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Eevaluator · 11-21-2007, 07:26 AM

Hi,

Salem is a great place to visit.

You don’t say how old your children are. If they are young, you’ll be glad to know most everything in Salem is family friendly.

March in Salem can be chilly, if not down-right cold. Snow is not unknown. Many tourist attractions don’t open until April or May. There is still plenty to see and do in March, but there’s more in the late spring, summer, and October (Salem lives for Halloween).

As you may have heard, Salem is Witch City. That might seem a bit disrespectful given we hung 19, crushed one, and allowed five to die incarcerated during the hysteria of 1692, but given all the witchy stuff in town, you’ll have to conclude the witches won in the end.

Witch City is about 16 miles north of Boston. You can get here from Boston by commuter rail, the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority), also known as “the T.” It is about a half an hour ride. From Salem Depot, where the T will drop you, it is few minutes by foot to the heart of downtown. Trains for Salem leave Boston’s North Station regularly from about 5:00 a.m. to midnight.

The drive from Boston to Salem is also about a half an hour. Take I-93 to I-95 to route 128. Exit 128 on Route 114 (Peabody) and follow the signs to Salem. Park in the city garage at Museum Place Mall. Almost everything in Salem is within walking distance and on-street parking is a royal pain. (We live off parking tickets.)

You can also get to Salem by Ferry. Unfortunately, it shuts down after Halloween (Salem’s Mardi Gras) until late May. The trip is about 45 minutes across Massachusetts Bay. It’s a pretty ride. You catch the ferry out of Boston at the New England Aquarium.

The first place you should visit is the Salem Visitor Center. The U.S. Park Service runs it. It is right across the street from the city garage and the Essex-Peabody Museum. There’s a free movie and lots of free material, including a map. (That’s how we tell the tourists. They all carry the map.)

The Essex-Peabody is the third largest museum in New England. You and your kids should enjoy it.

The House of Seven Gables is another must. (Nathaniel Hawthorne was a Salem native.) It is a few blocks from the ferry stop on one side and the maritime museum on the other. Here is its website:

Also, don’t miss the Salem Witch Museum just off the common (the city park). It is the most popular attraction in Salem.

The visitor center, Essex-Peabody, House of Seven Gables, maritime museum, and witch museum are open year round.

The best hotels in town are the Hawthorne and the Waterfront Hotel on Pickering Warf. The Hawthorne in on the common and the Waterfront is about two blocks away.

Speaking of Pickering Warf, there are lots of shops and restaurants. In fact, there are lots of restaurants and shops throughout the downtown area; too many to name.

The haunted house in Museum Place Mall gets rave reviews. The shops along Essex Street from the Hawthorne to Washington Street are unique, very eclectic, and witchy. Two sightseeing trolleys double as local transport once you bought a ticket. Both provide narrated tours of the city. Bicycle rickshaws and a horse-drawn carriage are also available. I don’t know if they are year round.

There are several, guided walking tours available. Some are spooky; others are historic. The Hocus Pocus tour is neat, but there are at least three others. People say good things about all of them.

There is considerable information available on the Internet. All the places I’ve mentioned have a website.
Have a great visit.

11-21-2007, 07:26 AM	#3 (permalink)
Eevaluator Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 1	Re: need help on Salem Massachusetts Hi, Salem is a great place to visit. You don’t say how old your children are. If they are young, you’ll be glad to know most everything in Salem is family friendly. March in Salem can be chilly, if not down-right cold. Snow is not unknown. Many tourist attractions don’t open until April or May. There is still plenty to see and do in March, but there’s more in the late spring, summer, and October (Salem lives for Halloween). As you may have heard, Salem is Witch City. That might seem a bit disrespectful given we hung 19, crushed one, and allowed five to die incarcerated during the hysteria of 1692, but given all the witchy stuff in town, you’ll have to conclude the witches won in the end. Witch City is about 16 miles north of Boston. You can get here from Boston by commuter rail, the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority), also known as “the T.” It is about a half an hour ride. From Salem Depot, where the T will drop you, it is few minutes by foot to the heart of downtown. Trains for Salem leave Boston’s North Station regularly from about 5:00 a.m. to midnight. The drive from Boston to Salem is also about a half an hour. Take I-93 to I-95 to route 128. Exit 128 on Route 114 (Peabody) and follow the signs to Salem. Park in the city garage at Museum Place Mall. Almost everything in Salem is within walking distance and on-street parking is a royal pain. (We live off parking tickets.) You can also get to Salem by Ferry. Unfortunately, it shuts down after Halloween (Salem’s Mardi Gras) until late May. The trip is about 45 minutes across Massachusetts Bay. It’s a pretty ride. You catch the ferry out of Boston at the New England Aquarium. The first place you should visit is the Salem Visitor Center. The U.S. Park Service runs it. It is right across the street from the city garage and the Essex-Peabody Museum. There’s a free movie and lots of free material, including a map. (That’s how we tell the tourists. They all carry the map.) The Essex-Peabody is the third largest museum in New England. You and your kids should enjoy it. The House of Seven Gables is another must. (Nathaniel Hawthorne was a Salem native.) It is a few blocks from the ferry stop on one side and the maritime museum on the other. Here is its website: Also, don’t miss the Salem Witch Museum just off the common (the city park). It is the most popular attraction in Salem. The visitor center, Essex-Peabody, House of Seven Gables, maritime museum, and witch museum are open year round. The best hotels in town are the Hawthorne and the Waterfront Hotel on Pickering Warf. The Hawthorne in on the common and the Waterfront is about two blocks away. Speaking of Pickering Warf, there are lots of shops and restaurants. In fact, there are lots of restaurants and shops throughout the downtown area; too many to name. The haunted house in Museum Place Mall gets rave reviews. The shops along Essex Street from the Hawthorne to Washington Street are unique, very eclectic, and witchy. Two sightseeing trolleys double as local transport once you bought a ticket. Both provide narrated tours of the city. Bicycle rickshaws and a horse-drawn carriage are also available. I don’t know if they are year round. There are several, guided walking tours available. Some are spooky; others are historic. The Hocus Pocus tour is neat, but there are at least three others. People say good things about all of them. There is considerable information available on the Internet. All the places I’ve mentioned have a website. Have a great visit.