Summer Bucket List
15 Must Do Activities with Kids
I’ve pulled together the best activities to do in southern Oregon with your children this 2024 Summer Season! We’ve found all the must do kid activities in Medford, Grants Pass, Central Point, Jacksonville, Applegate, and more.
Children’s Festival is a long running tradition in Southern Oregon. I’ve met so many parents who loved going to it themselves as a child and are now taking their own kids. Its the 58th year this year!! If you haven’t been this a 3 day festival with tons of arts and crafts, clay, face painting, science experiments, story telling, and stage performances for children. Children's Festival will be held at the Britt Gardens in Jacksonville on the following days/times:
Saturday, July 13, 4:30-8:30pm
Sunday, July 14, 4:30-8:30pm
Monday, July 15, 9:30am-1:00pm
FREE BrittKids Klub Koncerts Each summer the BrittKids Klub hosts children’s concerts with GRAMMY-award-winning and nominated artists from around the country. These are Free and so wonderful for kids who love music and dancing. The artists and venue changes each week but are usually held in Jacksonville, Medford, and Ashland. Sign up to join the Britt Kids Klub to stay in the loop. Here’s what to expect when you go, and more info on this year’s Britt Kids music concert schedule.
Explore Wizard Island at Crater Lake National Park The boats at Crater Lake only run for a few weeks each year and its during the hottest part of summer. Be sure to book your tickets once they announce operating dates later in the season.
Don Jones Splash Pad Head over to the Don Jones Spray park in Central Point, OR (or your local splash pad) for a quick and fun way to stay cool! Check out our Guide to the Best Splash Pads in Southern Oregon.
See the Fourth of July Parade in Central Point If you only attend ONE parade this year, this is the one to go to! Folks are serious about it and put their chairs out a few days before to have the best viewing spots for the July 4th parade. Follow the Central Point Parks & Rec facebook page for the most up to date info.
Daytrip to the coast & redwoods Take the kids for a daytrip or easy getaway down to the coast and to the redwoods. Here’s our Guide to Visiting Crescent City with Kids.
Pick Strawberries at Fort Vannoy Farms Picking strawberries with our kid at Fort Vannoy Farms in Grants Pass OR is a yearly tradition. Here is everything you need to know about picking strawberries at Fort Vannoy Farms.
Pet an Alpaca on the Rogue Valley Farm Tour We were able to pet an alpaca at Alpacas of LOne Ranch in White City OR last year and my kid can’t wait to go again. The Rogue Valley Farm tour is July 14th 10am-3pm. They’ve put together wonderful opportunities to visit farms and ranches in Jackson and Josephine counties and allow us to have a behind the scenes look at farm life. Check out the line up here.
Play in the new Outdoor Adventure area at The Children’s Museum of Southern Oregon Summer is the perfect time to take your kids to the Children’s Museum of Southern Oregon in Medford OR. They’ve recently opened an Outdoor Adventure Area with so many exciting areas: a large sandy beach with a water stream meant to be played in, a bike track, a camping area, a music area, a flower sculpture garden, a climbing area, a large play structure with slide, and a giant hillside with a tunnel and built amphitheater seating. And if that doesn’t tire them out there’s the entire indoor museum plus the annex across the street. Read more about what to expect when you go.
Ride a Train at the Medford Railroad Park The Medford Railroad Park is located at 799 Berrydale Ave in Medford, OR. It’s open April-October from 11-3 on the second and fourth Sundays of each month. Kids 1 and up can ride the trains. It’s completely FREE. Read more about what to expect when you go.
Pick a bouquet at a local u pick flower farm Southern Oregon has a ton of u-pick flower farms to choose from. This is a great way to spend a morning and get some adorable pictures of your outing. We have a list of u-pick flower farms and there are even two FREE u-pick flowers farms: Del Rio Vinevards in Gold Hill OR and Rusted Gate Farm in Central Point OR. You can read more about our visit to Rusted Gate Farm’s free u-pick flower garden here.
Watch a Movie in the Park on a big screen Rogue Credit Union Movies in the Park with Medford Parks and Recreation AND Movies in the Park with Central Point Parks and Recreation have outdoor movies at the park planned all summer long. Follow their social media pages to keep track of the line up.
Catch a $2 children’s movie at the cinema Beginning June 22 through August 14 on Saturdays & Wednesdays at 10 AM The Family Summer Series begins at Coming Attraction Theatres (Crater Lake Cinema in White City OR and Southgate Cinemas in Grants Pass OR). Cinemark Tinseltown in Medford OR has kids $1.75 movies beginning June 10-August 14th on Mondays and Wednesdays for their Summer Movie Clubhouse. Check their pages for the schedule.
Explore Applegate Lake Take a drive over to Applegate Lake to enjoy swimming, cycling, boating, canoeing, fishing and hiking the various trails near the lake. You can also rent a paddle board or kayak while you’re there.
Swim in the indoor pool at Rogue X. The Rogue X in Medford OR is an enormous aquatics complex with an indoor recreational pool that has a lazy river, a kids play structure, and two water slides. A large outdoor splash pad is adjacent to the pool area.
For a complete list of farm stands and farmer’s markets in southern Oregon, check out our Guide to U-pick farms, farm stands, and farmers markets in Southern Oregon.
Be sure to visit our Spring and Summer Guide for family friendly activities in Southern Oregon. And follow us on social media for the latest info on what kid friendly events are happening in the Rogue Valley.
We have a Guide to Indoor Activities for Kids to avoid the heat and wildfire smoke and a Guide to Outdoor Activities for Kids to keep you busy all summer.
And check out our Complete Birthday Party Directory!