"I don't get what is so appealing about Eugene (the town) as a tourist destination? I've been there lots of times. Other than Hayward field, Eugene is a sleepy college town. There is nothing more to do in Eugene as a tourist as there is in Des Moines."
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If you are looking for Eugene to be a "tourist destination" you don't get it. Eugene is a track and field destination, not a tourist destination. If you want a tourist destination, you need to go to Hawaii, or Orlando, not Eugene. What Eugene offers is a safe, clean environment, with a fabulous track and field facility to go along with locals who understand and respect the sport. You will no find this in many other places, especially not in the US. What can you do in Eugene that you can't do in Des Moines? You can drive an hour to the Pacific Ocean, or an hour to the Cascade Mountains. If you want big city traffic, clubs, etc. you need to go to NYC or LA or Chicago. If you want a great track and field experience, go to Eugene.