Alexandra Kadar

Forget first-run films and check out what you've been missing at the Independent Film Festival Boston. This festival offers the opportunity for you to see excellent films that may not have had a wide-release, serving to remind the public that just because the film didn't have a huge budget, doesn't mean it isn't a masterpiece. International films, short films, documentaries and more are all screened at the event.

You won't be at a loss for recreation at the Hale Reservation. There's plenty of room for fun here! Come for the day or plan a camping trip; while you're here, check out the playground, explore recreation trails, have a picnic in the open field, or try fishing in one of the three nearby ponds.

Dive deep into ocean exploration at the New England Aquarium. You'll see a variety of sea creatures living in simulated versions of their natural habitats through exhibits like the Amazon Rainforest, the Gulf of Maine, the Pacific Reef Community, the Edge of the Sea, and many others. A few of the animals you will see include sharks, sting rays, sea turtles, seals, jelly fish, penguins, octopuses, and dolphins.

The Salem Witch Museum recreates and examines a dark part of early American history. The Salem witch trials sound like a tale of fiction, merely folklore, but over 180 people were accused and imprisoned for practicing witchcraft with some convictions leading to death by hanging. If you were a witch or were accused of being one in 1692, Salem, Massachusetts was the last place you'd want to be and this museum is the best place to learn why.