With a population of 154,637, Salem is a must-see destination in Oregon, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Salem deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
If you’re looking for affordable options, Bentley's Grill - The Grand Hotel in Salem (291 Liberty Street SE) and DaVinci Ristorante & Wine Bar (180 High Street SE) are great picks. For delicious green meals, The Cozy Taberna (249 Liberty St NE #140) and Paradiso at the Grand Theatre (195 High St NE) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Salem.
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Salem in July, when the average temperature is 68 °F, and the highest can go up to 82.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 35.6 °F, with an average temperature of 41 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in December, when precipitation is around 6.9″. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Salem, with an average rainfall of 0.5″.
Although Salem doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Portland Airport (PDX), which is located 50 miles from Salem. Portland Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, British Airways and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Salem departs from Las Vegas and takes around 2h 17m.
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Salem. The train journey from Salem to Eugene takes 2h 35m and costs around $12 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Seattle, expect to pay about $20 for a 2h 59m trip. The train station in Salem is called Salem, and is located 0.8 miles from the city center.
Another option to get to Salem is to pick up a car rental from Seattle, which is about 187 miles from Salem. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Sixt, among others, in Seattle.
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Salem, including FlixBus, Greyhound and Amtrak. From Eugene, the bus ride to Salem takes 185 miles and will cost you around $25. From San Francisco, the ticket costs about $96 for a journey of 875 miles.
Average rates range from around $216 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $270 and up for a 5-star experience.
Renting a car in Salem costs $56 per day, on average, or $113 if you want to rent if for 2 days.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 3% cheaper than airport locations in Salem.
Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in Salem (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. Full-size (Chrysler 200 or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Salem, while also 65% cheaper than other types, on average.