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Salem is the capital of Oregon, a city of about 175,000 people on the Willamette River in the heart of the Willamette Valley, roughly an hour south of Portland. It grew from a Methodist mission founded in the 1840s, and Willamette University, established in 1842, is the oldest university in the western United States. Farms, orchards and vineyards surround the city in every direction.
The Oregon State Capitol is the city's landmark, an Art Deco building from 1938 topped by the gilded Oregon Pioneer statue, with cherry trees blooming on the Capitol Mall each spring. Nearby, the Hallie Ford Museum of Art shows Pacific Northwest and Native American art, the Elsinore Theatre hosts concerts and films in a 1926 Tudor Gothic movie palace, and the Willamette Heritage Center preserves a historic woolen mill and pioneer houses.
Riverfront Park is the city's playground, with a hand-carved carousel, a giant stone globe and paths along the river, and the Salem Saturday Market brings valley farmers and makers downtown from spring to fall. Silver Falls State Park, with its famous Trail of Ten Falls, is about 25 miles east, and dozens of Willamette Valley wineries are within a short drive.
The Oregon State Capitol is an Art Deco building completed in 1938, faced in white marble and topped by the gilded Oregon Pioneer statue. Inside are murals of Oregon history and the legislative chambers. Free tours are offered, and the tower climb is open seasonally for views over Salem.
Willamette University, founded in 1842, is the oldest university in the western United States. Its leafy campus sits across from the Oregon State Capitol and includes Waller Hall, the Mill Stream and the Martha Springer Botanical Garden. The gardens are free to visit and quiet on weekends.
Salem Riverfront Park stretches along the Willamette River downtown with lawns, paths, an amphitheater and the large Eco-Earth globe. Salem's Riverfront Carousel, with hand-carved horses, stands at the park's edge. The park hosts many festivals and connects by footbridge to Minto-Brown Island Park.
Bush's Pasture Park is a large historic park near downtown with old oak groves, rose gardens and walking paths. It includes the 1878 Bush House Museum, the Italianate home of newspaper publisher Asahel Bush, and the Bush Barn Art Center. Guided house tours run on set days, so check times.
Minto-Brown Island Park is the largest park in Salem, with more than 1,200 acres of fields, woods and wetlands along the Willamette River. It has many miles of paved and gravel trails and a big off-leash dog area. The Peter Courtney Minto Island Bridge links it to Salem Riverfront Park.
The Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University is one of the leading art museums in Oregon. Its collection includes Native American baskets, Pacific Northwest paintings and prints, and European and Asian works. It is a short walk from the Capitol, so it is easy to combine the two visits.
The Willamette Heritage Center preserves the 1889 Thomas Kay Woolen Mill and several of the oldest frame houses in the Pacific Northwest, including the Jason Lee House. Exhibits explain the mill machinery and early settlement. The grounds along Mill Creek are pleasant for a short walk.
Deepwood Museum and Gardens is an 1894 Queen Anne style house with stained glass windows and original woodwork, set among formal gardens designed by Lord and Schryver. The gardens are free to visit and open most days, while house tours need a ticket. Spring is the best time for flowers.
A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village is a hands-on children's museum in Riverfront Park named after Salem-born inventor A.C. Gilbert, creator of the Erector Set. Historic houses are filled with exhibits, and outside is a large play structure. It is best for children up to about age 12.
The Elsinore Theatre is a 1926 Tudor Gothic style theater downtown with a castle-like front, stained glass windows and a large theater pipe organ. It hosts concerts, classic films, comedy and community performances. Take a look at the ornate lobby and auditorium before the show starts.
The Salem Saturday Market is a large outdoor farmers market near the Capitol, held on Saturdays from spring through fall. Local farmers sell fruit, vegetables, flowers and baked goods, along with crafts and food stalls. Go early for berries in summer, which sell out quickly.
Silver Falls State Park is Oregon's largest state park, about 25 miles east of Salem. The Trail of Ten Falls is a loop of about seven miles passing ten waterfalls, and the path goes behind 177-foot South Falls. Arrive early on weekends, as parking fills, and expect wet trails in spring.
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