Students sometimes accuse Eugene of being boring. It is a college town, to be sure, but sleepy isn’t necessarily part of the cliché. For students interested in a weekend getaway, outdoor recreation or ideas for a study break, Eugene — and the surrounding area of Oregon and the Northwest — can be a hotbed of wide-awake activities.

Oregon Coast
The curves of Highway 101 wind against rugged cliffs and present a dazzling showcase of spectacular Pacific Ocean views only a one-hour drive from Eugene.
To reach the city of Florence from Eugene, take Highway 126 west until it intersects with Highway 101. Old Town, on the bay front, has plenty of specialty shops and places to eat, with clam chowder as the most popular request.
Twenty-five miles north of Florence is the town of Yachats. The Indian name means “dark water at the foot of the mountain.” One of the most popular attractions is the Sea Lion Caves. An elevator built inside the cave takes visitors deep into the cave to view the wild sea lions that live there.
The city of Newport is 25 miles north of Yachats. In this busy resort area is the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Hatfield Marine Science Center, two working lighthouses, Yaquina Head and Yaquina Bay, two working fishing canneries at the Historic Bay Front area, Nye Beach and six easy-to-find beach accesses.
“Newport is a great community for locals and visitors year-round. The main tourism season is June to October, but throughout the rest of the year, it is great for a family weekend or romantic getaway,” said T.C. Caldwell, tourism development director for the Newport Chamber of Commerce.

— Marilyn Rice for the Emerald

Views from Baldy
Those who have been to Spencer Butte know the view of Eugene appears ant-like and distant from such elevation, and the hike to the top can be strenuous on a hot summer day.
The Skinner Observatory, near Alton Baker Park, has a pleasant view of downtown ­ but little else to offer.
For those disappointed by the lack of decent vistas around Eugene, the small knoll known as Baldy is a place to consider. It has an excellent position on the east ridge of the South Hills from which to view the full expanse of the southern Willamette Valley.
To get there, take Pearl Street to 30th Avenue, turn right on Hilyard, then drive to the next light. Turn left on Amazon Drive East and follow it for approximately one-and-a-half miles. From this intersection, turn left on Dillard Road for another mile and a half. There will be a brown hiker symbol on the left side of the road and very little parking, but further down the street is enough room for a few mid-sized cars.
There are two routes to the top, the first being the South Hills Ridgeline trail that runs through a meadow and off to the left. The second trail is less maintained, runs up a small hill and follows the ridgeline to the left. Either way is nearly half a mile up a modest grade to the top, where a grassy meadow fans out down the hillside. From this point, one can see the Creswell Valley to the southeast of Eugene and the Willamette River as it winds down the valley.
Baldy can be a idyllic place to bring a pet or some friends on a lazy evening for a miniature getaway.

— Adam Jones

Crater Lake
The glorious cerulean water is always a draw at Crater Lake National Park, which celebrated its centennial in August. After 100 years, the park still has scenic vistas and woodsy trails. For those interested in visiting Crater Lake, it’s less than a day trip away, a little more than three hours, depending on the route taken.
“The lake is unlike anything else in the world; the beauty is just extraordinary,” park spokesman Kevin Bacher said. “It contains some of the clearest, purist and most pristine water.
“Crater Lake is blue, blue, blue,” he said. “You have to put the blue in all capital letters just to capture how beautiful it is.”
The lake’s blue, blue existence began with the volcanic eruption of the 12,000-foot Mount Mazama 7,700 years ago, which left a hole more than five miles in diameter.
The hole, called a caldera or volcanic basin, filled with melted snowfall, creating a lake that goes down 1,943 feet at its deepest point, making it the deepest lake in the United States and the seventh deepest in the world.
There are basically two ways to get to Crater Lake from Eugene.
The scenic route, which passes Diamond Lake, tacks about 20 extra minutes onto the drive. To take this route, head south toward Roseburg on Interstate 5 and take Highway 138 East to get to the park’s north entrance.
A quicker way, which takes only three hours from Eugene, is to follow I-5 and turn onto the Goshen exit, which goes to Highway 58.
The park lodge and campground close in mid-fall, depending on weather. Call (541) 594-3100 for more information, or visit www.crater-lake.com.

— Jillian Daley