Getting Here and Around

Air Travel.

Medford's Rogue Valley International Airport (MFR) is the state's third-largest facility. 541/772-8068. www.co.jackson.or.us.

Most national car rental branches are at the airport, with rates starting at $25 a day. A few taxi and shuttle companies provide transportation from the airport to other towns in the area; these are used mostly by locals, as a car is the only practical way to explore this mostly rural part of Oregon. The one exception is Ashland, in which many attractions, restaurants, and accommodations are within walking distance.

Cascade Airport Shuttle offers door-to-door service from the airport to Ashland for about $30. 541/488-1998.

Among taxi companies, Valley Cab serves the Rogue Valley region, with fares costing $3 base per trip, plus $2.50 per mile thereafter. 541/772-1818.

Roseburg is a 75-mi drive from Oregon's second-largest airport, in Eugene (EUG).Ashland is about 300 mi south of the state's largest airport, in Portland; and 350 mi north of San Francisco. Although it's often cheaper to fly into these larger airports than it is to Medford, what you lose in gas costs, time, and inconvenience may outweigh the savings.

Bus Travel.

A half-dozen Greyhound buses a day connect Portland, Salem, Bend, and other northern points on the I-5 corridor to Grants Pass, Medford (southern Oregon's transportation hub), and Klamath Falls. 800/231-2222. www.greyhound.com.

Southern Oregon's one regional bus line, Rogue Valley Transportation District, has service from Medford to Central Point, Jacksonville, and Ashland; however, this service is geared toward commuters and is unwieldy and impractical for short-term visitors, as buses run only during the day, run only once or twice an hour, and don't serve many of the region's key attractions. 541/734-9292. www.rvtd.org.

Car Travel.

Unquestionably, your best way to explore the region is by car, although most of Ashland's key attractions, hotels, and dining are downtown and within walking distance of one another. Interstate 5 runs north-south the length of the Umpqua and Rogue River valleys, linking Roseburg, Grants Pass, Medford, and Ashland. Many regional attractions lie not too far east or west of Interstate 5. Jacksonville is a short drive due west from Medford. Highway 138 winds scenically along the Umpqua River east of Roseburg to the less-visited northern end of Crater Lake National Park. Highway 140 leads from Medford east to Klamath Falls, which you can reach from Bend via U.S. 97.