If you're in the area this has to be on your to-do list. Plan to spend AT LEAST an hour there. This…read morearea has lots of history and you will want to have time to read some stories. All the staff there are very passionate about what they do. The gift shop also has some unique items. Don't just drive by!

This museum is obviously a labor of love for the people who work here…read more I was surprised by the size and variety of the exhibits. I especially enjoyed the exhibits highlighting the communities of Polk County, large and small, even the ones now ghost towns. I learned a lot from my visit here; for example, Camp Adair, a World War II military installation once located nearby, was once the second largest community in the state of Oregon and served as a detention center for Italian and German POWs. Many of the personal items displayed, especially upstairs, were poignant reminders of the passage of time. Also, the agricultural history displays were more interesting than they might sound, and I learned that Dallas, Oregon once carried the nickname of "Prune City." It looked like they had some local history books for sale, as well as some miscellaneous cookbooks and other books that didn't seem to have a local focus. Admission was five dollars, and at the time I visited, their credit card reader was not working, so cash was required. The restaurant next door has an atm that comes in handy if, like me, you don't have any cash with you. If you are at all curious about the history of the area, I definitely recommend this well-rounded museum!

I love the state fair. admission for seniors is only three dollars, which makes getting old almost…read moreworth it. There are lots of free things to enjoy such as the table, setting competitions, the vegetable competitions and so on. I love the diced cream at the Oregon dairy women booth, which has been there forever. A real Oregon institution. Not to mention the bunnies, pigs, goats, and horses.

I have loved the fair every year I've came. The food is amazing.(Classic fair food, what not to…read morelove??) Animals are adorable, and the rides are the absolute bomb. There are only two reasons why this is not a 5-star experience. Size of Bracelet Soda cups- You can buy a special fair bracelet, which includes unlimited rides, 3 games, and a medium drink. I had this happen last year: You see the 3 drink sizes on the ordering counter, but what they give you is NOT the medium drink. I don't think it's even 8 ounces. Alien UFO ride- This ride spins so fast while closed off, it feels like you are glued to the walls. I got stuck behind where it specifically says "Do not go beyond this point" because you could get hurt if you did. I couldn't move at all, and I was afraid that I would get hurt. Fair has been great and can't wait to go back next year!

While we didn't have a chance to go inside the museum, the grounds are beautiful and well…read moremaintained. The gardens are a lovely spot to walk, explore and smell the flowers - when blooming. Staff kept to themselves and gave us space to wander the property. We walked, but Deepwood is set on a busy street corner so be prepared for traffic as you make your way to the parking area and the noise as you wander the gardens.

What a hidden gem in Salem! My husband and I have been trying to visit local museums and venues now…read morethat he is retired and this one popped in on our radar. We had an event near Salem so we thought we'd stop by. It's so quaint, gorgeous and proved to be lovely get away for the afternoon. It's not overly large as you can most likely walk and enjoy the trails, gardens and sights in about 30 minutes. There is a house tour but only on limited days/times and the day we visited was not one of those days. Beautiful flowers, tucked away benches and meandering trails all made for a wonderful walk. I highly recommend and it's free to walk around!

We love Gilbert House! The staff is always kind and efficient and the times I've visited, the play…read moreareas have been well-kept and clean. My kids love the outdoor playground too. We love the bubble room and exhibits, and could easily spend the day here. Pro-tip, if you have a LINCC Library card, you can get a cultural pass and come here once a month for freeeee!

This place is awesome! Great exhibits, and lots for the kids to do. It is clean and well…read moremaintained. My one issue is with the fact that it closes at 5. That is clearly posted, which is great. However, we tried to re-enter at 4:30 to do one last thing: the bubble room. Turns out they lock the gate at 4:30 and close the bubble room then. I just wish there was better signage; it doesn't feel great to have staff rush you out 30 minutes before closing time.

What an amazing educational place. I absolutely loved finding this gem and exploring the history…read more The volunteers are so sweet and guide you through the history. Highly recommend and love the move to show the progress in mental health treatment over the years.

It's a wonderfully well curated and touching display of history of mental health in PNW. A must…read morevisit for "One flew over the cuckoo's nest"fans. Dedicated volunteers work with love and compassion for the museum and its visitors can enjoy a self guided tour.

This place is out in the middle of nowhere but a cool place to visit. I got to see the spruce goose…read morewhich I had no idea was moved from Long Beach. The space museum is cool as well. They have a mock control center for launching a rocket with vibrations. There's also a water park with a 747 on top the building with 4 water slides coming out of it. That looked fun. They are building a hotel on the property as well. It's a pretty neat spot in the middle of nowhere. Check out Mark Clay McGowan on YouTube for history and information details of museum.

I was staying in Newport on the coast, and I drove an hour and a half just to see the museum. It…read morewas definitely worth the time, and the price. This is an absolutely amazing museum. The complex Covers four buildings. Two of them are for the museum, one of the buildings holds a giant screen movie theater that screens, some amazing aviation related movies, and the fourth building is an indoor waterpark, complete with a retired 747 parked on the roof. The emergency exits to the 747 are entrances to the waterslides. The primary building, where the spruce goose is located, covers aircraft from a replica of the original Wright Brothers flyer, to modern military aircraft. The secondary building, is the space, museum. It has aircraft such as the SR 71 blackbird, a model of the Apollo, lunar lander, and other space related exhibits. You can easily spend hours here. Admission is reasonable, and they offer discounts for military/veterans, seniors, youth, and local residents. Annual memberships are also available. To see the Spruce goose I highly recommend the flight deck tour. It's $25 on top of the museum admission, not cheap, but without it, all you really see is the entranceway of the plane. I took the tour, it was a 45 minute tour, it goes through the entire plane, and the docent talked about the whole history of the plane, it's different components, etc..... It was originally a prototype for a massive cargo plane, but because it was not completed by the end of WWII, there were no others made. It only flew one time, and there was a really cool recording of a reporter who was actually on the plane for that flight. It's definitely worth the visit.

Independence is a fun little city with a college-town feel. Western Oregon University is nearby so…read morethere are always college students around. Central High School is also located here. One of the funnest things about Independence is the 4th if July celebration! The day starts out with a fun run and a big parade, then people meander down to the riverfront to enjoy the music, food and booths. Then, when it's dark, they have a fantastic fireworks display!

Today is the biggest day of the year for the city of Independence. Of course the name should give…read morethat away. We come here almost every year for the parade and all the festivities. The parade is always fun. They have a small, I think 5k run at the beginning of the parade. Some times they have a fly over by the military. The rest of the day, they have rides, booths and lots of food down by the river front. At night, they have one of the biggest firework shows. If you haven't been, you should come and check it out. It's great fun. Our family loves it.

My quest is complete with a visit to the Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire, the third and final location…read morein the Oregon renaissance faire trifecta. By rights, it should have been my first stop. Shrewsbury is the oldest renaissance faire in Oregon (this was the 19th year) and it was the largest. Other things in its favor: ** It had the most vendors with the best merchandise. Although there is no cell/wifi service in the area so be prepared to pay in cash or leave your credit card info. with the vendor. ** Good joust show, held twice a day, that is a mix of skills on horseback, jousting and hand-to-hand combat. ** The best visitors and participants. Meaning that the majority of folks were in costume, especially the vendors, and it had a good educational component. The faire that I enjoy the most is still the Canterbury Faire in Silverton, held two weekends in July. It is due to a combination of factors, including the mostly shady location, my favorite joust (just the right amount of ridiculousness) and some of the entertainment. This is a close second. Bringing up the rear is the Oregon Renaissance Faire in Hillsboro. Each experience has its high and low points. The Shrewsbury and Canterbury Faires have the most crossover and definitely have their hearts in the right place. But props to Oregon Renaissance Faire for having some of the best stage shows. It just feels more like a state fair, than a renaissance experience. Today we witnessed a wedding where the officiant binds the hands of the bridge and groom (tying the knot) and watched a great joust show where the female riders bested their male counterparts in the games of skill. A few new twists including a competition to see which rider could carry a mug of 'ale' the length of the ring with the least amount of liquid spilled. The food vendors were plentiful, diverse and there were a few shady areas set up for dining. We almost missed an entire section of the faire that is relatively new. It was in a shady grove, whereas most of the faire is in the middle of a field in direct sun, so make sure you explore the entire area since this section was not well marked. Such a fun day and great people from all over the region who enjoy traveling back in time 500 years or so. Huzzah! ------------- 2014 dates - September 12 - 13th in Kings Valley, OR. Quite a drive, but a pretty one, from the Portland Metro area. A few other considerations - coupons for $1 off admission are on the website and you can pay with a credit card. No fee for parking. Festival food and drink was reasonably priced for this type of event. No pets allowed.