fran

Planning to spend a few days on the Oregon coast this winter. Not sure yet if I'll fly into Portland or Eugene. Should I stay overnight in Eugene if that's where I end up flying into, or should I just pick up the rental car and split? Is there anything of interest in Eugene?

John

Eugene's a very pleasant college town, with a number of good restaurants and shops. The museum on the University of Oregon campus is architecturally very interesting, with a nice permament collection and good traveling exhibits. In the winter you'll be seeing the town with its working face on; it will probably be wet but bustling with student activity. Depending on when in winter, if you're a college basketball fan there are few better places to watch a game than at the U of O.

Tony Hughes

Apart from the streetnames and numbers which confused the hell out of me, I thought it was fine. Across the street from our hotel was a bar called Jiggles, with the sub heading 'harmless visual stimuli'. Interesting.

fran

Can anyone recommend a nice hotel in Eugene?

Rachel

Fran,

I can't think of any hotels off the top of my head. Eugene isn't the hot spot for glamor and glitz. I normally stay near one of the malls (Valley River or Gateway) or down by downtown Eugene/U of O area.

If you don't do anything else in Euguene see 5th Street Market. I'm from Oregon and always go back on every visit. The market is filled with stores (art pieces, crafts, birkenstocks, etc) and food. In my mind, 5th Street Market sums up Eugene. Stop at the bakery (name has slipped my mind) and pick up a loaf of french bread. Have a slice of their lemon chiffon cake (to die for) and coffee from the place next door.

Have fun!
Rachel

George

I was in Eugene, Salem, and Portland last week. Although I consider the first two places as a day trip from Portland (where I spend most of my time in Powell's Bookstore -- who doesn't!!), I once stayed downtown in the Eugene Hilton, which was quite pleasant. It is also next to the Hult Center (beautiful and worth seeing) and the large, open market of 60s-type hippie junk (complete with nice,live, outdoor entertainment). Saturday parking is free in the downtown parkade. The area in the vicinity of the University of Oregon Bookstore is lots of fun (do NOT shop in the bookstore: it is way overpriced). One out-of-the-way gem that I once found is a remarkable museum in the library of the Western Baptist College, just east of Salem;it is worth the trip.

April

I expected Eugene to have more character so it was a disappointment. But the Campbell House Inn was splendid. I'd almost go back to Eugene just to stay there.

BTilke

Hi Fran,
As a former Eugene resident, YES, it's worth an overnight. But...you're planning to come in winter and I have to warn you the Eugene airport gets a lot of fog in winter. Could cause flight delays coming or going. Just something to keep in mind.
Re hotels, the Valley River Inn by the Valley River mall is nice and you can easily walk to downtown Eugene by crossing the bridge and following the paths through the park. Very pleasant, even in winter. The Hilton is good too as is the Campbell House. Things to do...check out the Hult Center's program, they get lots of good performers in town, shop in the 5th Street Market, stop for coffee at the L & L market on 16th and Willamette (best coffee in town, favorite locals hangout). Free wine tastings at the Sundance Wine Store on week-ends. Good restaurants include Zenon's, Poppy's Anatolia.
Do you ski? One of the Eugene ski shops runs GREAT daily bus trips up to Willamette Pass ski area at a very reasonable cost. Willamette Pass has excellent skiing, is almost never crowded (I never encountered lift lines, even during Christmas week) and is one of the few NW places that has good glade skiing. WP is one of the NW's undiscovered gems.
For info on Eugene happenings closer to your time of travel, check out the daily Register Guard newspaper online (www.registerguard.com) or Eugene Weekly (www.eugeneweekly.com, I think). For Portland, check out www.willametteweek.com or the tv station sites (like www.kgw.com).
BTilke