It’s official – I’m in love with Eugene, Oregon!
Which is why I spent Day 7 of my scouting visit setting the wheels in motion for our move here in the spring. Oh, and soaking up all the positive Eugene energy I can before I have to fly back to Iowa tomorrow.
Where did I go and what did I discover on my last full day in Eugene? Read on to find out!
Buddy’s Diner
My quest to find cool local eateries led me to this classic diner for breakfast. It had a homey vibe and was most definitely a local hang-out. They had these HUGE biscuits that you could top with either honey or marionberry, which is this kind of odd fruit syrup I’ve never seen before. But I had to try it since it’s a regional specialty!
I had a lot of fun chatting up the waitress who gave me a free coffee to go on my way out. I’m sure there are jerky people here in Eugene, like everywhere, but all the people I’ve met on my scouting visit have been incredibly warm and friendly – and funny. (Big bonus!) I can hardly wait to move here!
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Owen Rose Garden
I discovered this rose garden on the Willamette River on my first day here and it’s become a favorite spot. Today was stunningly bright and sunny, so the gardens looked especially beautiful. I’ve been extremely fortunate to have had very few rainy days during my visit. Believe me, I know this is not typical Eugene weather!
Before I left Eugene, I wanted to connect with someone locally who could help us with housing. We own a house in Iowa and need to sell it before we can buy a house in Eugene. But we want to move sooner than later and don’t want to be living in our house while we’re trying to sell it. Even though we’re not ready to buy right away, I decided to call a realtor the Air B&B owner referred me to. Am I glad I did!
The realtor gave me all kinds of helpful advice (buy in January/February when people are motivated to sell, there’s less competition, and prices are lower) and promised to send me lists of property managers for temporary housing and mortgage lenders and to stay in touch. I was immensely relieved to make this important connection and amazed it was so effortless.
Frank Kinney Park
Ample parks and nature trails are essential characteristics of our ideal place profile – and Eugene more than fits the bill! I wanted to spend as much time on my last day here outside, so I continued my tour of Eugene parks with a visit to Frank Kinney Park. You can see in the featured photo at the top of this post that it doesn’t look much like a city park. But it’s actually a sweet little neighborhood park not too far from downtown with access to Eugene’s 12-mile Ridgeline trail system.
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South Hills and Friendly Neighborhoods
On my way back from Frank Kinney Park, I took more time to explore the South Hills and Friendly neighborhoods. Driving and walking around Eugene, I can’t get over how familiar everything feels. I’ve experienced déjà vu several times over the past week, which is weird since I’ve never been to Eugene before. (Cue Twilight Zone theme)
Bartolotti’s
I stopped by this pizza joint in the Friendly neighborhood, which was actually a food truck with an elaborate outdoor seating arrangement. Which meant I got to sit and enjoy the gorgeous day while I waited for my veggie stromboli. Sweet!
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Ascot Park
Ascot ParkI brought the stromboli back to the house to share with Lisa, the super cool Air B&B owner. After stromboli and wine on the back patio it was time to walk Lisa’s lovely dog, Miss Lucy. So, off we went! One of Eugene’s many neighborhood parks. Ascot Park has of a variety of sports fields and a walking trail around the perimeter.
It was the perfect end to my last full day in Eugene… for now!
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