Eugene, Oregon Is "A Great City for the Arts and Outdoors" — Here's Our Eco-Travel Guide
Sometimes called "The Emerald City," Eugene, Ore., is a hub for arts and culture, an outdoor recreation destination, and a sustainable gem.
Published July 30 2024, 10:08 a.m. ET
Being Oregon's second-most populous city, as per Eugene, Cascades & Coast, Eugene is a vibrant college town known for its gorgeous wineries, counterculture history, arts and culture, natural beauty, Olympic runners, and being the birthplace of Nike.
Motherland to the Kalapuya people, Eugene once flourished with camas fields, which still bloom from April to June in the Willamette Valley. The Emerald City also boasts forests, wetlands, and the Ridgeline park system.
Nature attractions aside, Eugene hosts a monthly ArtWalk, the beloved University of Oregon Duck football team, and many history and art museums. It's no wonder Eugene was included in Money's 2024 list of "The 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S."
Eugene is part of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) alliance and adopted the Climate Recovery Ordinance (CRO) in 2014.
Through the CRO, Eugene has established a range of climate goals, including to "reduce community fossil fuel use by 50 percent of 2010 levels by 2030" and to "reduce greenhouse gas emissions to Eugene's average share of 350 ppm by 2100." In 2015, Eugene’s bus service, Lane Transit District (LTD), became one of the few U.S. transit agencies to attain the International Organization Standardization’s (ISO) 14001 sustainability certification.
Check out our Green City Guide to Eugene, Ore., for eco-friendly things to do, see, and eat while traveling!
Where to stay: Experience Hilton's sustainable all-suite lodging in downtown Eugene.
Home2 Suites by Hilton Eugene Downtown University Area:
Hilton's sustainable offshoot Home2 Suites features EV chargers, chemical-free saline pools, refillable amenities, and eco-friendly construction, as per its website. Plus, as mentioned by Green Lodging News, low-flow showers and faucets, LED lighting, biodegradable food trays, and some furniture made with pre- and post-recycled materials are utilized throughout. The brand also partners with charitable hotel soap and amenity recycling organization Clean the World.
Home2 Suites by Hilton Eugene Downtown University Area at 102 W. 11th Avenue is just a five-minute drive from the University of Oregon and Autzen Stadium!
Where to eat: Snack on vegan street food, tasty confections, and support a charitable cafe.
Viva! Vegetarian Grill:
While the "all vegetarian and vegan food business" is known for serving patrons at festivals, you can visit the all-vegan Viva! Vegetarian Grill food cart at at 1171 Willamette Street in Downtown Eugene. Offering tempeh tacos, Polish soysage, and housemade vegan soft serve ice cream, you won't leave the cart hungry.
Acorn Community Cafe:
Acorn Community Cafe at 769 Monroe Street is a cutesy vegan eatery as well as a resource tackling food insecurity in the community. With a tip-free menu, Acorn encourages (but does not require) customers to "pay forward" a menu item or dollar amount of their choosing toward another person's meal. Plus, Acorn hosts fundraising events for the 86 Hunger Foundation.
Order yourself some buckwheat banana pancakes, the delicious Summer Hash in a basil aioli, and a Tomato Margarita — and pay forward some Oven Roasted Gnocchi while you're at it!
Sweet Life Patisserie:
Head to Sweet Life Patisserie at 755 Monroe Street for some cake, pie, pastries, organic tea, Nancy's Fancy vegan ice cream, locally roasted, organic, and fair trade espresso, and more. Offering baked goods made from scratch in small batches via "traditional French and classic American recipes," many of the proudly sustainable and inclusive shop's menu items are gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free.
Absolutely desperate for those vegan Toasted Coconut Lemon Cupcakes.
Where to shop: Explore vintage fashion, secondhand crafting, and sustainable reusables.
Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts (MECCA):
At 555 High Street sits the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts (MECCA), a nonprofit thrift shop for art and craft supplies. Part store, part charitable and educational organization, MECCA offers a selection of free supplies to teachers/educators and community and social justice organizations. Plus, MECCA runs various workshops and events for people of all ages — even an upcycled fashion summer camp!
Marley's Monsters:
Head to 550 Pearl Street, Suite 160, to check out the home of the UNpaper Towel, Marley's Monsters. Alongside its popular range of sustainable handmade reusables — like cotton toilet paper and PUL fabric garbage pail liners — the Eugene Eco-Shop also features a Bulk + Refill Bar, an UNpaper Towel Customization Station, and a free recycling program through a partnership with TerraCycle.
Founded:
Visit Founded at 749 Willamette Street to buy, sell, and trade vintage fashion. From 1970s needlepoint Vans in their original box to '90s Tommy Hilfiger jeans to 2000s ACDC tees, Founded has something for every eclectic sustainable fashionista. Plus, the store hosts flea market events and fashion shows!
What to do: Visit a Biodynamic winery, see a movie, and go for a hike in one of the city's oldest parks!
The Eugene Art House:
Enjoying the cinematic arts in a restored historic building is a sustainable act in and of itself, as demolishing old, weathered buildings and creating new structures from the ground up is wasteful, expensive, and contributes to landfills. The Eugene Art House at 492 E. 13th Avenue is a two-screen cinema in the restored Wilcox Building, built in 1925, its Spanish Mission-style architecture and original woodwork on full display.
The Art House is also a "café by day, low-key bar at night," and acts as a live music and event venue.
King Estate Winery:
King Estate Winery at 80854 Territorial Highway is "the largest Biodynamic certified vineyard in North America," according to its website, prioritizing regenerative agriculture and organic farming.
Featuring a composting system, a dedication to crop diversity, and a charitable side — as the Willamette Valley winery donates to FOOD for Lane County and other local hunger relief organizations — King Estate's visitors can proudly enjoy that lovely 2023 Rose of Pinot Noir.
Hike Skinner Butte and Spencer Butte:
According to Eugene, Cascades & Coast, the Skinner Butte Trail at Skinner Butte Park at 248 Cheshire Avenue is considered a fairly easy one-mile wooded trail with fabulous views of the Willamette River, the Spencer Butte, and downtown Eugene.
The Spencer Butte Trail at 85385 Willamette Street is a "moderate to difficult" 1.7-mile loop offering up views of the Three Sisters and Fern Ridge Reservoir on a crystal clear day. As per AllTrails, the trail sees an elevation gain of 731 feet. You may need to catch your breath at the top, but it'll be worth it.
In “Green City Guides,” a travel series from Green Matters, we break down what to do, where to stay, what to eat, and more in various cities around the world — while staying sustainable.
