Anticipating a stimulating cultural experience at Ashland, Oregon’s Shakespeare Festival, my partner and I launched a summertime driving trip from Seattle along coastal Oregon to Ashland. Mt. Rainier rules the horizon like a majestic king as one drives south.
Stopping at the mountain is a great side trip, especially if one takes a diversion at Crystal Mountain. The view from Crystal of Mt. Rainier’s emerald green fields offset with stripes of cottony white snow on the peaks against an azure sky is as dazzling as a painter’s masterpiece.
Scenic Stops Along the Way
A riveting stop along the way is the Nisqually Reserve. Visitors can spot birds among the 275 migrating species that use the freshwater marshes and grasslands for breeding. Another stop, especially if children are in tow, is the Great Wolf Lodge.
With its indoor water park kept at a warm 84 degrees, kids can jump out of the car for a welcome break.
Discovering Astoria, Oregon
Our first stop was Astoria, Oregon, founded in 1811 and the first permanent American settlement west of the Rockies. It’s located at the mouth of the Columbia River, near the Pacific Ocean.
We toured the Victorian-era downtown and the Columbia River Maritime Museum that captures Astoria’s rich nautical history. The museum features the Graveyard of the Pacific, a stretch of the Pacific Northwest coast along the treacherous Columbia Bar.
Thousands of ships have ended in shatters along the coast due to unpredictable weather conditions, shifting sandbars, tidal rips, and rocky reefs.
Read More: Experience the Coastal Charms of Newport, Oregon
Exploring Ft. Stevens State Park
That information led us to Ft. Stevens State Park, 20 minutes from Astoria and a welcome sniff of salt air. The park features secluded beaches, hiking trails, a historical fort and some of those shipwrecks recorded at the museum.
The Peter Iredale is a four-masted steel barque that ran ashore in 1906. The bones of its wreckage are eerily visible, and visitors can walk over its sand-filled remains.
Visiting Gearhart and Beyond
Then we discovered Gearhart, a charming town with no traffic lights, wide streets for riding bicycles, and an unspoiled beach.
The weathered, gray-shingled homes set the scene for this quiet retreat with pristine beaches and a laid-back atmosphere. It’s known for its historic golf course, scenic dunes, and excellent razor clamming.
Next, we found Seaside, a totally contrasting, rollicking family town that embraces kite flying and boogie boarding to take advantage of its boisterous waves.
Its bustling downtown draws kids to its attractions like bumper cars, video games, and the Seaside Aquarium. It’s a great spot for biking and exploring miles of sandy beach.
The Beauty of Cannon Beach
Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach caught us by surprise. The towering rock, along with additional smaller rocks, protrudes right along the sandy shore. Add to this the nearby sea caves, tide pools, and picnic areas.
That breathtaking scenery earned its name as one of the world’s most beautiful places by National Geographic. Boutiques and galleries dot the downtown.
Charming Manzanita
We popped into sleepy Manzanita, possibly the next berg to expand, so seeing it in its unassuming state was a treat. The coffee shop and bar are the places to find locals who could soon become an endangered species.
The Tillamook Creamery Experience
The Tillamook Creamery in Tillamook is a must-visit for food lovers. The self-guided tour of this massive plant is an opportunity to see the complete process from milk to the cheese on your grocery shelf. Samples are free too. Other attractions are the Tillamook Air Museum and Cape Meares Lighthouse.
Read More: Treat Yourself to an Oregon Coast Getaway at Salishan Coastal Lodge
Final Stops and the Journey to Ashland
Our scenic drive was nearing an end before we headed farther south to Ashland, but we took a brief detour to Depoe Bay to see Devils Punch Bowl.
The park features a large bowl carved in a rock headland where waves enter and often violently churn, swirl and foam. Depoe Bay calls itself the whale-watching capital of the Oregon Coast because it seems to draw whales like clockwork every March through December.
Ashland’s Cultural Haven
Then we left behind the rivers and lush forests for the 350-mile journey to Ashland. Vast honey-colored rolling hillsides of native grass in the Rogue Valley ushered us to this quaint village. And there it was—tucked into the Mt. Ashland foothills and surrounded by the Siskiyou and Cascade mountain ranges.
My guy and I took strolls in shady Lithia Park, perched along Ashland Creek, with its trails, duck ponds, and a Japanese garden. It’s in the heart of town that’s lined with clothing, ice cream, and irresistible chocolate shops that feature chocolate- and candy-dipped apples. An apple a day is always a good choice.
The Ashland Springs Hotel and Theater Scene
The Ashland Springs Hotel, named a National Historic Site, is the lynchpin in the inviting downtown area. Up the street from it are three theaters, one of which is an outside venue that usually shows the Shakespeare plays.
The other theaters stage them too, since there were three Shakespeares in this year’s lineup. Musicals, classics, and new pieces fill out the rest of the schedule.
The Impact of the Shakespeare Festival
Ashland is often called the “Broadway of the West Coast.” The festival boasts Tony Awards, and TIME Magazine named it one of the top five regional theater companies in the country. It closes in November, only to open again in February with world-class productions.
With a $44M annual budget, it is the largest US Shakespeare Festival with a rotating repertory company.
Next year’s calendar includes four Shakespeares, one of which is A Midsummer Night’s Dream. An August Wilson production of King Hedley II will complement the musicals, Come from Away and Raisin in the Sun.
The Festival’s Recovery and Legacy
The Shakespeare Festival dictates not only Ashland’s culture, but its very existence. Though somewhat stabilized by the presence of Southern Oregon University, Ashland nearly toppled when the pandemic hit.
The festival, founded in 1935, closed for the remaining 2020 season. With the pandemic seeming to moderate, the festival stumbled along with a shortened schedule in the following years.
When it tried to resume in April 2023, the supporters received frantic letters. The festival, with permanent closure seeming imminent, pleaded for emergency fundraising help. The situation grew even more dire as staff members scattered like leaves in the wind.
Restaurants and shops shuttered. By June, though, the fundraising effort had exceeded its goal. The festival hired Artistic Director Tim Bond, and he turned it around, despite forest fires that laid a grey gloom over the already gloomy town.
Today, the festival is recovering. The plays are fine-tuned, the accommodations fresh, and we lolled under the shade trees while dining at restaurants like The Peerless. The vitality remains.
We saw five plays, and the theaters were full. “Green shows,” singing and dancing performances on the lawn before shows, uplifted our spirits. This small community that doesn’t even have a newspaper proved that it still has it.
A Destination for Retirees and Artists
Ashland is often called the “Broadway of the West Coast.” The festival boasts Tony Awards, and TIME Magazine named it one of the top five regional theater companies in the country. Because of the Shakespeare Festival, it’s a destination for retirees and artists.
It’s well worth the trip to these captivating locations for a banquet of drama, adventure, and fine dining.
When You Go
Where to stay:
- Seaside—Gilbert Inn Bed and Breakfast
- Ashland—Ashland Springs Hotel, The Peerless, Plaza Inn and Suites
Where to eat:
- Astoria—Astoria Brewing Company
- Seaside—Doogers
- Tillamook—Tillamook Creamery
- Ashland—Louie’s, Peerless, Lark
- Medford—Pomodori Bistro
What to see:
- Astoria—Columbia River Maritime Museum
- Ft. Stevens State Park—Peter Iredale wreck
- Tillamook—Tillamook Creamery
- Depoe Bay—Devils Punch Bowl
- Ashland—Lithia Park
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Author Bio: Marcia McGreevy Lewis (she/her) lives in Seattle and is a retired feature writer for a Washington newspaper. She enjoys committing her adventures to writing for literary journals, magazines, travel sites, and books. Reach her on Facebook and Instagram/Threads, Twitter, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.
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