Smart Meetings

Eugene is the second-largest metro area in the state, but it has more of a small-town community atmosphere. It’s very friendly, with a diverse mix of offerings, like world-class performing arts and the academic influence of the university. Eugene has easy access to the coast (about an hour away), as well as the nearby hills, which offer river rafting and other fun group activities.

For meetings, the Hult Center for the Performing Arts ( hultcenter.org) has multiple spaces that can be used for meetings and conferences. Outside of town, the McKenzie River Conference Center ( usbainc.com; 541-736-7513), a 46-acre facility, has lodges and dormitories to accommodate 200-plus guests.

One interesting mix of wine and meeting space can be found at Villa Evenings, an Italian-style home at Pfeiffer Vineyards (villaevenings.com) that serves luxury five-course dinners for about $125 per person (with an open wine bar). Campbell House (campbellhouse.com), a Eugene bed-and-breakfast, offers a northwest dining experience, with Oregon cuisine, and also has meetings facilities.

For more information about organizing meetings in Eugene contact the  Convention and Visitors Association of Lane County, Oregon (CVALCO; cvalco.org).
 

Getting There

Portland International Airport (PDX), which is served by 17 international and domestic airlines and offers direct or nonstop service to more than 100 cities worldwide.

Not To Be Missed

Wine and Beer Tasting - (oregonwines.com)  Oregon has hundreds of wineries scattered across the state, in the high desert, along the coast and in the Columbia Gorge.