Situated alongside the Willamette River, Salem is both the capitol of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. Salem is less than an hour away from Portland, giving residents access to big city amenities while still providing a small city lifestyle.

Some of the attractions in Salem are the Saturday Market, which focuses on locally-produced goods such as artisan handcrafts, produce, meat, and baked goods. The Salem Art Association sponsors an annual Art Fair and Festival, and the Oregon State Fair is held in North Salem every August.