A Walk in Eden... Mecca... Paradise... ASHLAND!

In what other city in America can you take in a Shakespeare play to rival productions in Stratford-on-Avon (www.osfashland.org), dodge mountain lions as you bicycle up a snow-capped mountain, and pick ripe plums, figs, apricots, and apples off laden fruit trees planted on the sidewalk?

With an average rainfall of only 19 inches, Ashland is a charming, cultured, and environmentally conscious city and is drier than the better-known north coastal part of the state.

Just 15 miles north of the California border, Ashland is a tourist mecca - a place where people seeking high culture and excellent cuisine, as well as outdoor adventure and serendipitous hippie guitar jams in the park, can enjoy.

"Before moving here I was told that Ashland was the northernmost city in the Bay Area," admits 67-year-old Craig Comstock who has lived in Ashland since January 2001 and says his favorite activity is hanging out with friends and his favorite haunt is the Rogue Valley Roasting Company (917 East Main Street; 541-488-5902). "I was delighted to discover it's much more."

The rugged natural beauty of the area, the access to healthy organic food, and the friendliness of the people are the things that first attracted 36-year-old Caressa Gullikson, a native of Vermont, who moved from Portland to Ashland with her family five years ago. Gullikson appreciates how there are fun things to do, indoors and outside, all year round.

In the winter Gullikson and her 3-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter enjoy ice skating at the Darex Family Ice Rink in Lithia Park, going up to White Rabbit Trail to build snowmen, sledding at Table Mountain sledding area (managed by the Bureau of Land Management, this designated sledding area is located on Hyatt Prairie Road near the Green Springs Inn), and skiing at Mt. Ashland (which is free for children ages 6 and under).

In the summer Gullikson and her family enjoy the water spray park at Garfield Park (on East Main and Garfield, just down the street from the Roasting Company) and picking blueberries at the Blue Collar U-Pick blueberry farm just past Emigrant Lake on old Hwy 99. The water slides at Emigrant Lake (off Hwy 66, 5 miles south of town), as well as boating, camping, picnicking, swimming and fishing, are all popular activities as well.

No time in Ashland is complete - for tourists or natives - without sampling the foul-smelling Lithia water in the fountains on the plaza, which has long been touted for its health properties.

From there, head over to Lithia Park, one of the town's hubs, this 93-acre park was designed by John McLaren, of San Fran's Golden Gate Park fame. Free guided nature walks are available from May-September through the park. Led by volunteers, tours begin at the park entrance at 10 a.m. Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

"My little ones love to run around the Japanese Garden in Lithia Park," says Gullikson. "They run around the kid-proportioned trails, jump over the little creek and boulder-hop. After that we re-fuel in 'Busy Busy Town' - what we call the Plaza area - with hot chocolate, ice cream or polenta fries." Their favorite hot chocolate is at Brothers' (95 N. Main St; 482-9671), and Gullikson swears by the polenta fries from Pilaf (18 Guanajuato Way; 488-7898).

Ashland is also a bike friendly city in a state known for kindness to cyclists. There are five bike shops in town, including Get N' Gear (3rd and A St; 541-482-5181) which sells used bikes for as little as $50.00. Rent a bicycle from Siskiyou Cyclery ($35/day or $10/hour but special rates are available, 1729 Siskiyou Blvd; 541-482-1997) and enjoy the Bear Creek bikeway that parallels the old railroad tracks or bicycle up Lithia Park to the swimming hole at the top.

Hardcore mountain bikers can continue up Granite Street past the swimming hole where a fire road leads up to a 28-mile loop along the crests from peak to peak of several mountains giving views of California's Mount Shasta to the south and the perfect Mount Fuji-like volcanic cone of Mount McLoughlin to the north.

Another Ashland attraction is Southern Oregon University, which has 5,500 students from the United States and around the world, hosts a variety of cultural events and community classes. Its 175-acre campus is a nice place to walk around. There are formal tours, which last about an hour and are given by student "ambassadors," Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Meet at Britt Hall, which is behind visitor parking, right off of Siskiyou Blvd.

The Schneider Museum of Art (541-552-6245; www.sou.edu/sma), located on the SOU campus, is one of over 30 art galleries in Ashland. The museum hosts story telling and singing events for children the second Saturday of each month, and offers hands-on art classes to the community. From 5 to 8 p.m. the first Friday of every month Ashland opens its art galleries to the public, creating a festive atmosphere downtown.

Whatever your pleasure, there's something for everyone in Ashland. "We get a lot of transplants," says 38-year-old Pax (who did not give his last name). "They move here because it's an amazing community," Pax, who was born in Ashland, adds. "The people who founded this area were all wagon trail folk ... You had to have your head about you, be sturdy, be tough and independent."