Vacationing in a College Town: Eugene, Oregon

College is a time not only for learning but for exploring, and few towns are better suited for both than Eugene, Oregon. Home to the University of Oregon, with dozens of art galleries, music and theater venues, and secondhand bookstores, Eugene beckons students and visitors alike to poke around and explore.

It's a city where philosophies and political perspectives are regularly investigated and challenged in earnest idealism, and where peace-and-love holdovers from the 1960s reside next to radical, antiestablishment anarchists and even a few staunch conservatives. Eugene's freethinking people are matched by many free or low-cost cultural events, as well as budget-friendly food and lodging. It's also surrounded by the raw beauty of the Pacific Northwest, which is indisputably one of the best places in North America to explore. The two best resources for planning a visit to the Eugene area are the local Convention & Visitors Association (115 W. ...