Eugene, Oregon

The Cascades Raptor Center was established in 1987 as a nature center and wildlife hospital for raptor birds and is one of the top Eugene attractions. The hospital takes care of more than 200 injured or orphaned raptors every year with the help of the qualified staff and the use of the highest standards in veterinary care and treatment. After they are treated and completely recovered, the birds are released back to their habitat.

While the hospitalized animals are not in contact with visitors because they must remain wild animals, the Center has about 60 birds that cannot be released, mostly owls, hawks, eagles, and a few others.

They live in spacious aviaries on the forested hillside, and receive frequent visits from school groups, hikers, birders, and regular tourists who learn about the birds’ habitats, risk factors, and predators and what they can do to protect them. More than 2500 birds have passed through the Center since it opened, and almost 1300 have returned to the wild.

32275 Fox Hollow Road, Eugene, OR, Phone: 541-485-1320

Originally built in 1919 as a football field, Hayward Field is one of the most famous track and field stadiums in the world.

Part of the campus of the University of Oregon, Hayward Field hosted three U.S. Olympic Trials, ten NCAA Outdoor Championships, and six U.S. Championships. The Field’s historic, covered, and comfortable grandstands are comparable to some of the best European venues.

Called the “Carnegie Hall” of track and field venues, Hayward Field hosts the Prefontaine Classic, the nation’s most important annual single-day track and field competition, which features the top national and international athletes. The stadium can comfortably fit more than 10,500 fans.

1580 E 15th Avenue, Eugene, Oregon

The Museum of Natural and Cultural History, located on East 15th Street on the campus of the University of Oregon, is an American natural history museum that is the largest of its kind on the west coast between San Francisco and Seattle. The architecture of the museum is reminiscent of the longhouses of the Pacific Northwest Native Americans.

Begun in 1876 with the fossil collection of geologist Thomas Condon, the museum contains 100,000 fossils, almost one million archaeological artifacts and cultural objects, as well as many specimens of animals. The Museum of Natural and Cultural History is one of the best things to do in Eugene, Oregon. In addition to its permanent collection, the museum hosts temporary exhibits that feature Pacific Northwest themes.

1680 East 15th Avenue, Eugene, Oregon, Phone: 541-346-3024

Opened in September 1967, Autzen Stadiumn is an outdoor football stadium situated on 90 acres next to the north bank of Alton Baker Park. It is located north of the University of Oregon campus, and is the home of the Oregon Ducks.

The Stadium can fit 54,000 fans but exceeds the capacity for every home game, and it has undergone a number of upgrades since 1967. In 2002, its surface was upgraded to FieldTurf, polypropylene, and polyethylene fibers, which are supposed to resist extreme weather conditions.

In 1981, the Barker Stadium Club was added to provide additional meeting space and extra surroundings for pre-game activities. In 1998, the MegaVision color video scoreboard was added.

2700 MLK Jr. Blvd., Eugene, Oregon, Phone: 1-800 WEBFOOT

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is located on the campus of the University of Oregon. Opened in 1933, the museum was built to house the Murray Warner Collection of Oriental Art. Gertrude Bass Warner generously gave this collection of over 3,700 pieces of artwork to the university.

The museum’s permanent galleries contain works of American, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean art. Special exhibitions consist of pieces of art from the museum’s own permanent collection as well as art from collections outside of the museum. The museum hosts events and welcomes families with children as well as school groups.

1430 Johnson Lane, Eugene, Oregon, Phone: 541-346-3027

What to do if you are traveling with kids:

McKenzie River National Recreation Trail is a 26-mile biking, mountain biking, and hiking trail that passes through beautiful scenery starting with an old lava flow from Mount Washington.

The trail meanders along the McKenzie River through old growth Douglas firs and crosses several bridges over the river. The trail takes visitors to other scenic areas such as Clear Lake and the Great Spring, which is a source of the McKenzie River. The trail also leads to several waterfalls like Sahalie and Koosah Falls and goes around the Carmen Reservoir.

After several miles, the trail passes a viewpoint of Tamolich Falls and the Blue Pool before continuing on to the Trailbridge Reservoir and the Paradise Campground.

Located on Frank Parrish Road, Mount Pisgah Arboretum is a 209-acre arboretum and botanical garden. It lies between the slopes of Mount Pisgah and the Coast Fork of the Willamette River.

Volunteers established the arboretum in 1973 when they created trails and built bridges: there are seven miles of riverside trails and 23 bridges. The landscape features meadows, forests, a water garden, and more.

Initially non-regional plants were added, but later these were removed. The arboretum is the home of native plants such as ferns, mosses, shrubs, and wildflowers, and fauna like bats, birds, coyotes, deer, foxes, frogs, and other creatures.

34901 Frank Parrish Road, Eugene, Oregon, Phone: 541-747-3817

Eugene Science Center (formerly The Science Factory) is a children’s museum and planetarium located on Leo Harris Parkway near Autzen Stadium in Eugene. Founded in 1961 as the Southwest Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, the museum is today housed in a 10,000 square foot facility.

The museum features many changing interactive exhibits and hosts other events related to science and technology. Temporary exhibits have included Finding Your Way, Tech City, Yesterday’s Tomorrows, and many more. If you are looking for fun things to do in Eugene OR with kids, this is a great place to visit. The Eugene Science Center Planetarium has a capacity of 75 and offers daytime shows during the weekends. Other features include a Museum gift store, a room for birthday parties, and the Tot Spot, an exploration room for toddlers.

2300 Leo Harris Parkway, Eugene, Oregon, Phone: 541-682-7888

Activities and Attractions for Couples and Singles:

Located at 1 Eugene Center on Willamette Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, the Hult Center for the Performing Arts was completed in 1982 as a part of an urban renewal plan for downtown Eugene. The center consists of several facilities including the 2,448-seat Silva Concert Hall, the 495-seat Soreng Theater, Jacobs Gallery, a public art gallery, and more. There are performances by the Eugene Ballet Company, the Eugene Concert Choir, the Eugene Opera, and several other groups.

Experienced volunteers give guided tours of the center. Tour highlights include backstage areas, dressing rooms, and examples of public art like paintings and statues.

1 Eugene Center, Eugene, Oregon, Phone: 541-682-5087

Located on East Eighth Avenue, the Eugene Saturday Market is the oldest weekly outdoor arts and crafts market in the U. S. Starting in 1970 with less than 30 vendors, the market now boasts over 200 local artisans, food vendors, and live performances that all take place in a festival-like atmosphere with between 3,000 and 5,000 visitors each week.

It is held from April through November; between Thanksgiving and Christmas the market moves indoors to the Lane County Fairgrounds. Every item sold at the market is handcrafted and must be sold by the artisan who made the item. Some of the things for sale include homemade bread and jams as well as handcrafted artwork, clothing, and jewelry.

126 East 8th Avenue, Eugene, Oregon, Phone: 541-686-8885