Salem, Massachusetts

The Peabody Essex Museum is a well known and respected art museum that ranks among the largest art museums in the country. It was created by a merger of the Essex Institute and the Peabody Museum of Salem, and now has one of the largest and most significant collections of Asian art in the United States. There are more than 1.3 million pieces in the museum’s collection, including 22 historical buildings. They have particularly strong collections of art and cultural artifacts related to maritime history and art as well as American, Oceanic, African, and Asian export art. There are two large libraries on site with more than 400,000 books and manuscripts.

161 Essex Street, Salem, MA 01970, Phone: 978-745-9500

Misery Islands is the name of an 87-acre nature reserve comprising Great and Little Misery Island in the Salem Sound. The islands got their ominous name from a shipbuilder named Robert Moulton, who was stranded on the islands in 1620 during a bad snow storm. At various points in time the islands have had buildings, businesses, and residents; however, at present the islands are uninhabited. A highlight of visiting the islands are the views that you can enjoy of the North Shore and Salem. There are more than two miles of hiking trails on the larger of the two islands, which take visitors through meadows, to overlooks, across stony beaches, and more. You can access smaller Little Misery Island by wading across a shallow channel when the tide is low, where you can see what is left of the shipwrecked steamship.

The Witch House, officially known as the Jonathan Corwin House, was the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin and is the only remaining structure to have had direct ties to the famed 1692 Salem witch trials. The home was built between 1620 and 1640 and was owned by the Corwin family through the mid 19th century. Tours of the home provide a unique glimpse of everyday life in the 1600s as well as the historic events of the witch trials. Visitors will learn about the architecture, family life, and home furnishings of the 1600s. Both self-guided and docent-guided tours are available.

310 Essex Street, Salem, MA 01970, Phone: 978-744-8815

The Historic New England Phillips House is a house museum occupying the site of a Federal-style mansion. The house contains four intact rooms, which once made up part of an earlier house and were moved to the site in 1821. It got its name from Anna Phillips and her husband Stephen Willard Phillips, who moved there in the early 1900s. They renovated the house in the colonial revival style and added a family collection that had been gathered five generations of her family. Today, the house is the only mansion on historic Chestnut Street that is open to the public. Tours occur every half hour and give visitors a clear picture of how people lived in the early 20th century.

34 Chestnut Street, Salem, MA 01970, Phone: 978-744-0440

The Witch Dungeon Museum will transport you to Salem circa 1692 through moving live reenactments of the witch trials. The performances are done by professional actresses in period costumes and are based on actual historical court transcripts from the 1692 trials, which resulted in the death of 19 of more than 150 accused “witches.” The museum also features a replica dungeon that resembles those where accused witches may have been held. The museum is open seasonally and group rates are also available. For those who wish to explore more of Salem, there are combination tickets available, which also provide access to the Witch History Museum and the New England Pirate Museum.

16 Lynde Street, Salem, MA 01970, Phone: 978-741-3570

Activities and Attractions for Couples and Singles:

Breakheart Reservation is a large public park occupying 652 acres in the towns of Wakefield and Saugus near Salem. The park features a variety of landscapes, including a winding section of the Saugus River, two lakes, rocky hilltops that offer scenic views, and a hardwood forest, all ripe for exploring. The park has a visitors center with educational programs and information as well as exhibits about the park’s wildlife and history. There are a number of trails available for hiking, biking, and skiing. The lake offers plenty of fun, especially in the summer, with a swimming beach available on the northern end of Pearce Lake and fishing permitted in the lakes.

117 Forest Street, Saugus, MA 01906, Phone: 781-233-0834

Billed as “Salem’s only Monster Museum,” Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery is an interesting and unique museum dedicated to horror, science fiction and fantasy movies, monsters, and other fright-inducing subjects. The museum is especially popular with horror movie fans, with many exhibits related to the darker side of cinema, featuring tributes to actors, directors, and special effects artists. Life-sized reproductions of vampires, zombies, demons, madmen, and much more all crafted by Hollywood special effects artists make the museum truly memorable and an exhilarating experience. They host a seasonal haunted house that is considered one of the best in the country and is a must-do for horror fans who visit close to Halloween.

217 Essex St, Salem, MA 01970, Phone: 978-740-0500

Fort Sewall is a historic fort on the Atlantic coast in Marblehead. It sits at the most northeastern point of the Marblehead Peninsula and overlooks the entrance to the harbor. The fort was built in 1644 and is one of the oldest English forts on the coast of the United States. During the American Revolution, the fort was re-built along with a blockhouse. It also played a role in the War of 1812 and found its greatest moment in history when the U.S.S. Constitution sought refuge here from two British frigates that were in pursuit. Today, the site still contains underground rooms and bunkers, and the headland is open as a community park for the public to enjoy. There are annual Revolutionary War re-enactments as well as other public programs presented at Fort Sewall from time to time.

8 Fort Sewall Lane, Marblehead, MA 01945, Phone: 781-631-0000

What to do if you are traveling with kids:

High Rock Tower Reservation is a municipal park in the city of Lynn. The park covers approximately 4.5 acres and contains the summit of a hill that offers beautiful views of the surrounding area, including the nearby Atlantic Ocean. The centerpiece of the park and its namesake feature is High Rock Tower, an 85-foot stone tower built in 1905. A previous tower stood in its place and was burnt to the ground during a celebration at the end of the Civil War. This original structure was built by Jesse Hutchinson from the Hutchinson Family Singers, which was a well-known abolitionist singing group that toured the northern U.S. and was quite involved in political activism. The tower is periodically opened for the public to use its telescope for free, with several opportunities typically scheduled during the summer for this purpose.

30 Circuit Avenue, Lynn, MA 01902, Phone: 781-586-6770