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The Ultimate 5-Day Budget Adventure in Eugene

Discover the best of Eugene without breaking the bank.

21 June 2023

Eugene, in the southern end of Willamette Valley, offers a great vacation on a limited budget. Having a hike in the Spencer Butte, visiting the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History, and exploring the Lane County Farmers Market are just a few of the low-cost activities to add to your itinerary while enjoying Eugene. Additionally, you can stretch your budget with good eating in food trucks and Ethiopian eateries.

Travel plan

• Check-in at the Downtown Inn, an affordable budget hotel in Eugene's city center.
• Start the day with a hearty breakfast at Brails, a cozy diner that's been serving pancakes and omelets since 1973.
• Walk around the University of Oregon campus and admire the architecture of buildings like the Knight Library and the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.
• Visit the Eugene Saturday Market, where vendors sell everything from handmade crafts to fresh produce and live music fills the air.
• Grab a slice of pizza from Mezza Luna Pizzeria, a local institution that makes thin-crust pies with creative toppings and a friendly attitude.

• Head to Skinner Butte Park, a hill that offers stunning views of Eugene and the Willamette River.
• Take a leisurely stroll along the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail System, which spans 12 miles along the river with several parks and nature spots.
• Visit the Hendricks Park Rhododendron Garden, a serene oasis that boasts over 6,000 rhododendrons and other native plants.
• Drive out to Mount Pisgah Arboretum, where you can hike through forests, meadows, and wetlands and spot wildlife like deer and birds.
• Have a picnic lunch at Owen Rose Garden, where you'll find 4.5 acres of landscaped gardens and the historic Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House.

• Have breakfast at Off the Waffle, a quirky joint that serves waffles with creative toppings like bacon, brie, and fig jam.
• Take a tour of the Ninkasi Brewery, one of Eugene's many craft breweries that produce award-winning beers and ciders.
• Visit the Provisions Market Hall, a food hall that showcases local vendors and offers a variety of culinary delights from wood-fired pizza to fresh seafood.
• Go to Fisherman's Market, a seafood restaurant and fish market that serves fresh catches from the Pacific Ocean and the Willamette River.
• Have a nightcap at The Bier Stein, a cozy pub with over 30 rotating taps and a selection of over 1,000 bottled beers from around the world.

• Visit the Museum of Natural and Cultural History, where you can discover the flora, fauna, and human history of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
• Take a stroll through the Maude Kerns Art Center, a community center that showcases local artists with rotating exhibitions and a gift shop.
• Watch a movie at the Broadway Metro, a historic theater that screens independent and foreign films and serves local beer and wine.
• Listen to live music at the Cuthbert Amphitheatre, an outdoor venue that hosts concerts and events throughout the year.
• Have dinner at Cornbread Cafe, a vegan restaurant that serves comfort food classics like mac and cheese, fried chicken, and biscuits and gravy.

• Have breakfast at Morning Glory Cafe, a cozy spot that serves organic and vegetarian options with a farm-to-table focus.
• Visit the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, which showcases works by local and international artists and has a beautiful sculpture garden.
• Head to Hendricks Park for a final hike or picnic before leaving Eugene.
• Stop at Sweet Life Patisserie, a bakery that makes divine cakes, pastries, and desserts using local and organic ingredients.
• Bid farewell to Eugene with a pint or flight of beer at Falling Sky Brewing, a neighborhood brewery that prides itself on sustainability and community involvement.