Eugene, Oregon

Eugene earns its spot as a classic hippie playground. It’s very laid back, full of lush greenery and extremely liberal (though the city is surrounded by some more conservative communities, making for an interesting and sometimes combative mix.) There’s a dispensary on practically every corner, and an extremely pro-health vibe.

Here's a local's pov on Eugene:
Best thing is the kind people and access to outdoors. I hr to the beach, 30 mins to 1 hr to river/lake camping/2.5 hrs to legit skiing. Also having an R1 research University brings a lot of cultural benefits and opportunities for learning, as well as legit D1 sports. People here sometimes complain about “traffic”. If you’ve ever lived in the Bay, SoCal, Seattle, or even PDX, you’ll be blown away by the complete absence of traffic (and bikeability).

The beautiful forests and hiking trails in Oregon come with a price, and that price is devastatingly bad allergies for those that are sensitive to grass. The worst of it runs from February to April, but for those who suffer, it can be murder.

Recommendation from a local on living with the allergies:
Welcome to the bread basket of Oregon and the grass seed growing capital of the world. I take Allegra, netipot every night, and I have an Aeris health air purifier. I definitely recommend the air purifier. We bought it after the fires last summer and it’s been amazing so far this spring. They are spendy but man oh man do they get the job done.

Eugene is consistently named one of the best small cities in the United States. Situated by the beautiful Willamette River, Alton Baker Park offers a scenic respite and there will be hiking -- lots of it. It doesn’t have great public transportation, but it’s a small town and it’s relatively easy to get around -- particularly on bike. Locals flock to the many farmer’s markets, including the renowned Saturday Market and enjoy good schools, plenty of open spaces and a moderate nightlife.