Hotels in Salem, Oregon

A little about Salem...

Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. The district of West Salem lies in Polk County. It is located in the mid-Willamette Valley, between Portland and Eugene. As of July 1, 2006 it had a population of 149,305, with a metro area population of nearly 400,000, making it the second largest city, and second largest metropolitan area in Oregon (after Portland). Historically, Salem has been nicknamed the "Cherry City", because of the importance of the local cherry growing industry.

Points of Interest:
Salem's downtown contains the Mission Mill Museum, Hallie Ford Museum of Art, and the historic Elsinore Theatre. The tallest building in Salem, and the only one taller than the State Capitol building, is the First United Methodist Church. The current sanctuary was completed in 1878. Its tall white spire rises at the intersection of Church and State Streets across from the Capitol grounds.

Salem maintains 42 city parks. Minto-Brown Island Park is the largest at 898.9 acres (364 ha). Bush's Pasture Park, a 90.5-acre (36.6-ha) urban park a few blocks south of downtown Salem, features natural groves of native Oregon White Oak trees. Riverfront Park, adjacent to downtown, runs along the Willamette River and is the home of the Salem Carousel. The A.C. Gilbert House, located near Riverfront Park, has a toy museum and "discovery house" for children. Salem is also home to one of the smallest city parks in the world, Waldo Park, which consists of a single Sequoia tree. The historic Reed Opera House in downtown Salem has a number of local shops and dining establishments, as well as an art gallery.

From May through October the Salem Saturday Market, located north of the Capitol, exhibits an emphasis on local products including crafts, baked goods, produce, meat, and other items. In addition to the Saturday Market, there is a Wednesday Farmers' Market hosted downtown in Courthouse Square during the summer, as well a Holiday Gift Market in December.

Colleges and universities:
Chemeketa Community College - public - undergraduate
Corban College - private Baptist - undergraduate
Tokyo International University of America - private nonsectarian - undergraduate exchange
Willamette University - private nonsectarian but historically United Methodist - undergraduate and graduate