are part of the Southern Oregon Wine and Farm Tour (www.oregonwineandfarmtour.com).
The Britt Festivals & Other Performances
The Britt Festivals are a celebration of music and the performing arts featuring internationally renowned performers, and each summer between early June and mid-September, people gather in Jacksonville several nights a week for classical, jazz, international, and popular-music concerts. The setting for most of the performances is an amphitheater on the grounds of Peter Britt's estate. Located only a block from historic California Street, the ponderosa-pine-shaded amphitheater provides not only a great setting for the performances but a view that takes in distant hills and the valley far below. When planning to attend a show, be sure that it will be held here on the festival grounds; some concerts are now held at the Lithia Motors Amphitheater in nearby Central Point. This latter amphitheater lacks the character of the original Britt Pavilion amphitheater.
Both reserved and general-admission tickets are available for most shows. If you opt for a general-admission ticket, arrive early to claim a prime spot on the lawns behind the reserved seats -- and be sure to bring a picnic. For information, contact the festival at 216 W. Main St., Medford (tel. 800/882-7488, 541/899-9924, or 541/773-6077; www.brittfest.org). Tickets range from $8 to $80, with most performances in the $20 to $50 range.
Not wanting to lose out to its better-known neighbors, Medford has a renovated old downtown theater now known as the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater, 23 S. Central Ave. (tel. 541/779-3000; www.craterian.org), in honor of the famous dancer who lived in the area after her retirement. The theater stages everything from performances by the Rogue Opera (tel. 541/608-6400; www.rogueopera.com) to touring Broadway shows and classical music performances.
Museums & Historic Homes
With more than 80 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Jacksonville claims it's the most completely preserved historic town in the nation. Whether or not this is true, enough restored old buildings make the town a genuine step back in time. Along California Street, you'll find restored brick commercial buildings that now house dozens of interesting shops, art galleries, and boutiques. On the side streets, you'll see the town's many Victorian homes.
Wine Touring
The Applegate Valley is one of the best places in southern Oregon to spend a day wine touring. There are more than a dozen wineries in the area that you can now visit on a regular basis. For more information on area wineries, contact Applegate Valley Wineries Information (www.applegatewinetrail.com).
Wine connoisseurs also won't want to miss perusing the wine racks at the Jacksonville Inn Wine Shop, 175 E. California St., Jacksonville (tel. 541/899-1900; www.jacksonvilleinn.com), where you might find a bottle of 1811 Tokay Essencia or a bottle of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. Oregon wines (and beef jerky) can also be tasted at the Gary R. West Tasting Room, 690 N. Fifth St., Jacksonville (tel. 800/833-1820; www.garywest.com).
12 Results
- Winery/Brewery/Distillery
Applegate Red Winery
This is one of the most unusual wineries in the state in that the owner not only produces red wines (and only red wines), but he also raises miniature Sicilian donkeys and Australian rosellas (birds that are as colorful as parrots). Wines are made from organic, estate-grown grapes.… - Winery/Brewery/Distillery
Bridgeview Applegate Tasting Room
Bridgeview has its main facility near Cave Junction, but this tasting room is a bit more convenient if you are staying in Ashland or Jacksonville and are out for a day of wine tasting. Bridgeview is best known for its inexpensive white wines, several of which come in distinctive blue… - Historic Site
Butte Creek Mill
In nearby Eagle Point, you can visit one of Oregon's only operating water-powered flour mills. The Butte Creek Mill was built in 1873, and its millstones are still grinding out flour. After looking around at the workings of the mill, you can stop in at the mill store and buy a bag of… - Winery/Brewery/Distillery
Cowhorn Vineyard
This certified biodynamic farm and winery produces not only red and white Rhone varietal wines but also asparagus and artichokes. Definitely worth a visit if you care for the land as much as you care for your wine. - Winery/Brewery/Distillery
Devitt Winery & Vineyards
This tiny, family-run winery is the retirement occupation of Jim Devitt and his wife, Sue. Devitt had a winery in the Napa Valley area more than 20 years ago and has now brought to his Applegate Valley operation the winemaking skills he developed years ago. Look for good cabernet… - Winery/Brewery/Distillery
Jacksonville Vineyards/Fiasco Winery
This small, family winery produces some outstanding red wines, with the 2004 cabernet sauvignon and 2004 claret being particularly noteworthy. They also produce a couple of different rosés and a chardonnay. - Winery/Brewery/Distillery
Longsword Vineyard
While the tasting room here is little more than a small roadside shed with a deck, the wines are quite good. Chardonnay, produced from vines that are more than 25 years old, is the specialty here, but winemaker Maria Largaespada likes to experiment, so you might run across a Dolcetto… - Winery/Brewery/Distillery
Quady North
If you're a fan of dessert wines, you're probably already familiar with the Quady wines of California. Here in Oregon, son Herb Quady is carving out his own niche, though you can also sample dad's wines here. - Winery/Brewery/Distillery
Schmidt Family Vineyards
This winery has one of the prettiest settings and tasting rooms in the valley. Wines are produced from estate-grown grapes, and its red wines have been garnering some acclaim. A good variety of white wines is also produced. - Winery/Brewery/Distillery
South Stage Cellars
This in-town tasting room pours the wines of not only South State Cellars, but those of more than half a dozen other wineries, all of which make wine from the grapes of Quail Run Vineyards. This 280-acre vineyard produces 27 grape varietals, so you're sure to find something appealing… - Winery/Brewery/Distillery
Troon Vineyard
This winery has the prettiest facility in the Applegate Valley, with a Mediterranean look to the winery and tasting room. However, Troon's wines seem to be made for people who don't normally drink wine. The winery made its name with its unusual Druid's Fluid sweet red wine… - Winery/Brewery/Distillery
Valley View Vineyard
This is the oldest winery in the area and is the first you'll come to as you head out into the Applegate Valley from Jacksonville. Valley View is known for its big red wines but also produces good dry whites.
