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Healthy Living in Grants Pass

By: admin/Visit Grants Pass
Three cyclists are going down an outdoor path away from the camera. The trail is on an open field leading into a cluster of trees; in the top right corner is the Visit Grants Pass logo.
By: admin/Visit Grants Pass

By: Cate Battles / Visit Grants Pass
January 2023

January is the perfect time to jump start a new healthier you and Grants Pass has dozens of local businesses and community opportunities geared towards health and wellness. Achieving a higher level of health not only makes our bodies feel good, it makes our minds clearer and our hearts happier. From fitness clubs and health conscious eateries, to group activities and outdoor recreation, you’ll find plenty of local ways to physically and emotionally improve your wellbeing…while also having fun!

Three cyclists are going down an outdoor path away from the camera. The trail is on an open field leading into a cluster of trees; in the top right corner is the Visit Grants Pass logo.

Healthy Eats and Drinks
True Juice

Situated downtown since 2020 , True Juice has made its name as the health and arts hub of Grants Pass. The 100% organic vegan juice bar and cafe not only offers smoothies and specialty drinks, they serve breakfast and lunch items like quinoa bowls, fancy toast, veggie burgers, smoothie bowls, and a salad bar. A large portion of their seasonal produce comes from local farmers, so your food is guaranteed fresh and sustainable. Some of the unique services they offer is a custom 28-day food plan as well as a juice cleanse.

In addition to their culinary offerings, you’ll find local artwork displayed on their walls and special events like open-mic, drum circles, and concerts. True Juice holds weekly and monthly health classes, including yoga, mens and women’s group, positive fitness, and community service outreach.

True Juice
124 NW D St.
Grants Pass, OR 97526
(541) 441-4541

True Juice Organic Juice and Smoothie Bar on a metal sign against a wall of colorful wood planks. There is a hand holding up one of the smoothies in front of the sign.

Sunshine Natural Foods Cafe and Market

Voted the “Best Organic Lunch” in the Rogue Valley, Sunshine has been a beacon of health in the Historic District for over 28 years. The cafe, market, and vitamin shop offers products of the highest quality, many of which are sourced from local farmers and artisan suppliers. While hormone-free turkey and eggs are available, the majority of their menu is vegan or vegetarian, with gluten-free options. In addition to their juice and smoothie bar, Sunshine serves sandwiches and wraps, chef salad bowls, desserts, soups, and a salad bar. Many of their fresh products like their hummus, salsa, sauerkraut, and salad dressings are made in-house. While there, shop for groceries and supplements.

Sunshine Natural Foods Cafe & Market
128 SW H Street
Grants Pass, OR 97526
541-474-5044

Collage of two images; on the left is the storefront of Sunshine Natural Foods Cafe and Market. The image on the right shows the interior of the store, which is full of color and life; there is an open salad bar, drink fridge, and aisles in the background.

Fitness
Club Northwest

When it comes to fitness centers, Club Northwest is the crème de la crème. The world-class sport and spa complex offers state-of-the-art machines, personal trainers, fitness classes, and spa services.This far-from-ordinary health center is one of the largest and innovative of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, and is rated as one of the top 100 health clubs in the country. While there, take advantage of their group fitness classes, aquatics center, steam room and sauna, jacuzzi, outdoor workout area, personal training, health coaches, challenge course, cycling studio, dance classes, racquetball, tennis, and basketball courts, pilates classes, kids programs, day spa, and juice and coffee bar. But wait…. there’s more! They are in the process of building one of the nation’s largest open-air, covered training spaces. The outdoor gym will include a bouldering wall, picket ball courts, and more. For those who plan to bring kids, the Kid Zone Activity Center has over 60,000 cubic feet of slide tubes, 3 gigantic ball pits, and arcade games to keep them entertained.

Club Northwest
2016 NW Vine St.
Grants Pass, OR 97526
(541) 955-CLUB

A view over the interior of Club Northwest Fitness Center, the ceiling is exposed with the pipes and structure showing. All kinds of equipment are visible; in the center of the room, there is a pillar that has been transformed into a rock wall, and there is yoga equipment and workout machines.

Dancing

Dancing is not only fun- it’s a whole body workout. It’s good for your heart and your mind, as it improves your strength, balance, and coordination. Whether you’re an experienced dancer or wanting to learn, there are several different dance options in Grants Pass. Candela Dance Studio offers West Coast swing, salsa, belly dancing, zumba, dance fitness, line dancing, and more. The Grants Pass Dance Club also holds weekly lessons and open dancing at the Josephine County Fairgrounds. Their Monday and Friday events include live jazz bands and other local acts.

A yoga class can be seen sitting in a well-lit room; they in the background are slightly blurred. In the foreground, there is a table edge, a beer glass with the logo "Weekend Beer Company" sits on the right side, and on the left, there is a clipboard reading "Yoga Sunday" listing dates.

Golf

Golf isn’t just a good excuse to spend a day outside, it’s also great for your health and heart. Walking an average 18-hole course equals about 3-4 miles, and around Grants Pass, there are several scenic golf courses to choose from. Located just 4.5 miles from downtown is Dutcher Creek Golf Course, a par 70 course with 360 views of the Siskiyou Mountains. Most of the fairways are open, but tree-lined chutes add some extra challenge, making it an ideal spot for both novice and experienced golfers. Their clubhouse offers snacks, equiptment, clothes, and beverages.

If you’re looking to stay in the Applegate Valley, play a round of golf at Applegate River Golf Club. Nestled along the Applegate River, the scenic 9-hole course offers plenty of challenging holes that are fun for beginners and seasoned golfers. For those needing some extra tips, they offer golf instruction for all age groups through their professional golf instructors. While there, check out their pro shop and dine for lunch at the cafe.

For one of Southern Oregon’s premier golf courses, head to the Grants Pass Golf Club. Here, you’ll find 100 acres of rolling hills, pristine fairways, and towering pines. Their services include PGA Class A Professional lessons, a BBQ restaurant and bar, and a full size practice range and putting area.

View down the Applegate River that wraps around the edge of the Applegate River Golf course. The hills of the Rogue Valley can be seen in the distant background.
Courtesy Applegate River Golf Club

Ethereal Rebels

Looking to elevate your workout routine? Ethereal Rebels House of Flight offers a range of classes for all levels of experience. Gain strength, flexibility, and confidence by taking one of their aerial arts classes. With both private and group lessons available, they offer instruction on aerial silks, rope, and sling.

Ethereal Rebels
1574 SE N St.
Grants Pass, OR 97526
(541) 659-7808

Ethereal Rebels, a gymnast, is suspended in midair outdoors; she is spinning, wearing a black and white striped onesie, handling from two large red ribbons.

Join the Fun

Sometimes a little extra encouragement is all you need to maintain a fitness schedule. Exercising as a group not only gives you an extra push, it also makes working out more enjoyable. Here in Grants Pass, there are several different weekly meet-ups groups dedicated to various sports. Spring through Fall, Bikekraft hosts a bevy of group ride options, including e-bike rides Mondays, road bike rides Wednesdays, mountain biking on Thursdays, and the occasional “joyride” Fridays to a brewery. Additionally, they also host women’s group rides. If running is part of your workout routine, plan to join a weekly meetup with the Grants Pass Running Group that meets for both road and trail runs. All paces welcomed. For something a little slower paced but equally fun, join the Rogue Valley Disc Golf Club.

Three women are jogging together down a sidewalk towards the camera; there are trees creating a frame around them on both sides.

Shopping
Gooseberries

Just minutes from downtown Grants Pass, Gooseberries Market on Redwood Avenue is a natural and organic whole foods market and deli. While perusing the aisles, you’ll find that it has not only organic produce and products, many of which are sourced locally, but also an incredible bulk section where folks can load up on anything from grains to dried fruit and even cleaning and hygiene products.Their deli menu serves both breakfast and lunch items and includes a kombucha bar where you can fill growlers to take home.

Gooseberries
1201 Redwood Avenue
Grants Pass, OR 97526
(541) 471-2700

Shelf of packaged greens at Goosberries Market, the packaging reads "Organic Girl, Good Clean Greens."

Herb Shop

Situated along Historic G Street in downtown Grants Pass, the Herb Shop offers a wide selection of high quality herbs, nutrients, and formulas. The shop specializes in bulk organic herbs, teas, spices, vitamins and supplements, herbal extracts, and aromatherapy homeopathy. Many of these products are sourced from local organic farms or wild crafted.

Herb Shop
247 SW G St
Grants Pass, OR 97526
(541) 479-3602

Side view of the Herb Shop in Grants Pass, flowers are growing in a patch of grass by the sidewalk; they are yellow daisies. There is a brick wall with a floral mural and two large windows for the store, displaying the logo of the Herb Shop and a message saying, "Everything will be okay."

Farmers Markets

When it comes to fresh produce, there’s no better place to shop than from the growers directly. What makes farmers market stand apart from chain grocery stores is the fact that it is grown locally and is not traveling hundreds if not thousands of miles and being stored for weeks before it’s purchased. Additionally, industrial farms practice monoculture, where one fruit or vegetable is grown in one large plot, which strips the soil of nutrients. If the soil has less nutrients, the produce will also have less nutrients. Most small scale farmers use natural and organic ways to cultivate crops, and have a wider variety of fruits and vegetables.

The Grants Pass Growers Market is the largest and oldest plein air market in Southern Oregon and has been a Saturday morning tradition for over 40 years. With roughly 100 vendors, you’ll find anything from foraged mushrooms to wild caught seafood, and fresh produce and baked goods. During the summer it is held in downtown and during the winter months, it moves to the Josephine County Fairgrounds. During the spring through fall, you’ll also find weekly farmers markets in Cave Junction, Applegate Valley, and Murphy.

There is a busy street full of market vendors with tents; in the background, there is a glimpse of downtown with the most significant building with a large mural painted on the side. The wall reads "Redwood Hotel."
There is a bucket of ice with vines around the edge; four bottles of juice are on the ice. Three of the bottles are light red, and the last is dark purple.
Baskets of vegetables are scattered across a table in front of a banner that reads "Barking Moon Farm, certified organic produce."
Two shelves against a white wall of tonics, soaps, and lotions in extravagant bottles. There is a sign that reads "the benefits of lavender are available mostly when you inhale the aroma."
Storefront of a farmers market stands with locally made products in jars and small wax bags. There is a little window in the middle of the stand with a sign that reads "Tea."
There is a busy street full of market vendors with tents; in the background, there is a glimpse of downtown with the most significant building with a large mural painted on the side. The wall reads "Redwood Hotel."
There is a bucket of ice with vines around the edge; four bottles of juice are on the ice. Three of the bottles are light red, and the last is dark purple.
Baskets of vegetables are scattered across a table in front of a banner that reads "Barking Moon Farm, certified organic produce."
Two shelves against a white wall of tonics, soaps, and lotions in extravagant bottles. There is a sign that reads "the benefits of lavender are available mostly when you inhale the aroma."
Storefront of a farmers market stands with locally made products in jars and small wax bags. There is a little window in the middle of the stand with a sign that reads "Tea."
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