Oregon's quiet capital — Capitol domes, Willamette Valley wine, and covered bridge country
Salem is Oregon's understated state capital, sitting in the heart of the Willamette Valley wine country between Portland and Eugene. It's a city of cherry blossoms in spring (the Oregon State Capitol grounds are stunning), a thriving craft beer scene, and easy access to the valley's 700+ wineries. Silver Falls State Park — Oregon's largest — is 30 minutes east, with a 10-waterfall loop trail. The Hallie Ford Museum of Art holds one of the Pacific Northwest's best Native American art collections.
Salem was established as a Methodist mission in 1834, making it one of Oregon's oldest American settlements. It became Oregon's territorial capital in 1851 and state capital when Oregon joined the Union in 1859. The name is thought to derive from the Hebrew 'Shalom' (peace), carried over from Salem, Massachusetts. The city's Bush House (1878) and Mission Mill Museum preserve its 19th-century heritage, while the Chemawa Indian School — still operating — marks the painful history of forced assimilation.