With the Oregon Coast just a short drive away, there is no doubt that Eugene OR is one of the best places to vacation in the USA.
Being also the hippie capital of Oregon and home to the University of Oregon, the city boasts a ton of cultural attractions such as museums like the Clock Museum, historic theatres like the Mc Donald Theater, performing art centers like the Hult Center for the Performing Arts, and family-friendly events like the Oregon Festival of American Music in June and the Lane County Fair (pictured) in August.
University of Oregon
Not many cities can say they boast a university right in the heart of the city or a university campus that is also an arboretum.
Yet, that’s exactly what Eugene has going for, the University of Oregon right in the downtown area and the a university campus filled with hundreds of an amazing variety of trees.
Apart from taking a stroll along the campus, the University of Oregon is also home to two of the top cultural attractions in Eugene - the Museum of Natural & Cultural History and the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.
The Museum of Natural History has interesting and educational exhibits that teach you about Oregon’s native people, native animals and plants; while the Museum of Art has a great variety of interesting art exhibits such as Chinese art works that include a scaled down Jade Pagoda.
Bijou Art Cinemas
Exploring the art scene in Eugene is the top things to do and if you fancy a cheap evening in the city and are into art movies or indie films, one of the top places to visit in Eugene Oregon for this is at the Bijou.
You can catch second run shows at the Bijou, as well as independent movies you wouldn’t normally see in a mainstream theater.
Also, if you’re traveling to Eugene during Halloween period, the Bijou cinema is one of the best Halloween destinations in town since the cinema is actually housed in a former funeral parlor said to be haunted.
Oregon Country Fair
If you’re planning to visit the city in the first week of July, one of the most fun places to visit in Eugene Oregon is the Oregon Country Fair (pictured). There is no better time than at the Country Fair to soak in and experience Eugene’s hippie heritage.
The Oregon Country Fair draws literary hippies and adventurous travelers from all corners of the country looking to enjoy a good time.
You can expect to see topless people wearing body painting art as well as lots of hippie art crafts on sale. Overall, if you have an open-mind, you’ll have a blast at the Country Fair enjoying fun activities, catching live music events and sample tasty foods
Lane County Farmers Market
The Farmers Market is also located in downtown Eugene opposite Park Blocks and it's a great place to visit in Eugene to mingle with the locals and soak in Eugene’s culture. You can catch the market normally during the day on Saturday, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
W.O.W Hall
The W.O.W Hall is probably one of the best places to visit in Eugene Oregon to see live music. You can regularly find a great variety of music opportunities such as Rock shows, Jazz shows, ‘Old School’ nights, live gigs, and radio show events hosted by the local radio - KWVA.
Oregon Air and Space Museum
The Air and Space Museum is one of the few out-of-town attractions in Eugene, though it's worth checking out, especially if you or your kids are plane buffs.
The museum is just 20 minutes drive west, along the Pacific Highway, and boasts all kinds of WWII fighter planes, displays of jet engines and a tribute to Oregon’s Flighter Aces.
Clock Museum
If you fancy watching time tick by or love to see all kind of vintage and rare clocks, the Clock Museum in Conger Street is one attraction you can’t miss visiting.
Not only you’ll be able to see lots of 18th century and novelty clocks, but also clock mechanisms, as well as other yesteryear exhibits like coin collections, handmade cars and trains.
Science Factory Museum
The Science Factory Museum is located across the river in Alton Baker City Park, and it’s one of the few attractions in town that’s focused exclusively on toddlers and kids.
The museum is a great educational place to bring your kids since it boasts exhibits on science and space travel that will give kids the chance to discover more about the solar system, planets, etc.
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