Understand
[edit]The town was first known as Marysville, but was later changed to Corvallis in 1857, which meant "heart of the valley" in Latin. Nestled at the foothills of the Coastal Mountain Range, Corvallis residents enjoy a multitude of mountain biking trails in their own backyard.
People from around the world are drawn to Corvallis to attend Oregon State University. Corvallis has a history of excellence in regard to education; the Corvallis School District continually has some of the highest Scholastic Aptitude Test(SAT) scores in the nation. Corvallis has the highest education level and the second highest income level in the state. Corvallis is the birthplace of Hewlett-Packard's computer inkjet printing process and was home to Nobel Prize-winner, Linus Pauling. The computer mouse was invented by a graduate of Oregon State University. Corvallis also spawned Randy Couture, who is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame.
Get in
[edit]
Map of Corvallis (Oregon)
By plane
[edit]- 1 Corvallis Municipal Airport (CVO IATA), 5695 SW Airport Ave (approx. 5 mi [8 km] south of downtown off OR-99W), ☏ +1 541-766-6783, [email protected]. This airport serves as a general aviation airport with no commercial passenger service.
The nearest airports for commercial passenger flights are available from/to:
- Portland International Airport (PDX IATA) is located 96.4 mi or 155.1 km (1¾-2 hours) north via I-5 and I-205. Groome Transportation runs approx. every 90 minutes with a scheduled travel time of 2½ hours to Portland for those traveling without a private car.
- Eugene Airport (EUG IATA) is 34.6 mi or 55.7 km (45 minutes) south of Corvallis on OR-99W/OR-99 with fewer commercial flights than to Portland. Options for getting from Eugene Airport to Corvallis are limited and expensive for those traveling without a car.
By car
[edit]By car, Corvallis is about 1½ hours (83.6 mi or 134.5 km) south of Portland, almost an hour (42.4 mi or 68.2 km) north of Eugene, and 45 minutes (34.8 mi or 56.0 km) south of Salem, the state capital.
Philomath Blvd/Corvallis–Newport Highway connects Corvallis to Newport 49 mi (79 km) west. It follows Pacific Hwy (OR-99W) through town and then onto 2nd St from NW Harrison Blvd, alongside the Willamette River, towards Albany, 11 mi (18 km) northeast. It is another 125 mi (201 km) (2.5 - 3 hrs) east on US Hwy 20 from Albany to Bend. For going towards Bend it is more a straight shot to go 19 mi (31 km) east on OR-34 (see below) to Lebanon and get on US Hwy 20 from Lebanon towards Bend.
OR-34/OR-210/Corvallis–Lebanon Highway From Interstate 5, Corvallis is located 10 mi (16 km) west of Exit 228 "Lebanon/Corvallis"along OR-34/OR-210. As you approach from the east you will cross a bridge which leads you into downtown Corvallis on NW Harrison Blvd. If you're leaving town, follow NW Van Buren Ave eastbound to get onto OR-34/OR-210. You can also turn left at the last light before the bridge, indicated by a sign saying "Oregon Coast/Reser Stadium," then take the exit that says Eugene/Junction City and that will take you into Philomath Blvd (US-20) at the southern edge of Corvallis to avoid the narrow one way streets in town.
OR-99W goes through town as Pacific Highway W, serving as the main north-south thoroughfare through town between Eugene and Portland. OR-99 splits into OR-99E and OR-99W at Junction City, 15 mi (24 km) north of Eugene. In town, Pacific Hwy W splits into adjacent one-way streets for each direction but with the same name.
By train
[edit]The closest Amtrak station is Albany, some 15 minutes north by car. Some shuttle bus services are available. You can use Linn-Benton loop bus from downtown Corvallis to go to Albany. This service is not provided after 7 on weekdays and on Sunday.
By bus
[edit]- 2 Benton Area Transit (BAT), 1245 NE 3rd St (from NW 9th St, turn east on NW Cornell Ave and cross under Pacific Hwy W (OR-99W), continuing until it becomes NE Waterworks St), ☏ +1 541-766-6700, toll-free: +1 800-735-2900, fax: +1 541-766-6951. M–F 8:00AM–5:30PM. Bus service to rural Benton County outside of Corvallis and also the Coast to Valley Express (NW Connector) route from Albany to Newport on US-20 with a stop in Corvallis; within the city they operate the free 99 Express route to Adair Village via Hwy 99W. $4, $5 to Newport (one-way).
- 3 Greyhound, 100-198 SW 5th St (SW 5th St between Madison Ave & Jefferson Ave), toll-free: +1 800-231-2222. Travels primarily on Interstate 5 between Portland and Sacramento via Salem, Corvallis, Eugene, Boseburg, Grants Pass, Medford, Weed, Redding, Red Bluff, Chico and/or Oroville. They no longer operate a bus station so only curbside stops are available. Tickets must be pre-purchased & printed online or loaded in their mobile app.
- 4 FlixBus US, 200 SW 15th St (just north of the SW Jefferson Way intersection, across from the OSU College of Education at Furman Hall), toll-free: +1 855-626-8585. Travels primarily on Interstate 5 between Seattle and Eugene via Tacoma, Olympia, Portland and Salem. There is no bus station so only curbside stops are available. Tickets must be pre-purchased & printed online or loaded in their mobile app.
- 5 Groome Transportation (formerly Hut and Oregon Express Shuttle), 2500 SW Western Blvd (stops at the Hilton Garden Inn (OSU)), ☏ +1 541-207-0493, toll-free: +1 877-693-3785. 7AM–10PM daily. Direct shuttle service to/from Portland International Airport (PDX) for most hours of the day at roughly 90 min intervals. $54.
Get around
[edit]- Corvallis Transit System (CTS) runs all over Corvallis and is free, allowing for quick, fareless, and efficient transportation to anywhere in town. Buses are available on weekdays and Saturdays but on Sundays no public transport is available.
Car rental is available from:
- 6 Hertz Car Rental, 1746 NW 9th St (in front of the Comfort Suites and Best Western on the west side of the street, between Walmart/Office Max and Trader Joe's/Michaels), ☏ +1 541-758-4101, toll-free: +1 800-654-3131. M–F 8AM–5PM, Sat 9AM–Noon. A "Neighborhood" location not attached to a travel hub or dealership, thus having a limited fleet; make reservations no less than a week in advance for any vehicles outside of the norms. Non-discounted prices range from $60/day for compact (e.g. Ford Focus) to $160/day for medium SUV (e.g. Nissan Pathfinder), with the most common model a Mazda 3-Series sedan for $101/day, on average.
- 7 Enterprise Rent-A-Car, 1414 NW 9th St (between the Elks Lodge and Domino's Pizza on the west side of the street), ☏ +1 541-758-0000, toll-free: +1 855-266-9289. M–F 8AM–5PM, Sa–Su 8AM–2PM. A small, standalone office not affiliated with a hub or dealership, with a comparably small fleet size to Hertz, albeit with more diversity. Non-discounted prices range from $60/day for mid-size sedan (e.g. Toyota Corolla) to $150/day for the premium SUV (e.g. Audi Q5); usually at least one 8-passenger SUV available for $250–$300/day (e.g. Ford Expedition Max). Typical rental is a full-size sedan for $105/day, on average.
See
[edit]- 1 Oregon State University (between 14th and 30th and South of Monroe St.), 1500 SW Jefferson Way, ☏ +1 541-737-1000. Oregon State has a beautiful picturesque campus with many historic buildings, some of which are more than a century old. Make sure to check out the Memorial Union building and Dixon rec center located in the middle of campus just off of 25th and Campus Way. The sports programs are also a great attraction and a good way to spend a day.
- 2 Benton County Courthouse, 4th St. Hopefully you can visit this courthouse for pleasure and not because you have to. This courthouse, in downtown Corvallis, was built in 1888 and is the oldest active courthouse in the state of Oregon.
- 3 Avery Park and Natural Area, 1200 SW Avery Park Dr (south of downtown, just off of Philomath Blvd (US-20) on the west side of the Willamette River Bridge; turn south on 15th St and cross over the Marys River into the park), ☏ +1 541-766-6918, [email protected]. 8AM–10PM daily. One of Corvallis' most popular parks, there are several playground structures and picnic shelters throughout the 75 acre grounds as well as a historic locomotive, an art sculpture that resembles dinosaur bones and the Rose Garden with over 250 varieties of roses (full bloom in mid-June). Free.
- 4 Fort Hoskins Historical Park, 38150 Ft. Hoskins Rd, Philomath, ☏ +1 541-766-6871. Dawn to dusk.
Do
[edit]- 1 DaVinci Days, 110 SW 53rd St. Summer festival that has been growing by leaps and bounds every year. A festival focused on science. Includes a kinetic sculpture race through mud, water, and dry land. Also an independent film festival.
- Fall Festival. This festival has been happening in Corvallis for years. Happens the first weekend after the University term begins. Located in a park downtown includes crafts and music.
- Saturday Market. Head downtown to the waterfront on Saturdays for a local Farmer's Market that includes many organic options. Berries in Oregon are a can't miss treat.
- Darkside Theater, 215 SW 4th St, ☏ +1 541-752-4161. Although Corvallis is a small community the people support independent thought and movies.
- Corvallis Riverwalk. Enjoy a lovely walk along the Willamette River.
- Biking and hiking.
- OSU Sporting Events. Many sports to choose from. In particular, if you've never been to an American Football game then attending a Beaver football game might be fun. The game day atmosphere on campus is absolutely electric. Buying tickets in advance may be advisable.
- Walk the OSU Campus.
- Movie theaters The best places to go for blockbusters are the Carmike Cinemas or the Regal Cinemas on 9th street. If you bring your student ID you can get in to either location for $6. There is also the Dark Side Cinema downtown, which offers more challenging fare in a small theater setting.
- 2 Whiteside Theatre, 361 SW Madison Ave.
Buy
[edit]- Miss Meers (next to Noah's Bagles on 4th and Madison). An upper class shoe store that sells a variety of brands like BCBG Girls, Nine West, and Two Lips.
- Kaari K, 3rd (between Madison and Monroe). An upper class clothing store, a lot like TBD at Nordstroms. They have great brand names like Juicy Couture, Seven For All Mankind, C&C, and Paige Denim.
- OSU Student Store. Everything you need to be a Beaver fan along with a large selection of books.
- Burst's Chocolates. Burst's Chocolates specializes in handmade small-batch gourmet chocolates. Made fresh in Oregon, they are a premium gift for any occasion.
- Taking It Home, 425 SW Madison Ave (between Starbucks & Noah's Bagels in the same shopping center on 4th & Madison), ☏ +1 541-752-6452. 10AM - 5:30PM. A high-end home interiors shop. Merchandise includse clocks and canvases, Tag dishware & linens, handbags, Michele soaps & stationery, Root candles, and jewelry.
Groceries
[edit]- First Alternative Co-op. At 2 locations
- 1007 SE 3rd
- 29th & Grant
- Fred Meyer. On Kings Blvd
- Market of Choice. At the corner of Circle Blvd and 9th
- Rice N' Spice. Asian groceries on Van Buren
- Safeway.
- Winco Foods. On Walnut Blvd
Eat
[edit]Budget
[edit]Nearly any fast food restaurant you are looking for can be found on 9th St. Corvallis also has many pizza delivery services and restaurants. Some notable local venues are: Cirrelos Pizza, Woodstocks Pizza, Endzone Pizza Bar, American Dream Pizza, Pizza Pipeline, and The Pizza Pedler.
- Bento Oriental Express, 1425 NW Monroe Ave. # F on the corner of 14th and Monroe. Good, Cheap Japanese bento. They do not take debit cards. They also serve authentic Chinese food.
- La Rockita. Burritos, fast, good.
- Local Boyz Hawaiian Cafe. Excellent Hawaiian food. Across the street from OSU Campus on Monroe street.
- Shogun Bowl, 2461 NW Monroe Ave ('across from the campus). Cheap Japanese food
- Taco Uruapan. Authentic Mexican.
- Thai Chili. Excellent Thai Restaurant. Right across the street from Campus on Monroe street.
- University Hero. Sandwich shop makes fresh bread everyday (wheat or white).
- Yogurt Extreme. A fun frozen yogurt shop next to Market of Choice and on Monroe street across from OSU.
Mid-range
[edit]- Alpine Bakery. French.
- American Dream Pizza. The most popular pizza establishment in town, this restaurant has two locations (locations below). In the evenings be prepared for long lines downtown. Order pizza by the slice or for the family. The best chocolate chip cookies for only $.75, or 3 for $2.
- 214 SW 2nd St, +1 541 753-7373. Outside rooftop seating with full service after 4:30PM, in the summer, weather permitting.
- 2525 NW Monroe Ave, +1 541 757-1713
- Aomatsu Sushi & Grill, 122 NW 3rd St., ☏ +1 541 752-1410. Lunch M-F 11:30AM-2:30PM, dinner M-Sa 5-10PM, closed Sunday. Sushi and Korean BBQ. Good happy-hour specials after 8:30PM..
- Block 15. Brew pub with high-quality bar food at 300 SW Jefferson (3rd & Jefferson).
- Bomb's Away Cafe. A unique blend of Mexican and Cajun, this hip restaurant is a favorite among the locals. Go to the BACRoom for a 4-table bar and privacy.
- Cloud and Kelly's Public House, 126 SW 1st St, ☏ +1 541 753-9900. Excellent Irish-style food with regular music events.
- El Sol de Mexico. The best Mexican food in corvallis. On Garfield and 9th Street just north of Grant.
- Evergreen. A quaint Indian restaurant serving buffet in the afternoon for only $5.95 (load up!).
- Interzone (16th and Monroe). Small family-owned organic coffee shop that serves organic vegetarian and vegan food. Breakfast till 2PM with a larger menu on Sa Su. Great for people watching too.
- Riverview Mongolian Grill, 1st St. Asian buffet.
- Squirrel's Tavern, 100 SW 2nd St, ☏ +1 541 753-8057. Awesome burgers, including a great vegetarian option, the Sun Burger. Great fries, as well. Low-key, slightly "divey" atmosphere. One of Corvallis' better pubs, with outdoor seating.
Splurge
[edit]Castor 541-231-3322 458 SW Madison Ave Southern-style plates with seasonal ingredients served in a cool, modern space with vintage accents.
Drink
[edit]Sports bars
[edit]- Clodfelters (Right next to Oregon State University). Good sports bar feel. Huge crowds after different college sporting events. Its big night is Wednesdays, which is "Pint Night". During this night, a different beer is featured (such as Fat Tire, or Heff), free pint glasses. Starts at 7PM and 9PM.
- The Endzone. A very big place with lots of room. Known primarily as a sports bar with pool tables and dancing. Great place to go and have fun.
- The Upper Deck Pub (Corvallis Sports Park), 175 SW Twin Oaks Cir, ☏ +1 541 757-0776. Sports bar with seats looking over an indoor soccer field. Local gathering place for Portland Timbers supporters.
Dance clubs
[edit]- Cantina, 1110 NE 2nd St. in Corvallis.
- This is another popular dance club. It's known for its Saturday night 1980s mix/Ladies' night. It is combined with Señor Sam's Mexican restaurant. Another great place to get your "groove on."
- AJ's, 137 SW 2nd St.
- This is a great small place to go and have fun. On Tuesdays they offer some fun games with prizes (usually a bingo or something of that sort).
Alternative & dives
[edit]- Crowbar, 214 SW 2nd St. As part of American Dream Pizza. Enter through the pizza parlor, or from the alley. Nice, small bar with happy hour after 11PM. Very chill, having somewhat of a romantic feel.
- Downward Dog, 2305 NW Monroe Ave, ☏ +1 541 207-3530. College bar across the street from the OSU campus. Lots of outdoor seating with a cozy interior.
- Squirrels (2nd & Monroe). Outdoor patio and 2 floors of music, good beer and cheap appetizers (.50!). Occasionally has shows with pool on the 2nd floor. Local favorite.
Other
[edit]- Sanchos (15th and Monroe, upstairs). This is more of a Mexican restaurant- bar mix. A smaller place, but still fun. It's known for dollar tequilla shots every night until eleven. One of the few places in town that will do flaming drinks, with a minimum purchase.
Sleep
[edit]- Corvallis Inn & Conference Center, 1550 NW 9th St, ☏ +1 541 753-9151.
- Courtyard Inn, 2435 NW Harrison Blvd, ☏ +1 541 754-7136.
- Days Inn, 1113 NW 9th St, ☏ +1 541 754-7474.
- Hilton Garden Inn, 2500 SW Western Blvd, ☏ +1 541 752-5000.
- Holiday Inn Express, 781 NE 2nd St, ☏ +1 541 752-0800.
- Camping is available in nearby Albany
- The Hanson Country Inn, 795 SW Hanson St, ☏ +1 541 752-2919.
Cope
[edit]- For some basic auto needs, you can always go to Les Schwab which is on circle and 9th.
- 1 Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, 3600 NW Samaritan Dr, ☏ +1 541-768-5111. 24 hr. Main lobbyː 5AM-8PM.
Go next
[edit]- Marys Peak, the highest peak in Oregon's Coast range, is about 15 miles west of town and has good hiking and biking.
- McDonald Forest is a research forest operated by OSU. Peavy Arboretum, off HWY 99, is a popular hiking spot.
- Chip Ross, a hilly open-space, good for hiking. North of town, adjacent to McDonald Forest.
- Bald Hill has popular walking paths and trails with great vistas. Adjacent to the fairgrounds, west of town.
- Avery Park, a large city park with picnic areas, ball fields, a rose garden, and play structures. Kids like the 'dinosaur bones' and historic train.
- Willamette Park is a city park just south of town, along the Willamette river. Includes soccer fields, boat landings, primitive campgrounds, and a disc golf course.
- Trysting Tree Golf Course is a public course operated by OSU.
| Routes through Corvallis |
| Newport ← Toledo ← | W  E
|
→ Albany → Bend |
| Waldport ← Siuslaw National Forest ← | W  E
|
→ Jct  at Exit #228 → Lebanon
|
| McMinnville ← Monmouth ← | N  S
|
→ merges onto  in Junction City → Eugene
|