Taking a little break from the hiking trails I love to feature in Wanderlust Wednesdays to remind you: NOW is the time to plan a trip to see the Salem cherry blossoms!  As of last weekend, the trees weren’t quite in bloom, but that just means it’s the perfect time to do your research and get it on your radar!  I bet in a few weeks it will be The Place to be!  We like to skip the crowds in Portland on the waterfront and visit Salem instead!

We love to go to Oregon’s state capitol to see the cherry blossoms.  The back roads from Newberg to Salem are just beautiful–we skip I-5 and take 219 and River Road to wind through the farmlands on our way there.  If you’re looking for a longer day of adventure, we’ve combined this visit with trips to Willamette Mission State Park or the Grand Island Greenway in the past.

We’ve been able to park right on Center Street usually (not without snarky comments about my paralell parking skills, of course), and then we just walk through the park in front of the capitol.  It’s so pretty!  There are plenty of waist-high hedges to keep the kids from roaming too far, which I love!  Just south of the capitol is Willamette University, which also has beautiful grounds in the spring!  Keep the exploration going and wander the campus.  If you packed a picnic lunch, stop on your way back to the car and eat under the cherry blossoms.

Where’s your favorite place to check out spring blooms?  Let me know in the comments!

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