February Vacation is a Perfect Time to Visit Salem! Spend a day downtown exploring our museums and attractions, or make your trip into an overnight stay with a special offer for the whole family. Here are a few ideas for how to spend a day or an overnight in Salem this month:

Vacation Week Activities

Constructing History at the Gables

Come in out of the cold and explore how they built houses in Colonial Massachusetts at The House of the Seven Gables. What worked best? What failed? How did they learn from their mistakes Put on your thinking cap AND hard hat as you learn about the tools of the trade and which materials they used most, experiment with different construction techniques at each of our hands-on stations using popular building toys, and fold and decorate your own paper house to take home.

Join us daily at 11:30 & 1:30 for “Why Do We Have Gables?” to explore which parts of historic buildings are the strongest. Kids will be making shapes with their hands and bodies in this fun, interactive program. Vacation week programming runs February 15-23 and admission information is available at 7gables.org.

Celebrate Black History Month: School Vacation Week at PEM

Join the Peabody Essex Museum for a weeklong celebration of Black History Month and the exhibition Jacob Lawrence: The American Struggle through family-friendly art making, music, storytelling and more with workshop collaborators Wee The People and Castle of our Skins. Runs February 18-21. Learn more at pem.org.

Junior Ranger Activities at Salem Maritime National Historic Site

Pick up your Junior Ranger booklet at Waite and Peirce, our park store (193 Derby St.). Explore Salem Maritime National Historic Site using your Junior Ranger booklet! The program contains questions and activities with the guidance of two helpful Junior Rangers, Basil and Shelly. Return your Junior Ranger booklet to Waite and Peirce and tell our staff what you’ve learned. Learn more at NPS.gov/SaMa.

LEGO “Make & Take” with Essex Heritage

Calling all LEGO lovers! Join us on Wednesday, February 19th during school vacation for an exciting LEGO “Make & Take” event co-hosted by Essex Heritage and the National Park Service! Participants will have the chance to make and take home their very own lighthouse keeper mini-figure and mini Bakers Island Light. Space is limited, so reservations are required. Come celebrate the maritime heritage of Salem through the art of LEGO building! Tickets ($10) may be purchased online.

Kid-Friendly Dining

 

 

Find kid-friendly dining throughout downtown Salem, with something for every member of the family! Find pizza at Flying Saucer Pizza Company and Essex’s NY Pizza & Deli, or spend some time after lunch playing classic video games at Bit Bar. Check the list below for more family-friendly dining ideas, or view a complete list of Salem’s restaurants here.

• Flying Saucer Pizza Company
• Essex’s NY Pizza & Deli
• Red’s
• Bambolina
• Bit Bar
• Kokeshi
• … and more!

Make it an Overnight

Make your trip into an overnight stay with accommodations right in downtown Salem! Stay at the Salem Inn, which features family suites complete with kitchenettes, or the Salem Waterfront Hotel which includes an onsite restaurant at the Regatta Pub and an indoor swimming pool. View a complete list of Salem’s accommodations here.

Share your School Vacation Week memories in Salem by using #DestSalem or start planning your April School Vacation Week visit by requesting a FREE visitor guide here.