What It’s Like in Salem on Halloween 👻🎃
Calling all Halloween lovers! If you're seeking a Halloween experience like no other, then look no further than Salem, Massachusetts. Salem is one of the best places in the United States to celebrate the holiday. 👻🎃
With its notorious past and all-encompassing Halloween ambiance, Salem becomes a hub of magic and mystery during the month of October, culminating in a truly spectacular Halloween night.
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Why Salem, MA?
Salem, Massachusetts, is an iconic Halloween destination, drawing in a half-million visitors from all corners of the world. The town's connection to Halloween begins with the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, when over 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft, and 19 were falsely convicted and hanged.
The first Haunted Happenings in Salem took place in 1982 as a weekend-long festival over Halloween weekend for those interested in visiting the “Witch City”. What started as a Halloween weekend-only event has since expanded into a month-long celebration with elaborately decorated storefronts, ghost tours, magic shows, and much more.
Salem’s blend of history, New England architecture, and all things Halloween creates an immersive fall destination and an enchanting Halloween experience. Whether you're fascinated by history or simply looking to embrace the spirit of the season, Salem is undoubtedly one of the best places in the United States to be on Halloween!
Where to Stay for Salem’s Haunted Happenings
Our top recommendation is to stay directly in Salem. That’ll be the easiest and most convenient way to enjoy Salem on Halloween night. However, this comes with a catch.
Lodging is at a premium throughout the month of October, peaking on Halloween night. You’ll also have to book way in advance, often at least months ahead of your desired visit. (And expect to book even further in advance if you’re hoping to be in Salem on Halloween.)
Although you’ll likely pay more than you’d otherwise pay for a night of lodging (and you’ll have to finalize your plans early!), it’s 100% worth it if this is a bucket-list activity and you want to enjoy all Salem has to offer. You can search for short-term rentals in Salem or browse hotels here.
Otherwise, you can also stay in any nearby city, including Boston or even where we stayed in Attleboro, MA.
How to Get to Salem on Halloween Night
If you’re staying in Salem, congratulations… You can walk and avoid parking, train tickets, and traffic delays!
If you’re staying in Boston, you can take a train directly into Salem, which is convenient because you’ll avoid driving and parking. (Boston’s North Station is connected to Salem via the Newburyport and Rockport lines. Get more information here.) You can also take the ferry from Boston to Salem.
From other places in Massachusetts, you can drive to the Beverly Train Station and ride the train one stop into Salem.
For us staying in Attleboro, we drove about an hour and 10 minutes to the Beverly Train Station. From there, it was a short train ride into Salem. Unless you’re staying in Salem or Boston, this is our recommendation for getting to Salem on Halloween. Drive to and park at the Beverly Train Depot and take the train one stop into Salem. (We were able to buy our train tickets once we arrived at the station. There was a $5 round-trip Halloween special as we were visiting on Halloween day.) You’ll be dropped off near the festivities, with many signs leading you from the train drop-off to wherever you want to go in Salem.
There is also free parking in various lots in and around Salem during weekend days in October. (This is generally available from 10am to 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays in October.) While this may or may not work for Halloween day, this is another great option for getting to Salem. You can park at one of these free parking lots and then ride a free shuttle to downtown.
Is it worth visiting Salem in October?
Whether you visit Salem on Halloween or another time in October, it’s worth the trip. Salem in October is great all month long, with tons of interesting and entertaining ways to experience the city’s Haunted Happenings. If there’s any part of you intrigued by this infamous town, it’s 100% worth the trip!
Jonathan and I aren’t people who always dress up for Halloween or make a point to celebrate in a big way, but after spending Halloween day and night in Salem, I’d go back on Halloween every year if I could. It’s the most immersive way to celebrate the holiday as Salem during October feels like a true ‘Halloweentown’.
Do people dress up in Salem for Halloween?
Absolutely! Many people dress up, kids and adults alike. Some people dress up slightly, and some people are 150% in costume. But whether you do or don’t dress up, you won’t feel out of place, and that’s the beautiful thing about Halloween in Salem. (There were plenty of people not in costume as well.)
Our hats say ‘Ahoy’… Can you guess who we are?!
5 of the Best Things To Do in Salem for Halloween
Salem's Haunted Happenings presents a variety of activities to celebrate the season and learn more about the town’s history. Here are some of the best things to do in Salem for Halloween.
1. Halloween Night Concert
Okay, so we’re unfairly kicking off with something you can technically only do if you’re visiting on Halloween, but… We had an absolute BLAST at Salem’s Halloween Night Concert! Although we enjoyed every minute of being in Salem on Halloween, singing and dancing along with a crowd full of people all decked out in fun costumes was hands-down the most fun.
Salem’s Halloween Night Concert starts on the 31st around 6pm, near the entrance to Haunted Happenings (where the train lets you out). It ends around 10pm… with fireworks!
And I don’t know if this happens every year, but in the most perfect and unsurprising fashion, the band playing while we were in town kicked off the evening with a welcome that included, “THIS IS HALL-O-WEEN IN SAAALLLEEMMM… HOW Y’ALL DOING?!” followed by the song “Ghostbusters.” Perfection!!!
If you’re thinking about when to visit Salem, I wholeheartedly recommend on Halloween, and if you do, make sure to stick around for the evening’s concert.
But even if you’re not visiting on Halloween, there are plenty of things to do to get in the spirit. Find current events on the day you’re visiting here.
2. Haunted Happenings Marketplace
The Haunted Happenings Marketplace is the heart of Salem's Halloween celebrations. The marketplace typically operates throughout the month of October, serving as a central hub for a wide array of Halloween-themed merchandise, local crafts, unique gifts, and spooky delights.
The marketplace isn't just a shopping destination; it's an experience and definitely one of the best places to be for Halloween!
Walk around, engage with vendors, discover unique finds, and soak in the Halloween decor from every angle. And make sure to stop for a hot apple cider and cider donut from a nearby food truck. After five months in New England, the cider and donuts we picked up at the entrance to the marketplace were surprisingly our favorites of ALL the ones we drank and ate this trip!
3. Hocus Pocus House
One of the best things to do in Salem during Halloween, particularly if you’re a fan of movies, is visit sites from the movie “Hocus Pocus”. Check out some of the many “Hocus Pocus” sites you can visit in Salem here.
One of the most famous sites to visit is the Hocus Pocus House, also known as the Ropes Mansion. The Ropes Mansion is a historic building located in Salem, Massachusetts, and its exterior was used to film scenes for a Halloween party in the movie (you guessed it) “Hocus Pocus”.
The Ropes Mansion is open to the public as part of the Peabody Essex Museum and offers self-guided tours that provide insight into its historical significance and architectural details. The gardens located in the rear of the property are free to visit and open to the public.
But most people visit for the iconic shot at the front of the building, where you’ll likely find a short line of visitors waiting to take photos and recreate scenes from the movie.
Look for this house the next time you watch Hocus Pocus!
4. The Witch House and Witch Museum
The Witch House and the Witch Museum are two prominent attractions in Salem, Massachusetts, that are closely tied to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Both offer a look into the history and events surrounding the trials.
The Witch House, also known as the Jonathan Corwin House, is the only structure in Salem with direct ties to the witch trials that still stands today. It was the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin, one of the magistrates who presided over the trials.
The Witch House offers guided tours and explores the context and causes of the witch trials, shedding light on the factors that contributed to the hysteria. You’ll want to purchase tickets in advance; Click here for more information on visiting The Witch House.
The Witch Museum is another essential stop for those interested in Salem's history. The museum offers an educational and multimedia experience that guides visitors through the events of 1692. It utilizes life-sized figures, stage sets, and narration to recreate scenes from the trials and provide a visual representation of the accusations, trials, and aftermath.
Tickets for the Witch Museum are sold online from the end of September through October and go live at midnight for same-day admission. They can sell out, so learn more and set an alarm to purchase tickets here. (Plan about an hour for your tour, plus be prepared for a possible wait to enter.)
5. Haunted Houses, Magic Shows, & More
If thrills are your thing, there is no shortage of ways to experience your fill of “haunted” during Salem’s Haunted Happenings.
Although we don’t have any specific recommendations (because I’m not the bravest when it comes to haunted houses), you can click here for a list of options in Salem, from the one that was voted Salem’s best to the one that is Salem’s longest-running.
Or if you’re interested in just a little bit of spooky with a lot of magic, grab tickets to experience Salem’s only live Halloween magic show instead. We would have loved to do this if we had more time in the city, so if you go, make sure to come back and let us know your thoughts. We think this would be such a fun (and less overwhelming, ha!) way to get your fill of all things haunted in Salem. Learn more and purchase tickets here.
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1-2 Day Salem Halloween Itinerary
If we got to redo our Halloween in Salem, we’d bring along a few friends — all of us dressed in costume! — And here’s what we’d do…
Ideally, we’d spend two nights at a hotel or short-term rental in or near downtown Salem. We’d walk or take the town shuttle to Haunted Happenings.
Once there, we’d enjoy a walking tour of various sites throughout Salem, such as the Hocus Pocus House and Witch House. Then, we’d leisurely walk to the Haunted Happenings Marketplace to shop, enjoy, eat donuts, and drink hot apple cider.
Afterward, we’d tour Salem’s Witch Museum (with tickets purchased in advance for sometime around midday). Then if it’s playing, we’d attend the 3:30pm Haunted Magic Show.
After that, we’d grab a drink near the concert stage so we could be at the Halloween Night Concert from when it starts at 6pm until the fireworks at 10pm!
Our Experience in Salem on Halloween
We spent five months during our 2022 Travel Season exploring Ontario and New England. After exploring Vermont, New York, Maine, and New Hampshire, our final stop took us to Attleboro, Massachusetts.
While we were partly stopping in Massachusetts to visit family and friends, we also had one big goal for this stay along our trip: Visit Salem on Halloween!
So as October 31st rolls around, we put on our ‘Stranger Things’ costumes and drive a little bit over an hour to the Beverly Train Station. We park in a nearby garage, walk along the rail to the station, and hang out with dozens of others making their way into Salem for Halloween. It’s not crowded while we’re waiting for the train, but you can tell it’s Halloween as some people are fully decked out in costume, from Scooby-Doo’s Shaggy and Velma to a member of Riverdale’s Southside Serpents.
While at the train station, we purchase the Halloween special, a $5 round-trip ticket to ride the train one stop from Beverly into Salem and back.
Although we wait about half an hour to catch the train, it’s just a short ride into Salem. Once there, we immediately see signs directing us to “Scares Ahead” in downtown Salem. We follow Santa Claus up the stairs and along the first street, soon passing the stage being set up for the band ‘American Midnight’ to play the evening’s Halloween concert.
Continuing down Salem’s tree-lined streets, we pass shops, bars, and restaurants as we make our way toward the Haunted Happening’s Marketplace in Salem Common and Derby Square. Lots of people are enjoying the sunny fall day by sitting on large patios throughout streets closed to traffic.
We enjoy a walking tour of Salem first, making our way to the Hocus Pocus House and the Witch House. Then we walk past the Witch City Mall on our way to the Haunted Happenings Marketplace, where grab a hot apple cider and a few cider donuts to snack on while we shop. Eventually, we make our way past the decorated food court and the line waiting to enter the Salem Witch Museum, and we retrace our steps in the direction of the stage we passed earlier. By now, it’s almost 6pm and quickly getting dark, so we’re excited for the concert to begin.
We’re hanging out by the stage, next to a large outdoor beer garden, for only a few minutes before the band appears and louldy speaks over the microphone, “THIS IS HALL-O-WEEN IN SAAALLLEEMMM… HOW Y’ALL DOING?!”
Cheers erupt through the crowd that’s gathered, and the very first song of the night is none other than “Ghostbusters.”
Happy road-tripping!
There are lots of fun things to do and see in Salem for Halloween. Continue planning your trip on the Haunted Happenings homepage here.
For more New England Road Trip ideas, check out our Picture-Perfect: New England Fall Road Trip.
Or browse all of our road trip itineraries here.
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