16 Things to do in Salem, Oregon 

Antique Powerland just north of Salem @ the Brooks exit is a great place to see old tractors, trucks, logging stuff and a steam powered sawmill. Weekends from Memorial Day thru Labor Day many of the 14 separate museums are open, you might even be able to get a ride on an antique trolley or a miniature railroad.

I live here and am embarrassed by how few of these things I’ve done, definitely going to do some of those hikes as the weather warms up! But im saving this video for next time a relative visits otherwise the main salem locations i know are dive bars and dispensaries (which I’m surprised you didn’t mention alongside all the bars/wineries). Kinda neat to see my city through a stranger’s eye! You should check out Olympia WA- seems like the type of town you’d like, based on ur videos :)

Fun fact: The Eco globe is an acid leach ball left over from industrial processes that were done down by the river. My understanding is there wasn’t any good way to dispose of it so they painted it and put a fence around it.

Bush pasture Park and museum near deepwood

How did the Enchanted Forest not make it on your list? It's just a few miles south of Salem, visible from the I-5 freeway and is an amazing landscaped theme park that has been visited by generations since the 1960s. Hand painted artworks that include many familiar nursery rhyme characters and delivered in their own individually unique motifs along with entire sections of the park devoted to everything western frontier life to fairy tale-like settings. Other then the one located in Canada, I've never found anything like Enchanted Forest in my travels.

So glad you enjoyed your visit!! We love living in Salem.

Konditerei! Best cake anywhere! Also, Annie’s for breakfast. Oregon Garden, Enchanted Forest, many other wonderful parks in Salem, as well. Willamette University campus and Hallie Ford museum of art has some fairly important exhibits. Don’t forget Saturday Market downtown about 6 or 7 months of the year. Salem Cinema for artsy and indie movies (no young kids, though). The Yard food park on State street, has a great common area you can eat the food you buy from the vendors. Northern Lights Theatre pub reopened, where they have second run inexpensive movies and food. Family friendly. Did you say Minto Brown park? I forgot, sorry! Also, IKE Box cafe/coffee place. Schreiner Iris gardens, and Wooden Shoe Tulip farms, not too far up the road. Salem Audubon nature reserve, too.

Bro Salem during spring so pretty

I just want to say thanks for another wonderful trip. Really satisfying and enjoyable!

WOW, what a great video! I'll start at the end...pies and donut holes, yum! And coffee thrown in. So many great places for architectural and landscape photos. Good job capturing it, felt like I was there in a few places (minus the rain). Got to put these places on my go-to list.

i was born here in salem and this was super cool for you to look at the things that raised me!!!

Love seeing oregon getting some attention. All parts of oregon are gorgeous the coast and the gorge are my favorite

Thank for sharing your trip in and around Salem. Enjoyed seeing each recommendation. Seeing all the flights of beer got me especially thirsty

Bigwig's donuts are also egg and gluten free which is great for those who have allergies! Can confirm though, you don't notice the gluten missing. It is a bit expensive, $20 for 2 dozen donut holes.

As a local for quite sometime now I’ve done everything on your list and more. You forgot Bush house in Bush pasture park, The Elsinore Theatre, and the Hallie Ford museum. Also try the Willamette valley cheese company; they do samples there of their cheeses. Also I like Xicha Brewing Co for beer flights and margaritas.

Lived in Salem for 3 yrs, worked at Willamette University. Been to Silver Falls so breath taking place to visit.

I don't know why but the state capital reminds me of Griffith Park Observatory from the outside, but the inside reminds of a Frank Lloyd Wright building. Thank you. Always love seeing your family. The Twins are getting big.

Thank you so much born and raised in salem and I feel you Did a great representation of my town you definitely Earned a new sub and I will also check out your other videos thanks again

Right across the street from the capitol is Willamette University--one of the oldest colleges west of the Mississippi. Stroll the grounds and the Millstream and see what's happening across campus.

I have never been there. You certainly highlighted some reasons to visit... very informative and interesting 👏👏

Love your review of this sweet city

Thank you, I can't wait to see these things when I get there!

I live there. Since I’ve lived here for so long I don’t see much special about it, but yeah there are lots of things to do. Enchanted forest is one of them, used to go there all the time as a kid and remember spending my 12th birthday there. Haven’t been in a long time, but I remember that being really fun for kids, especially this one Bob sled roller coaster

I would say bush park is also a good place to visit I went on a school field trip when I was 7 and it’s such a cool place to visit

Great video as always, would love to visit some day.

Dude! I live just a bit east of salem and never knew about some of these places. As usual, I loved the video and will go look closers at my neighboring town. Thanks for the ride. O, very very sweet babies.

Great video. Thank you.

GR8 Vid, Loved it. Do more cities !!!

Amazing and awesome and absolutely cool. Love this journey! 👍👍

Another great video. We have visited Salem a number of times and have had several unique experiences there. Thanks for giving us some additional ideas. Here are a few observations: We watched the Total Eclipse of the Sun from the grounds of the State Mental Hospital-indescribably primal. Saw a bald eagle do a barrel-roll and dive for a fish along the riverwalk beyond the Globe. Attended Star Wars themed food and decor event at Archive Coffee and Bar. My favorite restaurant is Marco Polo as the name implies an Italian-Asian fusion restaurant with intriguing vegetarian options. I also recommend the weekly Farmer’s Market when it gets back in full swing. Did you know there is a “Moon Tree” on the Capitol grounds? If you are headed out of town to Silver Falls SP I also recommend The Oregon Gardens and a tour of the Gordon House, Frank Lloyd Wright’s only design in Oregon. Keep them coming Josh!

thanks for enjoying my home town

Kinditori is one of my favs, also bush park,salem is a great town , i always enjoy my visits, hard to do it all.

yes, those donuts are amazing. i get them every year.

Great video thanks for sharing

glad u enjoyed ur visit we normally get forgotten because of Portland

The Old Mill is super cool!

Oh I love stopping at the Honeywood Winery. Their Current Noir Wine is great for making hot mulled wine in winter. Ive been to Silver Falls. I took a ton of photos while walking behind the fall. Hiking in April, I wasn’t exactly prepared. Man, was it cold! I got pretty wet. So do come prepared. A rain coat would do wonders for you here!

Umm, I couldn’t wait to move away from Salem. I lived there for 3 years. Now I live in Beaverton

Your kids are growing SOOO fast! OMG!

Very disappointed you didn't include the Coin Jam under your favorite eateries. As the name suggests, it's also a barcade, but unironically has the best food downtown.

my personal favorite thing to do in salem is leave.

Good video as always

Nice! This is my city.

Omg anyone who lives in or goes to Salem NEEDS to put Dough Hook donuts on their list. Seriously better than voodoo with a ton of vegan and Omni options. It's on Lancaster and Sunny view. I bring every one I know there and it never disappoints.

the actual building for one flew of the cuckoo's nest was across the street from the state hospital and was torn down in 2017.

The best Pinot Noir is sold at the Willamette Valley Winery in Turner, just south of Salem. You left out the Enchanted Forest attraction park, also near that winery.

word of mouth is amazing

Hey Josh, i loved your video on Salem but am surprised you haven't mentioned ENCHANTED FOREST, it's a very well-known theme park and it's perfect for children. If you ever go back definitely take your kids there as it would be perfect for them

Nice presentation

Great video! I live in salem and just an fyi to people coming to visit. The Word of Mouth Bistro is out of business as of April. '22

Bro i live right over the bridge in west salem. I wish i knew you were coming.. i could show you some cool places. Also dine at my restaurant.

Would love to work with you to do a 32 things to do and I’ve lived here for 4-5 years now and starting to know a few great places that are missing.

You don't want to visit salem! For years we had a membership for Gilbert house but we had to cancel it. There is trash and homeless everywhere in salem it is so dirty and dangerous. Thanks Kate brown!! Our favorite disc golf course was shut down due to the city letting the homeless take it over and made a giant camp there. So gross I avoid salem like the plague

Just don’t go to the river front at night lot of bums that are high go there and people inject stuff under most of the bridges

Wabi Sabi Tea is also a great place for high quality tea and boba tea as well.

ohh oregon! I hope you made it to Tillamook. I am intrigued by Honeywood, wonder are the wine sweet? I do like them sweet, more of a hard cider person but fruit wine are intriguing. The Apple Cider Donut, sounds weird but intriguing, can't imagine what it would be like.

Omg when you said 2014 my mind thought of 1914- I’m over here trying to figure out how they’ve been open that long 😂😂😂

Beautiful 😍 🤩 👌

Brooo downtown salem is wild

Hey I am josh I represent unfazed car group 🙂 if your ever back in salem again we would love to take you out and cruise with you hope you had a good time in salem!

❤️😀

Also you missed out on the yard food truck amd bars and fork forty it's a food hall with some of the best K children in oregon

Sadly Word of Mouth Bistro has shut its doors just recently. Sad loss for the community

Easy Orchards doughnuts are the BEST!! I will stand in a 30 min line for those apple cider doughnuts. Definitely do not go to Santiam brewery though. Worst location, so-so food and they treat employees horribly. Enchanted forest definitely should have made the list. Well done over all.

here's a tip for this. stay out of Oregon were full up haha 😅

Thanks for coming! Salem...politics, wine, beer, donuts, coffee, pie... what's not to love!

The Yard

You have got to check out Vagabond Brewery!! Big wig has the best gluten free donuts!!

On a side note if you're into it.they got $20 oz of weed as well that would've went for at least 100- 200 10 years ago my mind is blown.

Leave,lol. Love, someone who lives in Salem 🤣🤣

Going up to Silver Falls is it near the Abby at Silverton where the monks make their world famous Brandied fruit cake?

Ran out of stuff to do IN salem

As a Salem resident, I clicked on this because it’s generally referred to as so-lame 😅 surrounding areas are beautiful, but the city itself leaves lots to be desired.

My gramma used to work at that mental hospital. It’s def historic. She knew the guy who wrote One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. Silver falls State park is incredible. Oregon has lots of great places for food snd drink. They take their hot drinks and brews very seriously. The food and wine culture has really blossomed as well. I’ve never been to the pie place. My niece lives in Salem. Next time I’m up there I will have to check it out. Also the apple cider donuts sound amazing. Does that donut hole place make them fresh to order like Pips in Portland?

Ive literally lived in salem since i was 8 and never gone to most of these places. SAD :(

I'd like to throw in a recommendation for Adam's Rib Smokehouse, located on State Street in Salem. It's a nice little barbeque restaurant located right in the heart of the city. In fact, it's not far from the Capitol Building.

Viva la raza de salem 🇲🇽…

The best thing to do if your in Salem is to leave

On April 9 it was announced "Word of Mouth Bistro" has permanently closed. So so sad.😪

Benedictine Brewery in Mt Angel, Mt Angel Sausage Company

You must try Wabi sabi tea on commercial street

I'm trying to create an awareness for a teenager who went missing from Salem Oregon January 12th 1975 when he was 16 years old . It probably never should have been listed by police as a runaway as his parents said he was always a well-behaved and responsible teenager who kept in touch on his whereabouts . The night Brian Jiseph ( Joe ) Page vanished , he went to a party on Southeast State Street near 25th with his sister and 2 friends ... she and a friend went out for a little bit and upon their return Joe told them his friend David was having a real bad acid trip and ran out the door . Companions told him to run after Dave and he joined him and Dave's Car a turquoise 1962 Volkswagen Beetle . That was at 2:00 a.m. By 5a.m. David was being arrested by police for stealing a dealership car and speeding down State Street he did not have David with him and David still high said he thought he was in hell . Joe vanished 47 years ago please help us find out what happened to him and if he is still alive and if not how we can discover the truth . If you know anything maybe come back here or go to the Charlie Project on the internet .

I did the waterfall hike while holding in screaming diarrhea.

i remember going there with my friends but we got in trouble

Peter Courtney

And if you like to go shopping you can go into the mall in Salem and you might be able to run into some of the fruit nuts that they let out of The nut House every now and then.

"Museum of Mental Health" One imagines an endless sea of glass display cases, each with row upon row of carefully preserved mental healths. Each with its own hand written label and special catalog number.

Hey I lived in Salem for a few years. I loved the Carousel and looking at the big globe and doing the Children's museum. Keep up the great work good sir. I always enjoy your videos a lot.

Kitchen on court street.

I live In salem

Sorry but word of mouth bistro is closed now also next time you're here make sure you go to bow and vine and coin jam both have the best burgers in town

None of these places look this good in person just so y’all know. Tweakers everywhere too.

Do you even live in Salem?

During the summer get a lilac milkshake.

:) I live here

Careful, it's illegal to walk backwards on a city street while eating a donut in Marion County. 😅

Most of these places are near my house. Lol

as someone who lives in Salem I'm surprised you didn't mention our growing supply of homelessness and drug addicts easily visible from every street and street corner don't forget the The market Street exit underpass where all the homeless conjugate.

This guy is young, without children.

I have visited the city in 2014, it's one of the most beautiful cities in the US. Highly recommended.