Tips For the Best Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts (2024)

So, you’re thinking of going to Salem for Halloween? That’s great news! I think everyone should experience Salem on Halloween at least once in their lifetime, and the nearly half a million people who visit the city each October agree with me!

Since I went to college in Salem and visit friends whenever I can, I have seven Halloweens in Witch City under my belt. After all that time, I learned a thing or two about celebrating Halloween in Salem.

In this post, I share all my knowledge about spending Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts, including things to do, tips for having a smooth visit, and even some insight into costume selection. 

Editor’s Note: This post is regularly updated, but check Salem Haunted Happenings for event schedules and more specific information about daily activities, too!

Things To Do in Salem for Halloween

Now that I no longer live there, I look forward to going to Salem for Halloween for many reasons. The decorations, people in costume everywhere, the exciting electric buzz of the overcrowded streets, and all the food!

While you can do most “Halloween” activities in Salem all year long, here are some that are especially fun to do around Halloween.

Visit the Salem Witch Trials Memorial. A solemn yet impactful tribute to those who were falsely accused and executed during the 1692 witch trials. Visitors will discover a collection of granite benches inscribed with the names of the 20 victims, alongside moving messages that pay tribute to their memory and invite quiet reflection. This memorial offers a deep and respectful contrast to the more lighthearted parts of Salem’s Halloween festivities.

Go on a candlelit ghost tour of Salem. Sounds hokey, but these walking tours are a lot of fun! One fun thing they do during these tours is allow you into cemeteries to take pictures to see if you capture spooky orbs of light, which they say are how we see spirits.

Buy tickets for tours, museums, and other attractions ahead of time. Here are a few ghost tour options:

• History and Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour
• Salem Voodoo, Vampires, and Ghosts Guided Walking Tour
• Self-Guided Smartphone Ghost Walking Tour in Salem

Visit Hocus Pocus filming locations. There are many! The Ropes Mansion, Salem Common, Philips Elementary School, and Salem Old Town Hall are all easily accessible in downtown Salem. You can do a self-guided tour fairly easily or hire a guide who will provide extra insight into the locations and Salem in general.

Enter a costume contest. Many restaurants and bars will run contests on Halloween night. Winners usually take home a cash prize!

Walk Chestnut Street. Lined with beautiful mansions that display the wealth of Salem’s early merchants, this quiet side street in historic Salem is a must. Some have spooky decorations in October that are worth the walk to view.

Visit the Salem Waterfront. Home to the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, The Friendship, historic Pickering Wharf, Derby Wharf, Derby Wharf Light Station, and the US Customs House. It’s full of shops, restaurants, and a terrific view of the boat-filled Salem Harbor.

Check out the city’s top-rated museums. These include the House of the Seven Gables and the Peabody Essex Museum. SKIP THE SALEM WITCH MUSEUM – IT IS OVERRATED. The building is cool to look at, though, so swing by to snap a picture, but spend your money somewhere more fun.

Attend the Salem Halloween Ball. Held annually at the Hawthorne Hotel since 1990, THIS is the “premier bucket-list Halloween event in New England.” This year, it is on Saturday, October 26, and the theme is Hawthorne’s Lot: Misery Loves Company, bringing Stephen King’s iconic stories will come to life.

Indulge in some of the best restaurants on the Northshore. However, be prepared for crowded spaces, long waits, and menu and take-out policy changes during October. It will be well worth it, though! Always make reservations when possible – just keep in mind that some restaurants suspend reservations during October. Here are some of my favorite places to eat in Salem:

Tips for Your First Halloween in Salem

• Wear comfortable shoes. This is not the first time I will mention this.
• Be patient with restaurant and shop employees, tour guides, and locals. It has been a long, hectic month for them.
• Also, be patient with other visitors who are trying to have a good time, just like you.
• Tip service workers well!
• The city provides some porta-potties around the downtown area, and some other public restrooms are available. Good apps to use to find toilets are Destination Salem or Flush.
• Speaking of toilets, pack your hand sanitizer and maybe even some toilet paper in a small bag, just in case it hasn’t been restocked fast enough.
• Also, pack some easy-to-carry snacks, just in case.
• If it is challenging to get a table at a restaurant or you need something NOW, there are usually food trucks at the Salem Common. It will be fair food, like french fries, chicken tenders, and fried dough, but it’s quick!
• More tips for eating in Salem include going to restaurants outside the immediate downtown area if you can manage it. Like Mandee’s Pizza, the Tin Whistle, or Dina’s Roast Beef (the chicken kabob salad omg!) – all places I frequented in college. Or grab a ready-made sandwich from Crosby’s Marketplace.

How to Get to Salem on Halloween Day

If you take only one piece of advice from me, make it this – do not drive to Salem on Halloween! The mayor of Salem had this to say about parking in Salem in 2023:

Take the train or ferry to Salem. We’re anticipating potentially over 100,000 visitors on Saturday (Oct 28) and we have 4,000 parking spaces downtown. You won’t find a place to park.

- Mayor Dominick Pangallo, from Facebook in October 2023

Why not drive into Salem for Halloween? One, the city is already tricky to get to, tucked away on the coast with no direct exit from nearby highways. Two, all the fun and attractions are in the oldest part of the city, with narrow roads from the 1600s and minimal parking.

Plus, locals are just trying to live their day-to-day lives amongst the influx of tourists. Make room on the road for them and use one of these options instead:

Take the Train

The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) stops at the top of Washington Street, a quick walk away from all the action.

Take the Outbound Newburyport/Rockport commuter rail (the purple line) from North Station in Boston for $8 one way. Additional trains are added to the schedule on weekends as Halloween approaches.

If you’re coming from anywhere besides Boston, it’s easy to drive to any town on this train line, like Gloucester, Beverly, Newburyport, and Rockport, and take the train into Salem. Make sure to check the MBTA site for interrupted service alerts!

SPECIAL DEALS ON TRAIN TICKETS

MBTA now offers $10 Commuter Rail Weekends. The $10 passes include unlimited travel on all commuter rail lines (the purple line), including the Newburyport/Rockport Line, on Saturdays and Sundays. A great deal if Halloween falls on a weekend!

Editor’s Note: I update this section fairly regularly, but it’s best to check MBTA for the most recent information.

Take the Boston-Salem Ferry

The Salem Ferry is a fun alternative to the train, which costs $25 one way when coming from Boston. It runs between Long Wharf in Boston and historic Salem. The views are out of this world, and they sell beer and snacks on board.

I suggest taking the first ferry to Salem and returning to Boston on the last train. The last ferry from Salem to Boston is 7 PM, and on Halloween, that’s when things are just getting started!

Tips For If You Do Drive to Salem for Halloween

Go early and make a whole day of it. By early, I mean try to get to Salem by 8am. Then, explore shops, visit museums, go on a guided tour, and hit up a few restaurants. See my suggestions for places to eat below.

Once you park your car, avoid moving it. Your spot will be scooped up by someone else immediately, and you might not find another one. Also, the streets are incredibly crowded with pedestrians, and it will take ten times as long to get from point A to B. Better to just leave your car where it is until you are absolutely ready to leave town.

Where to park in Salem for Halloween? I can’t stress enough that you’re better off not driving into Salem on Halloween. But if you do, try to get a parking spot in the Salem Ferry Lot (10 Blaney Street). Spots are very limited but free, so get to Salem early!

Otherwise, there are several other paid options if no spots are available at the ferry lot. The cheapest option is the MBTA Municipal Service Lot for $4 per day; most other lots charge $.75-$1.50 per hour.

All downtown attractions are a 10- to 15-minute walk from any parking area. See map below.

Getting Around Salem on Halloween

Once you are in Salem, the downtown area is super walkable. There are options if you get tired or want to venture out a little further.

Salem Trolley – The Salem Trolley provides a 1-hour narrated tour of the most popular spots in Salem. Hop on and off at any of their 14 stops downtown all day long. Tickets for adults cost $20, seniors $19, children (6-14) $10, and children under six can join a ticket-holding adult for free.

Bluebikes – Zip around Salem on a rented bike! Use the Bluebikes app to purchase 24-hour access for $10 or 30 minutes at a time for $2.95. It will be very crowded in Salem with people and cars, so be cautious while riding around.

Rideshare or Taxis – There are a few sites outside the downtown area that would be worth paying an Uber, Lyft, or local taxi to save you lots of time.

• Salem Taxi – (978) 741-2235
• Witch City Taxi – (978) 234-4044

Tips For Choosing a Halloween Costume

A great costume is a must when going to Salem for Halloween night, but there are some logistics to consider.

• Don’t include fake weapons in your costume. Cops may confiscate them, and you could face fines.
• You’ll be walking around cobbled streets or standing in crowded bars most of the night, so choose your costume based on comfort and warmth.
• No matter how well they pull your ensemble together, I do not recommend high heels. This tip is for men just as much as it is for women.
• Incorporate layers and cold weather gear as much as possible – it can be chilly at the end of October!
• Make sure you can easily use the bathroom (especially a porta-potty) while in costume!
• A personal tip: Don’t spend a lot of money on a costume. You can create many costumes with clothes and accessories you already own, pick them up at a thrift store, or borrow them from friends! My Rainbow Bright costume was the first costume package I bought.

Tips For Bad Weather on Halloween

If you choose your costume wisely (see above), the weather may not be an issue for you, but here are some tips if it happens to rain, snow, or be extra chilly on the day.

Rain: Bring a compact umbrella or a clear poncho. You don’t want to cover up your awesome costume with a raincoat! Find a place to hang out for the night. Many bars charge covers on Halloween night, but being out of the bad weather might be worth it.

Cold: Wear base layers underneath your costume to help you stay warm. Or create a costume with comfortable, warm clothes. A white sweatshirt with angel wings painted with sparkly puffy paint on the back will keep you toasty warm for the night. Add a halo made from silver and gold pipe cleaners, and you’re good to go!

Snow: Believe it or not, it can and will snow on Halloween if the conditions are right. That’s no reason to scrap your plans! Just plan a costume that will keep you warm and make an indoor contingency plan if it’s too cold or the snow is the wet kind.

Reading List

Add these books to your reading list before (or after) visiting Salem. Buy them locally at Wicked Good Books, Pyramid Books, or The Marble Faun Books and Gifts while you’re there, or order them from Bookshop.

Search for more books set in Salem, Massachusetts:

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