Trolleys are running - It must be spring!

There are three sure signs that spring is coming in Salem: 1: St. Patrick's Day, 2: Daylight Savings, 3: The trolleys start running again. And, Hooray! - because the trolleys returned to the streets of Salem last weekend, and they had visitors aboard! I'll say it again, Hooray!

There is a lot to do in Salem during the winter: Movies, museums, shopping, dining, art & culture abound year round here. But it's still warmer and sunnier in the spring, and when visitors return to Salem there is a great buzz to the City. The great thing about living or working in a destination city is that there are always people around you who just love where you live or work.

To you, the visitor, I say Thank you! When you choose to come to Salem (presumably instead of going somewhere else), you bring your enthusiasm for this place and it rubs off on the rest of us. It's hard to be grumpy when we're surrounded by people who are happy to be here. And visitors are happy to be here - happy to learn things in the museums, happy to have fun at the attractions, happy to shop, to dine, to eat. It's a vacation - long or short - and it's a good time for everyone involved!

April 1st is the real kick-off to the 2008 season in Salem. But the trolleys started running on March 21. CityView Trolleys are running Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (and daily during school vacation week, which is April 21 - 25). The first one-hour tour is at 9:30 am and the last tour starts at 4:30 pm. Tickets are available on the trolleys and on-line. If you have any questions, call CityView Trolleys at 978-594-0969. They are in the process of updating their web site, so a phone call may be the best bet for the most current information.

Whether you are coming from near or far, we look forward to welcoming you to Salem this season. There's a lot of magic here - come discover it for yourself!

(PS: I have to note that the picture above was taken last May - our trees and flowers are not blooming yet.)

The 2008 Salem Visitor Guide - Hooray!

It is always an exciting moment when the new visitor guide arrives from the printer. This year is no different! I am thrilled to present to the world the 2008 Salem Visitor Guide & Map.

We've made lots of changes to the annual visitor guide - and we've made them all for you, our visitors. (OK, truth be told, the changes were made for the businesses in Salem, too. We're making them look a lot better, and we're making Salem look like a really cool place to visit and explore. So, I guess you could say the new visitor guide benefits everyone.)

The guide is bigger than it's ever been before. It has editorial about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, Salem's Great Entrepreneurs, and Romantic Salem - Nathaniel & Sophia Hawthorne. We have added a three-page calendar of events, and big, beautiful photography.

Salem is an enchanting destination. It is a city steeped in history, art, culture, and culture. It is a destination buzzing with unique shops, award-winning dining (as the Salem Ferry ad says, "Eat like royalty. Eat like a local!"), and fun-fun-fun attractions. In fact, there's so much to do, you should book an overnight at one of our hotels or inns!!

Explore www.salem.org and browse the pages of the visitor guide, request your copy of the guide be sent to you, and plan your visit with listings and links to the businesses listed in the visitor guide. If you have any questions, or need more information, you can email us at info@salem.org.

Discover the magic of Salem in the 2008 visitor guide - and join us this season. We would certainly love to have you!

Salem Waterfront Hotel in The Boston Globe

There is a great review of The Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites in The Boston Globe today. The article gave a great sense of how contemporary and comfortable the hotel is. Having the Waterfront Hotel as an accommodation option is definitely a benefit for travelers and those of us who need to accommodate guests. It gives an option in town for people who are not seeking a historic hotel or bed & breakfast experience.

I really wanted the article to mention (but I realize it was a review of the hotel, not an endorsement of visiting Salem!) is the Waterfront Hotel's proximity to the shops and restaurants of Pickering Wharf, as well as its proximity to all of the attractions and sites in downtown Salem. Salem is a small city, and all of the sites are easily within walking distance of each other. That puts the Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites, and all of Salem's downtown accommodations, in the perfect location for exploring this bewitching seaport!

The Salem Waterfront Hotel can be found online at www.salemwaterfronthotel.com/. For information on all of Salem's accommodations options, visit Salem.org.

It's Vacation Week!

There is lots to do in Salem during February vacation week - here are a few ideas:

- Explore art and culture at the Peabody Essex Museum. http://www.pem.org/. The PEM was ranked one of the nation's top 10 art museums for children. In addition to the galleries that present American art, maritime art and history, and art from China, India, Japan, and beyond, the PEM has an interactive, hands-on Family Center.
- Visit the Salem Wax Museum and spend some time in their Salem Souvenir Factory, where you can create a variety of souvenirs to take home. http://www.salemwaxmuseum.com/. The Salem Wax Museum's presentation depicts Salem's history from the Witch Trials of 1626 through the Maritime age in the 18th century.
- Explore the Salem Maritime National Historic Site - which includes the replica tall ship, Friendship. This National Park Service site was the first National Historic Site in America and includes a free 17-minute film, To the Farthest Ports of the Rich East, the Friendship, The Custom House, Derby House, and Narbonne House. www.nps.gov/sama

The weather forecast for this week looks pretty good for walking the red line, too. You will find all of Salem's attractions and historic sites along the red line, which is painted on the sidewalks of Salem. Stretch your legs off of the Red Line and walk out to Derby Light in Salem Harbor (be warned, it's usually windier and colder on the walk back to Derby Street!) and around Salem Common. If you do get a chill, slip into one of Salem's yummy restaurants for a warming bite to eat.

Discover the magic of school vacation in Salem!

Visit Salem

Welcome to Destination Salem's new blog about Salem, visiting Salem, what there is to do in Salem, and why you should be making plans to come to Salem.

I should let you know right out of the box that I am the executive director of Destination Salem, which means it is my job to talk about Salem as a great destination. However, I would not be able to do this job if I didn't believe it. And I know Salem is a unique place to spend time. In fact, it's such a great place to visit, lots of people move here after visiting (myself included), and that's the best evidence of a good destination.

Salem has a lot going on. You may know Salem because of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Salem also has an incredible maritime heritage, remarkable architecture, literary history (think Nathaniel Hawthorne), and military heritage. Not to mention the art and culture, shopping, dining, psychics, lighthouses, classic New England vistas, tall ships, cobbled streets... should I go on? I'll talk about all of these things in my posts, but I know attention spans are short and time is shorter, so for now I'll say welcome - to you and to myself - to the new Destination Salem blog.

Discover the magic of Salem!

Kate

PS: The picture is of the tall ship Friendship, a replica of the 1797 East Indiaman ship that sailed from Salem to ports all over the world. Friendship is part of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. Thanks to Colleen Bruce who took the picture.