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.
The Witch Dungeon Museum has a long history of educating and entertaining tourists. Stop in to view a live reenactment of the 1692 Salem witch trials. The reenactment uses text taken from the original trial transcripts. After the performance, take a guided tour through the witch dungeon and other notable witch trial locations, including Gallows Hill.
Built in 1883, Ivy Hall is a historic building that now houses the writing program for the Savannah College of Art and Design's Atlanta campus. The facility also serves as a retreat for distinguished scholars and visiting scholars. Ivy Hall is a resource for community and civic groups and hosts cultural events that include literary salons as well as chamber music and small ensemble performances.
Standing on the perimeter of Lake Merritt, Cathedral of Christ the Light serves as the home of the Diocese of Oakland as well as members of the St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, which was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Since its dedication in 2008, the visually stunning cathedral offers weekday and weekend masses, as well as concerts and guided and self-guided tours.
Parking and Public Transportation at Cathedral of Christ the Light
$5 parking for tour participants; free for Mass attendees. The 19th Street BART is about six blocks from the cathedral. AC Transit lines 11 and 12 stop at the corner of Grand and Harrison.
Best time to go to Cathedral of Christ the Light
On the second and fourth Tuesday Cathedral organist Dr. Rudy de Vos gives a demonstration of the Conroy Memorial Organ as part of the docent-led tour. If inspired, attend Sunday Mass to hear music and a message.
Admission to Cathedral of Christ the Light
Free. The Cathedral offers guided tours daily at 1 p.m. There are no walk-in guided tours on Saturdays or Sundays. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to tour departure.
Must see/do at Cathedral of Christ the Light
Attend one of the evening concerts, held several times a month. Recent guests include the Pacific Boychoir Academy and organists Ryan Enright and Bryan Dunnewald,
Other places to visit near Cathedral of Christ the Light
Take a stroll around Lake Merritt, or explore some of the many shops and restaurants around bustling Uptown Oakland.
Insider tip for visitors to Cathedral of Christ the Light
During the week, stop by for a quick bite or an espresso from Verve coffee at City Lights Café, located outside the cathedral. Its outdoor seating offers sunny views of Lake Merritt.
Author's bio: Heather Johnson is a freelance writer based in Oakland, California.
Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market is an urban foodie's paradise, a whole city block of fresh meat and seafood, local produce and dairy, decadent pastries and desserts. Since 1892, the Reading (pronounced like "redding") Terminal Market, named after the train station that was once located here, has been home to dozens of retailers serving the public, as well as local chefs looking to pick up ingredients.
Parking and Public Transportation at Reading Terminal Market
Reading Terminal Market offers $4 parking at nearby garages at 11th and Arch and at 12th and Filbert; you can take advantage of this deal if you've made $10 worth of purchases and get your parking validated.
Reading Terminal is right near the nexus of all public transportation in Philadelphia. Nearly every trolley line entering Center City from the west ends at City Hall, just two blocks from the market. The Broad Street subway line lets off at City Hall as well; the Market-Frankford east/west subway line has a stop at 11th Street, a block south of the market.
Admission to Reading Terminal Market
Admission is free, though walking past the roughly 100 merchants without buying something is tough.
Reading Terminal Market is open 8:00AM-6:00PM Monday-Saturday and 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. Keep in mind that many of the Pennsylvania Dutch merchants are not open Sundays and Mondays.
Must See/Do at Reading Terminal Market
This is one of the best places in the city to get high-quality produce as dirt-cheap prices. If you're hungry now, grab a roast pork sandwich from Tommy DiNic's and head to the food court for some great people watching.
Other Places to Visit Near Reading Terminal Market
If you're looking for more retail therapy, the Rittenhouse neighborhood, with its high-end boutiques, is a few blocks west. You can also take the Market-Frankford subway line to Independence Hall to brush up on your history, or the PHLASH shuttle system to the museum district for the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Barnes Foundation and the Franklin Institute.
Insider tip for visitors to Reading Terminal Market
The best time to visit Reading Terminal Market is in the mornings or mid-afternoons. Lunch time and weekends are packed with people, locals and tourists alike.
Author's bio: Jeff Birou is an education administrator by day, travel and freelance writer by night. You can find him at his blog, Lance+Jeff, or on Twitter at @Jetsetter_Jeff.
Villa Aurora is a Los Angeles historical landmark and artist residence. Originally built in 1927, it was home to émigré German-Jewish novelist Lion Feuchtwanger and his wife Marta. It was once a magnet for socializing among L.A.'s European émigré artists, writers and composers, including Bertolt Brecht and Thomas Mann as well as movie greats Fritz Lang and Charlie Chaplin. After undergoing restoration, Villa Aurora reopened in 1995 as an artist residence and houses Feuchtwanger Memorial Library, fostering German-American exchange in the fields of literature, music, art and film. The villa offers various cultural events during the year. Tours of the Villa arranged by appointment show the home's major rooms, the installed organ and its pipes and the front and rear patios.
Yankee Stadium is located in the Bronx, New York, near the historic park, Heritage Field. It is the newest home stadium for the New York Yankees of the American League, and is home to the New York City Football Club of Major League Soccer. It is a bit far away from the city's main attractions, but worth the trip for a Yankees game.
Yankee Stadium parking
Pre-paid parking tickets can be purchased online through Quik Park Garages for both individual games and full- or partial-season passes. Parking is easy and guided to the various lots surrounding the stadium. For guaranteed spots, it's best to reserve a space online.
Hotels near Yankee Stadium
There are a couple of hotels close to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. However, if attending a game is part of a trip to New York, it's better to stay in a more central location. There are surprisingly affordable hotels in the Times Square area, which is crowded but steps away from most subway lines. Other famous hotels in the Midtown area include Waldorf-Astoria and W New York.
Seating at Yankee Stadium
The cheapest seats are in bleacher sections 201 and 239, however, parts of the outfield are obstructed if you are seated behind the batter's cage. Possibly the best seats with the most reasonable prices are the main sections from 213-227B. The Legends Suite section is the most expensive and most comfortable.
Food at Yankee Stadium
Many popular food vendors from New York have a stand at Yankee Stadium, from Boar's Head delis to Brother Jimmy's BBQ. Prices vary but they are generally more costly than what you'd find around the city. Cheap classic hot dogs are available as well.
Beer at Yankee Stadium
Beers of the World, serving domestic and select craft beers, is all over the stadium. Prices range from $5-12 depending on the beer and size. The Malibu Rum Terrace Deck in the upper deck across from section 310 has the best variety and is less crowded than the Beers of the World vendors.
Parking alternatives at Yankee Stadium
Riding the subway is always the best option when getting around NYC. Avoid traffic and road rage by taking the B, D or 4 trains to 161 St/Yankee Stadium station. Keep in mind that if you are leaving from as far as Brooklyn, you should give yourself at least an hour for the ride. From Manhattan it could be 30-45 minutes.
What to bring to Yankee Stadium
Soft bags are allowed inside the stadium. Surprisingly, you can also bring food into the stadium as long as it's stored in a clear plastic bag. Bottles and cans are not allowed. A sweater or small umbrella could also be helpful, especially if you are sitting in the upper level where it is uncovered from the weather.
Insider tip for Yankee Stadium
A fast exit is Gate 6 next to right field. It leaves you at 162nd Street and River Avenue, which is a couple blocks away from the main subway station.
Author's bio: Emilia Navarro is a freelance travel writer based in Brooklyn, NY. Follow her blog at www.emiliawrites.com to learn more about her adventures.
