Oregon’s hopeful QB transfer Jamie Newman chooses Georgia over Oregon.
Oregon’s hopeful QB transfer Jamie Newman chooses Georgia over Oregon.
Run the damn ball!! PRO FBS
I booked rooms at the best Western on Franklin Boulevard today... The Oregon best Western. I really had no idea what I was doing but you can cancel the reservation 72 hours prior if necessary. They said it is on the scenic path to the stadium 1/2 mile away.
Let's hope the PAC12 crew doing the CFP Championship game is not doing the Oregon/NDSU game. Horrible.
I’m an NDSU grad/Eugene resident/Ducks season ticket holder
Since My wife (also an NDSU grad) and I have quite a few friends and family making the trip out to Oregon from North Dakota and Minnesota, I would like to offer my recommendations on travel, lodging, things to see, gameday experience, etc.
Eugene is going to be pretty quiet that weekend because UO does not start classes until the end of September and it's Labor Day weekend; Most Eugene residents will be camping, hiking or at the coast.
Travel-
Driving out and back from Fargo is definitely doable. Assume 21-24 hours of just driving 1-way. Not unlike Frisco trips, the drive there is fun and exciting…. the drive back gets looooong. Mountain passes are typically all open (unless there’s a freak snowstorm) that time of year.
The train will take about 38 hours; 1-way from Fargo to Eugene. It goes through the mountains during the night and across the plains/high desert during the day, so you miss most of the scenery.
Flying: Eugene’s airport is similar in size to Bismarck with no direct flights to North Dakota or Minnesota. I’ve done it multiple times with connections in Denver and SFO. The other option is to fly out of Portland (about 2 hour drive north of Eugene on I-5). Portland has direct flights to Minneapolis, and connecting flights to North Dakota.
Though not a large city, Eugene can be difficult to navigate with it's excessive one-ways, dead-end streets, and speed bumps. The city is trying to heavily promote biking and public transit. However, it's nothing Google Maps on your phone can't solve.
Lodging-
As someone already said, there are a handful of hotels along Franklin Boulevard south of Autzen Stadium/ across the Willamette River. These provide easy access to/from the stadium.
The only hotel I've heard to avoid is the Travelodge. I've personally never stayed there; this is just what I've heard at work. Also, if you stay at the Inn at 5th, request to stay on the side opposite of the building as the railroad tracks.
There are a few AirBnB and VRBO homes to rent. Anything in the Whitaker, College Hill, or south of Campus (Amazon, Fairmount), or South Hills neighborhoods should do nicely.
Things to See-
Oregon has a ton to offer, and I think it’s easy to get caught up in trying to “do it all”. If you have an extra couple of days, I would try to target one of these options…otherwise you’ll spend all of your time driving. The distances look short on the map; but the roads are windy and car-sickness inducing:
In/around Eugene:
- Take a tour of the Ducks Athletic Facilities (specifically football). They are impressive, to say the least.
- Craft beer/wine tour and Music: There are a dozen or so craft breweries and wine tasting rooms in Eugene… and you’re almost guaranteed music at a few of them any night of the week.
- Rafting/Floating: There are a handful of whitewater rafting and floating outfitters based out of Eugene and Springfield. Expect about a one-hour drive from Eugene to the rafting company meet-up points.
- Fishing: Plenty of outfitters are available for guided fly fishing on the McKenzie, Upper Umpqua, and Willamette Rivers.
- Go for a hike on the Ridgeline Trail, Mt. Pisgah Arboretum or Spencer’s Butte. Spencer’s Butte sits about 1,500’ above Eugene with views towards the Cascade Range, Coastal Range and the Willamette Valley.
- Cascades Raptor Center. A must-see for kids and a great experience for adults, it’s an awesome place to see and learn about large predatory birds.
Oregon Coast: If you haven’t done so already, take the time to visit the Oregon coast. It’s rugged and beautiful. There are plenty of great communities, but I lean towards Yachats, Newport, Cannon Beach, and Pacific City.
Wine country: Head south out of Eugene to the Umpqua Valley (1 hour drive) or north towards McMinnville (2 hour drive). If you enjoy award-winning wine, excellent restaurants, and incredible scenery, spend a few days/nights in either of these areas.
Silver Falls: if you’re driving between Portland and Eugene with an afternoon to spare, spend a day at Silver Falls near Salem. Added bonus: stay in one of their log/stone cabins for a true Pacific Northwest deep woods experience.
Oakridge: about 40 minutes east of Eugene, this small timber town has transformed itself into a mountain biking mecca. Rent bikes thru Willamette Mountain Mercantile, catch a shuttle, and ride some of the best mountain bike trails in the Pacific Northwest.
Gameday Experience-
I’m assuming the Alumni Association will be coordinating with UO for a visitor tailgate lot for the Bison faithful. Where and when it opens TBD.
There are also shuttles from strategic locations: https://www.ltd.org/system-map/route_990x-999x/
I typically ride my bike to games (secured bike parking for $1). Directly across the street to the southwest from the main south entrance. From there, all home tailgating lots surround the stadium.
IMHO- the best gameday experience is to park on the south side of campus where there’s plenty of on-street parking. Then walk thru UO campus and across the Willamette River on the Frohnmayer Bridge. The crowd of fans and energy will slowly grow like a tidal wave as you head towards the stadium. Suddenly you emerge out of the trees in Alton Baker Park and Autzen stadium looms in front of you…
Food -
For the size of the city, Eugene residents are spoiled with good restaurants. Take heed: many of these places are very unassuming on the outside, but the food and service is top notch.
These are some we gravitate towards:
McMenamins High St- funky renovated house with cozy backyard patio
McMenamins North Bank- one of the best outdoor patios in Eugene overlooking the Willamette River
Newman’s Fish Co.- fish market with great fish and chips
Beergarden- large back patio surrounded by food trucks
Beer Stein- big open place with wide selection of beer
Friendly Street Market- awesome neighborhood market and food truck pod with large outdoor patio
Whitaker Neighborhood- Really fun/funky part of town. Aim for the restaurant ‘Grit’ and explore the surrounding bars/restaurants.
Cornucopia- classic pub food
Off the Waffle- unique Eugene staple. What do you want on your waffle?
Sweet Life- incredible bakeshop
Morning Glory- vegetarian cafe. Really good. Really funky.
Studio One Cafe- awesome breakfast spot by campus
Wine/Beer-
There are piles of craft breweries and wine tasting rooms. Most of them serve food. I can’t recommend any in particular- they’re all different and have their own vibe…. Google the closest one and go there. If you don’t like it, head to the next one.
If we concentrated on the really important stuff in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles"
When you play football, you gotta like the taste of blood, And 50 percent of the time, it's your blood.
It is characteristic of the unlearned that they are forever proposing something which is old, and because it has recently come to their own attention, supposing it to be new.
"The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it's to post the wrong answer."
Steak- Oregon Electric Station
Seafood- Newman's or Fisherman's Market
Ethnic- Albee's NY Gyros (fast and tasty), Royal India, Cafe Soriah (awesome location next to Hot Mama's, a really good wing place), Ta Rah Tin Thai, Poppi's Anatolia (old Eugene staple)
Pizza- Pegasus and Papa's are classic-style pizza places. Whirled Pies is a little more non-traditional. Sizzle Pies for NY style. Wheel Apizza pub for wood-fired.