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.
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.
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.
The Westport Arts Center is a visual and performing arts organization that offers arts experiences to the entire community. The center has been in the community since the 1960s, when it was incorporated as the Westport-Weston Arts Council in 1969. Since that time, the center has worked to preserve Westport's cultural heritage and tradition of supporting the arts.
The Westport Arts Center offices and galleries are located on the banks of the Saugatuck River in downtown Westport. In addition to presenting exhibitions, concerts, lectures and film screenings in its 2000 square-foot gallery, the center also has a studio where children's workshops are held as well as a smaller Studio Gallery annex.
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.
Schimpff's Confectionery in Jeffersonville, Indiana, has been tempting the sweet teeth of children and adults for almost 150 years and is considered to be an Indiana landmark hidden gem. It was originally known as a candy store, but has since evolved in a candy museum and has tours where you can actually watch your favorite candies being made using the same methods from a century ago.
Best and worst time to go to Schimpff's Confectionery
The worst times to go are busy holiday weekends like Valentine's Day, Easter and Mother's Day because so much of the business revolves around giving out those sweet treats. The Christmas holiday is another really busy season, with weekends getting busier the closer it gets to the big day. Generally, the best times to go are during weekday hours, but Saturdays and Sundays which are not near holidays are also great visiting times.
Must see/do at Schimpff's Confectionery
Don't just stop by and buy some candies. Instead, take the extra time and do the full tour, which lasts about 45 minutes. During the tour, you'll get to see old-fashioned candies being made on antique machines and using methods from 150 years ago. Also, take the time to walk through the Candy Museum, one of the few museums in the United States devoted just to candies and candy making, which has thousands of pieces of preserved candy and candy artifacts. If you're anxious to sample the goods, you can ask for some free tastes of yesterday's favorites like red hots and Modjeska's.
Admission to Schimpff's Confectionery
Admission to the museum and tour is free, but you have to book the tour to ensure you get to see actual candy being made. Also, note holiday hours as the shop is closed several days throughout the year.
Parking and public transportation to Schimpff's Confectionery
There is plentiful parking in Jeffersonville along the streets around the confectionery. Unfortunately, Jeffersonville doesn't have public transportation nor does TARC provide transportation in the downtown area.
Food at Schimpff's Confectionery
Schimpff's does have a Deli Lunch Room inside the museum and you can purchase lunch meals in addition to the candies made there. If you're still hungry or thirsty, step up and take a seat at 1950s-era soda fountain where you can order a chocolate soda.
Insiders tip for visitors to Schimpff's Confectionery
Don't go to Schimpff's just to buy candy. You can easily spend an afternoon in the museum watching the inside view of candy making. If it's a slow day, the candy makers will answer all your questions. Also, be sure to take in the Chocolate Dipping Room and Candy Demonstration Area where a variety of candies are made all day long.
Author's bio: CC Thomas is freelance writer and Kentucky native who loves to travel. Follow the adventures at www.iknowfuntravel.blogspot.com.
Philadelphia's Please Touch Museum inspires kids to learn and discover through playing. The museum features countless exhibits for all ages to enjoy, including some that grown adults may even remember from their childhood trips to Please Touch Museum. Kids and parents can enjoy hands-on fun on two levels of exciting attractions to explore, with special programs and events also featured throughout the year.
Best and Worst Time to Go to Please Touch Museum
Rainy days tend to draw more guests to the Please Touch Museum, so plan to visit on a sunny or fair day if you are looking for smaller crowds. Visits later in the day, particularly during the afternoon, are usually less crowded due to school trips having already wrapped up their visits. Mondays are another safe bet as groups are not taken that first day of the week.
Must-See and Do at Please Touch Museum
Kids will love to play in the water at the museum's River Adventures exhibit, complete with sailboat races and animals nestled in the nooks of the gigantic winding water table. The Space Station allows families to create and launch foam rockets high into the sky of the space room, aiming for the Ring Tower or other parts of the room. Don't miss the ShopRite Supermarket downstairs in the museum--a must-do for kids who love play food, shopping, and role play.
Admission to Please Touch Museum
Children over the age of 1 and adults will need to pay for admission to the museum. Museum members gain free admission for as many times each year as they would like to visit, and the cost of a family membership is quite reasonable if you live in the area. Discounts are offered for members of the military and AAA members, as well as from 4 - 7 p.m. for all guests on the first Wednesday of the month.
Parking and Public Transportation to Please Touch Museum
Depending on how busy the museum is when you visit, the paid lot can be quite full with finding a parking spot taking a little patience. Members of the museum park in the lot for free, but free parking is available for non-members all along the street outside of the museum. Public transportation options also provide convenient access to the Please Touch Museum, specifically SEPTA buses, Philly PHLASH, Amtrak, and NJ Transit.
Food at Please Touch Museum
Families can enjoy a bite to eat at the museum's Please Taste Cafe, featuring pizzas, salads, sandwiches, beverages, and more. Expect to pay typical prices for this kind of establishment, but gain a 10% discount if you are a member. The room with the Carousel also has tables spaced out if you choose to bring your own snacks or lunch to save some money.
Insider Tip for Visitors to Please Touch Museum
Visit the Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel as a reward toward the end of your visit so that you can make it through all the exhibits. Child riders will need a ticket but one parent can accompany the child for free.
Author's bio: Kathryn M. D'Imperio is a freelance writer and marketing specialist in Pennsylvania. She enjoys taking her toddler daughter to various attractions in and around Philadelphia.
Motorcycle enthusiasts who are looking for a high quality bike that isn't like every other motorcycle in the metro Atlanta area should check out Blue Moon Motorcycles. Blue Moon sells new and used BMWs, as well as the latest line of the Russian sidecar motorcycle, the Ural. Riders from all over the country contact this Norcross business because of their vintage European motorcycles. They also sell helmets, jackets and other BMW apparel.
