The small Southern Oregon town of Ashland sits just to the north of the Oregon-California border and is positioned as the epicenter of Shakespeare on the west coast. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has called Ashland home for 80 years – in fact the festival was originally named the “Ashland Shakespeare Festival.”
Over 500,000 tickets are sold each year to catch one of the many plays (Shakespeare and non-Shakespeare). The festival runs from March to October and is widely considered the economic driver of Ashland.
But this isn’t to say that Ashland is just about Shakespeare, it’s quite the contrary. With a backyard of outdoor adventures, Ashland, Oregon is quickly becoming known for it’s whitewater rafting, hiking, skiing, and fishing opportunities. The Rogue River and Klamath River are within easy reach and rafting companies have easy logistics to get even the most “Shakespearian” person in your group comfortable on the river.
So, which rafting trips should you consider?
The Half-Day Rogue River rafting trip may be just the ticket – particularly if you have a play to catch in the evening. Trip launch three times per day: 8:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m., and 1:15 p.m.
A Full-Day Upper Klamath rafting trip is the best whitewater trip in the area. Trips meet at 8:00 a.m. and return around 5:00 p.m.
