The historic district is small enough to do properly in one afternoon, if you do it in the right order. Here is my standing route.
Walk California Street before the crowds
Jacksonville's downtown is a National Historic Landmark District of Victorian storefronts, and the trick is to walk it before the tasting rooms fill up. Start at the north end of California Street and drift south, letting the galleries, the music shop, and the oldest buildings set the tone. The Beekman House, owned and furnished in period style, is worth the detour for anyone who likes history with the roof on.
Taste where the stone walls are old
The wine scene spreads in two directions. In the district itself, South Stage Cellars and Anchor Valley pour in historic buildings where you can sit with a flight and watch the street. Up the hills, Somar Family Vineyards and Daisy Creek Vineyard sit among the vines, and the drive between them is half the pleasure. The Rogue Valley's appellations, from the Applegate to the Rogue, give these wineries a personality Medford's plains can't match.
End the day at the Britt Bowl
Britt Music & Arts Festival runs its summer concerts from the hillside pavilion above town, and the grounds are open for a walk even when the stage is quiet. Climb Britt Hill late in the day, watch the light go amber over the valley, and you will understand the town's patience: everything good here is on a human scale, and that is the whole point.
Tim Bell
Real estate broker · Southern Oregon
Tim writes the Southern Oregon Life guide for Tim Bell Real Estate between town tours and open houses. If you are moving to the valley, he would love to help you shortlist the right towns first.
Talk to Tim