If you're ever looking to get out of Portland for a mini-vacation, Ashland is the place to go! Known for its theater performances and hippie vibes, Ashland is the quaint getaway we all need. It is located about 5 hours South of Portland, close to Interstate 5.

Our Trip:

After car-camping near Roseburg, I jumped into the drivers seat and finished the trek to Ashland. First thing we wanted to do when we got there was grab some breakfast. We found Cafe 116, aka "Ashland's Living Room", on google and decided to try it out. With a menu that would satisfy anybody, their best option is the bagel with veggies (Its basically a veggie bagel sandwich but half the price). They also had $4 mimosas which of course we had to order. The cafe also had cute little gifts from local artists that you could purchase

After breakfast, we wanted to check out Lithia Park. We had heard about it the day before our trip and it lived up to the hype! We came about 3 weeks after peak fall color but there were still a lot of leaves on trees in the park. I couldn't even imagine seeing this in its prime (next year!) This is a huge park with a creek, trails, a couple small lakes, and so much more. We saw a lot of people here that were out enjoying the sunny day.

I wanted to fly my drone again to get more practice in. This was the second time I have flown the drone and the views from up there are incredible. To be able to see downtown Ashland from above was a treat! There was so much color in this city!

Close to the park, we walked to the main road through a little back alley that followed the creek. We strolled through town and saw all the cute shops. Some of which were going into Christmas mode so we picked up a few ornaments for our empty tree at home. Most of the shops were small, family owned, and felt very special.

One place I would highly recommend to grab cocktails at is the Brickroom. Order a few small plates and a couple of their fine cocktails and enjoy the cool atmosphere. This photo was taken early on a Thursday, but as the night went on, more and more people came in. You could see this is definitely one of the hot spots in town. As we were finishing up, a band started to set up in the corner.

To finish the night, we ended up at Jackson Wellsprings. A resort/campground that is a hippies haven. With a mineral water pool, hot tub, sauna, steam room, farm to table meals, and a huge camping area, this place is absolutely where you need to end up after a day of exploring Ashland. I would also keep in mind that the pool area is clothing optional after a certain time. Lots of naked humans. I unfortunately didn't get any photos of this area, but I would still check it out if you're in the area. The steam room and hot tub were amazingly refreshing and revitalized my soul. The perfect end to the perfect mini-vacation!