Family Fun
Bring the Kids!
Curious kids — and the young at heart — will love all the outdoor activities and indoor fun all over the Eugene, Cascades & Coast region. From viewing waterfalls to romping on the beach, challenging a friend at arcade games to visiting farms, it’s paradise for kids. Go outside year-round for hiking, cycling and exploring. Plus, you'll find plenty of welcoming indoor places including family-friendly museums, art studios, gymnasiums and theatre, all across the region.
Get into the spirit of the holidays enjoying the lights, staying cozy and shopping local.
Family Friendly Things to Do
Pre-K
Summers in Eugene mean fun at Amazon Pool — complete with a wading pool for littles — Amazon Park Playground and RiverPlay Discovery Village Playground. In Springfield younger kids enjoy the splash pool and nature trails at Lively Park. West of Eugene, families can rent boats at Orchard Point Marina and spot white pelicans and sparkling dragonflies on Fern Ridge Reservoir. Live music at Eugene Saturday Market from April to November means weekend dance parties. In July head out to Veneta for shows and costume parades at Oregon Country Fair.
On cooler days, kids get the wiggles out at DEFY trampoline park or exercise their imagination in toddler-friendly interactive exhibits at Adventure! Children’s Museum, both in Eugene. Afterward grab a slice and ride the historic carousel at Roaring Rapids Pizza.
Elementary
Elementary-age kids delight in spotting snakes and bald eagles at Mount Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene. For in-town kayaking, rent one at Alton Baker Park and paddle the Alton Baker Canoe Canal. Everyone loves a good round of mini golf at Camp Putt Adventure Golf Park. Springfield’s living-history farm at Dorris Ranch and the bike path leading to Clearwater Park are great for wandering, and skateboarders can practice new tricks at Springfield Willamalane Skatepark. South of Eugene, swim at Dorena Reservoir and take on the Row River Trail by bike or rollerblades. On the way to the Oregon Coast, Sweet Creek Falls offers no less than 11 waterfalls. Head north for tide pools and agate hunting around Cape Perpetua.
For seasonal fun, don’t miss the haunted hayride through Willamalane Park and Recreation in Springfield. Pick up pumpkins in fall at Northern Lights Christmas Tree Farm — and then return to cut your own Christmas tree in December.
When the days turn cooler, indoor play beckons. In Eugene bouncing reaches new heights at DEFY trampoline park. Budding scientists will love Eugene Science Center and the Museum of Natural and Cultural History, while young designers might head over to MECCA: Materials Exchange Community Center for Arts for a drop-in recycled-art workshop.
Tweens and Teens
For plenty of independent exploration, there are 17 miles (27.4 km) of trails around 1,518-foot (462.7-m) Mt. Pisgah and a 1.7-mile loop to 2,058-foot Spencer Butte’s boulder-strewn peak. Junior cyclists will adore the flat, fast 12-mile (19.3-km) Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path System and dirt trails around Oakridge. South of Cottage Grove, walk behind a waterfall for the perfect selfie at Upper Trestle Creek Falls trail. In Florence, an afternoon on horseback exploring beach trails with C&M Stables or surfing Sand Master Park’s dunes on a sandboard make vacation memories. Other fun includes paddling the Siltcoos River Canoe Trail to the ocean, rafting the McKenzie River or hiking through a lava flow at Dee Wright Observatory. Aspiring veterinarians should tour the wooded aviaries of Eugene’s Cascades Raptor Center, which rehabs majestic birds like hawks and owls.
Winter activities include snowshoeing to Salt Creek Falls, downhill skiing at Willamette Pass and cross-country skiing at Gold Lake Sno-Park. For the perfect wintry weekend, head east and snowshoe between Koosah Falls and Sahalie Falls, then soak in Belknap Hot Springs.
The fun doesn’t stop outdoors. Older kids enjoy tackling the elements at Crux Rock Gym and Elevation Bouldering Gym. Discover classic pinball games at Blairally Vintage Arcade and Level Up Arcade, and puzzle your way out of Escape the Room Oregon in Springfield.
Family Friendly Calendar
From library story-times to children's theatre, check out all the fun activities and special events designed for children. Discover children's programs at local museums, galleries, sports facilities, parks and community centers.
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