The town of Mt. Angel’s Bavarian heritage is celebrated at the annual, world-renowned Oktoberfest, where polka and brats attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each September, making it the biggest folk festival in the Northwest. Award-winning Wiener schnitzel, bratwurst and knockwurst are on the menu year-round at the Mt. Angel Sausage Company.

The hilltop Mount Angel Abbey is home to a Benedictine monastery with a light-flooded library designed by renowned Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, as well as an eccentric museum and a July annual Bach Festival. Nearby Silverton’s quaint downtown beckons with cozy cafes, antique stores and unique shops. Colorful murals celebrating local history grace historic buildings downtown.

The nearby Gallon House Covered Bridge, named for the “white lightening” whiskey that was sold to Silverton residents during prohibition, spans Abiqua Creek and is a fan favorite stop for photos.

The 80-acre Oregon Garden features themed plantings, outdoor sculpture and even a pint-size Children’s Garden; stroll or hop the tram for a narrated tour. The Oregon Garden offers more than a garden with the Gordon House, the only house in Oregon designed by the legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright. For something a bit wilder, check out the waterfalls and old-growth forests at Silver Falls State Park. The dizzying 177-foot South Falls are the highlight of the Trail of Ten Falls, winding through a canyon of Douglas fir, hemlock, cedar, ferns and native plants. East Marion County is also home to a handful of small wineries, including Pudding River Wine Cellars, where you’ll find boutique-style wines. Detour to the Stayton-Jordan Covered Bridge in in Stayton’s Pioneer Park, a storied landmark that’s a favorite of local photographers. Fill a picnic basket with locally grown goodness to enjoy in the park. The Sublimity Harvest Festival, held the weekend after Labor Day, celebrates the end of the farm season with a fun run, monster trucks and live entertainment. Head up the Santiam River Canyon, along Highway 22, to Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area, laced with a network of hiking trails that skirt emerald-hued Opal Creek and the Little North fork of the Santiam River. Farther up the Santiam River Canyon, the 3,500-acre Detroit Lake is a water wonderland for recreational boating, fishing or lounging in the shadow of Mount Jefferson. Oregon Outdoor Excursions guides fishing trips to chase summer steelhead, rainbow trout and chinook salmon. Each guide has a specialty. For a more restful retreat, rejuvenate body and soul at Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat & Conference Center. Nestled into the Willamette National Forest near Detroit, the center has natural hot springs (that visitors may partake of au naturel), a steam sauna and wellness programs.

Mt. Angel Chamber
https://www.mtangelchamber.com/
(503) 845-9291

Silverton Chamber
https://www.silvertonchamber.org/
(503) 873-5615

Sublimity Chamber
http://www.staytonsublimitychamber.org/
(503) 769-3464

Mill City Chamber
https://nschamber.org/
(503) 897-5000

Detroit Lake Recreation Area Business Association
https://stateparks.oregon.gov/
(503) 854-3766
https://www.detroitlakeoregon.org