Ready for the best Halloween of your life? Nobody does Halloween bigger and better than Salem, Massachusetts. Yes, the Salem where the infamous witch hunt happened 332 years ago. Every year since 1982, Salem hosts a month-long Halloween event called Haunted Happenings which ends with a massive Halloween celebration that attracts over 100k attendees from all over the world. If you want to have the most memorable Halloween ever, here is everything you need to know about celebrating Halloween in Salem:
Table of Contents
Where to Stay
Unless you book months in advance, to stay in Salem during Halloween will cost you roughly $600 per night. Nearby Peabody has somewhat more affordable options, though still is very pricey. We decided to stay in Boston the night before and in Wakefield the night of Halloween after the event. Boston is only a 40 minute drive away and over 2x cheaper than Salem.
How to Get to Salem on Halloween
If you are not staying in Salem or nearby Peabody, then you have several options for transportation. My recommendation is to rent a car and drive into Salem on Halloween. It’s only a 40 minute drive, and if you go early enough you shouldn’t have any issues. The key is to get into Salem before 10:30AM.
There is a list of parking lots and garages on Haunted Happening’s official site. However, there are only 4k parking spots in Salem, and over 100k people attend the event, so it is crucial to get there early in the day if driving. Most streets are permit-only residential parking which limits options.
Be prepared to stay all day once you park— the streets close down due to pedestrian traffic, you won’t be allowed to leave from 6:30PM-11:30PM for safety reasons.
The other option is to take the train from Boston to Salem. There are trains that leave from Boston’s North Station and go right into the heart of Salem. The ride is only 31 minutes and costs $8 each way. That being said, I saw the line to return to Boston at the train station while waiting for the firework show, and it was insanely long with no end in sight.
What to Do in Salem on Halloween
I wish I had another day in Salem since there is so much to do and see. I, ignorantly, thought Salem was just a small town centered around the witch trials, but it’s so much more. Salem was one of the richest cities in the world thanks to imported spices and good from all over the world. It was the place to be back in the day, attracting wealthy merchants, sea captains, pirates, & puritans. It’s colorful history can be witness in so many of it’s attractions and museums today.
A Salem Walking Tour
The best way to discover Salem is by doing a walking tour! There are so many to chose from, including some nighttime tours. We opted for the History and Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour since it offered a good mix of both ghost stories and Salem history. We purposely scheduled it as our first activity of the day at 11:30am so that we would have a better feel of Salem, which is what I recommend.
The meeting place was at the Old Town Hall and covered the original First Church of Salem, the Bewitched Statue, the (second) First Church of Salem, the Witch House, The Ropes Mansion, Hamilton Hall, the Merchant Hotel, and the Old Burial Point Cemetery. It was two hours of historical facts and ghost stories that set the mood of the entire day. If it’s your first time in Salem, you have to do one of the walking tours!
The Witch House
One of the few structures still standing from the Salem Witch Trials is Judge Jonathan Corwin’s house. Here you can explore the believed-to-be-haunted home of one of the judges who presided over the Salem Witch Trials. The house is filled with 17th century furniture, giving insight to how life was during the time of the witch trials.
Both spooky and educational, the Witch House is a must see for anyone visiting Salem, and it seems to be on everyone’s list. During the month of October, tickets are released at 8am each day for same-day entry and sell out within minutes. There are no in person tickets available for purchase and no advance tickets either.
We were lucky enough to get tickets right on Halloween by setting our phone alarms for a minute before, ready to refresh our phone screens at the exact moment the clock stuck 8am. It was no easy feat and as you can tell by the photo below, we may have rubbed it in a little to the crowd outside the house.
Of course, you stop by and take photos in front without tickets. It’s one of my favorite photo opts in Salem!
The Witch Museum
Not to be confused with the Witch House, the Witch Museum is a completely different attraction found in a renovated, historic church building on the other side of town. It is a bit touristy, I have to admit, but I am glad that I did it, as it was very informative.
As described by Salem.org, the Witch Museum “offers two historical presentations. The first tells the tragic story of the 1692 witch trials and takes place in a large auditorium with life-sized stage sets which are illuminated and dramatically narrated to immerse visitors in the world of 17th-century Salem. The second exhibit, Witches: Evolving Perceptions, examines the European witchcraft trials, the evolving image of the witch, and the larger issues of persecution and scapegoating in American history.”
Just like with the Witch House, the Witch Museum releases tickets for same-day entry at midnight. There are no in-person tickets sold. They sell out within four minutes, so be sure to have the site pulled up and ready at midnight! We witnessed so many sad people be turned away, not knowing you can’t buy tickets on the spot.
It’s a cool experience, but if I was going at any other time other than Halloween day, I would have opted to skip the Witch Museum and do the Peabody Essex Museum instead.
The Peabody Essex Museum
With an already jam-packed schedule, we sadly did not have time for one of the most beloved attractions in Salem. The Peabody Essex Museum, established in 1799, is one of the oldest, continuously operating museums in the United States. It not only holds one of the major collections of Asian art in the U.S., but also several of the original Salem Witch Trial documents and artifacts. Its total holdings include about 1.3 million pieces, as well as twenty-two historic buildings like the Ropes Mansion (aka Alison’s House in Hocus Pocus).
The Peabody Essex Museum could easily take up an entire day, therefore, we chose to skip it since it didn’t tie in directly to our tight Halloween schedule. If you find yourself visiting Salem the day before or after Halloween as well, then you absolutely must pay a visit to the Peabody Essex Museum!
The Ropes Mansion & Garden
“Amok, amok, amok” -Sarah Sanderson
The Ropes Mansion is more than just “Alison’s House” in the cult classic Disney film, Hocus Pocus. The Georgian-style mansion once belonged to Abigail Ropes, whose dress caught on fire after standing too close to the fire place. She died because of the burns sustained from the incident three weeks later in 1839 and is said to haunt the house to this day. Suspiciously enough, the mansion caught on fire on two occasions since. Could it be the work of Abigail?
Whether you believe in ghost stories or not, The Ropes Mansion & Garden is a lovely place to visit in Salem. Many of the walking tours will stop at the house, but I recommend you come back in the evening as well for photos. The mansion dresses the façade just like in the movie, Hocus Pocus!
If you want to check out more Hocus Pocus filming locations, you can find a list of them here! We also managed to see Salem Commons, the Old Town Hall, and the High School during our visit.
The Old Burial Point Cemetery & Witch Trial Memorial
Our walking tour ended at the Old Burial Point Cemetery where we learned about the second oldest cemetery in the United States. Although you need a reservation to enter the cemetery on Halloween, we were able to see enough from the other side of the gate. There is a Witch Trial Memorial for all the victims outside of the cemetery gates, which we were able to walk by and pay our respects.
While you are there, be sure to stop by the visitor center. Located in the Pickman House, it gives you a much better idea of an average home in 17th century Salem, unlike the much grander House of Judge Corwin. There you’ll find a few exhibits as well as small gift shop to explore.
Walk Around the Residential Streets
One of my favorite activities in Salem was to just walk up and down the residential streets. We learned on our walking tour that every house in Salem has a plaque on the front stating the year it was built and for whom.
I found the plaques to be so fascinating that I had to go back after the tour to check out more homes! Walking through the residential neighborhoods away from the crowds of Haunted Happenings made me feel like I actually lived in Salem. Taking this relaxing stroll while watching the homes get ready for trick-or-treaters was an unexpected highlight of my day.
Salem Commons
As night begins to fall, Salem Commons comes alive with food stands, merchants, and live music. It’s like the state fair and a farmer’s market had a baby on Halloween. Come check out unique Halloween merch being sold by local vendors and walk around for a bit. The high school from Hocus Pocus is right across the street, so don’t forget to stop by while you’re here!
Block Party
Salem knows how to throw a Halloween Block Party! And by block party, I mean the entire city. If you thought Salem was crowded during the day, just wait for sunset when the streets completely shut down to traffic and pedestrians dressed in the wildest costumes flood the streets of Salem. There are numerous street performers, live music, and beer gardens that pop up all over town. The energy is palpable with everyone in the Halloween spirit.
If you get overwhelmed by the crowds, remember you can always head to the residential streets where it is much calmer for a breather. Over 100k people attend the block party, so it can get claustrophobic. Luckily, the event is very well organized and there are police everywhere to make sure things stay safe.
Fireworks
Halloween in Salem officially ends with a fifteen minute firework show over the North River at 10:00pm. It’s a short walk from the center of town to the river with the best viewing spot being above the train station. It’s a great way to end a spooky, fun-filled day in Halloween. If you came to Salem by car, you’ll get to experience the streets slowly empty after the firework show, since you won’t be able to leave for another hour still.
Where to Eat
Turner’s Seafoods
We got lucky and only had to wait ten minutes in line for a table at Turner’s Seafoods. Even if you have to wait an hour, it is worth the wait, trust me. Located in Lyceum Hall, where Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the first long-distance phone call, Turner’s Seafood has mind-blowing delicious seafood.
I had the lobster bisque and added extra lobster for only $4 more. I have done my fair share of travel and have eaten across the world, and this lobster bisque is one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth. No matter what you order, you have to at least try the lobster bisque at Turner’s Seafoods.
Also, as with nearly every place in Salem, the restaurant is allegedly haunted as it is built on land that belonged to Bridget Bishop, the first victim of the Salem Witch Trials. Don’t worry, the only thing scary about Turner’s Seafood is how good the food is!
Rockafellas Restaurant
There will be a line out the door for Rockafellas from the minute they open until the minute they close due to its prime location right in the middle of Salem and the fact that it is notoriously haunted, even being featured on the Travel Channel. Occupying the building of the original First Church of Salem, Rockafellas serves modern American cuisine for those willing to wait in line on Halloween.
If you just want experience the restaurant, then you can bypass the line and head to the bar for drinks, which is exactly what we did. They have excellent cocktails severed by bartenders all in costume for the occasion. It was crowded by the bar, but everyone was friendly and in good Halloween spirits, making it a fun time.
Odd Meter
If you drove early in the morning to get to Salem before the crowds did, then you probably missed your morning coffee. Don’t worry since Odd Meter will give you your caffeine fix. This small coffee shop by the center serves up delicious coffee creations like homemade pumpkin spice lattes that will make Starbuck’s artificial pumpkin spice lattes taste like chemical sludge in comparison.
Tips
- Do wear comfortable shoes– We walked over 8 miles on Halloween. If you want to dress up for Halloween, consider having an extra pair of shoes in the car.
- Get there early– Like mentioned earlier, you have to get into Salem by 10:30am if you are driving, otherwise finding a parking spot will be near impossible. The crowds continuously grow throughout the day until 10:30pm when the event ends, so it’s nice to be able to experience parts of Salem before it gets too crazy.
- Carry hand sanitizer– The city does an amazing job of listing all the public restrooms like ones in the Old Town Hall. However, most of them will be port-a-potties with no hand washing stations, so remember to carry hand sanitizer with you.
- Plan your meal breaks– It gets very crowded on Halloween and there are lines for every restaurant, so you don’t want to wait until you get hangry to start looking for food options. We got really lucky by eating at 3pm between lunch and dinner, so there was hardly any wait. By the time we finished, there was a line the length of the restaurant outside!
- Get tickets early for all attractions– Figure out what you want to do and be sure you get tickets beforehand. Many attractions during October like the Witch House and Witch Museum only offer same-day tickets that are released at certain times and sell out within minutes. Plan ahead so you don’t end up missing out!
- Download the Salem app for parking, attractions, events, restrooms, restaurants and more to stay on top of everything going on during Halloween and year round.
Celebrating Halloween in Salem was an experience of a lifetime for me. Although so many people were sending us TikToks of massive crowds from previous years, being prepared helped us have the best Halloween ever. We were able to see and do everything we wanted and hardly had to wait in any lines since we carefully planned out our day. If you have the opportunity to visit Salem on Halloween, don’t let the crowds scare you away! That’s what the ghosts are for 😉
