My first visit to Salem occurred on November 12, 2008, on a red-letter day for Oregon weather — wet and slick and dark and miserable. And yet, we kinda liked Salem. We sure liked the people that my husband interviewed with here better than the options in Eugene and Portland, if you can believe it.
I liked that there was a downtown with department stores — what a throwback!
I liked the little candy-colored cottages that led up to said downtown.
And being a complete nerd who veers off the road when she sees brown highway signs, I really, really wanted to find the travel office.
Not a single person I asked knew where it was. I had seen some signs around town, these faded green and blue things on the side of the road that sent you heading towards Stayton — as if to suggest, if you are a traveler in Salem, you must be heading out of town.
We finally found the center, at the time it was located in a corner of the Mission Mill Museum. It was staffed by a dear little old lady who didn’t really know how to cater to the likes of us (no offense to dear little old lady volunteers, I’m going to be one someday).
Well, much has changed since that first visit. Travel Salem is kickin’ it downtown and is running, Usain Bolt-like into the new millennium with a concentrated marketing effort that includes a pretty steady Twitter presence. And while I can’t say I really understand the slogan “Absolutely Oregon,” and the “Culture Seeker” option on its website currently leads to a dead page, and the “Sunday Brunch” page only lists one restaurant, I think that Salem is indeed becoming a destination people might want to punch into their GPS. Travel Salem does seem to be playing a part in that.
Still, the entries on Salem in travel books floor me, hence this month’s column in Salem Monthly on Salem’s travel mojo.
I didn’t really intend it like a call-to-arms, which the title suggests, just a way to get people thinking about image and place and change and travel.
Read the column, and do let me know what your first Salem sentence is — what’s the first thing you say when people ask you about the place you live?
Pretty sure I always say “Salem is the capital of Oregon.” assuming they probably don’t know, just like most people don’t know the capital of Florida isn’t Miami or Orlando. But its true, we aren’t as expansive as Portland, as recreational as Bend or as hip as Eugene. If the conversation goes further, I will add that “we are so close to the mountains, Portland or the coast you can get to them in about an hour” as if all we Salemites want to do is leave our town. Maybe next time someone asks I’ll tell them “Its a pretty little city with many great wineries, a cool relaxed downtown area and lots of adorable little 19th century houses (I love to take pics of those old houses!).”
BTW, couldn’t get your Salem Monthly link to work…
Whoops! it should work now.
And here it is if it doesn’t:
http://willamettelive.com/story/Doing_our_part_to_protect_against_a_bad_rap119.html
Thanks. After reading the article something just popped into my head from my common pet peeve about kids who grew up here (I was one, so its ok). Could be a bumper sticker or a t-shirt.
“Salem Oregon! Don’t listen to other people, its really not that boring.”
Hi Emily, we love your reference about how Travel Salem is “kickin’ it downtown and is running, Usain Bolt-like into the new millennium with a concentrated marketing effort that includes a pretty steady Twitter presence.”
Travel Salem’s new slogan, “Absolutely Oregon,” represents how the best of what Oregon has to offer, can all be found here in our backyard. Oregon is home to some of the greatest attractions, events, outdoor recreation, agriculture, and arts and culture. Those very features are seen in abundance in the Salem area (Travel Salem is a two-county regional organization that promotes Salem and Marion and Polk counties) and embodies the best of what Oregon has to offer: A lively downtown surrounded by historic buildings, museums, and attractions; beautiful and natural environment ideal for outdoor recreational activities; unique festivals and events showcasing the vibrant and diverse community; and the advantage of relishing some of the state’s best performing and visual art in an urban setting, yet be minutes away from a rural retreat with award-winning wineries amid breathtaking views in the heart of the Willamette Valley.
Like I mentioned earlier in a “tweet” to you, Travel Salem recently transitioned to a new website. We’re continually updating and adding new content onto TravelSalem.com and at times, may miss a link or two. The “Culture Seeker” link has been fixed. Thanks for the heads up!
Yes, we currently have just one listing under “Sunday Brunch” on our website. We offer free listings for businesses within the Salem city limits on our website; all the business has to do is self-submit their information. The business can also purchase an expanded listing to enhance their presence on our website. We publicize this free business listing as much as possible through the local print and broadcast media, Chamber of Commerce, SEDCOR, Go Downtown!, neighborhood groups, the Oregon Restaurant Association, civic clubs etc. Restaurateurs are extremely busy people. Some of them are owner, chef and chief bottle washer. Connecting with them has been a bit of a challenge but we will continue every effort to engage with them.
Whoa! What did I say, these Travel Salem folks are on top of things. Restaurants, the ball is in your court.
First lines don’t only happen in guidebooks. Here’s my example:
I’ve just deplaned at PDX and have signed for my rental car. I’m eager to get to Salem because I’m moving there. I want to kick it Salem style. New city, new job, new me. I of course have been reading “Desperately Seeking Salem” for weeks. Who doesn’t? So I can’t wait to get into my $29.99/day Ford Focus and hit the road.
Feeling Salem’s mojo calling to me, though, I just have to share it with someone. I tell the lady behind the counter that I’m new to Oregon.
“Really?” she says, “Where you headed?”
“Salem,” I say.
Blank stare.
Another blank stare.
“What’s with the look?” I ask.
“Well,” she says, “Salem’s …. kind of a snooze.”
Mike – unfortunately, you ran across a negative perception about Salem that will take a while to turn around. Notice I said “perception” … the reality is much different. Salem has changed dramatically over the past 5 years and is really experiencing a renaissance. The Salem region features some of the top attractions in the state: one of a kind assets like AC Gilbert’s Discovery Village – in the top 10 children’s museum’s in the world; soils producing the best pinot noirs in the world (overtaking France & Italy); Wings of Wonder, an international butterfly reserve; Black Rock Mountain Bike Park, one of only 3 in the country attracting riders from Germany, Switzerland, etc.; Silver Falls State Park – amazing waterfalls and outdoor recreation; awesome shopping and unique boutiques; arts & culture & festivals like nowhere else – World Beat Festival, ArtFair, Elsinore Theatre, Pentacle Theatre, Hallie Ford Museum of Art (the only one of it’s kind on the west coast), etc. We’re booming and perceptions are changing for the better. Salem is an international destination – and boasts the qualities that make Oregon special. We’re green, progressive and friendly. It’s going to take a while to turn perceptions around – but don’t let the naysayers get you down. Invite them to come see for themselves what a great community and travel destination Salem has become!
Angie Morris, Travel Salem
following me @AbsolutelyAngie and @TravelSalem
Thanks for the rundown, Angie — my list of to-dos is growing and growing! — but don’t you believe for a minute that I took my rental car lady’s opinion as gospel. No way, no how. I’m stoked to be relocating to Salem.
Besides, when it comes to cities with reputations to overcome, Salem doesn’t have it half as bad as, say, my hometown does. I’m originally from Cleveland.
While I like hearing from the Travel Salem folks and all they are doing to help turn around perceptions, it takes the buy-in and momentum created by residents to really fire up a city. Recently there have been some efforts in this direction (i.e. Cherry City Music Festival, Salem Now! events, etc.) to make a mark and create something unique. I saw the title of a blog post today (no disrespect to the blogger, and I’m just using this as an example:), that encapsulated, what I see as the self-image problem that we have here. The title of the post? “July 1st Wednesday Impresses our Portland Friends.” Not to be snarky – but, whoooooo cares? Until Salemites stop comparing the city to the one up north, it’s gonna be hard to find something to hold on to and call our own.
I agree with Rachel. With all due respect to Ross, who wrote that blog title, and who is a major cultural force unto himself, Salem doesn’t need individuals doing its PR beyond the people who are getting paid to do it (I keep waiting for my check from the Chamber of Commerce, but it has yet to arrive). It needs good, honest, content that tells it like it is.
Funny, I seem to remember my sister’s Princeton Review from 1993 describing college campuses divided into the rubric: “Campus Like Eden” and “Campus Like Cleveland.”
[...] it all wrong!). It’s a pretty sexy little information stand, a major improvement over the temporary location at the Mission Mill [...]