Our guest room at The Sound Hotel had stunning views of the city. Carolyn Yuen Marino Last weekend, we played tourist in our own city and had a lovely staycation downtown at The Sound Hotel, courtesy of Visit Seattle! Safety protocols in the city were top notch and everyone was masked indoors, so we felt safe while still being able to have fun. Read on for where we stayed, what to do, where to eat/drink, and more! WHERE TO STAY The guest rooms at The Sound Hotel showcase the modern aesthetic

There is a Seattle beneath the surface that is just waiting to be discovered. It’s hidden, sometimes in plain sight, sometimes two flights up in the Market. It’s the best kept secrets, insider tips, secret menus and local favorites that make people love this city, even if you can never entirely know it. Jordan Nicholson, @jordanloves.life We invited Seattle photographer, illustrator and designer Jordan Nicholson to share some of his favorite spots and insider tips with us. Tag along on his S

Seattle is a wonderful place to explore and celebrate the diversity of Latinx, Hispanic, and Latino-identified communities. The following InTENtional List highlights 10 local Latino-owned businesses to explore one gallery, one latte, one pupusa at a time. Downtown Moore Coffee | A picture is worth a thousand words, especially when it is the infinitely Instagrammable latte art at Moore Coffee. The coffee shop was founded by Lupe Chavez and gets its name from the Moore Hotel, where Lupe worked

With the current weather, now is the perfect time to explore city life in Seattle. My family just had a fantastic trip to this beautiful city and are excited to share our experience along with some tips for a smooth trip with kids for a fun family weekend in Seattle. Where to stay? We stayed at the Hilton Seattle, in a room with a city view. This hotel is located near famous places like Pike Place Market, Space Needle, and more. It’s convenient for families with small children to avoid lon

  Artist Nao Yamamoto works in the Seattle Glassblowing Studio hot shop during Refract 2020. Photo: Mike Mitchell Refract: The Seattle Glass Experience is our annual celebration of glass art, shining a spotlight on the incredible artists and organizations that make the Pacific Northwest the epicenter of glass art in the United States. Join us Thursday-Sunday, October 14-17, for live demonstrations, open studio tours, museum and gallery exhibitions, art auctions and more! Raven Skyriver

Did you know that Seattle is the hub of studio glass art? Many people think of Venice when they think of glass art—however, Seattle’s hidden secret is that it is the U.S. epicenter for all things glass art. I was fortunate enough to head to Seattle for Refract: The Seattle Glass Experience, a four day festival exploring the beauty, innovation, and artistry of glass blowing.   The festival kicked off at Chihuly Garden and Glass, which is the probably the most well-known museum showcasing th

Come celebrate nearly four centuries of Salem’s history with spices, herbs and tea in America’s first living history museum, Pioneer Village: Salem 1630. There will be exhibits, recipes, crafts, talks, demonstrations, music, food, storytelling and activities for children. Admission is free but a suggested donation of $5.00 to Pioneer Village will happily be

Congratulations to Logan Goodwin for winning our “Pick of the Month” for August! Logan’s picture of Bakers Island Light makes us sad the summer season has ended.  If you are looking for an adventure, check in with Essex Heritage and add a boat ride to Bakers Island to your summer list! Do you have a memorable shot of Salem? Submit it to our Photo Conte

Hanging judges, cursed colonels, haunted hallways: Bring a friend and hang on! For those who like a little fact with their fright, a little history with their hi-jinx, head for The House of the Seven Gables in October where truth is always stranger than fiction. On select weekend nights, two original theatrical events are staged in The House of the Seven Gables and the

New England Open Markets will bring a cornucopia of food trucks to Salem Common to kick off the city’s annual Halloween celebrations with the first Salem Food Truck Festival. On October 1st and 2nd, 2016 from 11 AM to 6 PM over 25 food trucks from across New England will converge on historic Salem Common just in time for the kick-off of the month long 2016 Haunted

Celebrate the “last dying gasp of the sailing season,” with Downrig or Die!, an annual program presented by the Salem Maritime National Historic Site in partnership with Schooner Fame and Essex Heritage. On November 5, 2016, take to the water on a discounted sail aboard a traditional schooner. Both the Schooner Fame and the Schooner Ardelle are offering discounted public sails as part of the Downrig or Die! Ea

We have two Photo Contest “Pick of the Month” winners to share today! Congratulations to Carrie Dichter  for winning our “Pick of the Month” for September!   Congratulations to Stephanie Williams for winning our “Pick of the Month” for October! Do you have an excellent picture of Salem? Submit it to our Photo Contest, and you could win a gre

The Salem City Seal’s design is based on a very important aspect of Salem history, and it doesn’t have anything to do with the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. With a merchant dressed in colorful robes standing next to palm trees on an island, and a ship in the background under full sail, the seal is actually representative of Salem’s spice trade history. The merchant feature

The Peabody Essex Museum’s latest exhibition, Shoes: Pleasure and Pain, is an exploration into over 300 pairs of shoes through their varied histories, cultural significance, and even the personal experiences of those who collect or wear them. The exhibition, which is making its U.S. debut at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM), is organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum i

Congratulations to Amanda Beattie, whose photograph of the Super Moon and Pickering Light has been selected as the November “Pick of the Month” in the Destination Salem photo contest!

Celebrate the New Year with The City of Salem, Salem Main Streets, and Creative Salem, with two events on December 31st! Beginning at 4pm, bring the whole family down to Old Town Hall for Launch! featuring interactive activities and an early countdown just before 6pm. Later, return to Old Town Hall for Launch… Light it Up!, an all-new event just for the 21+ crowd. Return

Monopoly was made here George, Edward, and Charles Parker built the Parker Brothers factory in the late nineteenth century, producing games including Monopoly, Clue, Risk, the Ouija Board, and Rook. Their games were based on current events and are recognized around the world. George Parker died in 1952, and his brothers kept the company going until it was purchased in 19

A true walking city filled with fresh local food and a variety of ways to get moving, Salem is a great place to stay fit all year long: Cycling at any speed A bike-friendly community, “sharrows” are painted on many Salem streets to encourage the sharing of roads by automobile and cycle traffic. Zagster, Salem’s bike share program allows for easy rides around town

Last year a team of local scholars and researchers were able to confirm the location where the innocent victims of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 were executed. Following this discovery, the City of Salem has worked with a number of individuals and organizations to come up with plans for a permanent memorial at this site. The memorial will come to fruition with the help

Prefer “Singles Awareness Day” to Valentine’s Day? We’re spending the day remembering some of our most famous singles from Salem’s history! Whether by choice (or not), religious preference, or even sabotage, Salem has seen its share of notable singles over the years: Caroline Emmerton (1866 – 1942) was the founder of The House of the Seven G