The agricultural community of Merrill sits about 20 miles south of Klamath Falls, just north of Oregon's southern border, and is bisected by Oregon Route 39. 

The no-stoplight community offers plenty of attractions along its main drag—where the fun includes Polar Bear (an old-school hamburger joint adorned in neon), Tacos A La Méxicana (one of Klamath’s best taco spots), and Wild Goose Lodge & RV (hosting updated rooms and RV parking along with an on-site recreation room). Nearby, the Merrill Historical and Modoc War Museum sits inside City Hall, details a wide range of regional history, and is one of Klamath’s best museums. 

Several events bring visitors to Merrill throughout the year. Highlights are numerous but include the Lost River Bluegrass Festival (which features regional musicians every July) and the long-running Klamath Basin Potato Festival (which honors the region’s most famous export every fall with a parade, vendor fair, live music, potato-peeling contest, and other fun events).

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Ten miles east of Merrill and 31 miles southeast of Klamath Falls sits Malin—a cozy farming community that was founded in 1909.  

Get acquainted with the town’s past at the Malin Historical Society & Museum, which resides in a former drug store; today, the museum displays historic photographs, offers exhibits about the community’s earliest days, and hosts several Native American artifacts. 

Feel like cooling off? Take a dip in the Olympic-sized Malin Swimming Pool. Open mid-June to August each summer, the pool offers classes and sets aside time for various uses—such as open-swim and lap-swim sessions. Afterward, dry off in Malin Park, which hosts horseshoe pits, a playground, walking trails, barbecue grills, and numerous picnic tables. If you’re getting hungry, fuel up with hearty pies at Bigoni’s Pizza Barn—or with tacos, tortas, and more at Taqueria Jalisciense #2.

 Every spring, Malin comes alive for the three-day Art of Survival Century Bike Ride—a sprawling ride where educational offerings are baked into the fabric of the event and can be found at each rest stop. In practice, that means you might learn about Malin’s agricultural past from a local historian or get insight on the nearby Lava Beds National Monument from a friendly park ranger. Rides of varying lengths are offered to appeal to cyclists of all skill and experience levels.

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The city of Bonanza sits alongside Lost River, surrounded by farms and fields in every direction, and is about 26 miles east of Klamath Falls—making it the northeastern-most of the Five Friendly Towns. Legend has it that Bonanza got its name from the Spanish word for "abundance"—an apt descriptor, given the prolific fishing in nearby Big Springs. 

The land continues to provide today, as evidenced by the burgeoning Bonanza Farmers Market; there, visitors can buy local (seasonal) produce, handcrafted artisan goods, and other items on select weekends between June and September. If the market isn’t open on your next visit, grab a plate of Mexican classics or American favorites at Cactus J—or a filling mix of burgers, sandwiches, and barbecue dishes at the RV Que, which is based at the Bonanza RV Park. 

Visiting over the holidays? Be sure to checkout the Bonanza Hometown Holiday Celebration—which includes a light parade through downtown, an appearance from Santa Claus, and a Christmas tree lighting every December. 

While driving around Bonanza, you may spot enormous “barn quilts”—large pieces of art designed to look like quilt squares—displayed on the side of barns. Many of those are part of the Barn Quilt Trail—an ongoing effort by Rural Klamath Connects to showcase the culture and creativity of the residents of the Five Friendly Towns. You’ll find roughly a dozen across the region, but more are found in Bonanza than any of the other communities.

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Just across the Oregon-California border, roughly 30 miles south of Klamath Falls, sits the community of Tulelake—and plenty of fascinating history.  

Perhaps the most famous attraction in Tulelake, and among the most-visited anywhere in the broader Klamath region, is Lava Beds National Monument. The massive monument spreads across the Medicine Lake shield volcano, whose eruptions over a half-million years have produced more than 800 caves—including several caves you can visit today; other attractions around the monument include Klamath and Modoc rock art, battlefield sites from the Modoc War of 1872-73, hiking trails, campsites, and a visitor center that provides a look at the area’s cultural and natural history.

Another worthy stop in the area is Tule Lake National Monument—which is home to the Tule Lake Segregation Center (where Japanese-Americans were incarcerated during World War II) and Camp Tulelake (which also detained Japanese-Americans and prisoners of war during World War II). A visitor center, open in summer, hosts a few interpretive panels that explain the monument's historical significance—and ranger-led tours are offered between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

In spring and fall, the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a popular stop for waterfowl on their twice-yearly migrations; a pair of hiking trails and a family-friendly canoe trail (open May-October, weather depending) offer engaging ways to experience the refuge. Add to your road trip by downloading the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge History Tour—a narrated audio tour that takes a deep dive into the refuge's earliest days and how it changes throughout the year.

Revel in your day's adventures over street tacos, filling burritos, enchiladas, and other Mexican dishes at Señor Tequila. Elsewhere, Mike & Wanda's Family Dining dishes an appetizing menu of down-home favorites—including chicken-fried steak, burgers ,and several sandwiches that incorporate seasonal ingredients.

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The community of Dorris, just 21 miles south of Klamath Falls, sits surrounded by farmland, alpine lakes, towering forests, wetlands, and other habitats that make it a popular destination for outdoor recreation.

The Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway, which spans Crater Lake National Park in the north and Lassen National Volcanic National Park in the south, passes through the heart of Dorris and offers easy access to the tranquil Butte Valley National Grassland.

Nearby, the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge dates back to 1908, spans two states, and is home to a variety of animals—including dozens of species of bird, coyotes, river otters, bobcats, and black bears. A visitor center, two short hiking trails, and an auto driving tour offer easy ways to explore and understand the refuge, as well as its importance to all manner of wildlife. For more, learn all about the national wildlife refuges around Klamath.

If you're feeling famished after a busy day of adventure, fill up on butter chicken, palak paneer, and more at Indian Punjabi Restaurant.

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