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Eugene / Springfield - Oregon |
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Area Attractions & Activities |
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| AREA PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES More than 40 parks and facilities in Eugene offer swimming and wading pools, an amphitheater, athletic fields, and lighted tennis courts. Year-round staff provide activities for all ages. Call Eugene Parks and Recreation Athletics office, (541) 687-5333 for activity information. Skinner's Butte Park, located near the heart of Eugene,
offers a wonderful view of the city. Willamalane Park and Recreation District, located in Springfield, provides programs for all ages. Recreation facilities include the Memorial Building Recreation Center, the Senior Adult Activity Center, the Craft Center, and over 200 parks. (541) 746-1669. Water sports and the waterways people play on are a star attraction in these communities. The Willamette River is as picturesque and peaceful as the McKenzie River is wild and wonderful. Picnic areas, great fishing spots, waysides and boat ramps are easy to find. Southeast of Springfield in the Willamette Recreation Area, which includes Odell, crescent and Waldo Lakes, and Salt Creek Falls. All provide sites for water sports. Guided excursions and boat rentals are available. Whitewater rafting is one of America's fastest growing
sports and just 45 minutes from Eugene, the McKenzie River offers
some of the best white water around. Part of the State Wild
and Scenic River system since 1988, the McKenzie is known for
its wildlife viewing as well as its fishing. Choose a section
of river that offers Class II or Class II rapids. WINTER SPORTS Willamette Pass, situated in the southern Cascade Mountains, is an easy 90-minute drive from Eugene/Springfield. This ski area has chairlifts, a day lodge and equipment rentals. Call (541) 484-5030 for more information. Hoodoo Ski Area, located 75 miles east of Eugene/Springfield on Highway 126 (McKenzie Highway) offers three chairlifts, 22 runs, two day lodges and a Nordic Center. Call (541) 822-3799. HISTORICAL SITES Among the landmarks you may want to visit are the Lane County Clerks Building, The Smeed Hotel (1885) and the Lane County Historical Museum, where artifacts from the pioneer days are preserved. For information, contact the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, (541) 484-1314. The University of Oregon is home to some of the state's oldest buildings. Tours depart from the information desk in Oregon Hall, (541) 686-3014. Coburg, just north of Eugene, has preserved its history by restoring many homes and inns. Maps are available that detail historic sites. Contact the Coburg Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 8452, Coburg, OR, 97401. Cottage Grove was home to the Bohemian Mining District in 1905 and the community has preserved its heritage with a 70-mile auto tour that winds through the Calapooya Mountains. Six old-time covered bridges, dated back to 1920, are within a 10-mile radius of Cottage Grove. Nine historical sites are within the area. Detailed maps are available by contacting the Chamber office, (541) 942-2411. LOCAL VINEYARDS West Lane is renowned as the Burgundy Region of the Northwest. Many of Oregon's finest premium wines are produced here, at two picturesque wineries. Forgeron Vineyard is a small family-owned and operated winery currently producing 24,000 gallons of varietal wine yearly. Forgeron is committed to very high quality, European style wines, each of which receives individual attention from grape to bottle. Nestled next to a forest at 88697 Sheffler Road in Elmira, the winery is a beautiful spot for an hour or an afternoon. Hinman Vineyards, located within the rolling foothills of the Coast Range, 15 miles west of Eugene, complements the surrounding farmland. Established in 1979, Hinman Vineyards is one of the Northwest's most advanced wineries, consistently producing fine wines from old-world techniques. The winery is reminiscent of a European village with its natural brick, graceful arches and prominent tower. Available for tours and picnics on the picturesque land. Visit the new tasting room located at 27012 Briggs Hill Road, Eugene. GOLF Oakway Golf Course is a fine executive 18-hole course.
No tee times required. (541) 484-1927. UNIVERSITY OF OREGON Founded in 1876, the U Of O Has grown to a 250-acre campus, located on the eastern edge of Eugene. It annually serves over 17,000 students in its college of Arts and Sciences and seven other professional schools and colleges. The campus is home to some of the state's oldest buildings. Tours depart from the information desk in Oregon Hall (541-686-5555). The Museum of art (541-686-3027) and Museum of Natural History (541-686-3024) are open to the public. Autzen Stadium: Home to the University of Oregon Ducks, this stadium seats 54,000 + and hosts sporting and cultural events. (541) 346-4461. McArthur Court: The largest auditorium in Eugene, this sports arena seats up to 10,000 for University and city sports and cultural events. (541) 346-4461. LANE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS The Lane County Fair is a community highlight each August. The facility also offers entertainment throughout the year. (541) 687-4294. WILLAMETTE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER Located next to Autzen Stadium, this center offers hands-on exhibits and planetarium programs. (541) 484-9027. MOVIE THEATERS Enjoy a variety of the latest movie releases at the 2 Cinemark, U.S.A. theaters located in the Gateway Shopping Center, (541) 747-3123. Cinemark 17 offers 17 screens while the other one has 12 screens. Movies admission to Movies 12 is from $1 (for the first movie of the day) to $1.50 (for all movies after that), while Cinemark 17 is regularly priced, except for discounted shows seen before 6:00 PM. PERFORMING ARTS The Hult Center brings top name artists to its 2,500-seat Silva Concert Hall and 500-seat Soreng Theater. The Eugene Symphony, Ballet, and Opera Companies, plus many national talents, perform regularly. Performance information: (541) 687-5000. Guided tours are available, (541) 687-5733. RESTAURANTS Should you desire a change of menu from The Diner, many other fine restaurants are adjacent to the hotel. Fast food restaurants are abundant and serve nearly every imaginable type of food. SHOPPING The Gateway Shopping Mall, located less than a mile from the Shilo, offers over 70 stores and specialty shops, a cafe court, a 15,000 square foot entertainment center, and 12 movie screens. ANNUAL EVENTS & PLACES TO VISIT Eugene's Festival of Musical Theater dazzles audiences every summer with professional productions of American musicals. Producing Director Ed Ragozzino has an incredible talent for pulling together the entire community of Eugene to produce the finest Broadway-style musicals anywhere. Located at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts, Eugene; (541) 345-0028. Kerns Art Center operates a year-round program of exhibitions, classes and special events. Featuring contemporary art, the Art Center hosts exhibitions of national and regional note, as well as the work of area artists. The Center contains a gift shop in which the creations of Northwest craftsperson's are represented. Kerns is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Free admission. 1910 East 15th Avenue (near U of O Campus). The Oregon Bach Festival in Eugene is an internationally-acclaimed, two-week event in June. Hundreds of musicians from around the world play everything from Bach to Penderecki, classical to jazz. Helmuth Rillin, the Festival's artistic director, has a worldwide reputation as a leading conductor and authority on Bach. There are evening concerts, workshops, free noon concerts, lectures and ballet. (541) 686-5666. Saturday Market features over 150 artists, craftspeople, farmers and chefs in a two-block, open-air marketplace. Shop for furniture, quilts, jewelry, pottery, floral arrangements, toys, fresh produce and more. The international food court will delight your taste buds. Each week there is a variety of live entertainment. Open every Saturday from April until Christmas, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. At 8th and Oak Streets in Eugene. The Scandinavian Festival brings the heritage and culture of Scandinavia alive each August in Junction City. You'll taste savory ethnic foods and enjoy traditional Scandinavian music, dance, fine arts and crafts, and a beer garden. Tour farms by bus, take in the historical museum, and the popular 10K Scandia Run. Junction City, mid-August, (541) 998-3300. The Rhododendron Festival, held the third weekend in May, has blossomed into a grand celebration that includes a grand floral parade, carnival, food and craft fair, chicken barbecue and a special parade just for the kids. Florence, (541) 997-3128. The Oregon Country Fair, set in a beautiful woodland of Veneta, is one of Oregon's oldest arts and crafts fairs. People from Oregon and all over the western states come to indulge in a variety of foods, music and fine crafts from pottery to jewelry, furniture to face-painting. Veneta, the second weekend in July, (541) 343-4298. We can provide the names of recreational booking
agents and/or guides for many of the aforementioned activities. SHILO INNS RESERVATIONS call toll-free Nationwide 1-800-222-2244 For additional information regarding area attractions or event schedules, call the Eugene Chamber of Commerce (541)484-1314
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