Oregon Auberges de Jeunesse

Eugene is a quaint, little, laid back university town, where you find neighborhoods of cute, pretty, rose adorned, cottage bungalow homes, many parks and surrounding mountain views from any point in the city. Eugene is quite liberal and does have a hippy element to it. Yet, there, you can also find trendy cafes and areas too. Eugene is great for nature and outdoor sports enthusiasts with its Pacific Northwest terrain and closeby Florence Beach, which is an hour away. There, you find Oregon Dunes National Park, where you see cliffs made of sand - quite an impressive sight. (By the way, Oregon's beaches are all public and appreciated for their unspoiled beauty.) And Eugene has often been voted as one of the best towns for bicyclists because it has great bike paths in most, if not all of its parks and throughout the city, making it super biker friendly. And finally, Eugene has a nice mild climate even in winter, although it has a long rainy season...But summers in Eugene are…

I spent an idyllic summer in Eugene, in 1998. I would have stayed if I had found work. What people are calling "hippyness" are values I cherish: respect for the Earth that supports us, and our fellow human beings. At the same time, Eugene has a strong rural conservative component, making for an interesting mix. You might see a guy in a pickup with a gun rack right next to the one in the bike lane, pulling his child in the Oregon-made Burley bike trailer. I'll see you there for the Eugene Celebration, September 18-20!

Eugene's a nice town. Yes, it reeks of patchouli and wool socks in Birkenstocks but, without that olifactory stimulii, it wouldn't BE Eugene. If you don't like hippies, you're in the wrong town.

I've lived in Eugene for 7 years. It's a fun city, big enough to have lots to do. If you visit, check out the Weekly (www.eugeneweekly.com) to get info on what's happening, because there are lots of clubs and shows all the time. Two of my favorites are Cafe Paradiso and Cozmic Pizza. Both have live music, open mic nights, etc. I am in a group that puts on a belly dance show the third Friday of each month (www.medge.org) at Cozmic Pizza. Also, while you're here you MUST be sure to get to Sweet Life Bakery and/or Metropole at the 5th Street, and from April to November be sure to check out the Saturday Market, outdoors on the Park blocks downtown. Tons of food, entertainment, stuff to buy, and tie-dye underwear.

Eugene does have beautiful scenery and it definitely is easy living here, but let me tell you something: this town is sooo anti-business and anti-cange, not to mention very racist. People here do not know how to deal with people of different ethnicities. No matter how liberal people say they are here, it's all BS, there isnothing wrong with the hippies here but the aura of negativity in Eugene just sucks, and it will always be that way.

Eugene has more nightlife than anyone could possibly need -- the center of gravity for partying on a Friday and Saturday night is the pub district, at the intersection of West Broadway and Olive street, stretching a few blocks in any direction. This is a pedestrian-friendly area with a wide variety of pubs -- from cozy Jamesons' to upscale Davis' and Adam's Place; to belly-dancing at Cafe Moroc and Argentine Tango at The Tango Center (an all-ages place); live music at Cozmic Pizza, McDonald's Theatre, John Henry's, The Hult Center, The Shedd, and The WOW Hall; to DJ music in the underground Diablo's; from card-playing at Full House to pool with a real community feeling at Lucky's. There are a bunch more -- all these places are pleasantly packed. Most have food. Most covers are good value. There's a wide range of ages and types of people, possibly because Oregon's main University is here. It is quite easy to get lost in the friendly nightlife here.