Getaways in the United States, Salem, Massachusetts, Travel

My Itinerary: 3-Day Witchy Halloween Weekend in Salem, MA

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What better place is there to spend Halloween weekend than Salem, Massachusetts? I was over the moon to get to go this year with my friend Jordan. (Get it? Witchy joke?)

If you were ever a middle school student in America, you learned about the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. This historical town is probably spooky on a good day, but it was decorated to the nines when we arrived via Uber from Boston! We arrived in Salem on October 29th and stayed the weekend to experience their famous celebrations on Halloween Night. Keep scrolling to check out my itinerary from our witchy Halloween weekend!

Halloween in Salem

Halloween in Salem Day 1: Saturday, October 29th

We landed in Boston around noon and took an Uber to our hotel (about 30 mins). Our hotel was in Danvers, right outside Salem’s town limits, because accommodations within Salem were already sold out by the time we booked the trip (August). We had tickets for that evening’s “Heaven & Hell Ball” thrown in downtown Salem, so we relaxed, got ready, and Ubered into downtown Salem. Pictures of our costumes are below! For the hotel we stayed at, click here.

Luckily, we had no trouble finding Ubers during this trip; our average wait time was around 8 minutes, and the ride between our hotel/downtown Salem was only 20 minutes each way.

Important note: The mayor of Salem requests that visitors refrain from driving themselves into Salem due to limited parking garages and high traffic. We were encouraged to walk or use Uber/Lyft for local travel.

There are also ferries and trains that shuttle visitors in/out if you stay in Boston! However, I heard they take about 45 mins to an hour and we like to nap in the afternoons, so we stayed closer to town.

Skyler and Jordan in Salem Heaven & Hell Ball in costumes
Skyler and Jordan at the Heaven & Hell Ball in Salem
Skyler and Jordan with Oscar the Skeleton

Halloween in Salem Day 2: Sunday, October 30th

After staying out late on Saturday night, we were happy to sleep in this morning! We enjoyed lunch in Salem Common, a large tree-filled park home to a dozen food trucks and many pop-up shopping vendors. This area was very family-friendly, and groups of children chased each other in cute costumes! Multiple stands sold fall specialties like this delicious homemade cinnamon donut and hot apple cider I got to taste! We didn’t wait longer than 10 minutes for our food from any location.

We spent the afternoon at “Cry Innocent: The People vs. Bridget Bishop,” a mock 1692 witch trial that visitors participated in as the jury. This interactive play highlighted how easily many of us fell into the same hysteria that caused innocent people to die.

We learned that no witches were burned to death in America (although countless were killed this way in Europe’s witch trials), but a total of 25 people died as accused witches. According to historical records, 19 were hung, five others died in jail, and one man was crushed to death.

This was a time of solemn reflection during our trip and we made plans to visit the victims’ memorial the following day.

After some shopping and a quick nap, we embarked upon a nighttime ghost tour through the streets of Salem! There are MANY tour options on TripAdvisor, with kid-friendly or adult-only options. Our tour guide didn’t wear a microphone or carry a lamp as other tour guides did, which made her harder to follow through the streets, so keep that in mind if you search for a tour! For the tour we took, click here.

We were led through the dark (but busy) Essex St to find the haunted mansion in which the wealthy Captain Joseph White was murdered in 1830. The murder and subsequent trial of four other rich townsmen inspired Edgar Allan Poe to write “The Tell-Tale Heart.” We stopped for stories at multiple cemeteries, churches, and a haunted hotel. Our tour guide also showed us the building that Alexander Graham Bell used for the first public demonstration of the telephone in 1877!

A popular seafood restaurant called Turner’s now occupies the building, and Bridget Bishop’s apple orchard was said to be directly next door to it long ago. (A witch’s coven held a seance in Turner’s once, but they didn’t see Bridget Bishop!) Check out the captioned photo slideshow below!

  • Gardner-Pingree Mansion
    Gardner-Pingree Mansion
  • The Hawthorne Hotel
    The Hawthorne Hotel
  • Charter Street Cemetery
    Charter Street Cemetery
  • Alexander Graham Bell's first public demonstration of the telephone
    Alexander Graham Bell’s first public demonstration of the telephone

Halloween in Salem Day 3: Monday, October 31st

The day we’d all been waiting for! We spent the morning relaxing and getting our costumes ready before visiting the popular Salem Witch Museum. Their team did an incredible job making the museum professional and educational while somberly telling the story of the Salem tragedy.

The experience lasted about 45 minutes, and we were given stools in the middle of a cavernous room to sit on to watch the 360-degree show. We were guided through a second room depicting how public perception of witchcraft has evolved over history, which I thought was very informative and unbiased. To protect their hard work, the museum does not allow photography, so you’ll have to visit yourself!

We met our other travel nurse friends for lunch at Gulu-Gulu Cafe, a local restaurant with incredible food options! I had their mac-n-cheese with chicken on top and their version of a Moscow Mule, and it was my favorite meal from the weekend!

Gulu-Gulu Cafe Menu, Halloween in Salem
Salem Gulu-Gulu Cafe mac-n-cheese

We walked to the victims’ memorial in the Charter Street Cemetery in the afternoon and paid our respects. Many visitors brought small tributes such as flowers, pennies, and cards. Each of the 25 people who died during the Salem Witch Trials has a bench inscribed with their name and death date. You will notice that Bridget Bishop, the accused witch that is the main character in “Cry Innocent” from the previous day, has a bench in the memorial.

  • Bridget Bishop Memorial
    Bridget Bishop Memorial
  • Giles Corey Memorial
    Giles Corey Memorial
  • Ann Pudeator Memorial
    Ann Pudeator Memorial
  • Charter Street Cemetery in Salem
    Charter Street Cemetery
  • Charter Street Cemetery in Salem
    Charter Street Cemetery

On Halloween night, we enjoyed fried food with friends, danced to live street concerts, and got professional photos done at WitchPix!

We booked about 30 days prior, and they still had a handful of time slots available for the weekend. We got around 30 incredible photos sent to my email less than 15 mins after our session. Our photographer, Bruce, went through the pictures with us at the end to ensure we were happy and knew how to access the email link. To see more of our photos and learn more about WitchPix, click here!

Skyler and Jordan at WitchPix

Spending Halloween in Salem was a bucket list item for me and Jordan! I highly recommend visiting any time during October but especially on the night of Halloween.

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Salem, Massachusetts

Skyler in front of door in Salem

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Boujie on a Budget, Getaways in the United States, Travel, Travel Nursing

Traveling Light: How I Vacation with a Carry-on

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When I started travel nursing, I commuted weekly from my home in Illinois to my Airbnb in Indianapolis. I got a great carry-on suitcase for Christmas from my mom, and I found that it was FANTASTIC for packing clothes for my nursing contracts!

Because this was the only suitcase I owned and I couldn’t afford the matching larger version, I started traveling with a carry-on for my vacations too. I’ve considered buying a larger suitcase for longer trips and likely will need to eventually, but a carry-on bag can be plenty of space if you pack right!

carry-on suitcases
Our suitcases are packed and ready to go!

Why bring a carry-on?

Have you ever checked a bag and waited an hour for it to arrive in baggage claim after your destination? It’s happened to me. Have you ever had an item break in your checked bag? It’s happened to me. Have you ever had your baggage get lost? To be fair, that one hasn’t happened to me, but probably because I avoid checking a bag at all costs!

I like to only use a carry-on whenever possible for multiple reasons. It prevents me from getting stuck in long baggage check lines on arrival, reducing the time I have to be in the airport. When I’m coming off a work shift and sleeping during the day before a late flight, even 15 extra minutes of sleep feels heavenly!

carry-on suitcases on airport scale
Both suitcases are small enough to fit on the airport scale together

Bringing a carry-on keeps all of your belongings near you at all times. There are no “middlemen” managing your valuables, and your risk of losing your suitcase is significantly decreased.

Smaller suitcases are easier to navigate within the airport and at your destination. Smoothly wheeling your carry-on up to a hotel is much easier than dragging a huge suitcase up to the check-in counter. Carry-ons are lighter than large suitcases, which is ideal for me because I have chronic back problems.

Plus my suitcase matches my hair, which I love!

Not checking a suitcase means more freedom when you arrive at your destination. On our recent trip to Las Vegas, we were hit by bright LED screens and slot machines as soon as we walked off the plane. We were so excited to start exploring and get to our hotel! Unfortunately, we checked both of our suitcases because they had full-size liquids, and we had to stand for over an hour in baggage claim before our bags finally showed up. Not fun.

That leads me to the con of not checking a bag: limitations with what you can pack. All liquids in a carry-on must follow the 3-1-1 rule. Liquids must be 3.4 ounces or less, fit in 1 quart-sized bag, and each passenger may only have one bag of liquids. If you check your suitcase, no matter its size, it does NOT have to follow the 3-1-1 guidelines. This rule was created in 2006 after terrorists in Britain tried to sneak liquid explosives onto an airplane. For this reason, if you expect to have a large number of liquids or cannot put your shampoo/conditioner into smaller bottles, you may have to check your baggage under the plane. Traveling with a carry-on is a great time to utilize those complimentary toiletries many hotels provide!

My tip: Walmart has cheap containers in their hygiene section that follow the 3-1-1 rule! They also have travel-sized deodorant, toothpaste, and mouthwash.

TSA’s 3-1-1 rule

Keep reading below for my tried-and-tested suggestions for packing a carry-on!

Do you really need that extra jacket?

The answer is no; you don’t. Bring a jacket if you expect to be cold, but unless you’re visiting the middle of nowhere, you can always find a Walmart somewhere! Extra “just in case” clothing quickly adds up and can fill your suitcase with items you won’t ever use. My mama taught me to count how many pairs of socks, underwear, etc that I would need on my trip and add one of each. That rule hasn’t failed me yet!

Avoid bulky items

Light summer dresses that don’t wrinkle easily are my go-to on vacation. Leggings and soft t-shirts also roll relatively small and can fit in empty suitcase crevices. Wear your bulkiest shoes to the airport so they don’t limit your carry-on space or add weight! If you really want to bring those thigh-high boots, you better be willing to wear them on the plane. The airport is NOT the place to care about style! I usually wear sneakers on the plane and pack a pair of lightweight neutral flats to go with all of my dresses. If you pay close attention to my trip photos, you’ll see many pairs of repeated shoes! That is okay with me 😊 If you ended up bringing that extra jacket, wear it on your flight instead of using your suitcase space.

Unfortunately, avoiding bulky is difficult during winter or when visiting somewhere cold. Warm clothes are naturally larger than summer outfits, so you might need a bigger suitcase in this instance. If you still need to bring a carry-on, avoid sweaters; these take up a lot of space and you can’t discreetly wear them multiple times in one trip. That brings me to my next point!

Bring clothing that you can wear more than once

A good pair of jeans or a pair of black leggings are your friend here. No one will notice or care that you wore the same pair of jeans 2-3 days or layered a hoodie over the tank top that you wore yesterday. However, if you wear a patterned dress or brightly-colored heels in pictures, people on social media will definitely notice! Within reason, try to bring clothing pieces that are neutral or can become multiple outfits. You’ll thank yourself later for the extra souvenir space you saved in your suitcase!

packing carry-ons
How I organize everything to roll and pack

Utilize the outside pockets of your suitcase

Yes, those are there for a reason! My husband and I usually store socks, underwear, and other soft items in the exterior pockets or interior “tops” of our suitcases. They serve as a cushion for the rest of our items, and we harmlessly squish them into tight places. If our suitcases get thrown into the trunk of our car or underneath the airplane, none of our belongings will be affected.

My tip: Once you arrive at your destination, use the exterior pockets for dirty clothes. Doing this will keep your dirty clothes separate, and you won’t have to worry about them getting wrinkled! Once we get home, I just unzip the pockets and dump our clothes straight into the washer.

Last but not least: Roll your clothing!

Most travelers know this by now, but you should not fold your clothes. Folding causes creases and does not maximize your suitcase space. Roll your clothing! It doesn’t have to be perfect; good rolling skills come with practice. If you don’t know how, click here for a great YouTube demonstration.

For more travel tips, check out my article on Flying Cheap: The Hopper App and Spirit Airlines!

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Getaways in the United States, Travel

Skip The Line: The Magic of TSA PreCheck

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Have you ever heard of TSA Precheck? Neither had I until my mother discovered that I didn’t have it and decided to nag me about it! Luckily, I listened to my mother and realized that being prechecked by the TSA saves me hours of waiting in security lines at airports. For those of you who have never heard of this but hate lugging your baggage through lines like cattle, this one is for you! (No, this isn’t sponsored, but ways to save time should always be shared with others!)

If you’ve ever flown, you’ve been through exactly what I’m talking about. You get to the airport, luggage in tow, and you find the security check only to see an endless line weaving between ropes as far as the eye can see. According to the MyTSA app (Transportation Security Administration), security line wait times can take anywhere from 15-45 minutes depending on the airport location and size. Add a toddler or two and your exciting vacation isn’t off to a great start. However, have you ever noticed that extra line to the left that rarely has anyone waiting? You can join that random businessman in a suit who gets to skip the line by making an appointment online with the TSA to complete a background check.

Guy waiting in security line at airport

According to the TSA website, in July 2022, 95% of TSA PreCheck passengers waited less than 5 min.

To make a background check appointment, you will need to input your full name, contact information, mailing address, and social security number. Click here to jump straight to the appointment page! Most appointments are held at an actual airport, and multiple smaller airports in central Illinois provide this service. I made my husband and I appointments online two weeks in advance and didn’t have to provide any payment information online. The website did request that we both bring our driver’s licenses, birth certificates, and a copy of our marriage certificate to support my last name change. I used a debit card to pay $85 per person and we both got electronically fingerprinted on a machine in their office. They snapped a quick picture of each of us and we were done within 20 minutes!

For $85 per person, both of us now have unique “Known Traveler” identification numbers that are valid for the next 5 years to allow us to jump into the TSA PreCheck line at any airport in the country!

Obviously, I was excited to try this out, and I was lucky to have a short trip coming up the week after. I trotted into the TSA PreCheck line with my backpack and was gestured straight to the front of the long line of travelers. Skipping over 50 people made me nervous, but the security guard smiled and took my boarding pass like nothing was amiss. After verifying my ticket, he sent me through the security gate with a cute piece of paper that said “TSA PRECHECKED”. I had no clue what to do with it, so I started to take my shoes off like normal before the guard stopped me.

TSA Precheck sign and line

On that note, here are the perks of being TSA PreChecked!

  1. You don’t have to take off your shoes, belt, or jacket. Leave ‘em on and walk right through the scanner with your cute piece of paper.
  2. Your electronics can stay in your bag! They advertise that you can leave your laptop in your bag as it goes through the rolling x-ray scanner, but I also left my Nintendo Switch and cellphone in my bag with no issues.
  3. 3-1-1 liquids don’t have to be removed either. As long as they meet TSA’s liquid rules, they can stay packed away.
  4. Kids age 12 and under can go through the TSA Precheck line with a parent/guardian with no extra fees. Anyone over the age of 12 is eligible to be Prechecked, but it’s difficult to complete if they don’t have a driver’s license yet. For more details on qualifications for minors, click here!

Note: Yes, they still x-ray your belongings, and you still have to walk through the scanner to make sure you’re not carrying deadly weapons or peanut butter.

I got through security in less than 3 minutes, which was lucky because I was running short on time. If I would have had to wait in the general line, I would’ve been significantly more likely to miss my flight. On the return home from my visit with family, my dad decided to fly back to Illinois with me. Not only did we accidentally end up in the wrong terminal, we went through the entire security check process before we realized that we were on the wrong side of the airport! (Orlando Airport is big, okay?) However, we could still laugh at the situation because our TSA PreCheck sped us through both security lines and got us to our gate with plenty of time to spare. Without skipping the 100+ person lines, we undoubtedly would have missed our flight home. This is an awesome way for travel nurses to minimize commute time when they fly home to visit family, and I am thrilled to skip through the line on every trip in the future!

Skyler on airplane

If you fly regularly, have kids in tow, or just don’t want the extra stress of waiting in long lines at an airport, we highly recommend getting you and your family TSA PreChecked! For more tips on picking flights, check out my article, “Flying Cheap: The Hopper App and Spirit Airlines”!

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Getaways in the United States, Nursing, Travel, Travel Nursing

How I Find Great Restaurants in New Cities

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As a travel nurse and someone who adores leisurely travel, eating amazing food has become a high priority for me. Being away on travel contracts in unfamiliar cities can get lonely and finding great restaurants to enjoy with my new friends fills my free time with joy! My husband and I also have very different culinary tastes, so I used to struggle to find restaurants that we both would be happy with. Over the past year, I’ve discovered some great practices that help me find phenomenal restaurants with awesome vibes. Keep reading for tips to find great restaurants when you visit a new city.

picking great food at a great restaurants

Ask The Locals

If you’re traveling for leisure, ask the locals for food suggestions! Hotel concierges, lobby bartenders, or even guests you meet in the elevator could have fantastic recommendations for you! If you are already at a restaurant that you enjoy, ask the server for suggestions on future locations. The trick is to leave your schedule open; if you make reservations for every night of your trip, you won’t have any wiggle room when you hear about an amazing restaurant from a local!

If you’re a travel nurse, I’ve found that staff nurses appreciate you wanting to learn more about their city. They’re usually eager to share their favorite restaurants and recommendations on where to visit near the hospital, and they’re often curious about where you’re living. I like to piggyback onto my coworkers’ brunch plans after long nightshifts and have discovered some incredible food and mimosas in the process! (Okay, it might involve inviting myself sometimes, but you gotta do what you gotta do, right?)

find great restaurants - mimosa brunch

Utilize The Internet! It’s your friend!

The Food Network – This site allows you to search by location and is a thorough resource if you’re headed to a big city. You can sort by barbeque, tacos, cocktail bars, best restaurants to impress a guest, and more! The Food Network’s website makes it easy to scope out new territory without sorting through endless restaurant reviews.

OpenTable – This is a go-to website when I’m planning a trip! The site uses your location to find restaurants nearby that are open, and you can see reservation openings without even clicking on the restaurant. After you find a restaurant that piques your interest, you can make a reservation without ever leaving the website. We have used OpenTable for countless reservations, but I have only recently started using it to find restaurants when I’m hungry. OpenTable is easy to navigate and has never let me down on recommendations!

TripAdvisor – Pros: Lots of reviews, details about hours/menus/addresses, and makes it easier to decide if a specific restaurant is right for you. Cons: I don’t particularly like their rating system. Restaurants at the top are affected by popularity, not always the quality of reviews. I use this resource to research a restaurant that I’ve already heard about or found!

find great restaurants

Try Searching Social Media

Everyone has seen gorgeous photos of carefully arranged plates posted by Instagram’s food royalty. Every major city has multiple (sometimes many!) foodies with colorful Instagram recommendations. If you’re looking for somewhere picturesque or aiming for a specific vibe, Instagram may help steer you in the right direction. If you end up loving the restaurant, make sure that you leave a positive comment on the food influencer’s post to support their efforts!

Ultimately, the easiest way to find great restaurants is to get out and explore! Find the places that seem busy or have long lines. This shows their popularity and means there is something to see! You may need some extra time on your hands to wait in a long line, but these hidden gems are often worth the wait.

find great restaurants

What incredible restaurants have you visited? Have you utilized any of the resources in this post? Are you a foodie with fabulous suggestions? Comment YOUR tips below!

To read about my tips for traveling on a budget, click here.

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