As winter is finally coming to a close, the sunny spring weather will make for great opportunities to go for outings with a friend or significant other! How could this list start with anything other than the Eugene Saturday Market and Lane County Farmers’ Market? The Farmers’ Market is now open from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays at Farmers’ Market Pavilion on 8th Avenue & Oak Street. The Saturday Market doesn’t open until April, but it will be open on Saturdays from 10am-4pm.
Another popular sunny weather attraction is the Eugene Rhododendron Garden in Hendricks Park. The park has a path that leads through a beautiful garden with lots of different flowers, the most popular being rhododendrons. There are benches scattered throughout the park where you can sit, eat, talk, listen to music, take pictures, and more – all with that friend or special someone.
If you enjoy walking, you might also like going on a hike together. Eugene offers so many spots to go hiking, including Spencer Butte, Skinner Butte, Spring Boulevard. and Fox Hollow trailheads, Ridgeline Trail, and Mt. Pisgah.
Thrifting is an activity that many people in Eugene enjoy. This can be a fun way to shop for less money and also to support reusing clothing and reducing waste. Eugene is home to lots of thrift stores like Goodwill, St. Vinnie’s, Ghost Town Outfitters, The NEST, and the newly relocated Plato’s Closet on Willamette Street.
An underrated date idea is going to an arcade. There are some really great arcades here in Eugene, and you can play lots of games without breaking the bank. Some popular ones are Level Up Arcade on Oak Street., PLAY Eugene on 5th Avenue, and Round1 Bowling & Arcade at the Valley River Center. Playing arcade games can be a great bonding experience for couples or friends, and at Round1, you can do some rounds of bowling together while you’re at it.
Article by Lucas Harshbanger