SALEM — Planning school vacation week for the family is as easy as searching out and booking local activities courtesy of Destination Salem.
“The great thing about Salem is that visitors can create a tailored itinerary for each visit,” said Kate Fox, executive director of Destination Salem.
Tailored itineraries can include family activities, tours, culinary experiences, and shopping excursions.
“It’s whatever the mood of the day might be,” said Fox.
Salem is known for its rich history, which includes the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 and the glorious maritime era. The town is also famous for its architecture, museums, and artifacts, and for the month-long celebration of Halloween.
Approximately 1.8 million people visit Salem annually, generating nearly $140 million in tourism spending and supporting 1,000 jobs.
True to scary and spooky history, Salem excursions can run the gamut from Real Pirates Salem and the International Monster Museum, as well as the Peabody Essex Museum that has a special week of programming for school vacation week that focuses on climate change.
Seasonal venues such as Salem Willows will open for the week, and several outdoor tours are ready for the new spring weather.
The Real Pirates Salem exhibition offers an exciting new pirate and witch experience featuring a real pirate treasure recovered from the shipwrecked Whydah and last touched by the hands of pirates more than 300 years ago. The exhibit displays the world’s only fully-authenticated pirate treasure ever discovered — including coins, jewelry, a cannon, and other weapons.
Children are invited to experience the Salem Kids Tours, which offer a Kids History Tour that tells true tales from Salem’s long history, including the infamous Witchcraft Trials, and a Slightly Spooky Tour that combines true tales from Salem’s past with some mild ghost stories just for kids.
Just in time for Earth Day, Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) presents two exhibitions that explore the climate crisis and our role in it — “Climate Action: Inspiring Change” that explores how we can transform the climate crisis into hope for a shared future and “Konstantin Dimopoulos: The Blue Trees,” which is an environmental call to action in the form of a participatory installation.
The House of the Seven Gables will also host school vacation week for the first time since 2019. Everyone will have a chance to explore the National Historic Landmark District’s campus when completing scavenger-hunt challenges, to find out about life on board sailing ships, and to try their hand at recreating some of the site’s historic architecture.
For family-friendly accommodations with indoor pools or kitchenettes, visitors have several options including Hampton Inn, The Salem Waterfront Hotel and Suites, and The Salem Inn family suites.
For shopping experiences, please visit America’s oldest candy company, Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie, and Salem’s newest candy shop, Curly Girl. Visitors can also try Popped! Gourmet Popcorn, and Maria’s Sweet Somethings.
Dining options include Essex’s NY Pizza & Deli, sci-fi-themed Flying Saucer Pizza Company, Rockafellas, and Witch City Hibachi, while Bit Bar also offers classic video games and has a new, expanded space on Derby Street.
Destination Salem is the destination-marketing organization for the City of Salem. It markets Salem as one of Massachusetts’ best destinations for families, couples, as well as for the domestic and international travelers who are seeking an authentic New England experience.
Destination Salem has a list for easy trip-planning on its site and mobile app. “People can visit for a day, a night, or a week and have more than enough to fill their schedule,” said Fox.
For more information on things to do, and where to eat and stay in Salem during school vacation week, please visit salem.org.
