News:  America's Best Affordable Places to Retire

Nov 06, 2009

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Soon-to-be retirees are resetting their expectations for their golden years

By Emily Brandon
US News and World Report
photo courtesy Eugene Oregon Chamber of Commerce

Spotlight  Eugene Oregon

Saturday market in Eugene overwhelms the senses. Surrounded by artists selling kaleidoscopic wares, free-spirited folks dance to a cover band's Grateful Dead tunes. Others stroll through the adjacent farmers market or lounge in the grass, enjoying a summer breeze laced with incense. It's enough to make you want to kick off your Birkenstocks.

But if bongos and tie-dye aren't your thing, don't count Eugene out just yet. Tucked in the southern Willamette Valley between the Oregon Coast Range and the Cascade Mountains, the city has much to offer in the way of natural beauty, the arts, and recreational opportunities—all of which retirees can take advantage of on a budget.

Home to the University of Oregon and nicknamed "Track Town USA" for its rich running heritage, Eugene is rife with outdoor activities for the older set. Hiking clubs, for example, offer camaraderie and opportunities to explore the area's countless waterfalls and old-growth forests. The Obsidians outdoor club carpools to trail heads, often in the mountains. "It's highly organized," says Jim Duncan, the group's president, a retired professor who moved from Chicago to Eugene in 2001. "We pack lunches, and each year we have a summer camp and set up a kitchen in the woods."

Summer is beautiful in Eugene, and it's also a time when you can find free entertainment most nights of the week: marching bands, outdoor movies, live theater performances, and concerts of all sorts. One of the season's most anticipated events is the three-week Oregon Bach Festival, which showcases world-class musicians and singers from around the world. This year, more than a dozen of the festival's events were free.