Fun stuff in Marblehead/Salem in June

April 21, 2022 2:45 PM

We are staying in Marblehead, MA in early June in close proximity to Salem. What are the coolest things to do or see?

I have been to House of the Seven Gables and other touristy stuff, but we're looking for a deeper dive/any hidden gems you may know of. We are also open to driving 20-30 mins outside of the area as well.

We like oysters, pirates, gothy/witchy stuff, and the beach. Bonus points for cool bars/restaurants recs as well.

posted by marvelousmellitus to Travel & Transportation around Marblehead, MA (8 answers total)

Salem has a Pirate Museum. I've never been however.

Do you like pinball or classic video games? Salem Willows has an arcade, and if you prefer alcohol with your video games, Bit Bar is an option. (It's 21+ after 8pm)
posted by mkb at 3:04 PM on April 21, 2022

Hope you have a great time in Boston's Northshore!

Beaches:
Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester
Crane Beach in Ipswich (pair with a stop for clams at Woodmans in Essex)
Deer Island Harbor Walk in Winthrop (pair with a stop for great Lobstah Rolls at Belle Isle Seafood)

Dining:
Ledger in Salem
Frank in Beverly (pair with a show at the Cabot Theater)
The Blue Ox in Lynn

Brewery:
Notch has a taproom and brewery in Salem

Distillery:
Deacon Giles
posted by shw at 4:46 PM on April 21, 2022 [1 favorite]

The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, and its Yin Yu Tang house. The museum is apparently open Thursday through Sunday these days; in June perhaps more often.

Also in Salem, A&J King Bakery, small & delicious. Another place to go early. Order ahead here.

Adding to beaches above, Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester. Parking fills up, likely you have to be there when the lot opens at 8 a.m.
posted by xaryts at 5:20 PM on April 21, 2022 [1 favorite]

Besides Notch, I also liked the Far From the Tree cidery.

Winter Island is a neat place to walk around.
posted by credulous at 5:54 PM on April 21, 2022

If you get up to Gloucester, go to Lobstaland. Not Lobster Land. LOL. Woodman's is not anything like it used to be. Ipswich has the Clam Box though which has a limited menu but they really really know what they're doing.
posted by wellred at 5:47 AM on April 22, 2022

Bit Bar in Salem is a lot of fun and has a nice patio, so if you're not comfortable eating inside, you could get dinner outside and go in masked to play games.
posted by tangosnail at 6:58 AM on April 22, 2022

Former Salem resident, and a lot of my faves have already been mentioned, but I'll add these:

Gloucester: Good Harbor Beach is also nice. Cape Ann Brewing is fun, has a great outdoor deck and frequent live music. The Schooner Ardelle is a fun way to get on the water, small groups and a lively boat - bring snacks and beer. Cape Ann Museum is a very good small museum. Make sure to stop in Mystery Train Records and enjoy Gloucester's arty downtown.

Rockport is nearby too. it's mostly a shopping town, but scenic, and it has Motif No. 1.

Salem: Definitely PEM/Yin Yu Tang - don't miss that. Salem has a good Farmers Market on Thursdays. Many of the witch stores are cheesey, but HausWitch and Crow Haven are more serious about it. A & B Burgers in nearby Beverly is a good artisanal type burger joint. There are tons of bars in Salem but our favorite was the classic, homey bar at the Hawthorne Hotel. Bella Verona is a lovely, tiny Italian restaurant - make a reservation because it only has like 8 tables and they always fill. In addition to Salem Willows, you might want to check out Winter Island Park, a lesser-traveled public park with a nice little cove beach.
posted by Miko at 10:09 AM on April 22, 2022

There's sailboat racing starting up then. If you can get on a boat to race or be on the water to watch a race you might really like it.
posted by bendy at 8:41 PM on April 23, 2022