Majority of the students flee home for the summer, putting campus life on pause and making Eugene a little bit quieter. If you’re staying in Eugene for whatever reason, it can be easy to feel cooped up if you don’t know what to do. The list below will help give you a few ideas of day trips to take in the area — all you need is some gas money or your student ID for a bus pass.
Alton Baker Park
Just a 5-minute drive from campus, Alton Baker Park is perfect for either a quick outing or a day trip in the sun. The park offers bike trails, a dog park and secluded areas next to the water. Walk down the trail next to the river and keep a lookout for footpaths on the side that will lead you down to a spot to post up with a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite drinks and snacks right next to the water.
Mount Pisgah Arboretum
Pack a lunch, your swimsuit and wear a good pair of hiking shoes to be ready for a day outdoors. The Willamette River runs through Mt. Pisgah and offers a place to chill next to the water on a hot day. If you need to stay dry, there is also a hiking trail that takes you around a forest and wetlands. With Mt. Pisgah being a 15-minute drive from campus it’s an easy way to escape the city for a natural landscape.
Armitage Park Campground
For anyone looking to camp, but wants to stay close to home, Armitage Park Campground is a 15-minute drive from campus. The campground sits next to the Mackenzie River, offers tent sites, facilities, recreation parks and trails for day use or an easy camping experience.
Fern Ridge Reservoir
A place I’m checking out this summer is Fern Ridge Reservoir. The lake spot offers a place for water recreation such as swimming, fishing and boating – if you’ve got one or feel lucky enough to make friends with people there who have one. The reservoir being a 30-minute drive from campus offers another body of water to touch if you get sick of the Willamette or Mckenzie as well as a place to camp or hike.
Florence Beach
Being one of the closest trips to the beach, Florence is an hour and 15-minute drive from campus. Make a day trip out of chilling on the beach, splashing in the freezing Pacific Ocean and visiting coastal shops.
There are actually many places in the Eugene area that can help take care of anyone feeling cabin fever. The list I provide is just a sliver of places to visit. Use the websitehttps://www.eugenecascadescoast.org/as a resource to find more things to do to keep yourself busy this summer.
