Salem, Oregon is a fun place to visit during an Oregon road trip. A trip to this marvelous capital city makes for the perfect Oregon weekend getaway. There are many cheap things to do in Salem and should be part of any Oregon itinerary.
Disclaimer: Special thanks to the Salem Tourism Board for hosting me on my trip to Salem! As always, all thoughts and opinions remain my own. This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no cost to you!
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How to Get to Salem
The closest major airport to Salem is Portland International airport. There are flights here from all over. A typical flight from California usually costs around $200.
From Portland, take the 205 South to the 5 south. In a little over an hour, you will reach Salem.
Transportation in Salem
To get to Salem and around the area, you will need a car. There are limited public transportation options. I recommend renting a car through Autoslash as that is where I always find the best deals.
Where to Stay in Salem
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Salem hotels here!
Salem is not a huge city, so anywhere you stay you will be close to many of the sites. I recommend staying close to Downtown Salem. We opted to stay at the Best Western Mill Creek Inn. It was a good location and a decent hotel.
Other options include the Home2Suites Salem or the Hampton Inn Salem. You can always try searching Priceline Express Deals for a better price or try to price match a hotel.
Free and Cheap Things to Do in Salem, Oregon
There are a ton of free and cheap things to do in Salem. Salem is a pretty affordable place to visit and contains many outdoor adventures that cost little to no money. In this article, all activities are $15 and under.
Bigwig Donuts
Cost: $2+
Hours: Wed-Sun: 9am-1pm
Bigwig Donuts is one of the fun and cheap things to do in Salem. This place serves gluten-free donut holes. The flavors rotate depending on the day and season, so make sure to check the menu online ahead of time. They were all tasty and delicious, but my favorite was the maple ones. You can also grab a coffee here if you so choose.
Cocktails at Archive Coffee and Bar
Cost: $5+
Hours: Sun-Thurs: 7am-10pm, Fri-Sat: 7am-12am
Archive Coffee and Bar is the place to go if you want coffee or an after-dinner drink. They also serve some light bites to eat and brunch on the weekends. It is a fun atmosphere and a great place to bring a computer and get some work done. Make sure to try one of their mystery cocktails where you tell them a spirit and flavor profiles and they will create a drink for you.
Wander Around Downtown Salem
Cost: Free
Hours: Varies by Shop
Wandering around downtown is one of the fun free things to do in Salem. Downtown Salem has a ton of cute boutique shops to wander around in. The Book Bin is a great bookstore to stop in if you are an avid reader and they usually have a great sale section.
Play Retro Games at Coin Jam
Cost: $0.25+
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 4pm-12am, Fri-Sun: 11am-12am
Coin Jam is the perfect bar to head to when you want to relive nostalgic games from your childhood. Filled with video games like Pac-Man and Jurassic Park, there are also a ton of pinball machines. They serve light bites to eat and have a variety of typical drinks.
EZ Orchard Farm Store
Cost: Free and Up
Hours: Mon-Sat: 9am-6pm
The EZ Orchard Farm Store is a fun place to browse and find many local farm-fresh products. You can find things like marionberry jams and syrups or you can opt to eat a delicious marionberry shortcake. It makes for one of the fun free things to do in Salem.
Hallie Ford Museum of Art
Cost: $6
Hours: Tues-Sat: 12pm-5pm
The Hallie Ford Museum of Art is one of the best things to do in Salem. Not only does it house some really awesome art and collections, but the staff is also super friendly. This art museum is run by Willamette University and opened in 1998, so it is still a rather newer museum.
This museum is also the third largest museum in Oregon and contains art from local artists, Asia, and other rotating exhibits. You can check online for the current collections.
The Oregon Gardens
Cost: $12
Hours: 10am-4pm
The Oregon Gardens are one of the most popular botanical gardens in Oregon. Located just east of Salem, they are one of the fun and cheap things to do in Salem. In total, you can explore over 80 acres of land with 20 different gardens. It had a similar vibe to the Huntington Library in California.
Plan to spend a couple of hours wandering the gardens. I also recommend going on the tram tour for an extra $3. This 20-minute tour drives you around the gardens, so you get to see a lot without having to walk it all.
Oregon State Capitol
Cost: Free
Hours: 8am-5pm
Another one of the fun things to do in Salem is to visit the Oregon State Capitol. Visitors can opt to walk around the grounds and inside on their own or opt to take a guided tour of the inside. Tours are offered most weekdays, but check the website for official times. The tour often takes you up to the observation deck as well.
Walk Around Riverfront City Park
Cost: Free
Hours: 7am-9pm
The Riverfront City Park is a 23-acre park located near the waterfront in Salem. There are a ton of walking trails around the park. Visitors can also grab a coffee or bring a picnic to enjoy the park. Make sure to check online for any special events that might be held in the park, such as a performance in the amphitheater.
Ride the Riverfront Carousel
Cost: $2/ride
Hours: Mon-Sat: 10am-6pm, Sun: 11am-6pm
The Riverfront Carousel is one of the popular things to do in Salem. It opened in 2001 after the 40 horses were all carved by volunteers. It took about 6 years for all of them to be carved. More than 300,000 people visit the carousel a year. Throughout the year, various special events are hosted at the carousel.
Salem Saturday Market
Cost: Free
Hours: 9am-2pm
Throughout the year, there are a variety of street markets held in Salem. The most popular market is the Salem Saturday Market which is open every Saturday from 9am-2pm. Here you can find a variety of fresh produce, goods, and crafts. During the Holiday season, they typically have more holiday-specific finds.
Santiam Brewing Company
Cost: $3+
Hours: 11am-10pm
Santiam Brewing Company is one of the most popular breweries and one of the cheap things to do in Salem. They have a wide variety of beers, especially IPAs. They also have some light bites to eat. It is the perfect place to unwind after a busy day.
Day Trip to Silver Falls State Park
Cost: $5
Hours: Varies by season
Silver Falls State Park is a popular day trip and one of the best outdoorsy things to do in Salem. This park is known for its hike to the infamous Silver Falls. Visitors can take a 7.2-mile hike to this 177-foot waterfall and even hike behind it. There are also some shorter trails to the falls and around the park.
Grab Lunch at Ventis Cafe
Cost: $$
Hours: Tues-Sun: 11am-9pm
Ventis Cafe is one of the best places to go for a cheap meal in Salem. Here you can grab a wide variety of American and Mediterranean-style food. Their bowls and wraps are some of the most popular items. Make sure to try out their sweet potato fries and one of their many sauces.
Willamette Heritage Center
Cost: $8
Hours: Tues-Sat: 10am-4pm
The Willamette Heritage Center is one of the fun cheap things to do in Salem, especially if you are a teacher. Teachers get in for free! This museum goes over the history of the area and of Oregon. It has many old buildings and was once a working mill and the original location of Pendelton.
Wander Through Willamette University
Cost: Free
Willamette University is a small liberal arts college in Salem. Visitors can wander through the gorgeous campus and check out the architecture. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest college in the Western United States and the first medical and law school in the Western US.
Willamette Valley Pie Company
Cost: $10+
Hours: Mon-Fri: 8am-7pm, Sat: 8am-6pm, Sun: 12pm-5pm
The Willamette Valley Pie Company makes the best pies in the area as well as many other baked goods such as muffins, scones, and smoothies. You can opt to grab a pie to take home or grab a slice to eat there. Make sure to go early in the day as things do sell out. The menu availability also rotates depending on the day.
Go Wine Tasting
Cost: $15+
Hours: Varies by Vineyard
One of the best cheap things to do in Salem is to go wine tasting. The Willamette Valley has over 150 miles of wine area with 300+ wineries. It can be difficult to choose which wineries to visit, and it really depends on what kind of experience you want. The following are some of my favorites in the area.
- Bryn Mawr Vineyards: Best Views
- Bjornson Vineyard: Best Wines
- Stangeland Vineyards and Winery: Most intimate experience and the largest variety
- Willamette Valley Vineyards: Best Overall Experience and Wines
Cheap Things to Do in Salem
There are so many free and cheap things to do in Salem. If you have more time, you can always head down to Crater Lake National Park and the Medford area or head out to the Oregon Coast and Astoria. No matter what, Oregon can be a very budget-friendly destination to visit.
