Category: OUTDOOR FUN!

Snow Tubing at Diamond Lake

Our trip to go snow tubing at Diamond Lake was a BLAST!                                We had been planning it for weeks and the kids were ecstatic. Truth be told, Brooke and I were just as giddy to go! Between the two of us we have 6 kids total, including two sets of boy/girl twins, and each a singleton girl!

We decided ahead of time we were going to make it a day trip and pack lunches for a little snow pic-nic together. There is lodging options as well and it would be fun to stay a day or two next time! The drive was nice, only about 2 hours from Grants Pass. There is also a little store with food and snow gear just in case you forgot something like I always do! There is also a few dining options located by the store, hotel and cabins.

At the tubing hill they also have a few snacks available and snow gear if needed. One fun thing we didn’t expect was the music playing outside and families eating what they brought in and bbq’n in the parking lot!

The entire atmosphere was family friendly. When we got to the hill, we selected our tubes. They have single or doubles to choose from. While riding the conveyor belt to the top we all realized how fast everyone was going, we were terrified and excited all at the same time! The ride down is about 25 seconds but feels like 5! Little did we know that about 1 hour before closing it’s less, maybe 20 seconds to the bottom and you start to go further and further past the finish line!

That last hour was probably my favorite. Most the crowd had left or went to the parking lot to bbq so the line was shorter. We had gotten over the initial anxiety of going down and we’re having a blast by then! The kids were going down backwards and on their stomachs and my friend Brooke was able to record her and I going down together, best video ever!
Both of our families are from California and have lived in Oregon 10-12 years and this was by far one of the funnest things I have done in Oregon! There were no electronics involved besides a fun video with lots of laughs and amazing family memories made! I highly recommend going to Diamond lake for your next family trip!
The season usually starts in December to March, but depending on the weather conditions may extend to April.
For dates, hours of operation, costs and more details you can visit:
https://www.diamondlake.net/winter-recreation
or call   541-793-3333
(MAP)
By Jennifer Whitney
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Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink in Beautiful Lithia Park

It’s that time of year again to lace up your skates and hit the ice! The Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink will officially open on Thursday, December 2019 through February 17, 2020. The outdoor rink, a division of Ashland Parks & Recreation, is located at 95 Winburn Way, across from the Lithia Park playground, around the corner from the Plaza, and at the corner of Nutley Street and Winburn Way.

The 2019-2020 Season will feature something for everyone… Bring the whole family! For more information on prices, schedules, lessons, programming, hockey, scholarships and all we have to offer you, visit AshlandParksandRec.org or call the ice rink directly at 541.488.9189. You may also call the Ashland Parks and Recreation office at 541.488.5340. Watch for details on the annual First Frost event that will be held in December this year. This gala celebration culminates the spirit of the outdoor rink and the holidays! Psst kids, tell your parents Chilly the Snowman and Santa’s elves will be at First Frost on Saturday, December 14. Complete details online at AshlandParksandRec.org.We hope you can experience one of the most magical places in Ashland… that little outdoor rink in beautiful Lithia Park, where the air is fresh, the white lights are twinkling and the music blends with the sounds of nature and blades on the ice… “Let’s skate!”Be sure to check the online schedule BEFORE coming out to the rink – ashland.or.us/IceRink. And, look for the holiday schedule for Christmas break.Follow us on social media… Facebook & Instagram @AshlandParksandRec

#AshlandIceRink #AshlandParksandRec #APRC #LithiaPark #AshlandRotaryCentennialIceRink #AshlandWhatToDo #FunItsInOurNature
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Kayaking at Spring Creek

Ever since seeing pictures of the clear blue water of Spring Creek, I was dying to go!  In August, we had the chance to go and didn’t hesitate.

We put in at Spring Creek Recreation Site and kayaked upstream to the headwaters. The current is so gentle that, whether you’re going down stream or up, it’s pretty easy to paddle. This easy paddling allows you to take in the beautiful scenery – especially the crystal clear, turquoise water! I didn’t get sick of staring at it the entire trip. When looking at the other kayakers moving across the water, it looks as if they are gliding on ice … and if you feel the water you’ll find it’s just about as cold as ice. I could only handle having a hand or foot in for a few seconds before quickly pulling out in pain.

Once you reach the headwaters, you can see where the spring originates from bubbling up out of the ground. Some people call the little hurricanes of sand “dancing sand.” My son jumped out and stepped in one and was surprised to find that his foot sank in quite a bit!

We picnicked in our kayaks before heading back downstream.

Another favorite part of the trip was seeing the Mare’s Eggs- a rare freshwater algae that only grow in a few places around the world. It grows in colonies that cover the bottom of the creek in certain areas. I could go on and on about how gorgeous this area is, but all you have to do is take one look at a picture and you’ll be dying to see it for yourself!

Some families bring their own kayaks or you can rent from

Lakes Wilderness Adventures. 112 W Chocktoot St, Chiloquin, OR 97624 (541) 591-0949

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spring-Creek-Recreation-Site/150598304952078

By Brennan
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U Pick Peaches at Sugar Plumb Acres

I recently found Sugar Plumb Acres on Facebook and was super excited to go out and check out the farm located at 1850 Pioneer Rd. in Talent, Oregon.

We have a family recipe for a peach cake that my children love so it was easy to talk them into coming. When we pulled up to the farm the first thing that caught my eye was all the beautiful flowers!

They have a u-pick area that you can find reasonable priced flowers to make your own bouquet. Our next trip out we will be taking advantage of this for sure. We were directed to area to pick the peaches, you need to bring your own containers to transport them, we brought reusable fruit bags.

There are plenty of low hanging fruit so that even your toddlers are able to participate. Once you’ve gathered all your peaches you just have to pull up to the exit and you’re able to weight and pay right there, the farm does only take cash or checks.

For more information visit http://www.sugarplumacres.info

Photos by: rhardestyphotography.com
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Park & Play: Providing Free Summertime Fun!

Looking for free children’s activities to kick those the summertime blues?

The Park & Play program provides free activities, sports, crafts and bounce houses guaranteed to deliver a positive and enjoyable experience for your kids.

The Park & Play crew brings a mobile recreation vehicle and leads children in fun, engaging outdoor activities aimed to increase activity, creativity, and build social skills.

The daily schedule consists of a game, sport or contest, a creative art project and time in the bounce house. The bounce house is monitored closely by staff and administers a time limit to guarantee that everyone gets a chance to bounce safely.

 

Park & Play visits eight Medford parks Monday through Thursday, stopping at two parks each day for two hours; 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.

The schedule allows Park & Play to visit a park in each Medford once a week to assure that all residents have access to the program. Park & Play runs for eight weeks beginning in June.

Movie Night at Lewis Park

 

 

 

 The program is also available at the Rogue Credit Union Movies in the Park series providing free pre-show movie themed activities Saturday evenings from June through August at several city parks.

Go to playmedford.com or call 541-774-2400 for more information.

 

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Storytelling Guild’s Children’s Festival in Jacksonville

The Storytelling Guild presents Annual Children’s Festival every July  at the beautiful Britt Gardens in Jacksonville, Oregon. For many years, the festival has provided fun-filled summer days of affordable entertainment for the entire family!

The first Children’s Festival was in 1967 and began as a small storytelling program, billed as: “A Child’s Fun ‘N Fantasy Afternoon” and was held under the trees at Britt Gardens in Jacksonville. The turnout for this one-day event was so tremendous, 200 children, that it was repeated the next day for another 300 children!

It was apparent that this was an important program and plans were readied for a true Festival in 1968. The Storytelling Guild and the Jackson County Library began planning by recruiting volunteers from the mothers who attended the first Festival. Sixteen volunteers and the local chapter of the American Association of University Women planned for that second year.

The second festival drew 2,000 children. The third, 4000 and by 1981, the Children’s Festival was attracting 15,000 visitors!

At the festival, children and adults will enjoy a variety of booths with hands-on arts, crafts,  science projects and feeding of the litter eating dragons. All activities are included with the price of admission! Older children will enjoy activities such as: candle making, pottery and wood working, while younger children will have a chance to make their own puppet, sand and easel art, and have their faces painted. In addition to fun hands-on projects, you can sit back and enjoy storytelling, child focused entertainment and stage performances.

Admission is $3 per person per day (adults and children). Food is available for purchase inside the festival at the yummy Dragon Deli. The goal has always been to offer an amazing day of entertainment and education for a reasonable cost.

 

The mission of The Story Telling Guild and Children’s Festival is to expose children of all ages to the magic of imagination and to instill a love of books and the joy of reading.

 

For more information visit:

 www.storytellingguild.org/childrens-festival.html

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U-Pick Strawberry Picking at The Oregon Bee Store

The Oregon Bee Store in Eagle Point has the cutest little store with the cutest stuff inside and pure local honey. But the main reason we stopped was for the U Pick strawberries!

 

My 3 1/2 year old daughter had a blast picking her own strawberries . It is a great way to get outside and teach children where strawberries come from,  how they are grown, when they are just right  and taste a freshly picked one.

The Oregon Bee Store offer buckets to pick the strawberries but don’t forget to bring something to take them home in.

They are on Facebook and update it there with all the info for the U pick.                                                          https://www.facebook.com/OregonBeeStore/
The Oregon Bee Store is located at 14356 Highway 62 in Eagle Point, Oregon. You  can give them a call at (541) 826-7621 or stop in to visit the shop and pick some fresh strawberries.
By Caiti
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THE KIDS DASH

The 8th annual Kids Dash is June 8th, 2019 at the Grants Pass High School track. Gate opens st 8AM. Entry fee is $10/child.

The Kids Dash was founded by Dr. Nate Tanner. It has been a KidZone Community Foundation event since 2014.

The Kids Dash includes runs for children ages two through middle school as well as relay races for the whole family, a 1600 meter run for middle school and advanced runners, a foam dart javelin throw, standing long jump, a giant slingshot game and the Hue-man race, our version of events like The Color Run(TM).

 

The Kids Dash will also have a full carnival which is free to all  and is sponsored by Asante Physician Partners.

 

New this year will be an opportunity to participate in games with student-athletes from the University of Oregon presented by the Oregon Athlete Foundation.

The event also feature a Wellness Midway with presentations by many local fitness and health-related organizations.

Please visit www.kidzonefoundation.org/kids-dash/ for more information.

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RANGER -LED SNOWSHOE WALKS AT CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK

In an average winter, Crater Lake National Park receives 43 feet of snow! Ranger-led snowshoe hikes are a fun way to explore this winter wonderland while learning how plants, animals, and people survive the harsh conditions.

Every Saturday and Sunday (and some holidays) Crater Lake National Park offers free guided snowshoe walks. Ranger-led snowshoe walks are a fun way to explore this winter wonderland and learn how plants and animals survive the snowy months. Walks are offered to visitors ages 8+ on weekends  December through April, with additional weekday hikes in late December and early January.

The two-hour walks start at 1:00 p.m. and cover one mile of moderately strenuous terrain. Walks are off-trail explorations through the forests and meadows at the rim of Crater Lake. No previous snowshoeing experience is necessary. Snowshoes are provided free of charge, but advance registration is required. Space is limited on walks. For more information and to sign up, call the park’s visitor center at 541-594-3100 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participants should be at least 8 years old and come prepared with warm clothing and water-resistant footwear.

The weather that gives us spectacular winter recreation also presents people with challenging road conditions. Throughout the fall, winter, and spring, visitors should come prepared for snowy, icy roads, and limited visibility. Before you leave home, ensure that your vehicle is equipped for winter conditions and that you are comfortable driving on snowy roads. Visitors must have traction tires on their vehicles or carry chains, and know how to use them. Drive for the conditions; the posted speed limit is not always a safe speed. Visitors may encounter heavy snow removal equipment on park roads. Please drive slowly and give plows and other heavy equipment plenty of space.

Crater Lake National Park is open 365 days a year. The Steel Visitor Center is open every day except December 25, and food and gifts are available in the Rim Café and Gift Shop year-round except on Thanksgiving Day and December 25. For independent explorations, snowshoes are available for rent at the Rim Café and Gift Shop. Lodging and gasoline are not available in the park from mid-October to late-May.
For more information on winter conditions, services, and programs in Crater Lake National Park, visit our website at www.nps.gov/crla.

 

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Free BrittKids Koncerts: Cultivating the Next Generation of Artist

Britt Festival has always made a commitment to include a family-friendly orchestra performance in programming choices, nevertheless, it has been a while since any programs were offered specifically for the musical cultivation of young children. When Kay Hilton was appointed to direct Britt’s education and engagement programs in 2015, she decided to commission two free performances for children in Britt’s Performance Garden. In that first year, audience attendance at the mid-morning concerts completely filled the garden venue, confirming that local families were interested in concerts for young children.

Since then, with the support of Southern Oregon Subaru’s exclusive sponsorship, Britt
Education has commissioned eight original BrittKids Koncerts for children ages 0 to 10, created the free BrittKids Klub, and increased the number of free performances each year.

Last summer, over 2,500 people attended the series. This year, local and regional performers, including musicians from the Britt Orchestra, were invited to submit program ideas to further diversify the programming. As part of our new partnership with Medford Parks & Recreation, we will present our first BrittKids Koncert at Bear Creek Park on Aug. 18. Britt Education will offer other free events throughout the summer in Ashland in partnership with the OSF Green Show and Ashland Parks & Recreation.

We hope to continue to offer these free events for years to come and look forward to seeing everyone at this year’s BrittKids Koncert series, this July and August!

All BrittKids Koncerts begin at 10:15 AM | Gates open at 9:45 AM
All performances are at the Britt Performance Garden, with the exception of the August 18 concert.
http://www.brittfest.org/performances/brittkidskoncerts18

Jul 17 | “Traditional Folk Dances of Mexico” by Ballet Folklorico Ritmo Alegre
Jul 23 | “Corps of Discovery” by The Meriwethers
Jul 29 | “Iggy’s String Theory” by Ignace Jang & Mark Bergman
Jul 30 | “Flora and the Search for the Groove” by Gabriel Globus-Hoenich & Members of the Britt
Orchestra
Aug 5 | “Got Melody?” by 16 Strings
Aug 6 | “Kid’s Drums Unlimited” by Gabriel Globus-Hoenich & Friends
Aug 7 | “Flora and the Search for the Groove” by Gabriel Globus-Hoenich & Members of the Britt
Orchestra
Aug 18 | “Corps of Discovery” by The Meriwethers at BEAR CREEK PARK, MEDFORD PARKS
Aug 20 | “Traditional Folk Dances of Mexico” by Ballet Folklorico Ritmo Alegre
Aug 25 | “Don’t Laugh at Me” by Steve Seskin

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