Van Life in Salem, Massachusetts

It’s been two weeks living up Van Life and we are finally starting to settle in. Shawn was able to get the battery isolator hooked up which means constant power to our solar batteries. If you don’t know what a battery isolator is then basically when the van is running it pulls power from the isolator once our car battery is full. It’s an absolute lifesaver and has allowed us to cook and run water when these east coast winters turn rainy and cloudy.

We spent a few fun days in Connecticut with our friend and decided despite the cold weather that we would head north and see places on the east coast we had always dreamed up visiting. Funny how you often try to find reasons to do things you know you truly want to do. We weren’t going to let the weather, crowds or anxiety stop us from seeing the east coast. So despite it being the week of Halloween and the prospect of crowds of Boston partiers, we decided to spend the week in Salem, MA.

Next Up: Visiting Salem, MA

The Salem witch trials have always been super interesting to me and so I for one was ecstatic to see the town I had always read about in school.

We arrived at night and stopped at the local grocery store to get something to make for dinner. Our first dinner in the van may not have been as romantic as we may have dreamed but it was warm, delicious and we were grateful it was happening whether it was in a grocery store parking lot or not.

Mostly because I really had to pee we decided to check out a local brewery. It was a nice brewery but surprisingly had a commercial feeling. The beer was good and the Pumpkin beer they are known for was super delicious and I highly recommend trying it. However, if you are wanting more of a local feel when visiting Salem, MA we were told to check out the Main St. Pup. Kudos however to the super nice staff.

Winter Island Park

The following morning we knew we were craving some van time in a nice spot so we googled and found a place called Winter Island Park. It’s a small camping spot right on the coast with a lighthouse and beach trail. We were able to get some amazing shots in and take milo on a little adventure.

It was the first time I saw him excited in weeks so I was super happy to have found it. During the day you can park in the regular parking lot but if you want to stay at night you do need to pay $10 for parking.

After our hike, it was back to reality and frankly, I was more than happy to have a few solid hours to get some work done. In the chaos of the last few weeks, I was finding myself scraping the time together to get what I need to be done. I would often be working while Shawn was driving or we were stopping for lunch/work.

The weather was still chilly but the sun shone for a few hours and we enjoyed the warmth while we could. Before beginning work, we decided to take the chance to get a few minutes of meditation in. Meditation is something we try to fit in every day but that isn’t always the case. With the wind and the waves as our background, our meditation was exactly what we need to get our minds in the right place.

Salem Halloween Festival

After getting some work in and soaking in some beautiful views we headed into Salem to check out the Halloween Eve festivities. There was a psychic festival going on and we figured “while in Rome”.

There where palm readers, witches, and even a devil dressed up with a sign “free hugs”. I, of course, partook in the free hugs from Satan (how often does one get to hug the devil himself?).

We quickly made our way through the busy cobblestone streets and found that although it was a cute festival, it was just that- a festival. So we decided as much as we loved the town we would head out and managed to find some Vegan Pumpkin Ice Cream at Melt a homemade ice cream shop, on the way out. Funny how life throws you a bone when you think you are done with a place.

 Van Life in Salem:

Overall we really liked Salem. We were able to park the van on the street without any trouble and although it wasn’t a beautiful backdrop to wake to we were quickly able to head to Winter Island Park which we absolutely loved. There also seemed to be several other parks that you could visit outside the city which might be great for Boondocking.

Salem you have my thumbs up and I will happily come back to visit when perhaps it is a bit warmer and there are fewer crowds there ready to party it up for Halloween.