Day 2: Portland

The first state capitol on this trip was the Oregon State Capitol in Salem. It was very quiet as the House and Senate are not in session. They still offered a tour up 121 steps to the observation level. Beware, you will get winded as there is no elevator from the 4th floor. It was clear enough to see most of the city thanks to the weather!

The Riverfront Park offered a good place to sit and have lunch. For children, there is a place for them to play nearby.

On the way back to Portland, I stopped to see the Oregon Korean War Memorial in Wilsonville. The fountains were turned off, and this was quiet as well.

When I got turned around in Portland, I stumbled upon the Oregon Vietnam Veterans Living Memorial at the Hoyt Arboretum. This turned out to be an excellent discovery. They have a circular path the goes through the years 1959 to 1976.

Nearby they have a train for children to play on and a petrified tree stump from North Dakota. There are other attractions as well.

Lastly, the International Rose Test Garden was full of roses. My nose was overwhelmed bythe fragrance coming from roses feet away! It was definitely worth the walk around to see all the beautiful colors.

If you go

The state capitol and rose garden are great. The two memorials are a somber reminder of where we’ve been and of those who have dedicated and lost their lives. The Petrified stump is pretty cool, unfortunately, you can’t touch it.

What it took

The places mentioned were all free or by donation. A car is highly recommended as Salem is a hour drive from Portland.