Albany sits at the confluence of the Calapooia and Willamette rivers in the heart of Oregon's fertile Willamette Valley. As the Linn County seat, it's one of the oldest cities in the state, and its downtown is packed with beautifully preserved Victorian-era buildings — more than 700 historic structures spread across four distinct heritage districts. The Monteith Historic District and the Hackleman Historic District are the heart of this, and together they form one of the most impressive concentrations of 19th-century architecture in the Pacific Northwest.
The Thomas and Walter Monteith House, built in 1849, is the oldest surviving frame house in the city and now serves as a museum. The Whitespires church with its twin Gothic spires is Albany's most photographed building. Monteith Riverpark along the Willamette hosts summer festivals and connects the historic core to the water.
The surrounding area is famous for its covered bridges, with more than 30 scattered across Linn County alone — one of the highest concentrations in the western United States. The Linn County Covered Bridges Tour takes a half-day or full-day by car and passes through some of the prettiest farmland in the Willamette Valley. Albany also hosts a well-regarded antiques scene centred on the historic downtown.