Salem is a Best Family Vacation Destination!

Salem has been featured as one of "2012's Best Family Vacation Destinations" by Away.com!

Bewitched Statue by Kelly Norcross

 Here's what they say:

5. Salem, MassachusettsHome to the famous Colonial-era witch trials, Salem allows kids to experience New England life with a slightly mysterious aura. Don’t miss:
Salem Harbor: Start here at the site of Salem’s once-bustling seaport.
Derby Wharf: You’ll see the Friendship of Salem, a full-size replica of a ship that made 15 round-the-world voyages.
Waterfront: A great way to get to learn the history of the city is via its long-lasting buildings. You’ll see the Hawkes House, Derby House, and other mansions that were built and lived in by the town’s most notable personalities.
Salem Witch Museum: A 30-minute show dramatizes the Salem witch trials of 1692, and an exhibit details witches through history.
For historic accommodations, including period décor and even rumors of a ghostly presence, check out the Hawthorne Hotel downtown.

Thanks, Away.com, for sharing Salem with your readers!

Salem Maritime NHS by Henry Henry Zbyszynski

Salem Trolley to run this weekend

Thanks to the great forecast for the weekend, The Salem Trolley is going to be running tours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday this weekend.

The Salem Trolley will run from 10am-5pm each day this weekend, last tour leaving the visitor center 4pm.
Tickets are available on board the trolley or at the Trolley Depot at 191 Essex Street and Salemdipity on Pickering Wharf at 86 Wharf Street.

Free Ferry Day on Thursday!

Today's blog post comes to you from Boston's Best Cruises:

Hello!

It’s Missy from Boston’s Best Cruises, letting you know that we are offering a Free Ferry Day on the Salem Ferry Thursday, October 8, 2009!

Enjoy the Fall Foliage while our Fast Ferry whisks you between Boston and Salem in less than an hour. Amenities like our climate-controlled cabin, restroom, and full concession bar leave little to compare to driving or taking the train.

Tickets for scheduled service will be available at the Ticket Kiosks in Boston (at Long Wharf North, behind Tia’s Restaurant), and in Salem (10 Blaney Street, Salem). We suggest that Guests arrive at least 30 minutes prior to their preferred departure time. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Guests can continue the $avings with our Cruise & Play program (In Salem and Boston)! With over 50 of the best restaurants, shops, and attractions in Boston offering discounts from 10%-20, the savings are yours when you show your Ferry ticket! Most are within walking distance from either dock.

Visit bostonsbestcruises.com for schedule information.

Bostons Best Cruises – more than just a boat ride!

-Missy

Stay in Salem: The Coach House Inn

When you visit Salem you have many unique choices for accommodations. You will not find a single chain hotel in historic Salem, Massachusetts. We think this is a good thing. We have unique accommodations that range from full service hotels to intimate B&Bs. And we have a number of inns and B&Bs that are converted sea captains homes.

The Coach House Inn is just such a house.

The Coach House Inn is an 1879 Victorian Mansion that is located on stately Lafayette Street between downtown Salem and Salem State College. The gardens at the Coach House are lovely, and they set the stage for the hospitality and attention to detail you will find inside.

Perfect for a girl's weekend, the Coach House Inn is located across the street from the highly-rated Andrew Michaels Spa, it is walking distance from the harbor and Forest River Park, Salem State College, and downtown Salem.

You don't have to take my word for it, read some of the "Excellent" reviews of the Coach House Inn, and innkeeper Pat Kessler, on TripAdvisor. Past guests have said: "Would definitely stay here again!” "Looking forward to a return visit!” and "Loved it and will go back!”

If you are interested in visiting the Coach House Inn, call Pat at (978) 744-4092 or visit CoachHouseSalem.com.

Make sure to follow Destination Salem on Twitter and be a fan on Facebook! I post availability at Salem's inns regularly - hoping to inspire you to plan a last-minute getaway to our bewitching seaport.

Yarrr! It's Pirate Day!

Hoist the Jolly Roger and talk like a pirate aboard the Schooner Fame!

September 19 is National Talk Like a Pirate Day, so break out the pirate regalia and set sail aboard Salem's favorite privateer. Grog and hardtack will be available, along with more traditional refreshments. Regular ticket prices apply: $25 adults/$20 seniors/$15 children. http://schoonerfame.com

Landlubbers will enjoy stepping into the Pirate's lair at the New England Pirate Museum. Your pirate guides will take you through Salem's soggy past, into pirate caves and along a replica wharf.

After all the pirate research, you'll certainly need to stop in at a watering hole for a swig of somethin' with a kick. Plenty of watering holes to choose from in Salem, and many will serve the rum you may be seeking. Yo-ho-ho!

The Salem Trolley Christmas Carol

You're probably expecting more information about October in bewitching Salem, Massachusetts. Nope. Not today. Today I'm planting Christmas seeds.

The holiday season is a mere 11 weeks away. That's it! (Haunted Happenings starts in 3 weeks if you need something to focus on in the near future.) And one of the best holiday shows in Salem starts selling tickets on Monday, September 14th.

The Salem Trolley & Griffen Theatre will present the 23rd season of "A Christmas Carol" from November 28 through December 23.

If you have never participated in the Trolley Christmas Carol, get tickets (which are $22 per person, purchase via phone at 978-744-5469 or at the Salem Trolley office at 8 Central Street in Salem). It's great fun for all ages.

The premise is this: you ride the trolley with good ol' Ebeneezer Scrooge between Christmas Past, Christmas Future, Christmas Present, and Scrooge's redemption. The acting is great, the script is comedic, and the experience is interactive.

The show has a degree or two (or twenty) of improvisation, so everyone feels included in the production. It's a great girls' night out or date night.

Last year, the trolley started and ended at Pickering Wharf (so you can start or end at Capt.'s, Victoria Station, Finz, or Sixty2 on Wharf without moving your car).

The trolley is a great movable theatre, but it's seats are limited, and tickets are limited. So, check your calendar this weekend. Talk to your friends. Book your tickets and be ready to laugh and cry with Scrooge in Salem this December.

Bah-hum-bug!

Photos provided courtesy of The Salem Trolley.