Overview
Monmouth is a small city in the Willamette Valley Region of Oregon. The population is about 11,000 (2019).
2 sights · 3 things to do · 2 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Monmouth
Western Oregon University
This beautiful campus is ideal for walking. The campus contains many historical buildings, including Campbell Hall, which dates 1871. There are many trees on campus as well, including a Giant Sequoia planted by the gradu…
Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site
Polk County Bounty Market-Monmouth
This farmer's market is an excellent place to buy local produce. It is also one of the best ways to experience the local farming culture of the Willamette Valley.
4th of July Festival
Monmouth and Independence's Fourth of July celebration lasts three days and offers many different activities. A parade starts from WOU at noon and travels all the way to Riverview Park in Independence. Local vendors of a…
Monmouth Music in the Park Series
This is an excellent way to discover local bands. Music is very diverse, including many worldwide cultural styles as well as classical American country and jazz music.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 82°F; winter lows dip to about 36°F. Wettest: Dec and Nov. (climate data from nearby Portland)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SLE Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field, Salem — 12 mi away. Directions
- EUG Eugene Airport, Eugene — 50 mi away. Directions
- PDX Portland International Airport, Portland — 60 mi away (major hub). Directions
From Salem, head west on Highway 22 for about nine miles, until you reach the junction with Highway 99 West. Go south on 99 until you reach Monmouth, then turn right onto Main Street to reach the city center.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Western Oregon University, Sarah Helmick State Recreation Site, Polk County Bounty Market-Monmouth
- Lunch Yeasty Beasty
- Afternoon 4th of July Festival, Monmouth Music in the Park Series
- Dinner Koyote Tacos
- Evening The Sippery
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
There are a few local restaurants of decently pretty good quality on main street, as well as fast food restaurants (mostly on 99) if you're looking for a quicker option.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Pioneers settled Monmouth in 1853 and quickly established a college in the town. Western Oregon University, or WOU (which has held six other names), still exists, giving Monmouth a unique spirit for a town of its small size. Monmouth was known for being the last dry town in Oregon until 2002, when alcohol was legalized by referendum. Since then, Monmouth business has thrived with the opening of many new restaurants and stores who rely on alcohol (mostly beer) sales to survive.
Monmouth is a politically mixed city, and people are mostly accepting of different demographics, since many international students attend WOU. Most of the politicians elected in Monmouth and Polk County are relatively moderate, regardless of their party.
Monmouth is recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA.
Get in
By car
From Salem, head west on Highway 22 for about nine miles, until you reach the junction with Highway 99 West. Go south on 99 until you reach Monmouth, then turn right onto Main Street to reach the city center.
From Corvallis, simply head North on 99 for about a half hour, then turn left onto Main Street when you reach Monmouth.
By bus
There are several bus stops along Main Street in Monmouth. The town is served by the CARTS40 line, which provides service to Dallas, Salem, and Monmouth's neighbor Independence. The buses stop five times a day between about 6:30AM and 6:30PM.
Get around
On foot
Most of Monmouth is easily accessible on foot. The distance from one side of town to the other is only about 1.5 miles, of which less than a mile is occupied by the business district. There are good quality sidewalks on the main streets.
By bicycle
The main streets of Monmouth are also accessible by bicycle, though many lack assigned bike lanes.
Trolley
A trolley-bus (operating on wheels, not a track) runs on a continuous loop between Monmouth and the connecting city of Independence. Rides are free and stop approximately every 15 minutes.
See
Do
Do Polk County Bounty Market-Monmouth
This farmer's market is an excellent place to buy local produce. It is also one of the best ways to experience the local farming culture of the Willamette Valley.
Do 4th of July Festival
Monmouth and Independence's Fourth of July celebration lasts three days and offers many different activities. A parade starts from WOU at noon and travels all the way to Riverview Park in Independence. Local vendors of art and other products create a small town atmosphere in Main Street Park, while various bands of diverse styles play in the background. Down by the river in Independence there are carnival concessions and rides, along with locally famous fireworks shows on the 5th and 5th which are attended by over ten thousand people.
Do Monmouth Music in the Park Series
This is an excellent way to discover local bands. Music is very diverse, including many worldwide cultural styles as well as classical American country and jazz music.
Buy
Almost all shops and businesses are located on Main Street and Highway 99.
Shop Monmouth Hardware
This shop carries any basic hardware item you might need, as well as home improvement services.
Groceries
To find a full grocery store, you will have to drive about five minutes east to Roth's or Winco in Independence. However, Bi-Mart (On 99 entering Monmouth from the south) offers some non-perishable foods as well as hardware and electronics.
Eat
There are a few local restaurants of decently pretty good quality on main street, as well as fast food restaurants (mostly on 99) if you're looking for a quicker option.
Eat Yeasty Beasty
This restaurant makes excellent pizza from mostly local ingredients. Yeasty Beasty is also famous for its wide selection of Pacific Northwest microbrews.
Eat Koyote Tacos
Koyote Tacos is a good place to go for pretty good quality food that is served quickly. It is also a good restaurant for people with limited funds, and is by far the best restaurant for its price in Monmouth.
Drink
Drink The Sippery
coffee shop also selling food and beer.
Drink Hazel’s on Main
This wine bar is attended by more Monmouth residents than college students. It also serves craft beers.
Sleep
Go next
- Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge is a bird refuge with several short hiking trails and a viewpoint of the valley from Mount Baldy. It is a few miles north of town via 99 and Coville Road.
- Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge is another refuge popular with birds. Ankeny is located in a natural swamp habitat filled with ash trees and frogs. It is located east of town across the Willamette River.
- Falls City, a small village nestled in the Coast Range west of Monmouth, offers views of the Luckiamute River and its waterfalls. It is also the gateway to a few Coast Range hiking trails.
Nearby
Salem
City / town · 45 listings · 11 mi away
Albany
City / town · 41 listings · 17 mi away
Corvallis
City / town · 54 listings · 19 mi away
Grand Ronde
City / town · 5 listings · 24 mi away
Silverton
City / town · 5 listings · 24 mi away
McMinnville
City / town · 8 listings · 25 mi away
Mt. Angel
City / town · 11 listings · 26 mi away
Woodburn
City / town · 11 listings · 27 mi away
My experience
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