Must-see attractions in The Willamette Valley & Wine Country

Oregon's largest state park, Silver Falls, 26 miles east of Salem on Hwy 214, is an easy day trip from Portland, Salem and Eugene. It offers camping,…

At 4097ft, Marys Peak, in the Siuslaw National Forest, is the highest peak in the Coast Range. Several hikes are strewn around the summit, and on a clear…

Plant-lovers shouldn't miss this garden, located 15 miles east of Salem outside Silverton. Over 20 specialty gardens are showcased on 80 acres, including…

Peavy Arboretum is heaven on a hot day, with several interpretive trails that wind through 40 acres of shady forest. From here, you can continue into…

For great fun and a quintessential introduction to Eugene's peculiar vitality, don't miss the Saturday Market, held each Saturday from April through…

Next to the Oregon Garden in Silverton is the Gordon House, the only building in Oregon designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was built in 1964 and moved to…

Willamette University's Hallie Ford Museum of Art boasts the state's best collection of Pacific Northwest art, including an impressive Native American…

The state's first capitol building burned down in 1855, and a domed classic Roman edifice was built to replace it. Unfortunately, that building also…

A hike up wooded Skinner Butte, directly north of downtown, provides a good orientation and a little exercise. Eugene Skinner established the city's first…

This interesting 5-acre complex houses grassy gardens, two gift shops, a clutch of pioneer buildings and two museums. The Mission Mill Museum, Jason Lee…

A state heritage area and popular family destination, Champoeg is 25 miles southwest of Portland. There are 615 acres of old-growth woodland, grassy…

Just south of the capitol, Willamette University was the first university in the western USA and is well respected for its liberal-arts undergraduate…

A mile east of McMinnville, this museum showcases Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose, the world's largest wood-framed airplane. In 1947, with Hughes at the wheel…

Open to everyone, the Mt Angel Abbey is a delightful Benedictine monastery on grassy grounds set atop a hill that overlooks town. There's a modernist…

Oregon City was initially built at river level, but as it grew, it moved higher. In 1912 residents started talking about an elevator that would join the …

Eighteen miles north of Salem, the little town of Mt Angel, with its Bavarian-style storefronts and lovely abbey, is like an old-world holdover in the…

Built to honor Salem native AC Gilbert, who invented the Erector Set, this hands-on children's museum – located in two colorful arts-and-crafts houses –…

Exhibits at this engaging museum include a chunk of the Willamette Meteorite, the largest meteorite found in the US (the rest is at the American Museum of…

Established in 1872, the University of Oregon is the state's foremost institution of higher learning, with a focus on the arts, sciences and law. The…

This 1845 house was built by John McLoughlin, who was called the 'father of Oregon' for his hand in helping found Oregon City – the West's first city. At…