Salem happens to be the capital of the state of Oregon, but Salem is much more than that; Salem sits in the middle of the historic Willamette Valley, a place the original native inhabitants called chem-i-ki-ti, which means meeting place or resting place. The first permanent Euro-American settlement was the Methodist Mission and so much of Salem’s fascinating history springs forward from there. Presented below is our itinerary for a great weekend getaway that certainly includes historical sites but also includes art and natural beauty.
When to visit: the sites on our itinerary are open year-round, including the Oregon Gardens, but a visit to the gardens will be more enjoyable during the garden growing season, making the itinerary best traveled March through September. Our itinerary starts with a visit to Deepwood Museum; we suggest you reserve a tour for the 9am slot to ensure you have time to visit all the sites we suggest within the itinerary. If you opt for the 10am tour, skip the Bush House and Pasture Park and continue on to the Willamette Heritage Center. You might even consider bringing plenty of snacks and beverages to allow you to skip lunch in order to use the time available to visit the day’s sites and exit the Hallie Ford Museum of Art by the 5:00pm closing time.
Deepwood Museum and Gardens
The historic Deepwood house is a Victorian Queen Anne style built for Dr. Luke and Lizzie Port and completed in 1894. The house was considered one of the most beautiful and impressive in the region. After being owned by several families over the years it came to be owned by the City of Salem. Deepwood house is on the National Register of Historic Places. This beautiful Victorian is well worth the visit. A tour is 45 minutes but you are likely to spend an equal amount of time strolling the gardens.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Deepwood Museum & Gardens, 1116 Mission St SE, Salem, OR 97302, 503-363-1825. Open: Mar-Nov, Wed-Sat with tours at 9, 10, 11, and noon. Gardens are open daily sunrise to sunset. Tour times and days open are subject to change, so please call in advance to reserve your tour. Admission: Adult $6, 62+ $5, Students $3 (18+ with valid school ID), 6-17 $3, 5 and under FREE.
Bush House Museum
The Bush House is another fine example of Victorian craftsmanship, begun in 1877 and originally owned by newspaperman and banker Asahel Bush II. A member of the Bush family lived in the home until 1953 and the house is now owned by the City of Salem. The house is part of the Bush’s Pasture Park. You can also visit the Bush Barn Art Center right next door to the Bush House. Plan 1-2 hours for your visit to the house, park, and art center.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Bush House Museum and Pasture Park, 600 Mission St. SE, Salem, OR 97302, 503-363-4714 or Connect@BushHouseMuseum.org. Bush House Museum open: Thu-Sun, tours at 12:15,1:15, 2:15, and 3:15. Admission purchased at Bush Barn Art Center.
Willamette Heritage Center
It you enjoy learning about the history of our great Pacific Northwest, then you will find this site to be absolutely fascinating.
Your visit begins with a tour of some of the oldest houses still standing in the Pacific Northwest. These houses weren’t built on location but were moved here to form the heritage center. The houses include the Lee House, which originally housed four missionary families of the original Methodist Mission, and the Methodist Parsonage, both built in 1841, the Boon House of 1847, and the Pleasant Grove Church of 1858. Three of the houses are packed full of displays and interpretive panels that educate the visitor about the native tribes of the region, the Methodist Mission and its people, the Oregon Trail, and early industry and agriculture. NOTE: most of these buildings are not wheel chair accessible.
The Thomas Kay Woolen Mill: the mill was founded in 1889 by Thomas Lister Kay and was one of numerous textile mills that operated throughout the Valley. The textile mills were a significant element of the local economy and were managed by four generations of the Kay family, a legacy that continues with the world-renowned Pendleton Woolen Mills that are still operated by Kay’s descendants. The Thomas Kay Woolen Mill is the only woolen mill museum west of Missouri and displays the original machinery and educates the visitor about the industrial wool process. The self-tour was super informative and great fun. Plan two to three hours for your visit, dependent upon how much of a reader you are, but note that last entry into the Hallie Ford Museum of Art is 4:00.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Willamette Heritage Center, 1313 Mill Street SE, Ste. 200, Salem, OR 97301, 503-585-7012. Open: Tue-Sat 10-4. Admission: Adult $10, 65+ $8, Student with ID and 6-17 $6, 5 and under Free, Educator with ID Free. Free parking. Gift shop and restaurant on site.
Hallie Ford Museum of Art
The museum happens to be the only liberal arts college art museum in the Northwest and is a leader in the research of the art of the Northwest. The museum not only displays a significant collection of Northwest art, it also displays superb collections of art from the world’s ancient cultures. When in Salem, this is one site that is not be be missed. Plan one hour for your visit.
Here are details you will need, including the address to enter into your navigation app:
Hallie Ford Museum of Art, 700 State St., Salem, OR 97301, 503-370-6855. Open: Tue-Sat 12-5 (last entry at 4), closed Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Thu-Fri, mid-Dec thru New Year’s Day. Admission: Adult $8, 55+ $5, Educator or Student (18+ with ID) and under 18 Free; Free admission on Tue.
Dinner and a Historic Building
For dinner, we suggest a visit to the historic Reed Opera House and dining at Chira’s Restaurant. The food was amazing and I loved the atmosphere. The bread was so satisfying—only the first bread basket is complementary, but we ordered two more before we were done. They do recommend reservations. Chira’s Restaurant at Reed Opera House, 189 Liberty St. NE, Ste. 111, Salem, OR 97301, 503-851-8956. Open: for dinner Wed-Sun.
The Reed Opera House: after dinner take a stroll in the historic Reed Opera House, completed in 1870. Most of the shops will be closed but there are a couple of interpretive panels that inform the visitor of the building’s history and that of the builder, visionary Cyrus Reed, Oregon’s “Renaissance Man.”
Silver Falls State Park
Day 2 begins with a visit to Silver Falls State Park. The park is the largest state park in Oregon and is often called the “crown jewel” of Oregon’s park system. The park has a long history; in 1935 the area was designated a recreational demonstration area and a workforce from the Civilian Conservation Corps began extensive work to develop park facilities, including the historic South Falls Lodge. That work is the foundation for the beautiful park that exists today.
Silver Falls State Park Scenic Viewpoint: leave Salem on 99E/OR-22 N. Santiam Hwy; roughly 3.5 miles outside of town, exit OR-22 on Exit-7, turn left onto OR-214. 214 meanders through farmlands for about 15 miles before you come to the Silver Falls State Park Scenic Viewpoint, turn off left to park.
The waterfalls: continue on OR-214 into Silver Falls State Park; at roughly two miles, turn left to the parking lot for the South Falls Day Use Area. A $5 day use fee is required to park.
The park is a scenic wonderland with many miles of hiking trails and numerous waterfalls and the largest and most visited is the South Falls. If you’re like me, you will need to limit your hiking distance for your feet and knees; here’s a suggestion: from the South Falls parking lot, hike to the South Falls only a few hundred feet away. You can actually walk behind the 177-foot curtain of water! If you feel up to it, you can hike further along the 7.2 mile loop of the Trail of Ten Falls to view more waterfalls. You can also visit the South Falls Café in the lodge, open daily 10-6, where you can enjoy a meal and perhaps visit the gift shop. If you are nursing those knees, after the South Falls, return to your car and drive the couple of miles to the North Falls parking lot. From there you can hike a short distance to the North Falls and the Upper North Falls. Knees feeling okay? If so you can continue on to experience more of the falls.
Note: parking is plentiful at the South Falls Day Use Area but is not plentiful at any of the other parking sites within the park; if you are physically up to it, your best bet is to park at the South Falls and hike from there.
The Oregon Garden
Continue on OR-214 about 14 miles to Silverton and the Oregon Garden, a beautiful, 80-acre botanical garden featuring more than 20 specialty gardens showcasing the diverse botanical beauty of the Willamette Valley and the Pacific Northwest.
The Oregon Garden, 879 W. Main St., Silverton, OR 97381, 503-874-2535. Open: Apr-Oct 10-4 daily; Nov-Mar 10-3 daily; closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Admission Apr-Oct: Adult $12, 60+ $10, 12-17 $9, 5-11 $6, 4 and under Free. Admission Nov-Mar: Adults $8, 60+ $6, 12-17 $5, 5-11 $2, 4 and under Free. Gift shop and café on site in the visitor center. Free parking.
That completes our Salem, Silverton, and Silver Falls State Park itinerary and it’s time to head home. We hope you enjoyed your weekend trip and are planning for your next Hit the Road adventure!
Updated July 2024
Hit the Road in the Pacific Northwest 