Making the most of Salem MA
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The vessel docks close to the town centre.
Only 15 miles north-east of Boston, Salem's quaint, atmospheric character today disguises its long-standing importance as a harbour for the expanding American colonies and republic. Although now best known for its distant history, it was once North America's centre of the East Indian spice trade. Visitors can walk aboard the Friendship of Salem, a replica three-masted East Indiaman moored at Pickering Wharf.
Salem is most famous for the “Salem Witch trials”, although the hysteria actually began in present-day Danvers. Witch logos decorate police cars, a local public school is called Witchcraft Heights Elementary School, and Salem High School's sports teams are the Witches. Gallows Hill, where numerous public hangings occurred, now serves as a playing field for several sports. Tourists encounter important historic sites, New Age and Wiccan boutiques, kitschy Halloween and witch-themed attractions, plus a lively centre with many restaurants, cafés and coffee shops. The 15th Annual Retailers…
Getting around
Salem is a small town, with most visitor attractions contained within an area roughly a twenty-five-minute walk across.
The Salem Trolley offers a narrated one-hour tour and an all-day shuttle through beautiful, historic Salem.
Money
The official U.S. currency is the United States dollar (symbol; $). ATMs are everywhere.