Did you know that the rest of Salem separates West Salem by the Willamette River? You have must drive across a bridge to get into the rest of the city, which gives it a small-town feel.

West Salem is a quiet and safe place away from the city’s chaotic noise in the far northwest part of Salem, Oregon. It has a population of 24,183. It is the only part of the town that is in Polk County.

 Great things to do in West Salem:

Visit its best restaurants. Everything you need is in here or just over the bridge. There’s a variety of nearby restaurants that you can choose to satisfy your cravings. One of these is the Roger That BBQ. It is a local family-owned business whose passion is BBQ and a great experience. You can also try the Little Lois Café. They serve the excellent homemade meal where you can feel right at home.

If you’re looking for some places to unwind and shake all your worries off, you can visit The Space Concert Club. It is a vegan restaurant and bar that supporting all types of music and events. You can participate in their concerts held by their different guest or enjoy live music there.

• Do recreational activities with your family.

Perhaps, you and your family can also participate in many recreational activities. Try their softball leagues, kickball leagues, and sports tournaments that take place in Salem’s park system. You can visit the Wallace Marine Park Softball Complex. It is long known as the “Softball Capital of the Northwest.” It is where you can watch and enjoy the City of Salem hosts leagues and tournaments. You can also take your family in West Salem Park to let your kids play, have fun, and make friends while you can get a breath of fresh air and collect your thoughts.

• Visit the best schools in town and participate in their activities.

There’s also a lot of nearby good public schools where you can take your children. You can take them to West Salem High School. It’s rated above average in school quality compared to other schools in Oregon. The academic performance of students is above average on state tests. They’re also making about average year-over-year academic improvement.

 Your whole family can also show your love with America’s classical music by participating in the West Salem High School annual Jazz Festival. It is a yearly jazz competition for high school and middle school jazz bands. Every school band around the Pacific Northwest is welcome to join. It is held in the West Salem Auditorium every February. Your children can also form their group and enter this competition to showcase their talents when it comes to music.

In summary, West Salem is a great neighborhood that offers you a small-town feeling. It’s also giving you the ease of access to the benefits of being near to Oregon’s Capital City – Salem. 

Here, you can both experience the peaceful and quiet life of being in a small town and the convenience of being in a city. And all it takes to do that is just a single bridge.