I’m really excited to interview Melynda Cordes of The Hungry Hustle Walking Food Tour about Medford, Oregon. Melynda’s tips for the best things to do in Medford are awesome because she has lived in Medford for 20 years and now runs a food tour showing locals and visitors the best foodie options in the city.
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Take a quick drive up to Crater Lake when you visit Medford
Medford, Oregon
Medford is one of a handful of cities located in the Rogue Valley of Oregon. It is considered the heart of the Rogue Valley and it is a great launchpad to experience everything southern Oregon has to offer. Forbes says that is “the driest and warmest of southern Oregon’s wine-producing regions” and that the Medford area has a “Bordeaux like climate.”
The Rogue Valley is surrounded by the Cascades, Coast Range, and Klamath Mountains to provide guests with many hiking and skiing opportunities throughout the year. Melynda says that Medford has 200 days of sunshine to enjoy each year. When visiting, consider a day trip to Crater Lake National Park (about 2 hours northeast), which is famous for its deep blue lake and the clarity of the water. June is a wonderful time of year to visit due to the weather and the annual Shakespeare Festival.
We share a lot of resources and local suggestions in today’s podcast, but you should also check out Travel Medford Visitor Center, the local convention & visitor’s bureau. They are a wealth of information and can help you plan an itinerary based on your time, budget, and interests.
If you’d like to learn how to travel for free using airline miles and hotel points, check out my free 7-day email course.
Stop by the Oregon Cheese Cave to pick up delicious cheeses to pair with the local wines
Getting around Medford
The local airport is Rogue Valley International Medford Airport (MFR), which is only about three miles from downtown. Use our Expedia tool below to find flight, hotel, and rental car options.
Melynda says that you can rent a car because parking is inexpensive and plentiful. If you need to rent a car, click here for the best offers from Avis, Budget, or Hertz.
When staying downtown, you can easily walk around to enjoy the shops and restaurants. Uber and Lyft are excellent ways to get around.
The Rogue Valley Transportation District is the public transit that serves the cities of Medford, Ashland, White City, Phoenix, Talent, Jacksonville, and Central Point. It is a great way to move from one place to the next on a budget. Single rides are $2 each, or you can get a day pass for only $6 per person. Discounts are available for seniors, children, and others.
If you only need a car for a couple of hours, you can rent by the hour with Zipcar. Join now to get $25 loaded into your account.
Hit the slopes at nearby Mt Ashland in the winter. Photo courtesy of Mt Ashland Ski Resort
Places we talked about on the podcast
Here is a map of all of the places we talked about on the podcast episode with Melynda Cordes about Medford, Oregon. You can zoom into the map and click on each dot to explore the city.
- Red dots = best places to eat in Medford, Oregon
- Green dots = best things to do in Medford, Oregon
- Yellow dots = best places to stay in Medford, Oregon
Who is Melynda Cordes?
Melynda Cordes is an administrator for a medical practice during the day and tour guide for foodies at night and on the weekends. She started The Hungry Hustle Walking Food Tour to help locals and visitors experience the best foodie options that southern Oregon has to offer. Tours last about 3 hours and include stops at 5 to 6 local restaurants. When you join one of her tours, your day will be filled with laughter, delicious food, and a bit of local history. And with Melynda’s endearing personality, you may become lifelong friends before the tour is over.
Here are a few videos that Melynda made:
- Foodie Experience – Valhalla Organics (UNBOXING) Pickle Club 2020
- Foodie Experience – Vegan – Melange Eatery
- Foodie Experience – Tasty Food Trucks Southern Oregon
Click here to download our one-page guide of Melynda’s tips for Medford.
You can connect with Melynda at her website and on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
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Grab some local wine at Twisted Cork
Stay tuned for our next episode
Listen to the next episode when Karen Higgs of Guru’ Guay shares the best things to do in Montevideo, Uruguay. Karen and I talk about world’s longest carnival, tango dancing, and amazing wine. We hope you’ll join us when We Travel There.
What’s your favorite part of Medford? Send us a Tweet, let us know in the comment section below, or continue the discussion in our Facebook group!
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To see which cities we’ve interviewed and scheduled, please visit WeTravelThere.com/map. If you’d like to be a guest on the show, please submit an application at WeTravelThere.com/guest.
