Eugene, Oregon

I love Eugene. I have been here for 8 years. It is so fun. There are art and music festivals all summer. It's an hour from the beach, and an hour from the slopes. It is a quick drive to Portland. But this town is relaxed and liberal. The people here are friendly and fun. And there are so many things for families to do. It is wet and rainy most of the year, but you get used to it.

I have lived in Eugene, OR ever since I first moved here to go to college. Like my mother and father before me, I joined the hippie/yuppie crowd in this green city. Eugene, OR is known far and wide for its progressive community and enthusiasm for shopping locally and eating organic foods. (The Kiva is one of my favorite stores with a wealth of organic and local foods, as well as quality imported cheeses). The selection of stores is great when it comes to food and drinks, but if you're looking for clothing or shoes, everything seems a little behind in this town (There is a small shoe store across from the Fifth Street Market that offers many of the shoes oyu might find at Nordstrom's, but that's about it). As far as recreation goes, the town is known both as Track Town USA and Great City of The Arts and Outdoors. The university offers lots of sports to watch (Autzen stadium and the Oregon Ducks) and participate in, and if you're an avid hiker or biker, this is a great place to go, with natural beauty to enjoy just minutes from downtown. (Try Spencer's Butte for hiking) Quiet, green and pleasant. My only complaint? Houses are ridiculously overpriced. (Easily $350K for a 3 bed house)