Guidebook for Salem
Food Scene
Delicious!! Locally owned and a curated menu that's both simple and exquisite. Great prices. It's got the super healthy stuff like quinoa bowls and smoothies with hemp hearts and chia seeds as well as delights like the bacon/egg/avocado/spinach/tomato sandwich (the "BEAST").
28 personas locales recomiendan
Taproot Lounge & Cafe
356 State StDelicious!! Locally owned and a curated menu that's both simple and exquisite. Great prices. It's got the super healthy stuff like quinoa bowls and smoothies with hemp hearts and chia seeds as well as delights like the bacon/egg/avocado/spinach/tomato sandwich (the "BEAST").
Locally owned, great menu, TONS of beer on tap, hip ambiance, and best of all it's walking distance from Karen's house. All ages until 9pm.
12 personas locales recomiendan
Venti's Cafe + Taphouse
2840 Commercial St SELocally owned, great menu, TONS of beer on tap, hip ambiance, and best of all it's walking distance from Karen's house. All ages until 9pm.
Great coffee, yummy crepes (both savory and sweet), with outdoor seating. Short walk from Karen's house!
14 personas locales recomiendan
French Press Coffee and Crepes
2725 Commercial St SEGreat coffee, yummy crepes (both savory and sweet), with outdoor seating. Short walk from Karen's house!
Stellar menu that rotates often and takes advantage of the bounty of delightful foods in our region. The bar boasts the best bartender in the Willamette Valley (I'm not kidding). Rob is well known across the city as well as into Portland.
10 personas locales recomiendan
table FIVE 08
508 State StStellar menu that rotates often and takes advantage of the bounty of delightful foods in our region. The bar boasts the best bartender in the Willamette Valley (I'm not kidding). Rob is well known across the city as well as into Portland.
I love their food so much. Period. Long lines at lunch, though, so get there early!
34 personas locales recomiendan
Wild Pear
372 State StI love their food so much. Period. Long lines at lunch, though, so get there early!
If you want to act like a local in the morning, go hang out at the "GovCup". You'll see everyone, and after a couple days you'll start getting hello's from everyone! Fabulous coffee. Yummy breakfast bagels. Great local artists' work hang on the walls.
12 personas locales recomiendan
The Governor's Cup Coffee Roasters
471 Court St NEIf you want to act like a local in the morning, go hang out at the "GovCup". You'll see everyone, and after a couple days you'll start getting hello's from everyone! Fabulous coffee. Yummy breakfast bagels. Great local artists' work hang on the walls.
Drinks & Nightlife
This is like hanging out in someone's basement at a house party - except there's professional sound for the bands that play later at night and a delicous all-vegan menu! It's friendly and homey. It's got deck seating for warm days and nights or just hang out all cozy indoors. Enjoy great music from touring and local acts (originals - not cover bands), or just go to eat dinner. Great happy hour deals 5-7pm. All ages until 9pm.
The Space Concert Club
1128 Edgewater St NWThis is like hanging out in someone's basement at a house party - except there's professional sound for the bands that play later at night and a delicous all-vegan menu! It's friendly and homey. It's got deck seating for warm days and nights or just hang out all cozy indoors. Enjoy great music from touring and local acts (originals - not cover bands), or just go to eat dinner. Great happy hour deals 5-7pm. All ages until 9pm.
It was a tough call of whether to call this a bar or a coffeeshop because they morph from a coffee/teashop to a bar mid-afternoon. This is a super hipster place that is great for people who have a specific type of oolong that you must have, or want to chat about every type of unknown mezcal with the bartender. They know their stuff! But you can also just go order something that sounds good from the creative menu. Very interesting ambiance and high quality drinks.
34 personas locales recomiendan
Archive Coffee & Bar
102 Liberty St NEIt was a tough call of whether to call this a bar or a coffeeshop because they morph from a coffee/teashop to a bar mid-afternoon. This is a super hipster place that is great for people who have a specific type of oolong that you must have, or want to chat about every type of unknown mezcal with the bartender. They know their stuff! But you can also just go order something that sounds good from the creative menu. Very interesting ambiance and high quality drinks.
Parks & Nature
Beautiful walks, fun playground, outstanding art gallery, forested, grassy areas, gardens, running trails.
47 personas locales recomiendan
Parque de Bush's Pasture
890 Mission St SEBeautiful walks, fun playground, outstanding art gallery, forested, grassy areas, gardens, running trails.
Miles & miles of walking/biking/running trails, some of which follow the Willamette river or one of the sloughs. Off-leash dog park. Great playground. Open from sunrise to midnight. Paths lead all the way to downtown and Riverfront Park during weekends.
60 personas locales recomiendan
Parque de la Isla Minto-Brown
2200 Minto Island Rd SWMiles & miles of walking/biking/running trails, some of which follow the Willamette river or one of the sloughs. Off-leash dog park. Great playground. Open from sunrise to midnight. Paths lead all the way to downtown and Riverfront Park during weekends.
Enjoy the waterfront from downtown. There are two pedestrian bridges, one that takes you to West Salem (the Union Street bridge) and the other new one that takes you to Minto-Brown Island Park. Bring your kids (or those young at heart) to enjoy the exquisite Riverfront Carousel with hand-carved horses, the wonderful playground, and the beautiful Eco Ball, a whimsical tiled sculpture of our Earth.
49 personas locales recomiendan
Parque de la ciudad frente al río
200 Water St NEEnjoy the waterfront from downtown. There are two pedestrian bridges, one that takes you to West Salem (the Union Street bridge) and the other new one that takes you to Minto-Brown Island Park. Bring your kids (or those young at heart) to enjoy the exquisite Riverfront Carousel with hand-carved horses, the wonderful playground, and the beautiful Eco Ball, a whimsical tiled sculpture of our Earth.
Arts & Culture
Oldest university west of the Mississippi River! Established 1842. Gorgeous buildings, several small gardens (rose, Japanese, botanical), a student-run Bistro, a pretty stream that runs through campus, and friendly people everywhere.
20 personas locales recomiendan
Willamette University
900 State StOldest university west of the Mississippi River! Established 1842. Gorgeous buildings, several small gardens (rose, Japanese, botanical), a student-run Bistro, a pretty stream that runs through campus, and friendly people everywhere.
Nationally renowned artists. Outstanding gallery curated by Willamette University professors and staff.
11 personas locales recomiendan
Hallie Ford Museum of Art
700 State StNationally renowned artists. Outstanding gallery curated by Willamette University professors and staff.
Head back to the times of the Oregon Trail! Beautiful grounds and shops in buildings that were originally a woolen mill in the 1800s.
29 personas locales recomiendan
Willamette Heritage Center
1313 Mill St SEHead back to the times of the Oregon Trail! Beautiful grounds and shops in buildings that were originally a woolen mill in the 1800s.
Shopping
You will find the most amazing clothes here! Kati, the owner, hand-picks and curates the funkiest things from all around Oregon and brings them back to this rad shop. It's also great fun to just look around, even if you're not looking to buy stripey 70's pants or a longboard.
Blast Off Vintage
860 High St NEYou will find the most amazing clothes here! Kati, the owner, hand-picks and curates the funkiest things from all around Oregon and brings them back to this rad shop. It's also great fun to just look around, even if you're not looking to buy stripey 70's pants or a longboard.
Essentials
Natural Food store that has everything you need to nurture your belly! Groceries as well as a great hot deli and salad bar. Short walk from Karen's house.
14 personas locales recomiendan
LifeSource Natural Foods
2649 Commercial St SENatural Food store that has everything you need to nurture your belly! Groceries as well as a great hot deli and salad bar. Short walk from Karen's house.
A more traditional grocery store than LifeSource (mentioned below), but further away. Locally owned.
12 personas locales recomiendan
Roth's Fresh Markets
4555 Liberty Rd SA more traditional grocery store than LifeSource (mentioned below), but further away. Locally owned.
Entertainment & Activities
Northern Lights Theatre Pub
3893 Commercial St SETheater pub... yup! 21+ after 6pm.