One of the biggest challenges of college life is managing your finances. Between college tuition and living expenses, most of you are probably on a tight budget.
Fortunately, you don’t need a lot of money to take advantage of all that Eugene Oregon has to offer; it’s is a vibrant, friendly, community oriented city full of cheap and free things to do!
Though there are probably too many to list, here are twelve recommendations to get your started. With your student ID, many of these activities are either free or discounted.
1. Check out a Zepplin, Beatles, U2, or Pink Floyd Laser show at the Science Factory Children’s Museum & Planetarium (November-December). Click here for info.
2. Find unique treasures at local Saturday morning garage sales (various locations around town) and Eugene Saturday Market: Oak Street and East 8th through mid-November. Saturday Market features hundreds of local crafts artisans, great food, live music, and a fabulous Farmers Market!
3. Take a hike up Spencer Butte.
4. Take in 15,000 years of human history and 200 million years of geology at The U of O Museum of Natural History, the largest natural history museum between Seattle and San Francisco and a center for archaeological and paleontological research in the Pacific Northwest and the wider world.
5. Take a visit to Pre’s Rock, the site where Olympian Steve Prefontaine died at 24 when his convertible crashed into the ledge. Pre’s Rock is now a shrine memorializing the legendary distance runner. Click here for directions and info.
6. Catch a movie at the Bijou Art Cinemas (next to our office) which has provided the finest Foreign, Indie and Classic Films to Eugene for over 30 yrs. David Minor Theater, Eugene’s first & best downtown movie theater/pub, is also a fun place to catch a flick. For super cheap movie tickets, check out Discount Day on Wednesdays at Cinemark Movies 12 in Springfield.
7. Unwind at Alton Baker Park. Run, bike, walk, or roller blade along the riverfront bike path and pedestrian bridge, bring a picnic and your favorite book, and enjoy the relaxing views of the river and ducks.
8. Spend an afternoon at The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA), a premier Pacific Northwest visual arts center for exhibitions and collections of historic and contemporary art. Check out their vast collection of Asian artifacts & Pacific Northwest Art.
9. Go Ice Skating at The Rink Exchange $5 admission with student ID. Located on the Lane County Fairgrounds, be sure to check their calendar or call in advance for Public Skating times.
10. Take in the many free art exhibits available at The Maude Kerns Art Center. Lane Arts Council’s First Friday ArtWalk is also a great way to explore local artists and galleries for FREE (always the first Friday of the month from 5:30-8pm ). Click here for details on the next
11. Pack a picnic lunch and spend a sunny afternoon strolling through the lush forest and world-renowned 12 acre rhododendron garden at Hendrick’s Park on Summit and Skyline Drive.
12. Visit Mount Pisgah Arboretum, featuring a 209 acre living tree museum, riverside trails, open wildflower meadows, fun educational events and more.
For More ideas, visit For more ideas, visit
www.uodos.uoregon.edu
Free and Cheap Things To Do in Eugene Oregon