This city is definitely worth a visit, especially once spooky season is upon us. Read on to learn about the best things to do in Salem, MA in October!
*up to date for Halloween 2023
Introduction to Salem, MA
History of Salem, MA
Salem was first discovered by the native Naumkeag, who made contact with English settlers in the early 17th century. A drysalter named Roger Conant established the settlement.
The Salem Witch Trials followed in 1692, when a group of young girls falsely accused people of witchcraft. Their actions created a wave of hysteria, and 20 innocent victims were executed.
The Revolutionary War turned Salem toward privateering, which later evolved into working various trade routes around the world. In the 18th century, the port was eclipsed by Boston and New York City, and Salem pivoted to manufacturing.
Is Salem, MA crowded in October?
Absolutely. Salem is known as “the Witch City” and hundreds of thousands of people come here in October. Be prepared for crowds. If you can, visit on weekdays.
How much time do you need in Salem, MA in October?
It depends on what you want to do!
A day trip is a lot of fun but with more time you can explore in depth. I recommend reading about the best things to do in Salem, MA in October first so you know how many sights you plan to hit.
How do you get to Salem, MA in October?
The easiest way to get to Salem is to drive but parking is limited.
If you are coming from Boston, you should take either a train (the Newburyport/Rockport line on the commuter rail, 30 minutes) or a ferry (City Cruises, 50 minutes).
If you are coming from outside New England, you can fly into Boston and take it from there.
Length of time from:
- Portland, ME – 1.5 hours
- Burlington, VT – 3.5 hours
- Manchester, NH – 1 hour
- Boston, MA – 45 minutes
- Hartford, CT – 2 hours
- Providence, RI – 1.5 hours
Where do you stay in Salem, MA in October?
The best place to stay in Salem is downtown. For a bed and breakfast, I recommend the Morning Glory B&B. For a hotel, I recommend the Hawthorne Hotel. You may have to book a year in advance.
Best Things to Do in Salem, MA in October
Essex Street
Essex Street is a historic pedestrian mall in downtown Salem with a bunch of cool shops that lean hard into the witch theme.
At Crow Haven Corner, Lorelei the psychic is a master of clairvoyance, palmistry, and tarot cards. She will also cast spells for you in the “Egyptian Room.” You can get a crystal ball or a potion for things like luck and love.
Another good stop is The Coven’s Cottage, where they strive to supply products for a variety of pagan paths. If you want to brew a potion, they stock both cauldrons and ingredients (the herbs are “magical,” like feverfew, wormwood, and figwort).
At Hex Old World Witchery, they sell lots of curious items. You can buy everything from candles and incense to gems like bloodstone and serpentine (or even kits for cursing and healing)!
Around Halloween, you will find crowds of costumed tourists on this charming road made of brick and cobblestones.
The Witch House
The Witch House is an iconic landmark with a dark history and one of the best things to do in Salem, MA in October.
It was built circa 1675 and owned by Jonathan Corwin, a judge involved in the notorious Salem Witch Trials. He sought admissions of witchcraft in a relentless manner and sent innocent people to hang.
The foreboding structure is the last one with direct ties to that infamous time period, and you can feel the gloominess (some even call it haunted)! He never showed guilt and even replaced a judge who resigned in protest after the first execution.
The outside is painted an ominous black and the inside is full of artifacts that you can peruse on a self-guided tour.
Helpful Information
From mid-April to mid-November, open 7 days a week from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
From mid-November to mid-April, open Thursday to Sunday from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
| Age | Ticket Price |
|---|---|
| Children (under 6) | Free |
| Youth (6 to 14) | $5 |
| Adults | $9 |
| Seniors (over 62) | $7 |
Friendship of Salem
The Friendship of Salem is a replica of a merchant ship launched in 1797 for the East Indies trade. It had three masts and weighed a total of 342 tons.
The imposing vessel completed 15 trips, stopping in places as far as Russia, China, Indonesia, and Venezuela. It fetched a variety of cargo, including things like salt, pepper, coffee, cheese, and ale.
Unfortunately, during the War of 1812, the captain was unaware that a conflict had started. He sailed right into enemy waters, and the vessel got seized by the British.
It was sold at auction but then disappears from history, perhaps taken apart for building material (the color scheme today was reproduced from an 1805 painting).
Here, you can admire the Friendship of Salem from the dock or even stroll around the deck!
Salem Witch Museum
The Salem Witch Museum is a great place for those who are interested in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 as well as the general history of witches.
You can listen to an immersive narration of the shocking events complete with costumed full-size mannequins. It brings to life the true horror of that time period and really is a little frightening (a warning, definitely not suitable for children)!
Another section details the evolution of the term “witch,” the history of witch hunting, and the witch trials in Europe. Though Salem is known for witches, the hysteria actually extended for over 300 years in several parts of the world (around 45,000 people were killed and 75 percent of them were female).
Many thought “witches” made a pact with the devil and gained supernatural powers in return, but they were often used as scapegoats for any misfortune (such as deaths or storms). The most likely victim was a beggar or an older woman, which later influenced portrayals of witches in folklore.
We found the museum to be interesting and informative but were a bit disappointed that it didn’t have real artifacts.
Helpful Information
Open 7 days a week from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (July and August, from 10:00 am to 7:00 PM)
Extended hours in October
| Age | Ticket Price |
|---|---|
| Children (under 3) | Free |
| Youth (3 to 14) | $14.50 |
| Adults | $17.50 |
| Seniors (over 62) | $16 |
Haunted Walking Tour
A haunted walking tour is a must, even if you reject the supernatural, and one of the best things to do in Salem, MA in October. Under the glow of the moon and lanterns, you will venture down shadowy lanes to learn about the haunted history of this seaside city.
At Spellbound Tours, an actual paranormal investigator leads the way, stopping at the place where Giles Corey was pressed to death, a church graveyard, and the location of the dungeon that held accused witches.
At Black Cat Tours, the guide captivates you with bone-chilling stories, details early ghost hunting tools, and covers gothic horror authors like Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allen Poe, and H.P. Lovecraft.
At Witch City Walking Tours, either History and Hauntings or Mysteries and Murders are a great choice (I have done both) and not for the faint of heart.
Here, each ghostly tour gives you a glimpse into a spooky past and imparts a lingering sense of fascination and trepidation.
Old Burying Point Cemetery
Old Burying Point Cemetery was founded in 1637, making it among the oldest cemeteries in the United States.
It is the final resting place of some notable residents as well as Revolutionary War soldiers and slaves. There are, however, no victims of the Salem Witch Trials here (nobody knows where their bodies ended up).
Simon Bradstreet was the last governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and Mary Corey was the second wife of Giles Corey (she died eight years before the hysteria, but his third wife got hanged for witchcraft).
Eleanor Hollingworth ran a tavern and may have been the inspiration for Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter. John Hathorne was a judge during the trials and never showed guilt (his great-great-grandson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, later condemned him for it).
Many of the headstones have been worn by time, and I found it almost peaceful to meander along the dirt path weaving between them.
Helpful Information
Also called Charter Street Cemetery
Open 7 days a week from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
*Reservations required in October
Admission is free
McIntire Historic District
The McIntire Historic District is full of elegant mansions that once belonged to merchants and captains who prospered during the heyday of Salem. Many of them were designed or influenced by Samuel McIntire, a renowned architect and woodcarver. Here, you can admire stately facades and intricate details on a relaxed stroll through a picturesque area.
The Peirce-Nichols House was erected in a late Georgian, early Federal style in 1782 for the man who commissioned the Friendship of Salem.
The Cotting-Smith Assembly House was erected in the Federal style in 1782 for dances, concerts, and lectures (George Washington even attended a ball)!
The Phillips House appeared in 1820, when a husband inherited a third of a country estate in a bitter divorce and moved his four rooms with oxen and logs. Though first erected in the Federal style, it was later remodeled in the Colonial Revival style (and had a long line of female owners).
The best part of coming here in October is the elaborate Halloween decorations! You will find everything from pumpkins and gourds to skeletons and witches.
Hocus Pocus Movie Sites
Hocus Pocus is a cult classic and the movie sites are one of the best (mostly) free things to do in Salem, MA in October.
Pioneer Village was used for the opening scene, when Thackery Binx is turned into a black cat after his sister is killed. Salem Common is where Max rides his bike flirting with Allison, and Old Burial Hill in nearby Marblehead was used for the cemetery, when bullies steal his shoes.
You can even see Dani and Max’s house, which is still painted white and red. You can see Allison’s house too (the Ropes Mansion), which was built in 1729 and has a gorgeous garden.
Old Town Hall was used for the costume party with the “I Put a Spell on You” scene. Phillips Elementary School is where the protagonists lock the witches in a kiln, and Lighthouse Point in nearby Marblehead was used for the “Come Little Children” scene.
Hocus Pocus came out 30 years ago, yet the iconic Sanderson Sisters and the Black Flame Candle live on!
Peabody Essex Museum
The Peabody Essex Museum is the oldest continuously operating museum in the United States and has been collecting art for centuries.
The collection has more than one million works from the 1700s to now and a campus spanning three blocks. Here, you will find photographs, drawings, paintings, sculptures, textiles, and decorations from a variety of cultures as well as the oceanic and maritime fields.
Yin Yu Tang House is a stately 16-bedroom structure from the late 18th century of the Qing Dynasty in China. It was initially oriented according to feng shui to ensure a harmonious relationship with the landscape and coins were left under the columns for prosperity. Eight generations of a single family occupied it before the last descendants left in 1982 and it came here.
The Peabody Essex Museum also has items from the Salem Witch Trials and owns many historic sites in the area.
Helpful Information
Open Thursday to Monday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
| Age | Ticket Price |
|---|---|
| Children (under 16) and Salem residents | Free |
| Students (with ID) | $12 |
| Adults | $20 |
| Seniors (over 65) | $18 |
Salem Witch Trials Memorial
The Salem Witch Trials Memorial is a place for reflection, with three granite walls that surround grass and trees. Each one has multiple benches engraved with the names of the 20 victims, and people often leave flowers on them. There are also stone slabs inscribed with their protests of innocence.
Sarah Good was targeted because she was poor and dependent on neighbors for charity.
Sarah Wildes was a nonconformist who had already been disciplined for things like wearing a silk scarf. She married a man whose wife had died only months prior, and his former in-laws held a grudge (and were related to her accusers).
Martha Corey was known for her piety and dedicated attendance at church. She publicly denounced the hysteria and accused the girls of lying, so they promptly accused her of being a witch.
I found the memorial to be poignant and welcomed the chance to ponder the events with less of a sensationalist bent.
Haunted Happenings and The Festival of the Dead
Haunted Happenings and The Festival of the Dead are a ton of fun and two of the best things to do in Salem, MA in October.
Haunted Happenings hosts after-hours ghost hunts and a psychic fair with mediumship, séances, past life readings, and more.
They have a market with vendors and performances (that I love) and a grand Salem Halloween Parade with a new theme (and a cute pet version) each year. Just make sure to hit a haunted house, where monsters lurk around every corner!
The Festival of the Dead has some unique events as well, like a lesson in graveyard magic or a witch circle on Samhain (when the veil between our world and the next is supposed to be thinnest).
You can attend a high tea in the extravagant mourning tradition of the Victorian era or a supper in silence to honor the dead. Lastly, the Salem Halloween Ball is full of costumes, rituals, and dancing!
Bewitched Statue
The Bewitched Statue is an iconic bronze landmark that stands nine feet tall in Lappin Park. It was sculpted to look like Samantha Stevens, a witch portrayed by Elizabeth Montgomery in a beloved sitcom that ran from 1964 to 1972.
The basic plot is that she weds a mortal and shenanigans ensue from their unorthodox marriage (she famously twitched her nose to cast spells).
In 1970, the show actually went on location in Salem to film an eight-episode arc, and it even fixed a ratings slump. The characters attend a centennial Witches Convocation, and Samantha somehow ends up in 1692, the year of the Salem Witch Trials.
We saw the Bewitched Statue after a stroll down the pedestrian mall on Essex Street.
The House of the Seven Gables
The House of the Seven Gables is rich in both historical and literary significance.
The waterfront mansion was built for Captain John Turner I in 1668 and later renovated to include elegant period features like Georgian paneling.
It was sold to Captain Samuel Ingersoll in 1782, whose daughter was a second cousin of Nathaniel Hawthorne. He loved the property and used it for the setting of his famous 1851 novel, The House of the Seven Gables.
His nephew then lost it to creditors, and it ended up being purchased by Caroline Emmerton, a philanthropist, in 1908. She restored the property and opened a museum, whose proceeds help fund settlement programs for immigrants.
A guided tour here is definitely worthwhile, and you even get to climb a hidden staircase!
Helpful Information
Open 7 days a week from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
| Age | Ticket Price |
|---|---|
| Children (under 5) | Free |
| Youth (5 to 12) | $17 |
| Adults | $25 |
| Seniors (over 65) | $20 |
Pioneer Village
Pioneer Village opened in 1930 as the first living history museum in the United States. It is a recreation of life in 1630 and one of the best things to do in Salem, MA in October.
You can see indigenous architecture (wigwams) and colonial architecture (thatched roof cottages) as well as culinary and medicinal gardens.
The Naumkeag occupied this land first, with seasonal homes that appeared deserted to English settlers, who then took over. When the Naumkeag returned, they did not seek out war and instead showed the English settlers kindness, even teaching them how to grow corn. Unfortunately, they were eventually wiped out by disease and violence.
Here, a visit is quick but worth it to see the foliage lit with the colors of autumn. You can also buy tickets for a “Lanterns in the Village” night and wander lanes lined with carved pumpkins and storytellers in period costumes (make sure to come early to avoid the crowds).
Helpful Information
Open seasonally from mid-June to late October, Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Admission is $5
Salem Trolley
The Salem Trolley is a perfect way to get the lay of the land and rest your feet. It covers places on this list as well as some others, and the guides are both entertaining and informative.
One stop is Winter Island Park, with gorgeous views of the ocean, a charming lighthouse, and the remnants of a 17th-century fort. Salem Willows Park has picnic areas, three beaches, and shaded gazebos (plus some fun things for kids, like an arcade).
In October, the Tales and Tombstones ride at dusk is particularly spooky, with legends of ancient curses, ghost ships, and haunted islands.
Helpful Information
Duration: 1 hour
Operates seasonally from early April to late October, 7 days a week from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and November, Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
| Age | Ticket Price |
|---|---|
| Children (under 6) | Free |
| Youth (6 to 14) | $12 |
| Adults | $22 |
| Seniors (over 60) | $21 |
I hope this post convinced you that Salem, MA is worth visiting in October! Just remember, you have to be prepared for crowds (I always go during the week now).
In my opinion, the best things to do in Salem, MA in October are a haunted walking tour, the McIntire Historic District, and the Haunted Happenings events.
Enjoy!