We Owe It to Britt – by Graham Farran

Let’s Talk Real Estate – May 2023

We’d been waiting for Britt’s last season announcement to finalize our summer plans. As soon as the announcement hit, we received emails from friends and family. The first one said, “Ringo Starr at Britt, really?” And, “Is Diana Ross really coming to Britt, and Train is my favorite band.” At that point, our friends began asking to visit and see their favorite bands and vacation in Jacksonville.

Our summer is now taking shape! It’s one long stream of out-of-state friends and family from June to September. Jacksonville is the hub of Southern Oregon for history, wine, and music, so it’s the perfect home base to launch your exploration of greater Southern Oregon. For us, we use these staycations to rediscover the beauty, culture, fun, and wonders of Southern Oregon. We design each staycation around the personal likes of our visiting guest.

Our first visitor is my wife’s sister and her husband who will arrive to see Diana Ross. Coming from Southern California, they love Jacksonville, walking everywhere, eating a late breakfast at GoodBean or Sunny Side Up, then strolling the streets, shopping at all eclectic stores, buying gifts and gadgets you’ll never see in malls. Then we’ll do some wine tasting in and around Jacksonville. Incorporating some outdoor, live music at South Stage Cellars, and Thursday night along the Applegate River at Red Lily Vineyards. Of course, we’ll visit DANCIN for the splendid views, food, and my favorite Pinot Noir. We always catch a trolley ride—a wonderful way to be reminded of Jacksonville’s history, and its gold mining past.

We’ll have a BBQ the night of Diana Ross and watch the energy build as 2000+ concertgoers ascend the hill. Then we’ll start our walk up the hill for a night of music and excitement. At the end of the concert, we’ll most likely end our night at The Bella, Boomtown, or Jacksonville Tavern to enjoy more live music.

The day after the concert we’ll head over to TouVelle State Park and ride the Jet Boats up the Rogue River, north past some of the most scenic landscapes along the Rogue below the Table Rocks. They also jet you by Ginger Rogers’ and Jim Belushi’s house and other mega-mansions along the river. When done, we’ll head out of town, about 45 minutes, to Lake of the Woods where we’ll stay in a cabin for a few days. We’ll enjoy this wonderful lake surrounded by a fir forest in the high Cascades, swimming, boating, kayaking, riding electric mountain bikes, roasting smores and hot dogs on the fire pit, and just enjoying the smells and sights of the high mountains. We’ll take a drive and have breakfast at the Crater Lake historic lodge then sit in the rocking chairs overlooking the lake.

The next staycation will be with one of my oldest friends who was my first roommate after graduating from college. A lover of the outdoors, we are planning a great adventure starting with a rafting trip down the Upper Klamath, known as the “Hell’s Corner Gorge,” a stretch that boasts 47 class 3 & 4+ rapids.

After we recover, we’re planning an early morning trip through the beautiful Applegate Valley, down Highway 199, stopping to see the Oregon Caves, then drive along the Smith River to see Stout Grove in Jedediah Smith State Park for a hike through the giant redwoods along the river. After that, we’ll drive north through Brookings and stay at Whaleshead Resort, perfectly located to explore the beauty of the Oregon Coast from trails and parks in the Samuel H. Boardman State Park.

Not done yet, we’ll head back to Jacksonville for Britt with Lyle Lovett and His Large Band. The next morning, we’ll head up to Lake of the Woods where we’ll rest up and enjoy the high mountains. From there we’ll take a side trip to kayak down the Wood River, which is a slow moving, freezing cold, crystal clear, river that is formed from a spring originating at Crater Lake. Lastly, before the staycation ends, we’ll hike down the wild and scenic Rogue River, a beautiful canyon hike, full of wildflowers, waterfalls, and rafters below on the river.

We are still making plans with other friends and family, including my cousin from Minnesota and my sister from Northern California. Both love all the live theater we have in Southern Oregon. A staycation with them will be filled with plays at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Camelot Theater, and the Cabaret dinner house. The plays will be combined with hikes in Lithia Park and dinners at the many great restaurants in Ashland… and then end with a concert at Britt.

It’s easy to take what we have for granted…when you host visitors and see it through their eyes, it reminds you what an incredible area we live in.