I'll be in Eugene next week.  Any thing that is a must see or do?  Any restaurants that stand out?  I am looking forward to the trip since I have never been there.

I used to live there but was a poor college student so I don't have much to recommend. Personally I don't like Eugene. Unbearably liberal for my taste. But the weather should be good and hopefully others will chime in with recommendations. Welcome.

What do you do for fun?  There is epic hiking and mountain biking trails within 1.5hrs of Eugene area.



 

Do you like good beer? Like to run or bike or hike or fish? We don't really have any stand-out restaurants, but we have a lot of pretty good ones, all types. What do you like? A trip to the Saturday Market downtown will forever burn an image into your brain of Eugene you will never forget.... but it is fun, especially to people watch (hint go around noon, the food at lunchtime is pretty good and the wierdos like to sleep in...)

Give me a little input on what you would like to do, and I can try to steer you in the right direction.

Hippies...

I've spent three weekends down there for volleyball touneys over the past year.

Elk Horn resturant has really (really) good food and their own brews...not the best beer ever but drinkable
Found a little sandwich shop over by the train station area...good, pizza in that complex too that I ate and didn't die.
Walked the trail around the U of O and Willamettee river
Drove over to Mt. Pisgah but found it too crowded for my tastes - looks like a good hiking area
Drove aound Fern Ridge res...killed a morning with some small hikes
That's about it..find some microbrew places and settle in

I enjoy both but I will be spending most of my time on campus so I probably won't be able to to get too far away from town.  If time does allow what hiking trail or trails do you recommend?

Beer is good!  Food wise a good steak or fish.  The Saturday Market sounds entertaining but I leave on Saturday.  Any local culture or local museums like "the history of Eugene" or that part of the state.  I do like to hike but I will probably stay close to town but I would be willing to take a road trip.

Thanks!

There are hiking and jogging trails that are on the edge of town which would be very easy to get to.  The ridgeline trail system is very nice (connects to a trail going to a 2000' hill overlooking the city) and if you are a runner then Pre's trail, Amazon trail and Rexius trail.  Hendricks park is renown for its rhodies put most of the bloom is done.

Eugene is a mecca for beer:  The Bier Stein, 16 Tons, Falling Sky, First National, Hop Valley, McMenamins are just a few of good ones.  Some of the listed brew their own, some just have a great selection of tap.  There are many more.

There is an Art Museum on campus along with a anthropology museum.

Your hosts on campus should be familiar with all of the above.

ETA:  It's beer week this week in Eugene but I don't know when you arrive so it may be done with.

Check out trip advisor for ideas also...

Just got back last night.  Great weather.  I loved the lack of humidity.  I ate at Hop Valley a couple of times as well as The Elk Horn.  I hiked on Mt. Pisgah and I spent one morning at the coast.  

I enjoyed the trip.  The people I met were nice and helpful.  I will probably go back next year with the family.  

Thanks for the recommendations!

I assume that you are talking about Mt Pisgah.  The sculpture is a monument for a group of UofO wrestlers that died in a van crash.  One of them was Ken Kessey's son.  

You were here for the track meet?

I don't know what I was spelling?  It was Pisgah.  I was there for the track meet.  We will probably return next year.