Community
Grants Pass
Saturday starts at the Growers Market and ends on the Rogue.
What it's like
Living in Grants Pass
Drive into downtown and the sign over Sixth Street says "It's the Climate." It has hung there for about a century, and it only tells part of the story.
The Rogue runs right past downtown, so a summer evening can mean a walk through Riverside Park or a jetboat ride from a dock a few blocks off Sixth Street. Saturdays start at the Growers Market at Fourth and F, Southern Oregon's largest since 1980. On First Fridays, downtown stays open late with music in the street.
The new Dollar Mountain trail system starts at the edge of town. Acreage is fifteen minutes from the center. Asante Three Rivers Medical Center is here, and the Medford airport is about 35 minutes away. Grants Pass is where most Josephine County home searches start, and where a lot of them end.
Before you buy here
The homework
Inside city limits, most homes run on city water and sewer. Past the edges, wells and septic take over, along with the questions on my rural property checklist.
In the hills, insurance quotes can change from one street to the next, so get one before you write an offer. Near the river, check the flood zone. In the older in-town neighborhoods, look closely at the wiring, plumbing and sewer line.
Local favorites
Around Grants Pass
breweries
Area 61 Taphouse
An alien-themed taphouse on Merlin Road, on the way to Merlin, with a rotating lineup of food trucks, live music and a g
arts
Art Along the Rogue
Each October, downtown streets become a patchwork of large-scale chalk murals, with live music around them. The 2026 fes
arts
Barnstormers Theatre
A small, historic house on NE Evelyn Avenue staging plays and musicals with local volunteer casts, plus a summer product
outdoors
Cathedral Hills
A web of color-coded trails on the south edge of town, from easy loops to steeper climbs. The Outback Loop has the best
outdoors
Crater Lake National Park
The deepest lake in the United States. The rim views and most trails are open year to year; check current closures befor
outdoors
Dollar Mountain Trail System
Grants Pass's new flagship trail system, on the hillside just northwest of downtown. The city bought the land in 2019 fo
food
El Callejón x Speedy's Cantina
Order at the truck or sit down in the cantina next door. The tortillas, sope shells and horchata are made in-house, and
arts
First Friday
On the first Friday of every month, historic downtown businesses stay open late with specials and refreshments. Live mus
farms
Fort Vannoy Farms
A riverside family farm known for sweet corn and a well-stocked farm stand. U-pick tomatoes, blackberries and pumpkins.
farms
Grants Pass Growers Market
A community tradition since 1980, and the largest growers market in Southern Oregon, with more than 120 vendors on a spr
arts
Grants Pass Museum of Art
A second-floor gallery on SW G Street with rotating exhibits, an art library, and classes for kids and adults. Admission
arts
Grants Pass Performing Arts Center
A modern auditorium on NE Olive Street with strong acoustics. It hosts the Rogue Valley Symphony's Grants Pass concerts
outdoors
Hellgate Jetboat Excursions
Running jetboats on the Rogue since 1959, among the first jetboat companies in the country. The two-hour scenic trip cov
food
Lulu's For the Love of Food
A downtown bistro for breakfast and brunch with a twist. The crepes are the order. Go early on weekends.
food
Partake
Downtown at 221 SE 6th Street, Partake puts an international bottle shop, a cheese shop, a lounge and a fine-dining room
farms
Pennington Farms
A family berry farm and scratch bakery in a renovated barn on the way to Williams. Pies, jams, pot pies and sausage bake
food
Perez Kitchen & Bar
A brick-walled room on SW G Street with a menu that runs from comfort to creative. Reviewers single out the kimchi smash
food
River's Edge
Tables and a deck right over the Rogue on Rogue River Highway. Steaks, pasta, and a calamari starter regulars order ever
outdoors
Riverside Park
The Rogue runs right past downtown here. River walk, gazebos, a big playground, a spray park and a disc golf course.
arts
Rogue Theatre
A former downtown movie house on SE H Street, now a concert hall for touring acts and tribute bands. The auditorium is i
breweries
The Paddled Pub
food
The Twisted Cork
A downtown Grants Pass favorite pairing Northwest wines with seafood-forward plates: seared scallops, cioppino, coconut-
breweries
Weekend Beer Co.
Opened by Grants Pass natives Brandon and Ashley Crews. Brandon brewed locally before they launched their own 2.5-acre t
food
Wheelhouse Coffee
Now has a shop on NE F Street, plus its coffee van at The Growler Guys. Seasonal drinks, matcha, and baked goods from sc
farms
Whistling Duck Farm and Store
A certified organic farm with its store in a big red barn. Produce from the fields plus local coffee, cheese, eggs, meat
Questions
Grants Pass FAQ
Is Grants Pass a good place to live?
For a lot of buyers, yes. It has the services of a small city (the county's main hospital, a historic downtown, a Saturday growers market), with the Rogue running through town, three mountain bike trail systems close by, and acreage fifteen minutes out. The trade-offs are hot summers, occasional wildfire smoke, and about 35 minutes to the Medford airport.
How far is Grants Pass from Medford?
About 30 miles, roughly 35 minutes on I-5.
Talk to Michael
I live here. Let me show you my Saturday.
Considering Grants Pass? Ask anything, or get a pricing consult if you own here.