A New Mobile App from Destination Salem Helps Visitors Plan Their Visit to Salem, Massachusetts This Fall and Beyond


 Thinking about planning a trip to visit Salem, Massachusetts this fall and wondering how best to do it without having to spend too much time on the computer searching for things? 


Looking for some fun things to do for the Halloween season but worried about what's open and what's not? Curious at to what restrictions there might be due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic?


If you answered 'yes' to any of the above then you're going to love the new app from the wickedly clever folks of Destination Salem! The recently-released app will provide the latest updates on everything Salem including events, museums and attractions, shops, restaurants, parking, and much more.


Created by Aloompa, the new mobile app will provide visitors and residents with comprehensive information for exploring Salem by featuring news, business listings, educational content, maps, and location-based notifications. 


The new app will provide updates on parking availability, restrooms, and public health guidelines throughout the fall. The app will also be available all year long for the latest information about Salem’s annual festivals to include Salem’s So Sweet, Salem Arts Festival, Salem Heritage Days, and much more.

So what can you use the app for? Well ... 


You can use the app to help you find a great place to stay like the historic and comfortable Hawthorne Hotel located next to the Salem Common. In June of 1970, when the TV series "Bewitched" filmed their 8-part series 'The Salem Saga' in the area, the Hawthorne Hotel wasn't just part of the action but also where the cast and crew stayed! 


Or perhaps you'd like to stay at one of Salem's newest hotels - The Hotel Salem located right in the heart of things on Essex Street on the town's Pedestrian Mall. Want to know more? There's an app for that!


Hungry? How about a tasty bowl of Steve's Seafood Chowder and a craft cocktail at the Tavern in the Hawthorne Hotel on the Common. Allison, the best bartender on the North Shore, will be happy to create a drink that's sure to hit the spot! 


More of a teetotaler? Perhaps a nice Afternoon Tea at the Jolie Tea Company would be just the thing for you! You'll find them both on the new app! 


Due to the ongoing pandemic, it's frighteningly sad that Salem's annual Haunted Happenings won't be the big event like it has been  in the past when the streets were so crowded you could barely walk through sideways but with the new app, you'll still be able to find lots of things to do in Witch City! 


The Friendship of Salem, a replica tall ship that it is owned and operated by the National Park Service, is located on Derby Wharf, a great place to learn about Salem's role as a center of global trade in post-Colonial America. As of this writing, the ship currently stands mast-less in the harbor while undergoing restoration work.


Located across from Derby Wharf, the Salem Custom House is part of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. It's where Nathaniel Hawthorne worked as a customs inspector for three years inspiring his writing of 'The Scarlett Letter' and where you'll find this magnificent wooden eagle that was hand carved by local craftsman Joseph True and purchased by the Custom House in 1826 for $50. A fiberglass replica currently stands upon the Custom House today. 


Unfortunately, interior access to all of the buildings is currently unavailable but the outdoor spaces including the grounds, gardens, and wharfs of Salem Maritime will continue to remain accessible 7 days a week and you can have a socially-distanced chat with Park Rangers who will be roving the grounds at Salem Maritime between 8:30AM and 5:00PM.


The House of the Seven Gables will be focusing on open-air experiences in their historic gardens and grounds this year with the price of admission including a link to a virtual tour of the 1668 Turner-Ingersoll Mansion. Their Visitor Center and Museum Shop will be open with restrictions in place.


On the new mobile app you'll find lots of other places of interest to visit including: 


 The Charter Street Cemetery/Old Burying Point which is a popular destination for visitors to Salem. Founded in 1637, it is Salem's oldest cemetery and final resting place for several of the city's notable residents ... though not this guy, this was just a cool stone! 


The Witch Trials Memorial is located directly behind the cemetery and is open to the public from dawn to dusk. Here you'll find memorial benches for the 19 men and women who were executed during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 including Giles Corey who was pressed to death for refusing to confess to witchcraft. 


If you want to learn more about the Salem Witch Trials, the Salem Witch Museum now offers same-day online tickets that you can purchase once you arrive in Salem and eliminating the need to stand in line. Find more info in the app! 


Just FYI, when you're walking past this foreboding looking statue near the Salem Witch Museum, it isn't a witch though many think he is! This 9-foot tall statue is actually of the Puritan Roger Conant who is credited with founding Salem, Danvers and Peabody.


Of course no visit to Salem would be complete without a stop at the Peabody Essex Museum which ranks among the top 20 art museums in America and which recently opened a new 40,000-square foot wing offering visitors the chance to see even more of their wonderful collection. Through April 4, 2021 they have a new exhibition "The Salem Witch Trials of 1692" which is sure to be of interest to anyone who would like to learn more about the tragic events of 1692 that have shaped so much of Salem's history. 


With the new mobile app from Destination Salem, planning a trip to Salem need not be at all scary! You'll have everything you need at your fingertips, including a detailed map to help navigate the city and the most up-to-date list of events, shops, and restaurants that are open. You'll even be able to receive real-time messages via the app should anything change related to the city's COVID-19 guidelines. 

 The Destination Salem app is available for iOS and Android and can be found on the App Store as well as online at: http://onelink.to/kez9qm

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