Sightseeing Salem, Silverton, Sublimity & Beyond

The Pacific Northwest is incredibly green and forested. When the sun shines, it's spectacular. Always be prepared for cool, rainy weather, however.

Quick Tips:

Following the signs in downtown Salem on the sightseeing route, we ended up at the Mission Mill Village. Here we found brochures to use for other sightseeing trips. The village is worth a look. We didn't have time for the guided tour, but we walked around on our own for a few minutes.

Best Way To Get Around:

When my mom passed away in 2003, all of her children and a few other family members stayed at Marriott’s Residence Inn in Salem. We were treated so well and were so comfortable there, my brother and I decided to again use it as a home base during our stay. At $120 a night, we could each have our own bedroom and bathroom, a kitchen, free breakfast every morning, free dinners Monday through Thursday, and warm cookies every night in the lobby.

The room was as comfortable as home--a comfortable bed, a TV in the living room and in each bedroom, good lighting for reading the novels we’d brought along, and a fridge where we could keep our Diet Coke cold. And did I mention the warm cookies every night?

Each morning we went to the exercise room for a workout on the treadmill, stationary bike, and a few weights. After a shower, breakfast was always waiting for us in the lobby, with two morning newspapers and plenty of table seating available. Always scrambled eggs, sometimes sausage patties, sometimes biscuits and gravy. Yogurt, several cereals, an assortment of bread and pastries, several juices, and coffee and tea were always on hand. A Belgian waffle maker is heated and waiting for guests to prepare their own waffles. On cool mornings, the fire is lit, and a TV is tuned to morning news.

Monday through Thursday, dinner is served, including once-a-week catering by a local restaurant. We never were around to try it out. But did I mention the warm cookies every night? Actually, they usually only have the cookies Monday through Thursday, but they had them out Friday and Saturday too. When we didn’t see any Sunday night, they were happy to make up a batch. They even phoned us in our room to let us know when the cookies were out of the oven.

We have found the service at this Residence Inn to be outstanding. When all of the family was there in 2003, we needed a place to gather the night after my mother’s memorial service. They were so kind to allow us to use the community room off the lobby to have pizza delivered and to use the tables and seating in the lobby.

The Residence Inn is located just west of Highway 5 at the Highway 22 exit. An office complex sits in front of it with beautiful water features and landscaping. We’ve often seen blue herons and Canadian Geese, including a mommy, daddy, and seven chicks enjoying the park-like setting.

January 2008 update: All of the rooms are being renovated and they look great! New carpeting and furnishings give the place a more modern look. I'll admit the new couches are not very comfortable, but they sure look nice!

We were able to take advantage of the mid-week dinners this trip. Soup and salad one night offered cream of broccoli or chicken and wild rice soup. Actually quite good! The salad was the basic Costco bagged version with several dressings to choose from. The rolls were too hard and not very good. Another night they served pizza delivered from the local Figaro's restaurant. The pizza itself was good, but not very warm. We didn't even think to take some back to the room and heat it up.

Each morning, a big breakfast was waiting. Scrambled eggs, sausage patties, an assortment of cereals and breads and something new each day. One day it was biscuits and gravy. One day it was pancakes. One day tortillas were served so you could make breakfast burritos. As always, the waffle iron was hot and ready for a fresh belgian waffle. It was a great way to start the day...a fully belly with little effort and no cash out of pocket!

In a great location just across the street from the Willamette River, the Four Points Sheraton Downtown Portland is a perfect place to stay for walking to downtown or riding the Max Light Rail.

Service at the hotel was wonderful. Courteous front desk employees gave directions and advice. They also allowed me to quickly access the Internet from the lobby computer and print out our boarding passes for our flight without charge. Our one-night stay was also granted free parking.

The Riverside Restaurant and Bar is in the lobby of the hotel. We had dessert here because the chocolate lava cake sounded irresistible after dinner elsewhere. We also had breakfast before heading for the airport. The lava cake was so-so. My eggs benedict for breakfast, though, were wonderful. The best thing about this restaurant is the ambience. Quiet and peaceful, the view of the river is relaxing. There is a conversation area with comfortable seating and a fireplace.

The rooms have recently been redecorated. I had stayed here a couple of years ago and was somewhat disappointed. However, the upgrades are beautiful and the new Sheraton Four Comfort bed is more comfortable than my bed at home!

A light rail stop is just a block away. Rides are free if you’re just staying downtown, or going to the Lloyd Center shopping mall. Walking to the downtown area is so easy from the hotel, though, that riding the rail seemed unnecessary.

I’m not a seafood fan, but I do enjoy good fish and chips. Having eaten at Newport Bay before, we were well aware of their delicious version.

I began my evening here with a non-alcoholic Northern Light drink. A combination of orange juice, cranberry juice, and Sprite, it not only looked pretty, it was deliciously sweet and light.

We ordered our fish and chips, my brother’s with a side of clam chowder and mine with a side salad minus the shrimp. We waited. And waited. And waited. Finally our fish and chips arrived. We asked what happened to our soup and salad. The waiter was very apologetic. He thought a coworker had brought our sides a long time ago. He returned the main meal to the kitchen and brought our sides, but my salad arrived with shrimp! Apologies again, and a new salad, minus shrimp, was brought.

Fresh green leaf and iceberg lettuces, red cabbage, radishes, jack cheese, and croutons are standard. The citrus vinaigrette was an outstanding choice to top this salad. The clam chowder was smooth and buttery with small pieces of clams.

The fish and chips were as good as we remembered. Flaky white cod with a light batter, fat fries, and cole slaw with just the right amount of horseradish in the dressing. Because of the earlier problems, the manager came to the table and offered us each a free dessert. We asked for the Key lime pie and cheesecake to go. We enjoyed the desserts later in our suite at the Residence Inn. Both were delicious, but the Key lime won as far as I was concerned.

A tiny restaurant on an unassuming corner, you might be tempted to turn around and find someplace else. Don’t! The Willamette Noodle Company is a treat. With only about 10 tables, you might have to wait, but I don’t think you’ll be sorry. Salem happened to be having nice weather, so we waited outside on a bench for the next available table.

The greens in my salad were so fresh, I would have bet they had a garden out back somewhere. A better guess is, however, that they buy them from the local Farmer’s Market. Only two dressings are available: a Caesar or - the one I chose - a lovely vinaigrette. Along with the salads, moist, homemade focaccia bread was served. Oil and balsamic vinegar are already at the table for dipping.

I couldn’t decide between the pomodoro and the Gorgonzola cream sauce on my pasta, so the server suggested I go half and half. I enjoyed both very much and couldn’t decide which I liked best. My brother had the popular lasagna with meat sauce and said it was fantastic.

Willamette Noodle Company offers call-ahead seating, and I would recommend it. The atmosphere is casual. I noticed macaroni and cheese on the menu, so even picky kids would probably find something to fill them up.

Canyon Grill right on Hwy 22 in Gates became the restaurant of choice for us as we took my father away from the care facility where he lives for a meal and a short visit each day. Sometimes breakfast, sometimes lunch, and sometimes breakfast for lunch, we were never disappointed with our meal.

Home-cooked breakfasts included delicious omelets, huge pancakes, and terrific hash browns. One day I had a "Haystack," which is shredded hash brown potatoes with bacon, onions, and Jack and cheddar cheeses. A dollop of sour cream on top completed this hearty dish. Another morning I had an egg, over-easy, ham, and an English muffin. I combined them to make myself an Egg McMuffin that was wonderful. The ham was slightly sweet and very tender.

The dinner salads are very fresh. Our server told us that the owner buys the produce at the Farmer’s Market and we could tell. A sliced strawberry served as garnish with breakfast was the sweetest berry I’d tasted in a long time. The bean and ham soup received positive reviews, as well as the fried chicken.

Canyon Grill was never crowded when we were there, but there was a fairly steady stream of take-out customers.

Poppa Al’s is in Mill City, west of Gates and also on Hwy 22. Their specialty is the "Poppa Al," a huge burger. "Little Al" is a smaller version, and other menu items are available. But this place begs for you to have a good old-fashioned burger, fries, and a chocolate malt. Decorated in red, white, and black-and-white check, a bank of red candy dispensers adds to the ambience. Listening to Anne Murray sing "Daydream Believer" and "Could I Have This Dance" in the background, I was reminded of casual dinners out with my folks when I was young.

On a nice day, sit outside on the patio and enjoy the lush green landscape. After your meal, take a quick jaunt around the corner behind the restaurant to see a surprising waterfall.

City Search restaurant review

The restaurant expert at the downtown Visitors Center recommended Higgins as the best restaurant in Portland. It’s an easy walk from the hotel to the corner of Broadway and Jefferson where Higgins is located. A first look at the somewhat limited menu had us a little concerned. There just wasn’t anything on it that tempted us. Menu items were pretty gourmet, and we’re meat-and-potatoes people. However, one of the specials was a flatiron steak, and we jumped at that offering.

The salads are a la carte, and we ordered the least expensive option. Fresh spring greens, shredded carrots, radishes that seemed to have come directly from the garden, crumbled bleu cheese, hazelnuts, and a nice vinaigrette made for a delicious start to the meal. Two kinds of rolls were served with olive oil for dipping.

Our steak was cooked exactly as ordered and wonderfully flavorful. Sumptuous gratina potatoes, fresh steamed broccoli, and onion strings rounded out the plate. We had almost considered leaving prior to ordering and ended up deciding it was the best meal we had during our trip.

Our service was on par with what you would expect at a dressy restaurant. I would not recommend this restaurant for children unless they have very discriminating taste.

http://thefarmcafe.net/

My meat-eating brother and I were to take a Vegan friend out to dinner for her birthday. She thought the organic/vegetarian Farm Cafe would be a good compromise. Not exactly a compromise in our eyes, but we did enjoy it and I can give it a positive review.

The Farm Cafe is housed in a renovated cottage. As a result, the atmosphere is cozy & romantic, with only about 15 tables. Candlelight is the only light available at the tables, making it a little difficult for old eyes to read the menu.

Always crowded, we were lucky to arrive before 7pm on this Wednesday night and find 3 stools at the bar. We waited about 20 minutes for a table. Other who arrived after us had to crowd into the tiny foyer or outside on the chilly porch to wait their turn.

We ordered some edamame while at the bar and enjoyed the fresh, warm soy beans while waiting. Specials change frequently and your favorite dish is not guaranteed to be on the menu the next time you dine.

At the table we each started with a salad. One ordered just a green salad ($5) with organic greens and a vinaigrette dressing. Another ordered the Pear Arugula Salad with candied walnuts in a vinaigrette. I ordered a salad with greens, fennel, cranberries and oranges. All were very fresh and delicious.

Our vegan friend order the Herb Crusted Tofu with Mushrooms Marsala. It comes with garlic mashed potatoes and is very impressive in presentation. She adored it! My brother and I could only find the Wild Mushroom Gnocchi even remotely interesting. It was actually very good, sauteed in butter, garlic, white wine, herbs and mushrooms. A small piece of french bread was served on the side.

If the gnocchi had not been an option, there were several items on the appetizer menu that I would have been happy to eat. One was a baked brie served with bread rounds. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? The Sauteed Mushrooms with Herbs also sounded quite good.

For dessert, we shared the chocolate souffle cooled with a scoop of coffee ice cream. Heavenly!

Wandering along the Willamette River at Riverfront Park feels like a step back in time. I almost expected to see Gibson Girls with bustles and parasols with hair piled atop their heads taking a morning stroll. Or maybe a wooden raft with Tom Sawyer gripping a fishing pole floating down the river. The Willamette Queen sternwheeler, I’m sure, greatly contributed to the effect. Floating on still water surrounded by green trees and other vegetation, it looked very much like I imagine the South of the 1900s.

The park was busy on this Friday morning with moms pushing babies in strollers and a couple of school busloads of elementary-age children at the playground. A walking path takes visitors around the perimeter of the park, along the river and past the Eco-Earth, playground, and carousel.

The Eco-Earth measures 25 feet in diameter. Formerly an "Acid Ball" used by Boise Cascade Corp., it was a pressure vessel used in the processing of wood pulp into paper. Through community effort, donations by local citizens and businesses and volunteer work, the Eco-Earth was formed. Covered in tiles, this huge globe displays art depicting images representative of each continent and ocean.

The Riverfront Carousel boasts 42 carousel horses and 2 Oregon Trail wagons. Each piece is hand carved and painted by local artisans. Rides are $1.25. A gift shop is attached with a nice selection of carousel items and other animal souvenirs. You might also catch an artist working on another carousel creation. Visitors are encouraged to watch and ask questions.

Salem Carousel
503-540-0374
101 Front Street NE
Salem 97301

The Silver Falls Tour Route takes visitors to 21 places of interest from Woodburn (north of Salem on I-5), south through Mt. Angel and Silverton to Silver Falls State Park, then west through Sublimity back to I-5. It was an enjoyable drive that took us about 4 hours. We started at 9am, and some places weren’t open yet when we arrived. Other attractions are only open on certain days, and Monday wasn’t one of them!

The first stop is the Woodburn Company Stores—factory outlets. We skipped this, as we did not want to spend time shopping on this day. Stop 2 is the Glatt House Gallery/Woodburn Art Center. A red-slatted building, colorful flower gardens were inviting. However, it wasn’t open yet on this morning. It is closed on Sundays.

Stop 3 is the Jesse Settlemier House. http://www.settlemierhouse.com/ In a neighborhood of well-kept historic homes, I would have loved to tour this Queen Anne Victorian home. However, it is only open 1st Sundays from 1-4. There is a Woodburn Tour of Homes where you can see this and other historic homes.

#4 on the route is supposed to be Steam Locomotive No. 1785. I can’t imagine that we would just miss a big, old steam locomotive, but we truly never saw it. Maybe it’s been moved somewhere for restoration.

#5 is the Woodburn World’s Berry Center Museum. Only open on Friday and Saturday from 11-3, we were not having very good luck on this tour so far!

On to Mt. Angel along Hwy 214, past produce stands and the Marquam vineyards and winery. A very quaint town with a Bavarian feel, Mt. Angel is home to stops 6-8. We aimed the car toward the highly visible huge spire to St. Mary’s (#8), a spectacular old church. The Queen of Angels Monastery (#7) is on beautiful grounds. In the fall, Mt. Angel hosts a popular Oktoberfest , but I think a visitor could easily spend a day touring this little town at any time.

Stop #9 between Mt. Angel and Silverton is the Gallon House Covered Bridge, built in 1917. It is Oregon’s oldest covered bridge. The name comes from the prohibition era when liquor was sold by the gallon in a nearby house.

Stops 10-13 are in Silverton. The Silverton Country Museum and Southern Pacific Railroad Depot Warehouse (#10) is open Sundays 1-4. A self-guided walking tour through the historic district is #11 and the art galleries are #12. We just drove through town and enjoyed the murals created by local artists.

The Oregon Garden (#13) is a beautiful display spread over 70 acres. A tram tour is available for those who would prefer it to walking. The Garden is open 10-4 daily. May-Sept entrance fee is $8/adults $6/seniors and students. Oct-Apr fees are $5/adult, $4/seniors and students. Native garden, Conifer garden, Wetlands, water features and a home demonstration garden are just a few of the views we enjoyed. The Gordon House is a Frank Lloyd Wright home that has been relocated to the premises. An inside tour is extra, but guests are free to walk around the exterior.

Leaving Silverton and heading south toward Silver Falls State Park, Hwy 214 is a scenic country road. We passed a number of Christmas tree farms and signs for chicks and beagle puppies for sale.

Silver Falls State Park is a picturesque recreational spot. Hiking trails, picnic spots and overnight facilities for camping and RVs make this a popular area for outdoor activities. We stopped to view North Falls that tumbled down a cliff amidst mossy trees. Here the forest is dense and the road is twisty.

We drove through Sublimity without stopping and, at this point, joined Hwy 22 east toward Gates for one last visit with my father. Avoiding I-5, we took scenic backroads through Silverton, Molalla, and Oregon City to Portland for our final night of the trip.

About 5 blocks west of the hotel, Pioneer Courthouse Square is a good place to begin a walking tour. A Visitors Center has brochures galore and helpful guides to answer your questions. We stopped here to ask where to go for dinner. One of the recommendations, Higgins, is reviewed separately.

A stroll along SW Park Avenue is highly recommended. Parks, statues of Roosevelt and Lincoln, and beautifully restored old buildings housing the theater district make an inviting cultural sight. Be sure to glance at the Oregon Historical Museum’s wall facing Park St. You’ll likely do a double-take at the 3-D mural.

Heading back toward the hotel, a walk down Stark St. takes you past the U.S. Bank Building with a magnificent, old, carved exterior. Cross Front Avenue to the Tom McCall Riverfront Park to view the Willamette River and the east side of Portland. From here, you can see the spires of the Oregon Convention Center and the three bridges connecting the east with the west across the river. This is a popular spot with joggers and dog walkers.

The tiny town of Gates, Oregon (pop. 495), where my mother and father had been living for the last 15 years, is about 35 miles east of Salem on Highway 22. Improvements have been made to the highway in the last few years, and it’s quite a pretty drive. Gates and the neighboring town of Mill City are on the way to Detroit Lake and Bend. A couple of restaurants are worth mentioning, and reviews are posted separately.

My dad has always enjoyed a drive. Getting there is better than the destination itself as far as he’s concerned. We thought he’d enjoy a drive to Detroit Lake for lunch.

On days like this one, I wonder why I don’t like the Pacific Northwest. The greenery is amazing. On this drive through the Willamette National Forest, we see many waterfalls and creeks that flow into the Santiam River. The sun shines through tall evergreens of many varieties. Then I notice the moss clinging to the bark of every tree and remember—it’s this green because the rainfall can reach up to 150 inches a year.

On this drive to Detroit Lake, watch for the waterfalls, particularly just east of Niagara Park. We stopped for lunch at The Cedars restaurant. Quite a disappointment. I had a hamburger that was quite unremarkable. Service was fine and the small gift shop gave me the opportunity to buy gifts to take home to the kids from their wide selection of candy sticks.

Turning left out of the Cedars restaurant parking lot, a narrow road ends at Detroit Flats. A perfect place for a picnic lunch at the water’s edge, it would have been a better choice for a meal!