Brownsville is the perfect base-camp for birding, bicycling, hiking, fishing, painting or photographing, Sunday drives, geocaching , touring historic homes, and while visiting friends and family in the area.

BIRDING

The Audubon Society of Corvallis organizes field trips in the valley, the local Christmas bird count, and monitors sightings. Wood ducks love our historic millrace and when the water is low in the summer, belted kingfishers and herons have a field day. See www.audubon.corvallis.or.us

FARMERS MARKET

During the growing season Brownsville's Farmers Market offers a nice variety of fresh produce for the community. You can find the Farmers Market right next to Randy's Main Street Coffee on Main Street.

BICYCLING

Brownsville is on the new Oregon State Scenic Bikeway which stretches from Portland to Eugene and, with two comfortable Bed and Breakfasts, is an excellent over-night stop halfway along the route. Or you can cool down in several small parks with public restrooms.

Miles and miles of country roads also beckon bicyclists. Connect with Oregon Parks and Recreation for map of the Oregon State Scenic Bikeway.

HIKING AND ANGLING

Some of the most amazing forests, rivers, and mountains in the Northwest are within a 30 minute drive from Brownsville. The nearby Calapooia River is a haven for winter steelhead and spring Chinook runs.. The neighboring Willamette National Forest is home to some of the best waterfalls, crystal clear mountain lakes, river recreation, and hiking , all within an easy drive. Go to the Willamette National Forest to plan your outdoor adventures. One of our local eateries can even pack you a picnic to take along!

GEOCACHING

Grab your GPS, your water bottle, and hiking boots. There are 18 geocache sites in the Brownsville area, some easy to find, some darned near impossible. Use Brownsville lodging as a basecamp to find them all.

Check www.geocaching.com for the 18 geocache sites in the Brownsville area.

ARTS AND ARTISTS

Rhoda Fleischman (fine ceramics) Wendy Hoffman (jewelry and beads), and Alice Tetamore (watercolors) are three artists living in Brownsville who are listed on the OregonCrafted Arts Trail. All three, and more, welcome visitors to their studios. Call the Chamber of Commerce at (541) 466-5709 for studio addresses.

STAND-BY-ME

Remember the classic 1986 rites-of-passage movie "Stand by Me”?  It was filmed in Brownsville and by following our walking tour map, you can visit the hot spots where the action took place. Click on the movie database to re-live the movie.

OVER THE RIVERS AND THROUGH THE WOODS SCENIC BYWAY

For a lovely day drive through a landscape that changes from farmland to foothills to ancient mountain peaks, follow the Over the Rivers and through the Woods Scenic Byway,

See the Sweet Home Byways site, the Travel Oregon site, and the National Byways site for more information.

Box lunches to-go are available from our local eateries.

HISTORIC HOMES

Brownsville is one of the oldest communities in Oregon and we have a wonderful collection of historic homes and buildings spanning architectural styles from the mid-1800s to modern day. A free walking tour map is available at the Linn County Historical Museum.

HISTORIC CEMETERY

The Brownsville Cemetery on a lovely hill east of town is a fascinating site with vistas of the Calapooia Valley. Stories of pioneer families’ lives and those of the last remaining Native people can be read on the tombstones.

PIONEER PARK

Picture a picnic or a stroll in the Park dotted with ancient maple trees and tucked into a bend in the Calapooia River. The Park is just a hop, skip, and a jump from downtown. Our Fourth of July fireworks in the Park is one of the best small town celebrations in the Willamette Valley. A regulation-sized croquet court is located in the park and the Calapooia Croquet Club welcomes all players.