Boston & Salem
I have often wondered if New England really does fall best. And if it was just absolutely necessary that I go find out for myself (in none other than the spookiest month of the year, of course). My findings confirmed that indeed, Massachusetts in autumn is just as fabulous as I had dreamed.
This was yet another trip that was booked + planned back in February, before any of us really knew what the year would look like. Two of my best gal pals and I spent the last few months waiting in anticipation and cautiously watching the steps that we needed to take to enter the state, the reservations we needed to make, etc. We packed up our sweaters & coats and made our way up north!
Quick geography tip: Salem is just about 30 minutes from Boston. That made it easy for us to split up our time and explore both without traveling in between becoming a big time-sucker. Our Airbnb was about 10 minutes away from downtown Salem and we kicked off our night with delicious seafood from Finz. For dessert, we soaked in the Salem Commons and got a feel for the cobblestone streets and spooky themed houses along the way.
Our first day started with breakfast at the popular Red’s Sandwich Shop and then onto the Salem Witch Museum. It was a great history lesson of the Salem Witch Trials and gave an insight into the timeline of events and victims’ stories in 1692 along with a look into the pop culture impact of witches up to modern day. From there, we hit up Haus Witch which is an urban boutique with vintage furnishings and souvenirs by local artists. This shop not only had cool stuff but the workers there were incredibly nice and gifted us with stones on our way out:
-Autumn Jasper for a breath of New England air
-Cobbled Brick Obsidian for graceful grounding
-Spiderweb Jasper for welcoming the wild
-Tombstone Moss Agate for paying respects to those who came before
Just a hop and a skip across the street is Boston Burger Company which needless to say, kept us completely full for the rest of the day. We popped into Oak + Moss, another nifty gift shop, just as a torrential downpour of rain hovered over Salem for a few hours. We came back to our Airbnb and rested for a while before heading back out for an appetizer + wine dinner at the Hawthorne Hotel. Red wine with baked brie dip, seafood chowder, and parmesan truffle fries capped off our evening with a Salem Ghost Tour. This took us all over as we learned about the most haunted places in town and background on the town itself! Our guide was amazing and it was a cool way to walk the quiet streets in the evening. For all the Hocus Pocus fans, Allison’s house and Town Hall was included on this tour!
While we were without a doubt completely and totally FULL, we just had to hit up Goodnight Fatty, which sells hot & fresh cookies & milk through a window by the Salem Witch Museum. Even if you’re full, you will not regret this late night cookie (and I will die on that hill).
Despite the gloomy morning, we got up and at ‘em and headed to Boston. Our first stop was at the beloved & historical Fenway Park. Growing up as a baseball fan, coming here seemed like a rite of passage. Even though I’m not a Red Sox fan, hearing stories and getting to stand in this timeless place gave perspective into the heartbeat of Boston and their pride in this beloved sport.
We then toasted with mimosa flights for brunch at The Friendly Toast and made our way to Beacon Hill. Resembling NY’s Upper West Side, these brownstones and Halloween-themed porch steps could’ve kept us occupied for hours. We made our way through this upscale neighborhood with the sun shining and the fall foliage fully present. It was dreeeeamy.
After strolling through the Boston Commons we ended up at America’s oldest tavern, The Bell in Hand, for a hot lobster roll. After eating one for the first time, I get the hype. We went through a few shops and walked along the Boston Harbor. The beauty of this city really did make the colder temps worth it! The sun went down and we sought out dinner in Little Italy and ended up at Ristorante Villa Francesca (do not leave without a cannoli). The final part of our time in the city was spent on the Ghosts and Gravestones Trolley Tour. Much like the Witch Walk in Salem, this was a really cool way to ride around Boston and learn history about all the haunted happenings around town. If there’s anything I’ve learned about both of these cities, it’s that just about everywhere you go is haunted.
Our last full day in Massachusetts was spent back in Salem, crossing off more things on our list. We got a quick bite in the morning at the Gulu-Gulu Cafe and made our way to the Witch House. It’s also known as the Jonathan Corwin House which was the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin and is the only structure you can visit in Salem with direct ties to the Salem witch trials of 1692. The tickets to Witch House also included admission to the Pioneer Village (which we visited later on!).
Walking through the Witch House was really special because the original pinewood floors were still intact and so many artifacts have been kept and preserved over time, giving an inside peek into this window of time. From there, we popped into a few more shops and got lunch & a couple brews at the Village Tavern. We then split up with me and one of my gal pals headed to The House of the Seven Gables and the other braving Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery. While unfortunately we couldn’t go into any of the buildings at Seven Gables because of COVID, we were still able to walk this gorgeous property that’s right on the water. They also set up a self-guided audio tour so you can still learn about the place without going inside.
A quick Uber ride brought us to Pioneer Village, which is where Thackery Binx’s house in Hocus Pocus is (before he turns into a lovable black cat). It really did feel like stepping back in time and just added to the charm of Salem that takes care of its history so well. A 5-10 minute walk from there brought us to the beloved and iconic Max & Dani’s house. There were many people snapping their pic in front of the property so it was like a delicate dance trying to get the right angle without getting anyone in the background, but it was important to note that people do indeed live in that house and they ask that peeps don’t get too close or walk onto their porch.
A small dinner that evening was spent at Turner’s Seafood with some more shopping and our final nightcap back at the Hawthorne Hotel. I highly recommend coming here, even if its just for drinks, as the grand ballroom & tavern are both fabulous atmospheres (and because it’s way too cool not to).
The next day, we were flying out in the afternoon but decided to make one more special stop before heading back to the warm south. My best friend has always wanted to see a lighthouse and if not to go in, at least be around one. New England is FULL of these but we decided to go to Eastern Point Lighthouse, which is also the oldest seaport in America! This is in Gloucester, about 30 minutes north of Salem. It was peaceful and the autumn chill in the air gave the kind of stillness you didn’t want to leave. We snapped pictures and breathed in the fall before making our way back to Boston to head home.
For those heading to that part of the country anytime soon, here’s a few things to note:
-You must have a negative COVID test within 72 hours of entering Massachusetts (or quarantine for 14 days OR quarantine until you receive a negative test). You also have to fill out a travel form before arriving.
-Salem especially really cracked down on reservations only as soon as we left. Just strolling around town isn’t tolerated unless you are on your way to a reservation for a restaurant, tour, shop, etc. (We had to reserve everywhere we went except for a few shops that we just had to wait outside for and were given a certain amount of time to shop). The only shop we had to reserve a time slot for at that time was Haus Witch.
-If things are sold out and you’re not able to do all that you’re wanting to, be patient and plan for another time in the year! I know I know, for people like me who love traveling so much waiting seems like a bad word. But! We were super lucky to be able to do all that we got to do, but definitely got the vibe while we were there that fall is THE time to be there and Salem really wanted to control their crowding.
Overall, I believe we were able to enjoy being there because of the control with reservations (mostly) around town. We were told that because of tourism, the population in Salem TRIPLES every October but it wasn’t nearly as busy as it usually is this time of year. Just come prepared!
Another safe & successful girls trip in the books and another beautiful place to cross off my list. Cheers to you, fall!
Photo by: Love You Oh So
"Travel… the best way to be lost and found all at the same time”
-Brenna Smith
