Printable View
My fiancé and I are taking a three day weekend trip to Salem, Mass in June. I've booked a room at the Hawthorne Hotel for two nights and am starting to research some other activities to do. Looking for some advice from people who have been there. Are the tours basically all the same? Any standout tours to take or restaurants to try?! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. :)
The Hawthorne is a very nice hotel. I've never stayed there but had attended meetings there. I know my daughter and her husband have dined there and enjoyed it very much.
Pickering Wharf is in Salem and has had an up and down history but may have a restaurant that's worth visiting.
I worked in Salem for a number of years but that is also a number of years ago now. You might want to visit the House of Seven Gables(which I've never personally visited) or the Witches Museum (which I have gone to but that was a number of years ago).
Expect lots of traffic as Salem is located in a rather congested area and there's no easy way to get there from here.
You might want to explore Route 1A - particularly going north which will wind through communities like Ipswich, Newburyport and on up through New Hampshire and Maine.
The Beverly Depot in nearly Beverby is a nice spot to dine as is Hardcover (it's sister restaurant) located on Route 1 in Peabody. If you head north, you might try Striper's in Newburyport or Starboard Galley. In York, Maine, a favorite of mine is Stageneck Inn.
Newburyport is a nice spot to visit. It's right along the Merrimack River and there's a nice place to walk along the river and many small shops within walking distance.
Enjoy your visit!
Salem is a great trip. I've stayed at the Hawthorne and it was a really nice stay -older, but well maintained ..charming is probably the right word. Try yelp for dining recommendations -I don't think Salem is known for it's great restaurants, but there are some good basic places. There is plenty to do but not so much that you have to feel rushed. Have a great time. Check out TripAdvisor for more details on things to do -they also have a forum section that should answer most of your questions.
I've also stayed at the Hawthorne. They were undergoing renovation when I was there, which wasn't very pleasant, but you can expect a decent room, old but well kept and quaint. The tavern in the hotel is a great place for lunch, a light meal, or drinks. Not very pricey and decent. The witch museum is right across the street. In fact, once you drive in, there are things to see and do within walking distance of the Hawthorne, so no need to drive everywhere (which is good, because it is a bit of a traffic nightmare around Salem). A lot of the ghost tours are right down the street, and we ate at a good upscale Italian place within walking distance of the Hawthorne, but I don't recall the name of it. And Finz seafood is supposed to be really good, too.
We loved Salem. It has been at least 8 years ago. We spent two whole days there. One thing no one has mentioned is that the city has a "trail" you can follow that takes you to the major historical attractions . If I remember correctly it's a red line on the sidewalk. We didn't eat anywhere special. We did enjoy the House of the Seven Gables, the Pirate Museum, the Salem Witch Musuem, the Old Bury Point Cementary, the Witch Dungeon Musuem and we toured a ship on the wharf. I also strongly suggest you first take the trolley tour and stay on for the whole loop the first time around. They give you alot of info and you get to see the lay of the city. I also really liked the shops. Alot of cool things you don't see other tourist spots.
BTW we didn't drive around. We stayed in Peabody, drove into Salem (took us 10 mins) and parked in a garage across the street from the vistors center. We walked the whole city...no problem.
We were in Salem last weekend! Love to visit there! The best time of the year for a visit is Halloween, but I am sure that June will also be beautiful. I used to go for girl's weekends in college every October.
Pickering Wharf is so-so right now. The views are beautiful, but the shops are mediocre. A great place to eat is Salem Beerworks. Try the blueberry beer- its delish!
I have done quite a few ghost tours- most very good. Sorry I dont remember the specific names. I have heard that the Peabody Essex Mueseum is great- located right in downtown Salem- but we didnt do it because we wanted to just walk around.
I have eaten dinner at Rockafella's which was a great pizza place- but nice pizza place, not just a pizza joint. We loved the shops along the cobblestone area of Salem.
We have also explored the House of Seven Gables. I am a HUGE literature and history nerd, so of course I loved it.
Have a wonderful time!