salem, ma

[DizzyBell]

Heading to Salem in Ma. in September. Does anyone have suggestions of things to do while there? Does anyone have names of good restaurants there? We are also going to go to Gloucester. Thanks.... a bunch....

 

[gallaj0]

Visit the Peabody Essex Museum. It was founded by a family who got rich in the China trade a long time ago, and has a great collection of items from around the world, but especially the orient.

Take a tour of the city, there aer some great historical sights beyond the "witch" tourist traps; the House of Seven Gables, for one.

Salem has a great harbor, with plenty of good restraunts.

In a Pigs Eye was always good, with live bands nights on the weekends.

The Rockmore was cool; it's a floating restraunt in the harbor, but it's seesonal; I don't know if it will be open in Sept.

 

[Teejay32]

I like Victoria Station, off of Derby Street, which is kind of an upscale-casual place. It's nice walking by the stores in Pickering Wharf to get there and back (the Official Witch of Salem has a store there) the food is good, and you can eat indoors or outdoors.

I do love In A Pig's Eye, across from the Wharf on Derby Street, but it's tiny, easy to miss and there's hardly any parking. Just a warning.

 

[mtemm]

I liked the Witch Dungeon Museum far better than the Witch Museum. facinating. make sure to hit rockport, too. what a great area!

 

[Mouseteacher]

Great restaurant - Finz at Pickering Wharf. I, too, love the House of the 7 Gables and the Witches Dungeon Museum.

 

[TLinden16]

My family really had a blast at the Pirate Museum in Salem. The last time we were there, they had Duck tours there (tour of the city by land and water), which are always fun. If you get a rainout, there is a cheapo movie theatre there.

Karen

 

[NoodlesTheRabbit]

We love Salem! We visited closer to Halloween so I am unsure if these activities are seasonal...

1. Eerie Events at the Peabody Essex museum...storytellers tell spooky storied throughout the grounds

2. Spirits of the Gables @ the House of the Seven Gables...actors recreate the story while you tour the house

3. Pickering Wharf was fun too, especially the little shops.

4. We love Brother's deli!!! Delicious food, but be prepared to order as soon as they ask for it!

The whole atmosphere of the town was wonderful. This is a place filled with history that we would love to revisit.

 

[BarryHom]

Canobie Lake Park is in Salem: www.canobie.com

 

[Jeanny]

Originally posted by DizzyBell
Heading to Salem in Ma. in September. Does anyone have suggestions of things to do while there? Does anyone have names of good restaurants there? We are also going to go to Gloucester. Thanks.... a bunch....

ask Esmeralda X, she was just there recently. Have you visited the Salem website?? it's a fantastic city... great to go at Halloween time too,, you can't tell who is actually dressed up in costume.

 

[Crankyshank]

Canobie is in Salem NH

When in Sept are you going? The Pirate fair is the 19th I believe and we had a blast the last time we went.

The House of 7 Gables, the Pirate Museum, the Witch Dungeon, and Peabody Essex are definite must sees. If they have a haunted walking tour in Sept (not sure if that's just during Haunted Happenings)- check that out.

 

[zippeedee]

Just to clarify, Canobie Lake Park is in Salem New Hampshire, not Salem MA!

It's about an hour or so north.

Salem MA has a neat little waterfront park callled Salem Willows. It has an original antique hand carved wooden carousel, a little boat ride for tiny kids, a beach, harbor cruises, and a couple of video/ski ball arcades. It's just a little place, of the beaten track. They also have homemade ice cream, salt water taffy and fresh popcorn, as well as a crazy only-found-here specialty called chop suey sandwiches. For around a dollar you get a hamburger roll, wrapped in paper, filled with onions, bean sprouts, celery and tiny bits of chicken in a very plain cornstarch thickened sauce. Sounds kind of yucky, but we grew up with them, so I still get one when we go.
I love taking the kids for an afternoon of fun.

If you're going to Gloucester, the Causeway restaurant has excellent seafood and portuguese food. It's not far from the famous Fisherman's memorial statue. Passports and the Franklin Cafe, right on Main Street are both very good, as is Turtle Alley for hand made chocolate turtles with walnuts, cashews or pecans.

For excellent seafood take a ride out of Gloucester on Rt 133 west to Essex Seafood for the best quality and lowest prices that I've found on fried Essex clams and steamed lobsters. Woodman's, on the same road, is much more famous, much more expensive and usually not as good.

Rockport is touristy but very pretty. My Place By The Sea is a very good, upscale restaurant at the end of Bearskin Neck, make a reservation, it's usually packed.

Have a great trip!

 

[DizzyBell]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. We are going Labor Day Weekend for the long weekend.