Take a break, already!

Gracious, vacationing is hard work! All those sites to see, museums to explore, tours to follow, shops to browse, signature cocktails to try, lighthouses to locate, local cuisine to sample. It's exhausting!

Thank goodness for massage. And yoga.

Body & Soul Massage and Wellness Center in downtown Salem is here to help the weary traveler. Rejuvenate with a Swedish Massage, Reiki therapy, Reflexology, or hot stone massage. Drop by for the Monday night Kripalu class (I do recommend calling first to ensure there is space). Or stop by for a chair massage to loosen the knots between the McIntire Historic District and the Salem Witch Trials Memorial.

Packages with Body & Soul are available with some of the local accommodations, so you can turn your Salem vacation into a luxurious spa retreat! Massage parties are available, too - perfect for pre-wedding parties (or post-wedding if your the parents!) and girls' day out.

Body & Soul is open Monday-Friday, 8am-8pm; Saturdays 9am-6pm and Sundays by appointment. Visit www.bodysoulsalem.com or call 978-825-0040 for more info.

Discover the magic of relaxation and wellness in Salem!

The Lace Reader

There are some very cool things afoot in Salem these days. One of them is the upcoming publication of the novel, The Lace Reader, by Brunonia Barry. The book takes place almost entirely in Salem, and features some of our favorite spots including The Hawthorne Hotel, Salem Common, Derby Wharf, The Custom House, The Salem Ferry, Reds, The Peabody Essex Museum, The Ropes Mansion, the First Church, Chestnut Street, The Willows (need I go on?).

In preparation for the promotion of the publication of the book, William Morrow sent Fireman Productions to Salem to shoot two short videos. They shot all over town, and did a lot of work with Brunonia Barry. I can't wait to see the final product!

Because The Lace Reader is about women who make Ipswich Lace (Lace making in Ipswich is believed to be one of the first female industries in America), local lace maker and historical reenactor Linda Lane was brought in to demonstrate the impressive art of lace making. These photos are of Linda's lace making pillow and her beautiful bobbins, and of Linda and film makers Claude and Jeff at work in the Hawthorne Hotel.

The novel comes out on July 29. Visit www.lacereader.com for more information.

Another Free thing to do in Salem

The page on Salem.org that features free things to do in Salem is by far the most popular page on the site. I commend all of you for your frugality (and hope you are rounding out your Salem experience with visits to some of our non-free sites, restaurants, accommodations, and shops).

There are other things to do in Salem that are free - especially now that spring is springing and summer is coming. I recommend connecting with Cornerstone Books for entertainment, enrichment, local lore, and children's programs. And most of their events are free!

There are a number of events and readings scheduled this week for school vacation week. Check out their calendar on their website, cornerstonebooks-salem.com, or on the calendar at salem.org.

Happy the Bride who uses the Salem Guide...

Many thanks to The Boston Globe / Globe North section for running, and to Erin Ailworth for writing a story last week called Visitor guides a hot item at weddings. The story talks about the trend of brides using the new visitor guide as a resource for their guests.

It's true, the guides are a handy tool for wedding guests who are using a wedding as an excuse to explore Salem and the region.

The guide is also a great resource for the newly engaged, and for anyone planning a special event or function, as we added a section in 2008 that for weddings and special events. It features function halls and distinctive locations for special events (like Hamilton Hall, featured in the photo in this post).

Discover the magic of your special event in Salem!

First Muster and Sendoff for Troops

The annual commemoration of the First Muster and sendoff for troops is today, Saturday, on Salem Common from 10am - 12 noon. The event will celebrate the 371st anniversary of the Salem Muster of 1637 and the founding of the National Guard, there will be a memorial service for all who served in the military, inspection of troops, cannon fire, and a deployment ceremony for those heading to Iraq.

We Commemorate the First Muster in Salem because (and this is excerpted from the Salem Maritime National Historic Site's website):

For over two hundred and twenty years, the Second Corps of Cadets has served this country with honor. Founded in 1785 as the Salem Cadets, the unit was originally an officer's training corps. Today, the Second Corps of Cadets is Battery B of the 101st Field Artillery of the Massachusetts National Guard. There are exhibits in the breezeway and in the Regional Visitor Center that highlight the history of this distinguished unit of the Massachusetts National Guard. The Regional Visitor Center is housed in the drill shed of the old Salem Armory, the former home of the Second Corps of Cadets.

Garden Spots

Today I want to shout to the world, "The Dogwoods are blooming! The Dogwoods are blooming!" The Hawthorne Hotel has bright yellow pansies in its flower boxes, and gardens are coming alive all across Salem.




Here are three of my favorite garden paths to follow:

1. The seaside garden at The House of the Seven Gables, which incorporates "four centuries of floral color" into the property's landscape.
2. The 18th century formal garden behind the Derby House at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, which "contains more than 150 varieties of heirloom annuals, perennials and bulbs, all documented to 1798 or earlier."
3. The Ropes Mansion, 318 Essex Street - The Peabody Essex Museum meticulously cultivates and maintains the Colonial Revival garden, which dates to 1912, behind the Ropes Mansion.

It is still early for gardens, but they are budding and this is a great time to begin observing the gardens, and chart their development as the season continues.

Salem FAQ

Salem.org continues to expand and improve. This week we added a much-needed FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page, that I hope will answer your questions before you submit them with your visitor guide request or as an independent email. If you have a question that is not answered here, let me know by either emailing me at info@salem.org or commenting on this blog post.

Here's the current list of FAQs:

Where do we park?

There’s lots of parking in Salem! We recommend using one of the two parking garages for long-term parking. The City of Salem Parking Department offers a great map on their web site to help you find parking. Meters are $.25/hour and most street and lot parking has 1 or 2 hour meters. The Museum Place Garage, South Harbor Garage and Church Street lot cost $1.50/hour. Click here for complete pricing information. The Museum Place Mall is located directly across the street from the National Park Service Regional Visitor Center, which is the perfect place to start your exploration of Salem.

When can I get a schedule for Haunted Happenings 2008?

The schedule will be published by July. We are in the process of updating HauntedHappenings.org now. As we update information on the Haunted Happenings web site, the best place to find a current schedule for October 2008 is the calendar on Salem.org. We post events there as they are submitted to Destination Salem.

How much does a taxi from Boston's Logan Airport to Salem cost?

Approximately $50.00 one way.

When does the Salem Ferry run?

Salem Ferry Service between Boston and Salem begins May 23, 2008 and runs through October.

Can we take a train or bus to Salem?

You can! The MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) Commuter Rail connects Salem to Boston’s North Station, Newburyport, Rockport, and Gloucester. The fare between Boston and Salem is $5.25 per ride (one way). You can walk from Salem Depot to downtown shopping, dining, attractions, waterfront. For bus service, take #450, #455 from South Station and Bus #459 from Logan Terminal C.

What is the weather like in Salem?

New England weather is unpredictable year-round. Monthly averages, in degrees Fahrenheit, are:

• January 37 high, 20 low;
• February: 40 high, 23 low;
• March: 47 high, 30 low;
• April: 57 high, 38 low;
• May: 67 high, 48 low;
• June: 76 high, 58 low;
• July: 82 high, 63 low;
• August: 80 high, 62 low;
• September: 73 high, 55 low;
• October: 62 high, 45 low;
• November: 52 high, 37 low;
• December: 42 high, 27 low.

Where can I purchase a combination ticket to Salem’s attractions?

There are a few combination tickets available in Salem:

• Visit The Land of Witches & Pirates with a combo ticket to the Witch Dungeon Museum, Witch History Museum, and New England Pirate Museum;
• The Salem Hysteria Pass includes the Salem Wax Museum & Salem Witch Village;
• The Discover Salem Passport includes admission to the House of the Seven Gables, The Peabody Essex Museum, The Salem Witch Museum, and the Salem Trolley (in season).

How big is Salem?

Salem is a very walkable city. How fast you walk it is up to you! Most people can walk a half-mile at a leisurely pace in 15-20 minutes. Here are some sample distances:

• To walk from the MBTA train station to the Salem Ferry at Blaney Street is less than one mile.
• The National Park Service Regional Salem Visitor Center to the Phillips House on Chestnut Street is just over a half-mile.
• The House of the Seven Gables to the Salem Witch Museum is a half-mile.
• The Peabody Essex Museum to the Salem Maritime National Historic Site is less than a half-mile.
• Salem Willows and Winter Island Maritime Park are each about 1.5 miles from the center of downtown Salem (at Salem Common). While people do walk these distances, most prefer to drive. There is ample parking at both destinations.

What is the Red Line drawn on the sidewalks?

Salem’s Red Line connects the most important stops and neighborhoods in Salem. The line is painted on the sidewalk and creates four loops through the city to help you explore. It is painted on the map in the Salem Visitor Guide, on the maps in the information kiosks around Salem, and in the Salem Best Maps.

We are traveling in an RV/Motor Home. Where can we park it while we see the sites?

Motor home and RV parking is permitted at Salem Willows Park and along Fort Avenue adjacent to the Dominion Power Plant. From downtown Salem, driving north-east, Derby Street turns into Fort Avenue. The two trolley companies in Salem run tours to Salem Willows and can provide transportation to the downtown for the cost of their ticket prices. RV camping is available seasonally at Winter Island Maritime Park.