Travel Inspiration: Salem is The Most Oregon Part of Oregon

5/11/26

Time Magazine has touted the Willamette Valley as one of the world’s top spots to go wine tasting. If wine is your thing, you definitely want to spend a couple of days (or more) uncorking and unwinding in our region’s renowned wineries and tasting rooms.

We’ve rounded up four top-notch tasting itineraries to get you started here. Book a stay at a cozy bed and breakfast, modern hotel or resort in the area and then raise your glass, savor chef-prepared bites and explore our friendly wine-country towns. May is also Oregon Wine Month and many wineries have special events. Check individual websites for all the juicy details.

Björnson Vineyards

north of salem

The town of Aurora is for wine lovers — and antique lovers. Start your day at Aurora Antiques, perusing the vintage furniture and glassware, then step inside the red barn doors of Aurora Vineyards for small-batch reds and whites, plus chef-prepared dishes that complement the estate wines. The charcuterie plate with a bottle of white on the outdoor patio is divine on a sunny day.

Next, head about 8 miles west to the family-owned Sineann Winery. Known for its intense reds and whites, most of their wines are single-vineyard designated to ensure the bold characteristics of the varietal shine through. About 100 yards away, Lady Hill Winery is located on a 150-acre fifth-generation family farm. Try a current-release tasting of the winery’s polished Northwest expressions of classic European varieties, such as cuvée and cabernet Franc.

Feeling peckish? Circle back to Aurora for scratch-made chicken and dumplings at Filberts Farmhouse Kitchen. Housed in an original 1865 Mohler farmhouse, the heated dining porch is the ideal spot to finish your day.

south of salem

You don’t have to venture far from Salem for a world-class wine adventure. The lovely tasting room at Salem’s Cória Estates sits atop a 140-acre property and on a clear day, you can see five mountains. Enjoy a vibrant pinot noir flight paired with Mexican-inspired light bites.

About six miles east, Willamette Valley Vineyards also has sweeping views and stellar wine. Enjoy tastings of red, white, sparkling and rosé, or try a wine and food pairing guided by a winery ambassador. You can also pre-book one of the luxe Winery Suites and stay the night.

St. Innocent Winery in Jefferson is known for founder Mark Vlossak’s sparkling wines. Sip your bubbly creek-side or in their bright, modern tasting room. Next up, enjoy a flight on the breezy patio at Ankeny Vineyard, a 22-acre estate that overlooks the Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge. Opt for the “Sip & Savor” flight (seasonal small bites paired with a wine flight) or enjoy a hearty meal paired with a glass of wine, and then hit the easy 3.3-mile Eagle Marsh Loop Trail, where you might spot bald eagles. Beehive Station back in South Salem is a buzzy foodie hotspot, with food carts such as NW Smash & Burger and Dalia’s Taqueria.

Lastly, pop into Oregon’s oldest winery, Honeywood Winery, near downtown Salem for a tasting (or bottle) of Marionberry wine or mead before you head back your hotel.

east of salem

A short trip east lets you explore the wineries of the Cascade Foothills Winegrowers, an association of family-owned winemakers nestled into the foothills of Oregon's Willamette Valley. But first: breakfast. Start your day with biscuits and gravy at Silverton’s Main St. Bistro, then pop into The Red Bench and browse antique clothing, toys and other finds.

Next, it’s wine time. About 10 miles north of Silverton, the sparkling estate whites and pinks at Wooden Shoe Vineyards hit the spot on a sunny day; enjoy a flight in the rustic tasting room while soaking up views of Mount Hood. Then drive about two miles to Hanson Vineyards, where winemaker Jason Hanson grows 13 different grape varieties and focuses on low-intervention estate winemaking on their fourth-generation family farm.

Follow the cypress-lined drive through the vineyard and to the tasting room at nearby Paradis Vineyards, where you can sample a flight of pinot or riesling. Then it’s an easy drive to Vitis Ridge for a flight of dry whites, big reds or a dessert wine on the patio; catch live music on Saturday afternoons. Top off your day at Silverton’s award-winning Oso for elevated Spanish and Mediterranean comfort food.

west of salem

Your west-of-Salem adventure includes the coastal hills of the Van Duzer Corridor sub-AVA. Perched upon a cool, windy knoll, try a “Block Collection” tasting at Van Duzer Vineyards, where a concierge will guide you through a multi-sensory journey of six handcrafted pinot noirs. Less than a mile away, the 15-acre Andante Vineyard produces exquisite small-batch pinot noir, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and gamay noir. Reserve a food pairing in the tasting room and sample six estate wines and thoughtful bites prepared by the chef. You can also charge your EV.

At nearby Benedetto Vineyards, flights and bites are offered in their award-winning tasting room — and you might be greeted by one of the vineyard’s owners and invited on a stroll through the vines. Next, savor wine as it’s meant to taste on the wraparound deck at Illahe Vineyards. The 1899 estate pinot noir is made entirely without electricity, with horses to haul the grapes and bicycle-powered pumps.

The Eola Amity Hills sub-AVA is also nearby and an excellent place to uncork and unwind. At Björnson Vineyard, the cool winds produce smaller berries with concentrated flavors you can taste. Try a flight of the complex pinot noir or chardonnay on the outdoor patio, paired with a charcuterie plate.

After your day in the vineyards, pop into the charming town of Dallas and browse the local boutiques, such as Main Street Emporium, then fuel up on mouthwatering shawarma and gyros at Damascus Kitchen before making the short drive back to Salem.

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The Most Oregon Part of Oregon awaits - your gateway to waterfalls, vineyards, and wild escapes.

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FOUR SALEM-AREA TASTING ITINERARIES FOR WINE LOVERS