So you are looking to take a travel assignment to Albany, Oregon with Pamela’s List? That sounds like a fabulous idea! Today I want to share with you a travel guide to assist you with your temporary or permanent move to Albany. We will cover everything from where to stay to where you may buy your groceries and what to do on your time off.
As an experienced travel nurse my first step after accepting an assignment is to find out where I will find a place. I like to look over apps such as Airbnb, Facebook, and Furnished Finder. Sometimes if you are lucky and want to put the hard work in then sometimes you can find one month lease apartments with furnishings. Otherwise I stick to places that are completely furnished. Check out the places below that I found for Albany OR.
Places to Stay
Adorable Modern Tiny House with Private Patio – rents for $1450 per month, entire unit, fully furnished, utilities included, is not pet friendly and ranges from 0.70 to 27 miles to the nearest hospitals.
Furnished room with private bathroom with tub/shower – rents for $750 per month, fully furnished, utilities included, W/D available, is not pet friendly and ranges from 0.40 to 21 miles to the nearest hospitals.
1925 Bungalow studio in Downtown Albany – rents for $1000 per month, entire unit, fully furnished, utilities included, washer/dryer available, is not pet friendly and ranges from 0.10 to 30 miles to the nearest hospitals.
After looking over a few places on Airbnb I saw that prices ranged from $900-$3400 per month. I did not really see anything that I liked or would recommend as Furnished Finder has great options. If you are a traveler with a camper then it looks like Knox Butte & Blue Ox campsites are the highest rating near Albany.
After we find a place to stay and move in, the next step is to usually buy groceries and necessities. If you are anything like me, then you will want to find an Aldi for their cheaper items and maybe a Target or Dollar Tree for other items.
Where to Shop
Heritage Mall: this seems to be the number one spot for your shopping needs. You can shop for clothing, footwear, electronics, crafts, home decor and more from places like Target, Old Navy, and Hobby Lobby.
Historic Downtown Albany: Albany’s vibrant downtown commercial district is home to dozens of local businesses unlike any you’ll find elsewhere. The Albany Antique Mall is a two-story haven for antique-lovers. Emma Downtown sells high-quality women’s’ clothing and home decor, and The Natty Dresser provides menswear, shoes, and hats. Other downtown shops include toys, kids clothing, quilt shops, and art.
Built Oregon: This unique online marketplace has gifts for every interest – from tasty treats made with locally sourced ingredients to guided tour experiences through the state’s most scenic landscapes (and everything in between). While you can’t be with all your loved ones during the pandemic, you can certainly show your love with a piece of Oregon.
Albany also offers national brand stores such as Home Depot, Walmart and Costco. Now that we got our shopping done for necessities, let’s think about some groceries to stock our fridge and pantry with.
Where to Buy Groceries
After researching the top grocery stores around Albany OR, there are two that have the highest rating.
Wheeler Dealer – Wheeler Dealer specializes in discount products and merchandise from various overstock/liquidation resources. To find the best deals, we purchase overstocked inventory & close outs as well as products from a variety of vendors, importers, manufacturers and distributors. We offer thousands of items that continually change as inventory demands fluctuate. In stores, you will find a range of both name brand and generic products including groceries, gifts, housewares, apparel, home & garden supplies, toys & tools (just to name a few) at incredible prices!
Grocery Outlet Bargain Market – “At Grocery Outlet, we love brands. Like, really love them. That’s why we work so hard every day to bring our customers the brands they love at prices that are nothing short of pure bliss. In fact, we’ve been helping customers save big since 1946. That’s when our founder Jim Read opened his very first store, selling military surplus at deep discount prices.”
Whew grocery shopping is tiring. I am not sure about you, but once I get the groceries unloaded and put away I am ready to either order GrubHub or go out to eat. Here are the top restaurants to order from in Albany OR.
Where to Eat
Novak’s Hungarian Restaurant – Casual, brick-lined bistro spotlighting Hungarian dishes made with locally sourced ingredients.
Sybaris – Elegant & roomy bistro serving locally sourced & artfully presented New American dishes.
Vault 244 Bistro – Chic New American bistro & bar offering small plates, craft cocktails & live music in historic digs.
Albany also offers national chain food restaurants such as Wendy’s, Panda Express, Taco Bell, McDonalds, Arbys, and Dairy Queen to name a few.
Congratulations! You survived your first week of work and have time to relax, unwind and explore Albany. Here are a few things that the locals say are “must haves”.
What to Do
The Historic Carousel and Museum – Founded in 2004, the Historic Carousel and Museum is creating a world class carousel complex in downtown Albany that will draw visitors from around the world and contribute to the economic revitalization of historic downtown Albany. Our permanent home is completed. We opened our doors to our wonderful carousel on August 15th, 2017. Visit us and you can watch our carvers and painters at work, and enjoy browsing our gift shop. Our facility offers rooms for birthday and party rentals. Fully handicap accessible. Call us today to schedule a tour. Carousel rides are $2.00 a ride. Tours and admission is free.
Waverly Lake Park – One review by a local, Wills states, “Lots of good parking, walking, areas to easily fish and lay on the lake bank to relax and soak up some rays. I enjoyed this lake in my childhood and now as an adult. I had an uncle who used to live on the lake when I was a child and we’d feed the ducks and geese of which there are still many. You can rent paddle boat and have a blast.”
Talking Water Gardens – In 2010, the cities of Albany and Millersburg joined with metals manufacturer ATI to create an engineered water treatment wetland called Talking Water Gardens. Inspired by the environment, the wetland cells mimic the cleansing and cooling processes that occur in nature, returning treated water safely back to the Willamette River.
Downtown Historic District – The Downtown Historic District is one of four Historic Districts in Albany, Oregon. The District includes restored building dating back to the 1860s. The Buildings are fill with unique businesses including restaurants, retail shops, and an historic theater.
Hoffman Bridge – A quaint whitewashed covered bridge that was built in 1936.
Splatterbox – Come for the paint, stay for the nostalgia. The 90’s are back! Black lights, music, and paint, lots of paint. Create a canvas design, custom shirt, or just let loose in this one of a kind paint throwing studio.
Springhill Cellars Winery – a small family-owned winery producing award-winning Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris in the heart of Oregon’s beautiful Willamette Valley.
Midway Farms – Midway Farms is located in the heart of the Willamette Valley, in Oregon. Walking into the farm store you’ll be delighted by an assortment of homemade goodies. All the best farm life can provide. Fresh fruits & veggies along with homemade jams, salsa, pickles, gluten-free baked goods and more. Using techniques including organic methods, eco-farming, permaculture, sustainability, and small scale agriculture, Midway Farms has been pioneering a new standard of farming since 1998.
Pix Theatre – Single-screen movie theater showing first-run releases & serving beer, wine & pizzas.
The Cosmic Lounge/Lakeshore Lanes – this is the place for all your bowling, mini golf and arcade games. Don’t forget to check out their snack spot and bar.
As you can see Albany OR appears to be a nice hole in the wall type of place, with wineries and a good time waiting to happen. If you decide to get out and explore further from your apartment then you are sure to come across multiple wineries and beautiful scenery.
The Albany Experience
Albany is well-placed in Oregon’s farm-to-fork experience. Their proximity to rich farmlands, sustainably grown crops and naturally raised livestock have attracted award-winning chefs whose creations compliment local vintners, distillers, and craft-brew artisans.
Albany is a history and architecture lover’s destination. Their four historic districts include styles from the 1840s through the late 1920s.
Ready to take your next travel assignment with Pamela’s List for the beautiful and relaxing sites of Albany Oregon? Head over here to register now.
Thoughts from an Experienced Travel Nurse
Being a young woman in my early 30’s I view Albany OR as a breath of fresh air. It really gets you out of the hustle and bustle of a city and rejuvenates your sense of nature and experience of small community living. Personally for my taste it has everything I need, from Target to Breweries to a fun paint splatter bar that looks like it would be my go to spot for a fun time. Hopefully you’ll find what you need in the heart of Albany OR.
