The latest travel information plus insider event and sightseeing tips for New York City, Boston, Hawaii, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Bermuda.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Salem Beer Works
Thinking about heading to Salem, site of the famous witch trials, to celebrate Halloween tonight? While you are there, we recommend that you stop in at Salem Beer Works, one of our favorite North Shore hangouts
The Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, which was conceived shortly after the American Revolution and opened in 1829, was meant not to simply punish criminals, but encourage them to engage in spiritual reflection so that they would become genuinely penitent (thus the new word, penitentiary). Through the years this notion that all criminals are capable of redemption was gradually abandoned and more standard prison practices were added, including Cell Block 15 (Death Row) for prisoners awaiting their final punishment. The prison finally closed in 1971.
As early as the 1940s, officers and inmates began to report mysterious visions and eerie experiences in the prison. And the ghost sightings have only increased in recent years (and have been well documented in countless TV shows, books, and magazines). It makes perfect sense then, that the prison has become the setting for one of the most dramatic haunted houses in the area. Do you really want to be scared this Halloween? Then don't miss Terror Behind the Walls, the series of haunted happenings within this former prison!
Four years ago, San Francisco's raucous Halloween party in the Castro neighborhood got so out of hand (with dozens of arrests for public drunkenness, five stabbings, and a crowd so chaotic that an ambulance couldn't make it through to rescue one of the wounded men), that the whole thing was revamped. Calling for "good music, good times, and good behavior," city officials instituted a variety of changes including security gates where party-goers are checked for alcohol and weapons. While many complain about how the event has been "sanitized," Halloween in the Castro still drew an estimated crowd of 250,000 last year. So go ahead: join the assortment of trannies, nuns, and priests (the most popular costume choices throughout the years). Just adhere to this year's mantra and remember that events are planned to be: "Earlier. Safer. Saner."
Salem, Massachusetts, just a hop, skip and a jump from the city of Boston, is site of the infamous WitchTrials of 1692. Although you can visit and learn about the events that took place here at any time of the year, interest in these historic happenings really picks up in the month of October. The Salem Witch Museum , the Witch Dungeon Museum and The Witch History Museum all explore the events of 1692; the Salem Witch Village goes a step further in discussing the hysteria to explore witchcraft's history, beliefs and practices, both ancient and modern
At this time of year, when ghosts, ghouls and other scary creatures so often come to mind, it's fun to think about (and visit!) haunted houses. And while the carnival-type of haunted house abounds, we are more partial to the real thing. Real Haunted Houses lists hundreds of these, state-by-state. So if you plan to be in Boston for the weekend, why not venture out to nearby Georges Island, where a Civil War-era women dressed in black still screams (don't miss the readers' comments for truly spine-tingling tales about their encounters with her!).
Don't have a haunted house nearby? How about a visit to a local cemetery? FindAGrave.com lists the final resting place of thousands of famous and not-so-famous people. Check out the whereabouts of Edgar Allan Poe or Vincent Price or search by location to see which celebrities are buried near you.
Get in the mood for the eerie events to take place on Halloween by learning about Manhattan's famous ghosts and ghouls. Then say "boo" at the Bronx Zoo (during a Halloween celebration that takes place October 21-22 and 28-29) and enjoy magic shows, music and "spooktacular" arts and crafts, plus a visit to the World of Darkness where you'll see real creatures of the night. There are all sorts of Halloween happenings at NYC parks the weekend of October 28-29: the Great Halloween Party in Central Park on Saturday features a pumpkin patch with fanciful carving displays, plus bandshell performances, and hayrides; Prospect Park's Scared Silly event, also on Saturday celebrates Halloween with good old fashioned scary stories, creepy critters, and a haunted carousel; older children will love the Maze of Horrors at Hudson River Park's Pier of Fear while the more faint of heart will enjoy storytelling, face painting, games and fortune tellers. Want to get a sense of what real "magick" is all about? Then head out to one of the NYC magic shops that stock items for authentic witches. And when the big day comes, celebrate by heading down to Greenwich Village to see the annual Halloween parade.
Boston's Waterfront Jewel: The New England Aquarium
We've visited aquariums around the world, most recently Oceanworld and the Sydney Aquarium, both in Australia. We've enjoyed exploration of the Bermuda Aquarium and the Waikiki Aquarium in Hawaii. Trips to San Diego invariable lead to SeaWorld; vacationing in northern California takes us to the Monterey Bay Aquarium; and we regularly trek out to New York City's Coney Island because we love the New York Aquarium so much. But having spent much time in the Boston area in our youth, the New England Aquarium remains our first love. When we were little, the center tank seemed unbelievably HUGE, and we remember taking hours to walk up the circular ramp that surrounds it. So we were delighted to read recently, that the Aquarium has recovered from the financial difficulties that resulted from poor attendance related to the Big Dig and the post-9/11 tourist slump. Attendance is up and grant money is on the rise. Thankfully, the welfare of the sea animals was never in danger, and research and conservation efforts continued unabated. But the improved financial picture will allow the Aquarium to modernize its electrical system and to expand its programs. Want to do your part to help make sure this gem (and the 2nd most visited attraction in Boston) remains on solid financial footing? Well, first of all, visit early and often: the Aquarium counts on ticket sales for 2/3 of its operating budget. You might also consider attending the Sea Glass Gala on October 28th, or if that isn't possible, participating in the Aquarium's online auction. The Aquarium defines its mission as presenting, promoting and protecting the world of water -- and if that isn't a worthwhile cause, we are hard pressed to think of what is.
Or build yourself a package deal: air + hotel packages to warm and sunny places like Phoenix start as low as $288 (book by November 14; travel by November 15).
More than 100 of NYC's favorite cultural organizations, including museums, gardens, zoos, historic sites, and performing and visual arts, will gather downtown this weekend at Manhattan's Battery Park for the sixth annual CultureFest. You are invited to stroll through the historic park, taking in exhibits, video displays and live performances; meeting dancers, artists and museum representatives; enjoying educational and recreational activities for kids of all ages (including the Merrill Lynch "Kids Run the World" dash); and learning about New York City's coming arts season. Hungry? CultureFEAST offers lunch-sized portions from a variety of NYC's top restaurants. Admission to CultureFest is free, so bring your whole family to enjoy a memorable weekend in Lower Manhattan. We hope to see you there.
We're often asked to suggest an itinerary for first-time visitors to the locations we cover, and we are usually happy to help out. But answering the perennial question "What should we do in New York?" isn't easy to do. NYC is a big town with lots of options. Some folks like to visit the classic New York icons: the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, and Broadway. Others are more focused on art and want to see the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Frick Collection, MOMA, and the SoHo and Chelsea galleries. Still others want to taste their way through the city: they start with Dim Sum in Chinatown, followed by canolis in Little Italy, curry in Jackson Heights, Korean barbeque in Midtown, and finish it all off with ribs at Sylvia's. So what's the best way to see the city? Let us know what you're interested in and we'll post some suggestions!
King Tut, Egypt's famed boy pharaoh (and star of the touring "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" exhibition which is drawing crowds around the country), grew up in a place called Amarna more than 3,000 years ago. This city flourished -- and then disappeared -- in little more than 25 years. What happened? The exhibition "Amarna, Ancient Egypt's Place in the Sun" at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia attempts to answer that question with an array of ancient artifacts. Learn about Tutankhamun's royal court at Amarna starting November 12th and then starting February 3, 2007, visit the Franklin Institute to see more glorious and golden King Tut items. Note that you can preregister online for both exhibitions -- which is probably a good idea, given how popular they are likely to be!
In preparation for the launch of The Aussie Insider, we've had our (somewhat eclectic) collection of Australian music on at TheInsider.comoffices lately and thought we'd share some of our favorites with you. We listen to everything from the country classics of Slim Dusty and John Williamson to the 1980's group Men at Work, who's hit "Down Under" became an unofficial national athem during the 1983 World Cup Challenge. For ex-pats, there is nothing like Peter Allen's "I Still Call Australia Home" (in fact we're not above putting on a recording of the entire "Boy from Oz" album). Of course bush music is at the heart of Australian culture, so we include the sea-shanty-like tunes from the likes of the Snake Gully Bush Band. The didgeridoo is almost synomonous with traditional Australian music, so no collection would be complete without a few didgeridoo selections. Top it all off with "Waltzing Matilda" and "Advance Australia Fair" (the latter being the official national anthem, despite what many think!) and we're done!
We always get a kick out of the "leaf peepers" who pile onto tour buses and head north each fall to New Hampshire or Vermont for a glimpse of seasonal color. While we love the burst of brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges that autumn brings to the trees as much as anyone (seasonal changes are, of course, one of the real pleasures of living in the Boston area), we prefer to enjoy the fall foliage closer to home.
And why not? The trees in the Boston area are filled with color and there are plenty of places nearby where you can admire them. Here are three of our favorite "leaf peeping" spots:
Arnold Arboretum Routes 1 and 203 (Arborway) Jamaica Plain 617-524-1718
It is hard to believe that the Arnold Arboretum is only six miles from downtown Boston. This 265-acre oasis is home to more than 14,000 varieties of trees and shrubs, guaranteeing that you will see plenty of brightly-colored fall leaves. The paths are well maintained and most trees are labeled by the diligent staff of Harvard University, which administers the arboretum. The grounds are open daily from dawn until dusk and are easily accessible via the "T" (take the Orange Line to the Forest Hills stop) or bus (take the #39 from Copley Square to Centre Street).
Maudsley State Park Curzon Mill Road Newburyport 508-465-7223
Once the estate of a wealthy family, this park features well-laid out grounds and breath-taking views of the Merrimac River. As you stroll through the former estate, note the wonderful color of the trees that line the stately walkways and the care that was taken in planning a burial ground for the family pets. Maudsley State Park is open daily from 8 AM to sunset. To reach the park from Boston, take Route 128N to Interstate 95N. Exit on Route 113W and continue about a quarter mile. Turn right onto Gypsy Lane/Hoyts Lane. Go to the end of the road and turn left. Parking will be available on your right shortly after you make this turn.
Walden Pond State Reservation Route 126 (Walden Street) Concord 508-369-3254
Walden Pond is where Henry David Thoreau lived in solitude, reflected on the beauty of nature and wrote the famous series of essays in the book Walden. A furnished replica of Thoreau's cabin stands near the parking lot; the site of the original cabin is staked out in stone about a half mile away. We recommend a hike through this State Park on a beautiful autumn day -- thanks largely to the efforts of conservationists, the area has been preserved and appears much the way it did in Thoreau's day and offers spectacular fall color. The Reservation is open daily from 5 AM to sunset. Concord is just 21 miles west of Boston: take Route 2 out of Boston and exit on 126. Go south about 1/2 mile. Parking is available across the road from the pond.
The question we at TheInsider.comget asked most is "when will the leaves be at their most colorful?" It varies from place to place and from year to year. Recently, we've found a reliable tool for tracking New England's foliage color. You'll find it at YankeeFoliage.com.
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