Is It Worth Visiting Salem From Portland?

Salem is the Capital of Oregon, and it's located just 50 minutes, or 74 kilometers (46 miles), south of the state's main city, Portland. It's a perfect day trip distance. The question is, then, is there anything worth seeing or doing there?

To begin with, if you're not from a state with In-N-Out restaurants, it's good to know that the Northernmost restaurant in the Pacific Northwest for this amazing chain is located in Salem. Every fast-food enthusiast must visit In-N-Out at least once. This was initially the main reason I decided to go to Salem. I've eaten there several times, but the rest of the group hadn't. While driving there to eat, we decided to also check out the town.

I was quite happy with my visit to Salem. It's not a city you will spend days in, but for a short visit of a few hours, it gives something different from Portland and other larger cities in the region. The fact that it is a State Capital adds a few extra things you can do there.

The Oregon State Capitol Building, which currently as of Fall 2024 is under major renovation, is one of the more unique such buildings in the United States. It is one of only five in the United States that is primarily Art Deco in its architecture. Personally, I found it rather boring. The most interesting thing about it is the huge gold statue (The Oregon Pioneer) at the top of the building.

Due to the ongoing renovation, it was not possible to enter the building during my visit. Normally, it is usually a good source of history about the state to go inside and take a tour of the State Capitol Building.

Downtown Salem is very walkable, with a typical pleasant small-town feeling. Around the State Capitol, which is rather extensive, and besides the actual State Capitol Building, there's also a large park area with statues and historic markers, as well as the grounds of Willamette University.

Apart from all that, the Riverfront is a relaxing area to walk around on a sunny day, maybe not so much on a rainy day of which there is a lot of in the Pacific Northwest. Don't miss the Giant Globe in the Riverfront area, and if you have kids, there's Salem's Riverfront Carousel.

There are a lot of small independent shops, cafés, and restaurants in the Downtown/Old Town quarter, especially around State Street and Court Street. This area is between the Capitol and the Riverfront, and walking between the two, through Downtown, only takes about 15 minutes. A perfect size for a day trip!

I think this day trip from Portland is very much worth it if you have a day to spare. Portland was not the most interesting city I've been to, but it's also mostly used as a gateway for the region, which means most travelers probably only have one or two days in the city before leaving for something else.

If you have two days to explore Portland, you can take one day to explore the Downtown of Portland. Then you can use the second day to visit Salem, eat at In-N-Out, and on the way back make a stop at Multnomah Falls, east of Portland.