Salem wasn't the first choice for a capital city among quarreling settlers. The castle at the Enchanted Forest, a great place to bring the kids. The territorial capital first was at Oregon City, a river town near Portland, and shifted to Salem in 1851. A short walk from the Capitol is Mission Mill Museum, where visitors can tour the oldest woolen mill west of the Missouri River. Also for kids, just five miles south of the city along Interstate-5, is the Enchanted Forest, a storybook theme park including a Western mining town and a mountain bobsled ride and a log ride.
Outdoor enthusiasts using Salem as base camp easily can choose the mountains, woods or the sea.
Mission Mill Museum. Just 25 miles to the southeast is Silver Falls State Park, an 8,700-acre park in the state's only rain forest. The rugged coast is an hour to the west. I'd capsulize it by saying we are a very attractive Middle-America town. Amtrak serves the city, but Salem has no regular commercial airline service.