Oregon · United States
Where to stay in Salem
Salem is a city in Oregon, United States, home to about 176,000 people.
- Best months
- May to September
- Nearest airport
- SLE4 km · Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/Los Angeles
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
About
About Salem
Salemites are often defensive about the sleepy reputation the city has, often being overshadowed by its hipster rivals, Portland and Eugene. But lately its citizens have begun to realize the value of what their city offers: an interesting and walkable downtown with a waterfront park, a serious arts scene, and a central location in the Willamette Valley that combines the amenities of a city with the accessibility of a town. Salem shares a city boundary with its neighbor to the north, Keizer, largely a residential community.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Salem
See
- Downtown Salem Historic District
- Willamette Heritage
- State Capitol Building
- Willamette University's Campus
- Gilbert House Children`s Museum
- Bush House
- Deepwood Museum and Gardens
- Marion County Historical Society Museum
- Mission Mill Museum
- Museum of Mental Health
- Powerland Heritage Park
- Hallie Ford Museum of Art
Do
- Oregon State Fair
- Salem Skate Park
- Bush's Pasture Park
- Enchanted Forest
- Salem Riverfront Park
- Minto-Brown Island Park
- Willamette Mission State Park
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Salem to stay in
Salem has many moderately priced accommodations outside the downtown core. The exception is the Grand Hotel, which is somewhat more pricey, but puts you in the center of the city.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Salem
3 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Reed Opera House and McCornack Block Addition | 1869 | 0.2 km |
| DoubleTree by Hilton North Salem | 3.9 km | |
| Hampton Inn and Suites Salem | 4.0 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Salem
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Salem are May to September. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C; December is the wettest, with about 211 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Salem: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field (SLE), about 4.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Portland International Airport (PDX, 80 km) and Eugene Airport (EUG, 92 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Salem is located in the mid-Willamette Valley, about halfway between Portland to the north and Eugene to the south; it's about a one-hour drive from either city on Interstate 5. If you are coming from east of the Cascades, Hwy. 22 will take you right into Salem.
Getting around
Salem has a fairly flat terrain, especially towards the north and east parts of the city, making bicycling easy. Bike routes are not as well marked, however, as in some Oregon cities. The farmland surrounding Salem is wonderful cycling country. The area's roads are designed more or less around a grid system, where most roads are numbered based on their distance from the city center. Addresses also conform to the numbering of the roads around them. Nearly all streets run with the compass directions. State Street goes east and west from downtown to HWY 213 12 miles (19 km) east of town.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
SLE · Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field
PDX · Portland International Airport
EUG · Eugene Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Salem
Eat
Salem is not known for its expensive, fine dining, but that doesn't mean you can't find a good meal without breaking the bank. Besides the listings below, there are several fine Mexican restaurants in town, reflecting the city's growing Hispanic population.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Salem: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Salem?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Salem are May to September. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 27 °C; December is the wettest, with about 211 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Salem?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field (SLE), about 4.4 km from the city centre in a straight line; Portland International Airport (PDX, 80 km) and Eugene Airport (EUG, 92 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Salem?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Salem
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.