This past weekend I was supposed to go on vacation. I was supposed to go to Boston and meet some of my favorite actors, to see some friends I haven’t seen in a few months, and to go to my favorite cities in Massachusetts. But due to the Corona Virus I had to turn my vacation in to a “stay-cation” where I stayed at home, doing barely anything outside for five days. Between watching TV, writing, visiting my dog, and working on my Ancestry, I did barely anything.
Monday, it snowed. A good half foot in a day, and by Tuesday it was beginning to melt. I don’t have anxiety, but I swear driving in snow or dealing with other people driving in the snow gives me the worst kind of anxiety, especially when I have other people in the car, even my dog, especially my dog.
I was supposed to go back to work on Wednesday, but Tuesday I woke up with cold sweats and throwing up, so not wanting to take the chance I went to Well Now Urgent Care near my house, and got told that I have some kind of GI bug (thankfully the flu tested negative) and I was taken out of work until Friday just as a precaution.
Today was my first day back to work since Thursday, March 19th when my “stay-cation” started. The limits on certain items was at least twice as long as it was before I left last week. Our hours changed from opening at 8:00 am (for seniors) to closing at 8:00 pm Monday – Saturday (we normally close at 9:00 pm) and refusing returns of certain items. I got yelled at a few times because of that. I was also told many times today that I should be wearing a face mask and gloves. Why should I use something that I don’t need? The masks and gloves should be saved for medical personnel and sick people that actually need them. It was also noticeably slower today than it was week before I left.
Back to my blog post topic. Massachusetts. Ever since I went to Danvers, MA and Salem, MA with my dad when I was about ten years old, I’ve felt drawn there. I never want to leave when I go there and I wish I could afford to live there. I decided to do a blog post on my favorite places in Massachusetts so that when this whole Corona thing is over anyone who has never been or those who have and just want to go again have some options as well as just doing a virtual tour of places I’ve loved for so long.
Outside Salem, MA
Salem, MA is my favorite city that I’ve ever been to, so it gets its own section. Outside Salem, MA there are several cities and places that I tend to frequent whenever I’m in in MA.
Gloucester, MA
Gloucester, MA is a coastal city on Cape Ann in Massachusetts. It was founded as Cape Ann in 1626, but then abandoned due to harsh conditions. It was resettled in 1642. It’s history is famous for fishermen, and being a seaport. Some of my favorite places in Gloucester are below.
If you ever go to the North Shore, hell even to Boston for a vacation, if you can stay at the Ocean House Hotel at Bass Rocks, do it. The view from the rooms is fantastically addicting. On the first floor you have a small patio before you’re less than thirty feet from the ocean. You can hear the water beating against the rocks every morning, and you see some of the best ocean views no matter what time of day you look out your window. On the second floor you have the same view, just no patio.
Stage Fort Park is another amazing place to visit. The Gloucester Visitor’s Center is there as well – I’ve never gone in honestly – but I’ve parked my car and walked down to the water just to listen to the rocks or to take in the amazing views. You can bring your pets and walk, or just walk on your own.
If you leave Stage Fort Park and park on Western Ave, you’ll see several monuments – the Fishermen’s Memorial and Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives’ Memorial being among them.
Plymouth, MA
From one seaport to another. Plymouth, MA. Where the Puritans came over in 1620 on the Mayflower. Plymouth Rock. Everyone knows what Plymouth is for one reason or another. I went there for the first time two years ago. The ocean smell, the ocean views; they’re addicting.
Plimoth Plantation is one of the main places to go for a history lessons in Plymouth. Located on Route 3, Plimoth Plantation is a way to experience life as it was when the Puritans first came to America in the early 1600’s. From the Native American tribe that lived on the land way before we settled here to the Puritans who made this land their home, Plimoth Plantation has so many different programs and events that teach children and adults the history of this land.
If you head into Downtown Plymouth, you can park your car and just walk for hours seeing the views, the restaurants, the gift shops, and so much more. You can see Plymouth Rock, well a part of it. It's about twenty feet below where you stand, somewhat protected from people harming it. Another museum I actually like to visit is the Pilgrim Hall Museum. It has a lot of the antiques and such from Puritan times and talks about the Puritans and their early lives here. You can actually touch a piece of the Plymouth Rock there.
I usually walk around with my headphones in, and my camera around my neck and just “get lost” finding new things every time I visit.
I have yet to actually eat in Plymouth, outside the Plantation, but I’m sure the food is amazing from what I’ve been told by locals and others that have visited.
Marblehead, MA
A seaside town about five minutes from Salem. Home to Burial Hill – aka where Max Dennison met Jay and Ice in Hocus Pocus, Redd’s Pond, and so much history. Old Burial Hill and Fountain Park (right across the street) are two of my favorite places to visit. If I could I probably could sit at Fountain Park all day and write. The views are so beautiful. Marblehead is this picturesque seaside town, much like Plymouth and Gloucester, they’re all amazing for different reasons. Castle Rock Park on Ocean Ave is another place to go if you want to see amazing Ocean Views.
Danvers, MA
A city that used to be called Salem Village back in the 17th Century, Danvers is about ten minutes or so from Salem. It’s where the Witch Hysteria actually began, at the minister’s home, which is now located on Centre Street.
If you park in front of Highlands School on Hobart Ave in Danvers, you can walk past the school to the Danvers’ Witchcraft Memorial. Created in 1992 on the 300 year anniversary of the trials.
If you walk back past your car and down the street, you’ll see on your left the First Church of Danvers. Across from the First Church is what used to be Ingersoll’s Ordinary. The first three accused of witchcraft – Sarah Good, Sarah Osborne and Tituba were supposed to be examined here, but too many people showed up so they had to move to the village meetinghouse.
From here, if you take a right onto Centre Street, and walk down part way – to about 67 Centre St – you’ll see a sign that says “Samuel Parris Archaeological Site”. Walk down the path, I swear it’s okay, it doesn’t belong to either of the neighbors, although you may see some chickens on the righthand side. This is the location of where the minister Samuel Parris and his family used to live during the Salem Witch Trials. The fall leaves make the view even prettier than the summer trees do.
Another place to visit, one of my favorite places in Danvers to visit, is the Rebecca Nurse Homestead. Rebecca Nurse was one of the many people to be accused of witchcraft. She, like the others was not a witch. Just accused by a bunch of girls and other people because of politics, and hysteria. The Rebecca Nurse Homestead is open seasonally from May to November.
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