Medford, OR Road Trips

Medford is a city in, and county seat of, Jackson County, Oregon, United States. In 2017, the city had a population of about 82,000, with about 218,000 in the metropolitan area, making the Medford MSA the fourth largest metro area in Oregon. The city was named in 1883 by David Loring, civil engineer and right-of-way agent for the Oregon and California Railroad, after Medford, Massachusetts, which was near Loring’s home town of Concord, Massachusetts. Medford is near the middle ford of Bear Creek. At 1,382 feet above sea level, Medford is protected by surrounding mountains, and the area is favored with a mild climate. Annual average rainfall is 18-20 inches (45-50 cm), about the same as San Francisco. The seasons are clearly defined, temperatures are generally mild overall, and yearly snowfall is three to four inches on the valley floor. The median winter temperature is 36 °F (2 °C). Summers are warm with a median temperature of 94 °F (34 °C) and an average of 15 days over 100 °F (38 °C). Overnight lows in the summer average around 59 °F (15 °C), with higher overnight lows of around 66 °F (19 °C) on some hotter days. Humidity is low. Because of the layout of surrounding mountains, Medford's climate is more similar to that of nearby northern California than the rest of Oregon: relatively dry, with hotter summers and more mild winters.

The enormous malevolent Blackbird statue at 1810 W. Main Street. Medford is the regional hub for several smaller surrounding towns, including theater destination Ashland and historic goldrush-era Jacksonville. Similar historic landmarks include several early-twentieth-century buildings downtown, as well as numerous historical farms and Victorian homes in the area. 1 Bear Creek Park, 1520 Siskiyou Blvd, ☏ +1 541-774-2400. A sprawling area near the southern end of town, next to the regional bike path, I-5 freeway, and the creek that gives its name. The park features an extensive playground, numerous picnic tables and barbecue areas, several tennis courts, an amphitheater, several small gardens, a skating and bike park, and plenty of rolling grass areas. It's a very popular place for families; during the summer, don't miss the community's free movie nights. Fichtner-Mainwaring Park. A large collection of soccer fields, play equipment, and tennis courts near Jefferson Elementary off of Stewart Ave on the south side of town. 2 Roxy Ann Peak / Prescott Park. An area surrounding the peak of the same name among the foothills in eastern Medford. While developments have slowly encroaches on its borders, the area remains popular for casual hiking and features great views of the valley. Rogue River and Umpqua National Forest. Surrounds a significant part of the valley to the north and south. A number of mountain lakes, as well as excellent campgrounds and picnic areas.

Southern Oregon, and Oregon in general, are excellent destinations for outdoor enthusiasts. Medford, as the hub of southern Oregon and home to some of the mildest weather in the state, is a popular launching point for many outdoor activities. The primary terrain is mountainous, with a large and mild valley where the city is located. Rafting on the Rogue and Upper Klamath Rivers. Check out Momentum River Expeditions, Noahs Rafting, and Northwest Rafting Company for 1/2-day, one-day, and multi-day trips. Fish for salmon in the Rogue River and tributaries Go on the Haunted Brothels and Opium Dens of Medford walking tour. Meets noon Saturdays at Sixth and Central. Tour the Harry & David plant. Sample regional wineries Bike the Rogue Valley along the Bear Creek Greenway Hike the surrounding mountains and foothills (the Pacific Crest Trail skirts the south and eastern edges of the valley) Ski at Mt. Ashland, the region's primary winter resort Tour historical landmarks and tours through the Southern Oregon Historical Society Ride an extensive and detailed miniature train line at the local Railroad Park, or tour several preserved locomotives and train cars. Hunt down local landmarks along the Applegate Trail, the alternative ending to the Oregon Trail. Discover the gold rush history behind Medford's foothills and immigration history 1 Craterian Theater at The Collier Center for the Performing Arts, 23 S Central Ave, ☏ +1 541-779-3000. Box office: Tu-F 10AM-4PM. Event days: Tu-F 10AM-performance time; Sa-M noon-performance time.

Oh's Osaka, 123 S Front St (One block south of Main-Central intersection), ☏ +1 541-282-2334. Dinner from 5PM. A local landmark, features fresh sushi and Japanese food prepared in an open teppanyaki-style restaurant. Family-owned and operated; first generation Korean and Japanese parents whose son works the sushi bar. $$. Vinny's Italian Kitchen, 970 N Phoenix Rd (Just south of the Barnett-North Phoenix intersection), ☏ +1 541-772-3668. Tu-Sa 4-9PM. Cleverly disguised as a small cafe in an east Medford strip mall, but it turns out some of the best Italian food in the state. Small and humble (you'll see Vinny himself in the kitchen most nights tossing pizza dough or tasting dishes), but well-decorated. Try any of their flat-crust pizzas or the excellent chicken marsala; the menu is very reasonably priced, and you can pick up meals to go. Barney's Better Burgers, 415 North Riverside Ave (Right after the Jackson intersection, driving north on Riverside), ☏ +1 541-770-4678. You can't get a burger like this anywhere else in the state - juicy, dripping with grease, and fresh off the grill. It's a cheap way to satisfy your lunch craving while encouraging the eventual heart attack. Very authentic and down-to-earth diner-style cafe near downtown.

Elements (Tapas Bar and Lounge), 101 E Main St (Westbound Main Street, on the corner before the railroad crossing), ☏ +1 541-779-0135. Tu-Su 4PM - late. Serves excellent tapas food (somewhat couture for the region), but their main strength is in a highly creative cocktail menu, a well-stocked bar, and an excellent wine list. Though not cheap, it's very easy to lose track of time when you're just meeting up with friends for a drink. 4 Daughters Irish Pub (Pub-style drinks and food), 126 W Main St (Right before the old library on West Main), ☏ +1 541-779-4455. M-Th 11AM - 11PM, F Sa 11AM - 2AM. Serves marginal pub food, but has an excellent whiskey and beer menu. The atmosphere can be quite fun, especially with their music and game room.

There's a KOA in Gold Hill, to the northwest down I-5; another commercial campground is out Highway 140 about 10 miles east of White City. Farther away are national forest campground, but they are a bit of a commute. Best Western Horizon Inn, 1154 E Barnett Rd, ☏ +1 541-779-5085, toll-free: +1-800-452-2255, fax: +1 541-772-6878. Candlewood Suites, 3548 Heathrow Way, ☏ +1 541-772-2800. Courtyard Medford Airport, 600 Airport Rd, ☏ +1 541-772-5656, fax: +1 541-772-3475. Holiday Inn Express, 1501 S. Pacific Hwy, ☏ +1 541-732-1400. Motel 6 Medford North, 2400 Biddle Rd, ☏ +1 541-779-0550, fax: +1 541 857-9573. Motel 6 Medford South, 950 Alba Dr, ☏ +1 541-773-4290, fax: +1 541 857-9574.

The 1 Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport ((MFR IATA)), 1000 Terminal Loop Pkwy. is the major airport for commercial flights serving Medford, Ashland, Grants Pass and the surrounding Rogue Valley in southern Oregon and the Siskiyous in northern California. The airport is 3 miles (4.8km) north of downtown off of I-5 at Exit #30 (Crater Lake Hwy (SR-62)) & #33 (E Pine St/Biddle Rd). The following airlines serve Medford (some distant cities may be seasonal and/or weekly): American Airlines and Skywest dba American Eagle: Phoenix Sky Harbor. (Flights from Portland and Seattle are operated by Alaska Airlines as a codeshare partner). Alaska Airlines: (Gates 1 & 3) (Portland, Seattle-Tacoma, Los Angeles and San Diego) Allegiant': (Las Vegas and Santa Ana, CA) Delta Connection: (Gate 4) (Salt Lake City & Seattle-Tacoma) United Airlines & Skywest dba United Express: (Gate 5) (Denver and San Francisco) There are no non-stop international flights offered into southern Oregon. Additional connections (for domestic & international flights) are made in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City depending on the airlines you choose. To travel from the airport to downtown: A taxi from the airport will cost around $17+ 15% tip. Click here for a list of available taxi, shuttle and car rental companies at the airport. The RVTD (local city bus) line #61 stops hourly at the airport, and ends downtown at the main RVTD terminal. Make sure you get on the bus heading to Medford, and not RCC/Table Rock. This #61 bus schedule is available on the RVTD website here.

Medford's bus system, run by Rogue Valley Transit District (RVTD), transports passengers all around the city, and as far as Central Point, White City, Phoenix, Jacksonville, Talent and Ashland with aspirations to add more. It is relatively easy to walk all of downtown, as it is not very big. A lengthy bike path, the Bear Creek Greenway, runs along Bear Creek in a north-south direction from Ashland (about a dozen miles south of Medford) through the city and up to the end of Central Point (the northern district of Medford). This scenic route is very level, and runs near several important parts of town, such as the mall, downtown, and commercial districts near both freeway interchanges. Lyft and Uber ride hailing services operate in the city.