The Best of Jacksonville, OR

We took a quick trip to Jacksonville, Oregon last week to celebrate our mom’s birthday. It was our first time in Jacksonville and we love it! The town is quaint, dating back to the early 1850’s. It’s located just southwest of Medford and very near the Applegate Wine Trail. Today we’re sharing the things we loved most about Jacksonville with you and we encourage you to visit!

We booked The Quarters for our two-night stay. This two-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage is beautiful. It’s one of the nicest places we’ve ever stayed. The owner, Jackie, is a delight and incredibly accommodating. The interior is decorated with a mid-century modern theme and there’s an amazing outdoor area with a cozy fire pit and a dining table. The beds are extremely comfortable and the linens five-star quality. There are robes and slippers in the bedrooms and Beekman 1802 toiletries in the bathroom. There’s a full kitchen, washer and dryer. Jackie has truly thought of everything and the place has a great sense of style. It’s within walking distance of the downtown shops and restaurants.

The cottage also came with it’s own wildlife.

A sweet doe and her two fawns frequently made appearances around the property.

As you know, we are food lovers at heart and we were delighted to find Gary-West Artisan Smoked Meats directly across the street from our cottage. They not only have a wonderful selection of smoked meats, cheeses and assorted snacks but also an extensive liquor selection.

We stayed in for dinner our first night and made our Penne with Tomatoes and Smoked Mozzarella (it’s tomato season, after all!) along with a nectarine and blackberry cobbler. Our evening started with wine and cheese and we may (or may not) have had too much wine before trying to use the oven. Even though we thought we were following the instructions, the oven wouldn’t light and the kitchen started smelling of gas. We called Jackie and she said she would come right over. We laughed at the thought that we would be passed out on the floor of the kitchen when she got there and she wouldn’t know if it was because of the gas or the wine! She arrived quickly and helped us get the oven going. Needless to stay we didn’t turn the oven off until everything was cooked 😉

The next morning we walked into the downtown area. Jacksonville has a lot of historic buildings and several interesting shops. Among our favorites are: The Pot Rack for home goods, Artist & Gardener for beautiful art and garden items, Carefree Buffalo for artisan items such as handmade knives, jewelry, purses, belts and leather jackets, and Farmhouse Treasures for a wonderful selection of gifts, jewelry, cards and wall plaques.

Once we visited each and every shop, we headed to Dancin Vineyards. Mom had previously tried their wine and wanted to visit so we headed about a mile out of town to their beautiful property. The winery is set on a hillside with a beautiful view. We sat on the patio outside over looking a pond with the view in the background. They not only offer amazing wines but also amazing food to pair with them. We each chose a select flight of wine (six 1-ounce pours of your choice) and shared the Stuffed Mushrooms and the Pane Caldo. Both were delicious and we highly recommend them. We took home the 2016 Adagio and Melodia Pinot Noirs.

Mom let us pick the second winery we visited and, being dog lovers, we naturally had to pick the one that had a picture of their “winery dog” on their advertisement! Daisy Creek Vineyards ended up being one of the most enjoyable parts of our trip. Kizzy, the winery dog, is sweet as can be and so is Julie, the host and winery expert. Every single wine we tasted was excellent and it was hard to choose which to buy. Our favorites were the Lyon Red, Malbec and the Triple Play but we wanted to take home everything! Their tasting room is open on opposite ends allowing a lovely breeze through. One end opens onto a view of a vegetable garden and grapevines with a large swath of grass perfect for picnics. There’s also a beautiful covered patio where you can sit with your glass of wine.

The birthday celebration culminated with a dinner at the local Gogi’s Restaurant, located downtown. The restaurant is beautiful both inside and outside. Our waiter was lovely and recommended an amazing bottle of Tempranillo (one of mom’s favorites) wine for us from the local Upper Five winery. The food was wonderful, especially the special Leg of Lamb with Figs served on house made pasta. We also feasted on the Wild Halibut and the Bone-in Cider Brined Pork Chop.  Vanilla bean crème brulee with a birthday candle was the perfect finale.

Jacksonville, we will be back!