A Trip To Salem, Mass
Planning a trip to Salem, Massachusetts? Let's talk about the best time to visit, where to stay, the best food, and can't-miss attractions!
In December of 2024, my partner and I took a trip to Salem, Mass, for a couple’s getaway. After a long and grueling semester in college, we were ecstatic to get away and visit Salem. With such busy times in our lives, finishing a semester of college and about to jump straight into the holidays, we found time to squeeze in this spooky getaway.
We ended up planning our trip from the 19th of December to the 23rd of December. This was such a perfect time to go! The pricing around this time was extraordinary, the traffic was little to none, and the excursions practically became personalized tours.
Let's talk about where to stay. At the time of our travels, we were 19 years old. At that age, it's hard to find hotels willing to allow under-21s to check in. After a long search through upwards of 35-40 hotels, we landed on The Hotel Marblehead. This was the most exquisite hotel I'd ever stayed in. The staff was beyond kind, the rooms were gorgeous, the location could not have been more perfect, and the price was perfect. For two college kids, we truly couldn't have asked for a more beautiful trip. For our four-day, three-night stay, we spent $553.48. This was paid in two segments, as 50 percent of the payment was due at booking. The location was a mere 10 minutes from all Marblehead attractions, as well as a few attractions in Marblehead. The dates we stayed allowed us a hotel stay with practically no other guests (doubt it will happen again, that's how popular this hotel should be). The hotel also provided small, picky foods for breakfast that were perfect to get our day started. Parking was also on the hotel grounds and included with your stay, which was delightful.
Now what if the hotel food isn't enough to fill you up? My partner and I visited two food locations TWICE in our four-day trip, that's how freaking good they were! The first spot we went to twice was Crave Cafe. This was by far the best breakfast food I had ever had. The coffee was delicious, the breakfast sandwich options had me wanting one of everything on the menu, and the tater tots and pastries were so good. We still bring it up to this day, saying we wish we had one around us. The next spot we visited twice before heading home was Howling Wolf Taqueria, and this was for one thing and one thing only, their Birria tacos! They were so good, we got them the first day as soon as we'd arrived, and then again so we could enjoy them on the long drive home! An honorable mention was Turner’s Seafood restaurant! This cozy spot was so romantic and delicious, it was the perfect restaurant to end our stay with.
To wrap things up, lastly, I'd like to talk about my personal must-visit attractions. Everyone knows what Massachusetts is known for, but the hidden gems are what made our trip magical! We visited all the typical tourist attractions like the Hocus Pocus house, the Salem witch museum, the bewitched statue, etc. However, our favorite attraction from the trip came from the Ouija Board Museum. We stumbled upon this by entering a shop and noticing a small hallway leading to somewhere. After inquiring, they told us we could purchase a combo ticket to the museum and come back that night for a paranormal walking tour. We obviously said HELL YES. The man in charge of the Ouija museum was the best, so funny and informative, giving us the tour of a lifetime and changing our misconceived thoughts on Ouija boards. When we came back that night for the walking tour, we found out it was just us, and we were receiving a private tour without paying for one! It was excellent and we loved every part of it.
There are so many gems and attractions to see in Salem, MA, and these were just a few of the most popular and, in my opinion, worth it attractions. There are also so many shops to see and explore, and the history was so fun to learn.
Goodbye for now, see you in the next one!
