Located at the dock on Third Street, Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake offers children a chance to get lost at sea, solve a mystery and find a sunken treasure, all for less than $20. The pirate ship and its crew provide entertainment for both children and parents.
Enjoy a fun afternoon or evening out with family or friends at Pinz. The family-owned entertainment complex in Oakdale offers 34 bowling lanes, a video arcade and laser tag. Relax at 10 Pin Alley, a comfortable lounge with posh leather seating and an interactive 56-foot video screen. Or, you can dine at Harvey's American Pub, which has a large menu, including pizza, burgers and steak.
Based in Mountain View, Schola Cantorum is an audition-based, 135-member chorus that offers live performances throughout the year at different locations in the Bay Area. The current music director is Gregory Wait. Check the website for upcoming events.
La Paloma Theatre, located on South Coast Highway 101 near the Encinitas sign, is a a favorite of regional movie and theater buffs. This location is full of history and it's been in the same location since 1928.
La Paloma features many underground and independent films not available in multiplexes. It also hosts concerts, with past performers including Eddie Vedder and Ralph Stanley. One local event happens every Friday night at midnight: a theater performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Lu Martin Galleries features the Impressionist oil paintings and abstract watercolors of a number of artists. This gallery occupies a sprawling space in historic Gallery Row on N. Coast Highway, next door to Quorum Gallery and Sue Westwood Fine Art. Realism, impressionism, expressionism, landscape, still-life, figurative and abstract are the main styles and themes represented. Artists include Robin Anderson, Donat Barbe, Irene Borg, Paco Garcia, Alfredo Gomez, Cristina Joia, Armenak Karapetian, Mostafa Keyhani, Lu Martin, Greg Martin, Alan Murray, Ian Ramsay, Gerhard Ruhland and Stephen Shortridge.
The Salem Witch Museum is an obvious choice for anyone vaguely interested in history, but while it's worth a visit, it might not be what you'd normally expect in a museum. You won't find artifacts from the witch trials of 1692. You will find a large room with life-sized wax figurines and a recording telling the story of the Salem Witch Trials, followed by a guided tour of a room detailing and discussing the evolution of witch hunts. It is an eerie and educational place that will enrich your Salem experience. Also, note that children are welcome but younger kids may be scared by some of the displays.
Best and worst time to go to the Salem Witch Museum
The museum is open year round with only a few closures: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, and weekdays the first two weeks of January. The museum closes early on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Weekdays are your best bet, though with presentations every half hour, if it's crowded due to a tour group, wander the charming town and come back to the museum in a bit. There are extended hours in October, but the later you go in October, the more crowded the entire town will become.
Must see/do at the Salem Witch Museum
Check out the statue out front of Roger Conant. Though most people assume the statue depicts a witch trial participant, it actually commemorates the founder of Salem. Also, look through the museum's gift shop for fun, but be aware that you'll find witchy, varied, and cheaper shopping throughout the rest of Salem.
Admission to the Salem Witch Museum
Admission is about $10 per adult with reduced rates for seniors and children through age 14. Children under 6 are free.
Parking and Public Transportation to the Salem Witch Museum
There are plenty of metered spots on the streets of Salem as well as a quite a few parking lots. The cheapest lot is the South Harbor Garage on the waterfront (cash only). There is also the Church Street Lot with smart meters (that take cash or credit card) and no time restrictions, but you must pay when you park. The slightly pricier Museum Place Garage is also cash only, paid upon exit, but is in a great location for tourists right across the street from the Salem Regional Visitor Center. For public transportation, take the #450 or #455 bus from Haymarket (in Boston) to Salem, or take the Commuter Rail from North Station to the Salem Station. Additionally, there is a ferry from Boston to Salem.
Food at the Salem Witch Museum
The museum itself is small and does not have a restaurant, but Salem has plenty of dining options. Salem Beer Works is a popular microbrewery with generous portions of tasty comfort food.
Insider tip for visitors to the Salem Witch Museum
October in Salem is like the mall on Black Friday: crowded and often overwhelming. If you go to Salem on a weekend in October, plan to spend hours (more as you approach Halloween) in traffic and looking for parking. You will see people dressed in costume all month, which is fun. On Halloween and Halloween weekend, you'll see a huge mass of people in costumes, many of them drunk; you may or may not find this as fun. Parking is certainly not fun, but scary; park at the Beverly T station or further and take the train with all the other costumed commuters.
Author's bio: Deborah Jarvis is a freelance writer who grew up and currently lives in the Greater Boston Area. She never pahks her cah in Hahvahd Yahd and tries not to drive like she's from Boston if she can help it. She has been to Salem on Halloween and lived to tell about it.
While Salem, Mass., is notorious for the witchcraft hysteria, according to the folks at the New England Pirate Museum, it wasn't the so-called "witches" who were the ones causing the real trouble around these parts. The museum offers visitors the chance to see recovered artifacts, board a full-scale pirate ship, and explore an 80-foot pirate cave. Additionally, tour guides recount stories of Blackbeard, Captain Kidd and others, providing a historical perspective while keeping the overall atmosphere lighthearted and fun.
Daffodil Entertainment Center features bowling lanes with league play weeknights. You can have a fun-filled birthday party or event. The establishment has a full bar, great restaurant and a top-of-the-line pro shop. It has been located on East Main in Puyallup for decades.
