A QUICK DAY TRIP TO HISTORIC PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS

Before arriving in Plymouth we stopped in Marshfield Hills, Massachusetts to visit the Marshfield Hills General Store, 165 Prospect St. The historic Marshfield Hills General Store, in Marshfield Hills, Massachusetts is owned by actor Steve Carell so you better believe you’ll find a whole lot of the Office merch! Plus, it’s just a 2o minute drive from Plymouth.

We got lunch at Tavern on the Wharf, 6 Town Wharf. I ordered the Mac and cheese, Eric ordered the lobster roll and we got some buffalo wings as an appetizer. Everything was delicious and after lunch we headed over to the Pilgrim Memorial State Park, 79 Water St, to boat watch before setting out on a walk across town.

Brewster Gardens, 30 Water St, is a beautiful little park located on the right side of Water Street where you can sit and relax for a moment. If you decide to sit along the benches at the Brewster Gardens you’ll have an amazing view of Harborside Park, where the Plymouth Rock and Mayflower are.

We started making our way to the Plymouth Grist Mill by following the signs. The signs led us through two bridge underpasses with great views of the river that leads to the Plymouth Harbor.

Once we arrived to the mill there are a few different places you can stand to get a good view of the mill, here is the back of the Plymouth Grist Mill and it’s probably my favorite since it’s surrounded by flowers and wild plants growing all around.

There is a little pathway that leads you down to the bottom of the mill, there is a gift shop, a restaurant and a spectacular view of the mill.

There is a bench once you go around the mill where you can sit and just watch the mill spin. It was a particularly warm day when we visited Plymouth but we still sat there for a few minutes to enjoy the view and to hydrate before moving forward.

Right next door to the Plymouth Grist Mill is the Jenney Museum, a museum with exhibits on local Pilgrim life & offers guided tours of Plymouth.

We walked back to Water Street to check out the Plymouth Rock, it was pretty busy when we first walked by so when we walked back the second time it wasn’t as busy. We were able to get a great view of the historic rock where the Mayflower Pilgrims first landed in 1620.

Right next to the Plymouth Rock is a replica of the Mayflower II. The Mayflower II is a full-scale replica of a 17th-century Pilgrim ship, it also houses multiple exhibits and they also offer tours with costumed guides.

If you like to buy souvenirs we found the best place to get a few knickknacks was Mayflower General Store, 72 Water St, they have a large variety of items for the best prices.

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A QUICK WEEKEND GETAWAY IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Living in the East Coast we’ve pretty much have been everywhere, but for some unknown reason we haven’t stopped by Boston. We have previously driven through to get back to NYC but this weekend we decided to visit and see what we’ve been missing out. Just a four hour car ride from NYC (there is also a four hour train ride to Boston from NYC) we headed out late at night to get a head start tomorrow in the morning.

We arrived around 11pm, we parked our car at The Beverly parking garage, then walked over to our hotel, Kimpton Onyx Hotel. We walked down Causeway Street and saw that North Station was very conveniently located with tons of restaurants and shops.

We were pretty excited about today only to see that it was pouring outside but a little rain (or a lot) definitely didn’t stop us from going out and exploring Boston. Thankfully our hotel had some umbrellas we could use. We definitely were not prepared for this rain, but we toughed it out and headed out to brunch.

For brunch we went to the Tavern in the Square, 120 Beverly St, and Eric and I were both feeling burgers! Eric ordered the blackened bacon blue cheese burger that comes with cajun spice, bacon, ale braised onions, and blue cheese and I got the picanté burger that is served with crispy bacon, cheddar, tomato jalapeño relish, and chipotle aioli. Both burgers were good but would try something new next time!

After lunch we made our way over to the North End and wandered through the cobble streets for a while. We stopped to take a pictures of this neat building, The Point, it was still sprinkling out when I took this picture you might be able to tell from the raindrop on the lens.

Down a ways we stopped to check out the Union Oyster House. Did you know that the Union Oyster House has been America’s oldest continuously operating restaurant since 1826? The building itself was built in 1714 making it 307 years old, it didn’t open as a restaurant until 1826 and has been serving chowder and oysters ever since! The Union Oyster House is full of history, the first American waitress, Rose Carey, started work at the Union Oyster House back in 1920. Not to mention it’s right on the Freedom Trail, dating back to the Pre-Revolutionary days. 

There is a wide variety of food vendors and shopping within the marketplace, so try a variety of different foods before enjoying a performance in front of the Quincy Market.  You’ll find regular street performers performing acts such as juggling, acrobatics and much more! 

After walking around Quincy Market we wanted to find a coffee place were we could sit down and enjoy a nice cup of coffee while escaping the rain. We stopped at Boston Public Market, 100 Hanover St just to peep inside, there are some pretty neat vendors and worth stopping by but they unfortunately didn’t have a place to sit so we continued on our quest for coffee.

How cute is this little park? I’m sure its a beautiful place to relax on a nice sunny day!

We came across the Thinking Cup, 236 Hanover St where we then ordered some coffee and a nice foamy cup of hot chocolate.

While sipping our warm drinks I grabbed a deck of Monopoly deal out of my purse a played a few games while we waited out the rain.

After a long gloomy day we decided to do some wine tasting at Boston Winery, 26 Ericsson St.

For dinner we went over to the Lovejoy Wharf and had dinner at the Alcove.

I’m personally not a fan of seafood so for dinner I ordered the fried chicken sandwich with homemade chips. Eric had the blackened fish tacos and thought they were great!

The next day it was a beautiful spring day with a slight breeze, so we started our day off by walking through the Italian District, looking for a place to grab breakfast.

We came across this adorable little park and decided to step in for just a second before continuing forward. Don’t you just love the colorful trees?

On the corner of Salem and Prince we stopped at Bova's Bakery, 134 Salem St. Bova’s was recommended to us by a friend and Eric’s cousin so stopped here to grab something for lunch! I got a slice of cheese pizza and Eric got a meatball marinara calzone.

The cheese pizza was actually pretty good! Eric ended up having half of mine since he liked it better then the meatball calzone.

Not to mention the endless amount of sweet pastries! If we had more room we would’ve definitely gotten dessert here! Everything looked super good and since a decent line does form here I’m going to take a guess and say that their pastries don’t disappoint.

After getting our order to go we walked over to North Square Park to enjoy our lunch. North Square Park is in the heart of the North End neighborhood, Boston’s oldest neighborhood! It’s crazy to think people have lived in this neighborhood since 1640, it’s a beautiful place to live so I guess it makes sense! It’s the perfect place to sit and relax, we were there for only a few minutes but it was great to people watch and check out The Paul Revere House.

You might have briefly learned about Paul Revere in school but his house offers so much information about the patriot who made the famous midnight ride from Boston to Concord. Paul Revere arranged to have a signal lit in the Old North Church – one lantern if the British were coming by land and two lanterns if they were coming by sea, allowing him to warn the colonists. 

Admission is $6 a person, open Thursdays – Sundays 10:00am – 4:00pm

This super cute restaurant was right in front of the North Square Park so I just had to get a quick picture of it before leaving. Next time we are in Boston I definitely would like to come here.

The North End is filled with neat little stores one that I thought was worth checking out is Salumeria Italiana, 151 Richmond St, a small hole-in-the-wall store filled with authentic Italian groceries. If you are looking to spice up your spaghetti dinner I highly suggest shopping here for a few more ingredients or maybe supplies for a delicious dessert.

After lunch we walked around for a little while, we window shopped and got to see a few historical homes before making our way to Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park.

Honestly I’m so happy we came to this park today and not yesterday, I mean check out that sky! It’s crazy how opposite the weather was on this trip.

This park is the perfect place to walk along Boston’s waterfront. There are plenty of places to sit and relax while enjoying excellent views of the waterfront, there also is a rose garden, and a playground for children. We sat here for a little while and just enjoyed the boats and people watched before continuing on.

Not pictured but just across the street is the Greenway Carousel, which you can ride for just $4. It’s very cute, the rides are hand-carved characters designed after animals native to Massachusetts. It is open daily from April through October, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

We started walking down south to the Long Wharf and we saw the cutest little duck house! Unfortunately we didn’t see any ducks get in or come out of it but it sure is adorable. We also saw this super cool gate full of buoys, I love seeing colorful buoys like these on the East Coast!

Since we didn't get to see much yesterday we decided to see as much as possible today. While at the Long Wharf we decided to visit the Boston Public Gardens but we took a more scenic route.

We walked north on State Street till we got to the Old State House, 206 Washington St, there is a cobblestone ring that marks the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre.

We walked down School Street and there are a few notable places to mention, Kings Chapel Burying Ground, Ben Franklin House, Old South Meeting House (the original meeting site for the Boston Tea Party) and Boston's Old City Hall. We zoomed through this area but keep your eyes open for things like this Ben Franklin statue, you know what’s really funny, when we were walking past this statue there was an revolutionary war re-enactor walking by and we thought it was really neat.

From the Long Wharf waterfront it was roughly a mile walk to the Boston Commons and Boston Public Gardens. It felt like a pretty short walk since our walk was basically along the Freedom Trail. We found a bench and enjoyed the afternoon relaxing at the gardens, my favorite part of the gardens is the little duck island. We saw so many cute little ducks and squirrels running around, plus the adorable little duck statues we saw as we were leaving.

We walked down Charles Street and just zig-zagged around, but I’m so glad we happened to visit Boston when all the trees were blooming because look how beautiful these homes are!

We finished the day by admiring these homes like remind me of Brooklyn Heights in NYC and made our way back to the North End for dinner.

We had a delicious dinner at Mare Oyster Bar, 223 Hanover St. I had the Wild Boar Pappardelle, a slow braised wild boar ragu, with oyster mushrooms and ricotta salata. Eric had the Tagliatelle con Aragosta, fresh lobster with shaved black truffles, cherry tomato and lobster sauce. Both dishes were delicious and would definitely get again!

If you have a little room for dessert, Modern Pastry is just around the corner! Grab a few canolis to go and enjoy them at the North Street Park.

We had a crazy long day of walking and sightseeing so we decided to sleep in and check out a little later. We grabbed lunch before heading back home.

We went down the street to Bonne Chance Cafe, 77 Canal St. Eric was feeling something more breakfasty so he got a sausage, egg, and cheese with avocado on an English muffin. I got the Spicy Pork + Japchae with Stir-Fried Vegetables with Rice. It so much food that Eric had to help me out, it was really good with the hot sauce they have! We got a little side of sriracha and teriyaki sauce too.

That wraps up our weekend trip to Boston, Massachusetts! We had a lot of fun and after years of living on the East Coast we’re glad we finally went! If we missed any fun or historical places, definitely let me know in the comments below!

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POSTCARD FROM ROCKPORT, MASSACHUSETTS

Just an hour from Boston, Rockport is the perfect day trip! This quaint little seaside town in New England is a total gem and the perfect getaway for the warmer months.

You can spend a good amount of time just exploring shops and all the galleries in town but I’ve made a mini guide to further help your visit!

Find some street parking along Main Street and start your day by exploring the art galleries!

The Rockport Art Museum has a mix of older art pieces from their collection along with modern art that is available for purchase. They have art from local artists, sculptors and photographers in their exhibits. It’s a really interesting museum/gallery and worth stopping by! The Rockport Art Museum also offers online art courses, sketch groups, outdoor workshops, and much more!

If you are looking for a place to grab some gelato or maybe a refreshing strawberry lemonade, the Robin’s Nest is the perfect place to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Just next to the Robin’s Nest, walk down Pier Ave and get some awesome views of the White Wharf. There is limited seating but there are a few benches, if none are available you can sit on the rocks with caution to enjoy the views.

If you happen to visit Rockport and decide you want to go to the beach such as Pebble Beach, but you didn’t bring anything with you, One Ocean One Love Shop is the perfect place for beach-wear. They have quite a bit of merch and swimwear, basically anything you might need for the beach such as towels, sunglasses, aloe mist, hats and sandals.

If you bring your dog to Rockport make sure to stop by The Ice Cream Store for a frosty paws for pups and maybe a sundae for yourself! They have a super large assortment of ice cream flavors to choose from, they also have multiple flavors for their shaved ice.

How cute is this little shop? The Pewter Shop has some really neat jewelry pieces and ocean themed kitchen and home accessories. If you are picking up souvenirs for friends and family but are looking for something hand-crafted you might want to check out The Pewter Shop.

Original Beach Dog, 18 Bearskin Neck

Going further down Bearskin Neck there are multiple clothing stores where you can shop around for sweatshirts, t-shirts, and unique souvenirs. A few stores you can keep an eye out for are Original Beach Dog, Kayas, Floating Lotus Rockport, The Black Dog General Store, The Blue Lantern, Artesano's and Kala Roopa.

Kaya's Crafts, 21 Bearskin Neck

R Lerch Gallery, 22 Bearskin Neck

Floating Lotus Rockport, 27 Bearskin Neck

The Blue Lantern, 31 Bearskin Neck

Artesano's, 33 Bearskin Neck

Kala Roopa, 43 Bearskin Neck

You can’t visit Cape Ann without getting some fresh lobster! Lobster rolls are Rockport’s speciality and you can find the best lobster rolls in Rockport at Roy Moore Lobster Co.

If you happen to bring your furry friend to Rockport take them to get a treat at Good Dog Gallery, while you’re there you can do a little shopping. You can find all sorts of doggy essentials, such as leaches, collars, and doggie treats.

One of my favorite places to shop while walking down Bearskin Neck was The Bearskin Neck Country Store. This cute little country store has all sorts of unique candies and souvenirs, this is where we got our souvenirs, we got a few postcards and some pretty neat magnets.

They have salt water taffy, old school candy, unique hot sauces, and plenty of other goodies. We couldn’t resist getting some candy so we did get some Turkish taffy.

In case you didn’t think there was enough sweet shops in Rockport there is a Fudgery. Stop by to pick up some creamy fudge bars and if you are trying to watch your sugar intake they do have a few sugar free flavors.

During the warmer months, if you’d like to go kayaking rent some equipment at North Shore Kayak. They offer a couple tours were you can kayak a few miles with the help of a guide. If you happen to visit Rockport for the weekend, add renting kayaks and paddle boats to your list. For rates on rentals and prices of tours click here.

For a quick breakfast stop at Helmut’s Strudel for a delicious Austrian strudel. Although they do serve ice cream their strudels are what they are known for, so get a few pastries and enjoy them by the waterfront with a view.

After exploring all the stores, galleries, and sweet shops you’ll come to a dead end where you can enjoy the views of the colorful homes of Rockport. It was fairly windy so we didn’t walk over the rocks to the very end but if you are careful when climbing the rocks I’m sure you’ll have a pretty sweet view!

This plaque can be better read next to the Old Stone Fort.

At the very end of Bearskin Neck you’ll find some amazing views of Rockport and a slight glimpse of the Straitsmouth Island Lighthouse.

Once you get to the dead end, start making your way back and stop by the Motif #1, an exact replica of the original 1840 building. This colorful fishing shack can be seen anywhere from the Rockport Harbor. We were only there for an afternoon but if we had spent the whole day there we definitely would have come to the Motif to see the sunset.

Just behind the Judi Rotenberg Studio is this super cute cottage with an amazing view of the Motif.

Walk down the T-Wharf for a spectacular close up view of the Motif and all the ships out in the water. This spot is directly in front of the public restrooms/visitor center.

If you have some extra time on your hands make your way down to Gloucester, Massachusetts!

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EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO SEE IN SALEM, MA

Planning to travel in 2021? Keep in mind that information found in this article may have been impacted by travel restrictions and other closures. Please check with each state/destination for its current COVID-19 guidelines.

When you think of Salem you probably think pumpkins, witches, Hocus Pocus, and everything in-between! But with Salem only being a 30-minute car ride from Boston it’s the perfect day trip to take this fall! With that being said we headed out early to see everything witchy Salem has to offer! 

Visiting Salem, Massachusetts had always been on my bucket list. I’ve had an itinerary for Salem for years now, of course, it would be ideal to visit during the Halloween season but visiting any other time is just fine with me! We only spent a day in Salem so there is a lot to cover in a short amount of time, put on your witch hat and let’s get started! 

We began our day by finding street parking between Essex Street and Summer Street. Everything in Salem is within walkable distance so we decided to park and wander through the town.

Ropes Mansion and Garden - 318 Essex St 

This beautiful 18th-century Georgian colonial mansion was built in 1727 and they offer daily tours of the inside. The exterior of the Ropes Mansion was shown in the Disney movie Hocus Pocus and used as the family home of Allison.

There is also a garden that is free to visit, and they’re dog friendly! There are a few benches where you can sit and maybe read a book. Visit during the summer months of June through August when all the flowers and trees are in bloom!

First Church in Salem, 316 Essex St

The First Church in Salem is one of the oldest churches in North America, being built in 1635! It’s a beautiful church to walk by if you are coming from the Ropes Mansion and Garden. 

The Witch House, 310 Essex St 

The Witch House is the only building that is still standing from the Salem Witch Trials back in 1692. The house was home to Judge Jonathan Corwin, the judge who accused the witches during the trials. Nowadays, the Witch House has tours that provide information about the events that happened in 1962 and preserving artifacts from the 17th century.

Tour tickets are sold at the museum gift shop. Admission for entrance is $8.25 per person or $10.25 for a guided tour. 

Lappin Park // Bewitched Statue- 235 Essex St 

Do you guys remember the 1964 sitcom show Bewitched? If so you might want to stop by Lappin Park to see the Bewitched Statue that was donated to Salem from TV Land in 2005. 

Once we got to Washington Street we continued on Essex Street and stopped for breakfast at Fountain Place Restaurant. After breakfast, we grabbed a few postcards at Coon's Card & Gift Shop. Essex Street is full of witchy stores filled with souvenirs and knickknacks, so it’s the perfect place to do a little shopping! 

We stopped at Coon's Card & Gift Shop, 226 Essex St, and stopped around for a little while before continuing down Essex Street. If you are in the market for a good spooky book stop by Wicked Good Books, 215 Essex St, they have a great assortment of all sorts of books. Have a quick stop at Polonus European Deli, 176 Essex St, and pick up some Polish sweet treats, you can find a good variety of European treats!

Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square

Walk down the alley next to Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery and see Salem's Old Town Hall, a National Historic Site in central Salem. It was built in 1816, the Old Town Hall is also featured in Hocus Pocus! It’s where they held the Halloween party and the Sanderson Sisters sang to all the parents. Aside from it being in the Disney movie, it’s still very much in use today even though it’s one of the earliest surviving buildings in Salem.

Even if you are not a fan of antiquing you must visit Diehl Marcus & Company, 11 Central St. You’ll find some really interesting oddities, if you’d ever imagined what it was like shopping in the old times then this shop is for you!

Salem Visitor Center, 2 New Liberty St

Whether you decide to follow my guide in Salem or if you rather roam free through the village I suggest stopping by the Visitor Center to get a map to help you navigate through Salem. Plus if you are in town for more than a day then grab a few brochures to continue the fun!  We were only in Salem for one day but I think if we were here for a full weekend I would definitely be going on a history tour, or maybe a spooky ghost tour, if you are into that grab more information at the visitor center. 

Directly in front of the Salem Armory, there are a few memorials you can visit and relax, maybe look at a few brochures from the visitor center.

John Ward House, 9 Brown St

The John Ward House is one of the finest surviving 17th-century buildings, it was built somewhere between 1684 and 1723. The house has been restored to reflect what the home looked like back in the 1600s and is part of the Peabody Essex Museum with an admission of $20 a person. 

Salem Witch Museum, 19 1/2 N Washington Square

This museum consists of life-size stage sets figuring what life was like in 1692 and an interactive narration you witness what it was like during the Salem witch-hunts. Overall this museum is full of information on the background leading to the Salem witch trials which are really fascinating. 

After visiting a few museums or just taking a quick look, go for a walk along North Washington Square. We found some really pretty homes along this street, just direct across from the Salem Common.

Salem Common, N Washington Square

This 17th-century park is a great place for a walk, especially if you have a dog, the park is huge! I highly recommend visiting in October when it’s decorated for Halloween.

We came across this street fire alarm box, but how cute is this fire alarm? I did a little research on these fire alarm boxes since I had never seen one before and learned that the first telegraph fire alarm system like this one was actually developed by William Francis Channing and Moses G. Farmer in Boston, Massachusetts in 1852.

The House of the Seven Gables, 115 Derby St

The House of the Seven Gables was built in 1668 along the Salem harbor by John Turner, a ship-owner. Years later the House of the Seven Gables is now best known as the setting for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 novel, a romance gothic novel full of murder, ghosts, witchcraft, curses and hidden secrets. 

Salem Maritime National Historic Site, 160 Derby St

Salem Maritime National Historic Site marks the port where ships from the United States would exit when carrying cargo from the West to Asia. The Salem Maritime shows the development of the Atlantic triangular trade during the colonial period.

The grounds are open 24/7 and free to the public.

Fun fact: The Salem Maritime is the first National Historic Site in the National Park System.

We stopped to read this plaque in the Salem Maritime National Historic Site and it was interesting to see the Custom House in a historical print and in real life.

Derby Wharf Light Station

Walk over and see the Derby Wharf Lighthouse in the Derby Waterfront District. It’s a fairly quick walk and you get a great view of all the ships and make sure to look back to see the Salem Custom House!

There were only a few ships docked at the waterfront but it was nice to check out the old ships and historical buildings.

The Burying Point, 51 Charter St

If you are feeling brave enough to go on a spooky tour of this graveyard I suggest booking a haunted walking tour to get all of the history and information behind every location, especially the scary stories of a cemetery! If you are interested in finding some famous memorials click here. 

Fun Fact: Some graves dating as early as 1637. If you are interested in visiting the oldest cemetery in the United States, Myles Standish Burial Ground is just an hour and 20 minutes away from Salem in Duxbury, MA. 

Salem Pioneer Village, 98 West Ave

The Pioneer Village is the oldest history museum in the United States and is designed to represent Salem in the year 1630. It’s opened only on the weekend by tours only. Admission to the museum is $6 per person, as of right now the museum is temporarily closed but is planning to open back up on June 6, 2021.

Pioneer Village is just a ten-minute drive from downtown Salem and might be recognized from the movie Hocus Pocus. In the opening scenes of the film Hocus Pocus, you can see the Sanderson sisters having a cottage in the Pioneer Village.

Forest River Park, 32 Clifton Ave

Before heading back to Boston we stopped by the Forest River Park, which’s directly next to the Pioneer Village. This park is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the view of the waterfront. There is plenty of benches and picnic tables for a nice afternoon at the beach.

Meatlover’s Omelet at the Fountain Place Restaurant

WHERE TO EAT + DRINK IN SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS

Fountain Place Restaurant, 232 Essex St - We had an awesome breakfast at the Fountain Place, it’s conveniently located on Essex Street, and with a window seat, it’s the perfect place to grab breakfast and people watch. I ordered the meatlover’s omelet with a side of fruit and Eric ordered the Maryland eggs benedict which is two poached eggs on an English muffin with house-made crap cakes topped with hollandaise sauce.

Ugly Mug Diner, 122 Washington St - You can’t go wrong with pancakes and waffles! Plus, I didn’t mention they have some delicious thick-cut french toast. They have everything breakfast so check out their menu and scroll through their delicious section of breakfast food.

Red's Sandwich Shop, 15 Central St - They got some really good omelets and not to mention at a super affordable price! This is the perfect place for a hearty breakfast, definitely come with an appetite because their servings are huge!

Boston Burger Company, 133 Washington St - If you are craving burgers, you HAVE to stop by the Boston Burger Company for some insane burgers. All the burgers sound super good, just take a look at their menu, they have some combinations that I would have never thought would go together.

Jaho Coffee Roaster & Wine Bar, 197 Derby St - They have a large variety of pastries and gelato, but if you are into sweet treats they also have boba drinks with delicious flavors!

Red Line Cafe, 188 Essex St - They have a large variety of drinks here both cold and hot, perfect if you want to go enjoy your drink at the Salem Common. Plus they have wraps, sandwiches, salads, breakfast sandwiches, and sweet and savory crepes.

I hope you enjoyed this guide! Have you been to Salem before? Let me know in the comments!

Print out my free guide to visiting Salem!

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