{"id":22158,"date":"2023-08-07T08:00:21","date_gmt":"2023-08-07T12:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thingstodoinsa.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=22158"},"modified":"2023-08-07T11:31:25","modified_gmt":"2023-08-07T15:31:25","slug":"the-top-ten-most-common-questions-in-my-facebook-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/2023\/08\/07\/the-top-ten-most-common-questions-in-my-facebook-group\/","title":{"rendered":"The top ten most common questions in my Facebook group"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Hi everyone, happy Monday and welcome back to the blog. Today I decided to round up the top ten most common questions I see in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/thingstodoinsalem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">my Facebook group<\/a>. First thing\u2019s first \u2013 if you aren\u2019t in my group feel free to head over there and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/thingstodoinsalem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">request to join<\/a>. We recently passed 50,000 members (already at 52,000 now!) and it\u2019s a great group of very helpful folks. Ask questions, share resources and more. Second, please keep in mind that this list is not all inclusive and there are certainly variants of these questions that get asked as well. This is just a starting point of some of the super common questions and topics I see. I hope this helps!<\/p>\n<h4>The top ten most common questions in my Facebook group<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Which walking tour is best?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This one is superrrrr common and the answer is not so straight forward. Salem is home to 75+ walking tour companies at this point and they all do things in their own way. This largely depends on what type of tour content you\u2019re looking for. Scary? Kid friendly? Focused on the witch trials? Focused on other aspects of Salem\u2019s history? I\u2019d begin with considering what type of content you\u2019re looking for and then narrow it down from there. I also highly encourage you to book with local tour companies that are here in Salem. Unfortunately, random global companies pop up here and there offering tours in Salem (especially through the fall) and they are not quality. Their guides are hired in bulk, reading from scripts that are sometimes not fact checked by an actual historian or subject expert. Please book with a local tour company so you know you\u2019re getting a good quality tour that is accurate to our history.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Are there hotels nearby?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Did you miss your chance to book a hotel right here in Salem for your visit? Staying in a nearby city or town and taking the train into Salem is a great option, especially in the fall. This also alleviates the need to drive into Salem which can be rough in October. I have a list of hotels in and around Salem <a href=\"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/accommodations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">right here<\/a> which is a great starting point for you. If you aren\u2019t sure where the trains are, head to the MBTA website. They also have a great trip planning tool <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mbta.com\/trip-planner\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">right here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Are there any photographers available to do a shoot for me\/my friends\/my family\/my group?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes! Tons. In addition to running ThingstodoinSalem.com and SalemMAWedding.com I am also a professional photographer. You can view my work at <a href=\"http:\/\/photographybythingstodoinsalem.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PhotographybyThingstodoinSalem.com<\/a> and feel free to send any inquiries to info@thingstodoinsalem.com. Thank you!<\/p>\n<p><strong>When do I need to buy tickets for things?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The answer to this is easy \u2013 if you\u2019re coming in the fall you should buy tickets as soon as possible. Securing your spot for tours, attractions, events and more is key to enjoying your fall visit to Salem. Purchase anything that you can ahead of time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>When should I book my hotel?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Same as above \u2013 if you\u2019re coming in the fall you should book your hotel as soon as possible. Many hotels in the downtown Salem area open up fall availability during the previous fall. So if you want to book fall 2024, you should be able to book sometime in the fall of 2023. Keep an eye on the hotel you want to book with, follow them on social media, sign up for their newsletters, etc. so you can stay on top of the announcements and grab a room as soon as possible. If you are booking any other time of year I\u2019d still suggest grabbing your room ASAP, however it won\u2019t be nearly as difficult as in the fall.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Does September still have fall vibes?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sort of, yes. The peak of the Halloween and fall vibes happen in October, of course, however September is still lovely too and this is a great way to avoid some of the fall crowds.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/witchcityguide\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-18528\" src=\"http:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"730\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma.png 730w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma-300x62.png 300w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma-540x111.png 540w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma-408x84.png 408w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma-255x52.png 255w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma-555x114.png 555w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma-360x74.png 360w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma-262x54.png 262w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma-24x5.png 24w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma-36x7.png 36w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma-48x10.png 48w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/first-timers-guide-to-salem-ma-534x110.png 534w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 730px) 100vw, 730px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s the weather like?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is the million dollar question. The answer is \u2013 we don\u2019t know. I have seen Halloween seasons so warm I didn\u2019t even need a coat and I have also seen Halloween seasons where it literally snowed. Check the weather forecast and trends and be prepared. Pack layers and options for yourself. New England weather largely does whatever it wants, when it wants. If you find yourself here in Salem without appropriate attire, we have tons of shops in town that sell hoodies, umbrellas, hats, etc. There is also a Target and a Walmart on Highland Ave. that is a short drive from downtown if you\u2019re really in need of something.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do I really need tickets and plans for the fall?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>YES. If you want to come here and really enjoy the fall experience, yes. Coming in October on a whim with nothing booked or reserved is a bad idea. Restaurants fill up fast and go to wait lists early in the day, walking tours are sold out, hotels are super full and there are lines to get into everything if you don\u2019t have tickets. Don\u2019t come on a whim unless you are planning to just walk around and people watch.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where can I store my bags?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Most hotels will store your bags behind the counters for you if you are arriving way ahead of your check in time. UPS also offers storage through a program called \u201cBounce\u201d which might be a good option for you. I personally have not used Bounce, so please do your own research ahead of time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How do I get to Salem from Logan Airport?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are several ways to get to Salem from Logan Airport. You can use a rideshare app like Uber or Lyft, you can take the train or you could rent a car and drive. I don\u2019t suggest that last option, but it is one of the ways you could get here.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bonus: \u201cWhere is that?\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This bonus section is a round up of random \u201cwhere is the _____?\u201d style questions I see.<\/p>\n<p>The broom making workshops are at The Witchery.<\/p>\n<p>The purple \u201cI put a spell on you\u201d sign is at Coven.<\/p>\n<p>The orange string lights are at the Salem Common, though they are only lit during the fall.<\/p>\n<p>The large witch on a broom suspended from the dome ceiling is at Blackcraft.<\/p>\n<p>The huge Baphomet statue is inside The Satanic Temple and Art Gallery.<\/p>\n<p>I hope this helped. Enjoy!! <3<\/p>\n<h4>Recommended reading | You might also like\u2026<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/witchcityguide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ten FREE things to do in Salem, MA<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/accommodations\/\">Book your Salem, MA hotel \u2013 Click to check availability\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>Pin for later\u2026<\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/864480090998735683\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-22264 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10.png\" alt=\"the top ten most common questions in my facebook group about visiting salem ma, things to do in salem\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10.png 1000w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-768x1152.png 768w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-540x810.png 540w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-408x612.png 408w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-255x383.png 255w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-555x833.png 555w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-360x540.png 360w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-262x393.png 262w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-16x24.png 16w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-24x36.png 24w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-32x48.png 32w, https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/the-top-10-534x801.png 534w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hi everyone, happy Monday and welcome back to the blog. Today I decided to round up the top ten most common questions I see in my Facebook group. First thing\u2019s first \u2013 if you aren\u2019t in my group feel free to head over there and request to join. We recently passed 50,000 members (already at [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22176,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[836,164,4703,162,33,847,1186,36,163,4310,18,19,2281,26,27,5079,24,20,5078,21,428,429,25],"class_list":["post-22158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-your-visit","tag-destination-salem","tag-guide-to-salem","tag-guide-to-salem-ma","tag-halloween-in-salem","tag-haunted-happenings","tag-historic-new-england","tag-historic-salem","tag-north-shore","tag-october-in-salem","tag-plan-your-visit-to-salem-ma","tag-salem","tag-salem-ma","tag-salem-ma-in-the-fall","tag-salem-mass","tag-salem-massachusetts","tag-ten-most-common-questions-in-my-facebook-group","tag-the-witch-city","tag-things-to-do-in-salem","tag-things-to-do-in-salem-facebook-group","tag-things-to-do-in-salem-ma","tag-visit-salem","tag-visit-salem-ma","tag-witch-city-guide"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22158"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22158\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22176"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thingstodoinsalem.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}