You’ve made your decision, you are moving. To Southern Oregon, no less! From us here at Bear Creek Home Inspections, welcome! We know moving to a new place can be daunting, and it can take a little while to adjust. Here are a few tips about Southern Oregon that might help make life a little easier.
The Weather
For the most part, the weather is relatively mild in Southern Oregon, but the summers can be hot and dry. Because of this, be prepared for fire season. Think ahead and make sure you have an emergency go-bag for your family and also some extra air filters for your home. When there are fires in the area, the air filters in your house can get dirty a lot faster and you’ll want to be able to replace those as needed to keep your inside air healthy.
The Rules of the Road
Oregon has a few regulations that may take a little while to get used to. These are a couple to look out for.
-Do not try to pump your gas. This is something you already may be aware of if you have visited Oregon before, but just in case you forgot, Oregon is only one of two states that do not allow self-serve. While there are pockets in the state where self-serve is allowed (sometimes only at specific times of the day) for the most part in Oregon, it is still not allowed.
-U-Turns, this one can trip a lot of people up. U-turns are allowed in Oregon but only under specific situations or where there is a sign saying they are permitted. See the driver's manual here for the official word on u-turns. It could save you a traffic fine.
The Towns
We think we will do another article next month with places to go and visit, but here’s a quick rundown of the towns in Southern Oregon:
Medford- This is the largest of the towns along the i5 for our area. You will likely get most of your everyday shopping done here. It has stores like Target, Wal-Mart, Fred Meyers, along with other strip mall places like Trader Joe’s and Marshall’s. There are also two hospitals in Medford, and they aren’t far from each other: Providence Medical Center and Asante Rogue Regional.
Ashland- Home of the Shakespeare Festival. It's also a pretty town to visit. It has the best park in the area, Lithia Park, and plenty of cute shops where you can find everything from kitchen goods to old vinyl records. It also has some grocery stores that cater to those who prefer organic and natural foods.
Jacksonville- Lovely old-timey town. A wonderful place to get a cup of coffee and enjoy strolling down the main street.
Central Point- A sort of bedroom community. Some small shops and a few grocery stores. The expo fairgrounds are here.
Grants Pass- A medium-sized town where, like Medford, you will find everyday shopping places.
The Oregon Coast
The Coast
One of the best things about living in Southern Oregon is the coast. From Medford, it is only a couple of hours to the port town of Brookings. When you go, keep these things in mind:
-Oregon beaches are free and open to the public. It seems amazing, but some of the best stretches of coastline you can see are free to the public thanks to the Oregon Beach Bill, and many are easy to reach. Please, keep in mind this does not mean you can trespass on private property to get to the beach. To help start you on your free beach adventure, stop at Crissey Field State Recreation Site’s visitor center. They have lots of helpful information and friendly volunteers to get you on your way. Also, in our opinion, some of the cleanest public restrooms around.
-Lookout for the bug stations. If you decide to head out to the Southern Oregon Coast from the Rogue Valley, you will likely, temporarily, cross the California border. This means you could be stopped at, what we affectionately call, the bug station (technically called the California Agricultural Inspection Station). Many are familiar with these stations along the California border. Be aware, and don’t take along a ton of fruit that you would be sad to lose. You may find that the stations are open sporadically, but you still don't want to risk losing a lot of fruit or vegetables, or even plants, if you happen to get stuck at one. We lost a tasty orange this way, although they let us keep a banana another time. For more information about these stations, click here for the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
We hope you enjoyed these helpful hints for Southern Oregon. Stay tuned for our next article about places to see and things to do in your new home town.
Welcome to the neighborhood!