For families and friends traveling to Salem for Commencement Weekend, there are several activities in the Willamette Valley you may like to visit while your student is occupied with graduation obligations.
SALEM
Hallie Ford Museum of Art – Willamette University
700 State Street, Salem
(5-minute walk from central campus)
Open Noon to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, closed on Sunday
Admission is FREE on May 19 & 20, 2023
View exhibitions Information
BUSH'S PASTURE PARK
600 Mission St SE, Salem, Oregon
(Across the street from Willamette University)
Bush’s Pasture Park is a lush 90.5 acres of walking/running paths, wooded areas, and open meadows near downtown Salem. The park has many historical features and recreational amenities. Originally belonging to the Asahel Bush family before becoming a public park, the Bush family home now operates as a museum with a conservatory, and boasts a beautiful rose garden, a gazebo, and is home of the Salem Art Association, located in the historic Bush Barn.
Historic Deepwood Estates
1116 Mission Street SE, Salem, Oregon
(Across the street from Willamette University)
Open 12–5 p.m., Sunday–Friday from May–September
The Elegant 1894 Deepwood Estate provides one of Oregon's finest examples of an ornate, multi-gabled Queen Anne style home. The estate's 5.5 acres includes gazebos, the original carriage house, outdoor wedding gardens, and the Rita Steiner Fry Nature Trail.
SURROUNDING AREA
The Oregon Garden
879 W. Main Street, Silverton, Oregon
(45-minute drive from Willamette University)
Open 10 a.m.–6 p.m., May–September
Located on 80 acres in historic Silverton, The Oregon Garden features more than 20 specialty gardens and the Gordon House, the only house in Oregon designed by the legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Willamette Valley Vineyards
8800 Enchanted Way SE, Turner, Oregon
(15-minute drive from Willamette University)
Open daily: 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
Located in the heart of the Willamette Valley atop Illahee Hill. Reservations recommended for indoor tableside service. Indoor and outdoor open seating with bar-side service available without reservations.