A Witchy Guide to Visiting Salem in October

If you’re planning to visit Salem in October, the Massachusetts town won’t disappoint if it’s all the spooktacular things you’re after. 

We visited the week before Halloween one year, and I’ve yet to find a place that embraces the holiday more than Salem.

Use this guide to help plan things to do in Salem in October and the spooky season. I promise it’s about more than witches’ hats and witch trial reenactments, although if you love the sound of that, you won’t be disappointed.

Is it worth going to Salem in October?

Salem in October hits the holiday on all fronts. You’ll get to enjoy all of the Halloween decor on top of cooling temperatures and crunchy fall leaves. 

You’ll also have access to many special events in October that don’t happen during other times of the year.

Salem is a fantastic stop all on its own, but it’s really at its best during the fall holidays. I’m not talking about Thanksgiving, people. I’m talking about Halloween and all of the witchy things to do in Salem during the spooky season.

Salem is known as the Witch City.

Salem is the Witch City because it was the setting for the infamous Salem witch trials of 1692. The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and eventual executions following the false accusations of several young Salem girls.

Those girls claimed that they were possessed by the devil thanks to the witchy actions of a group of older women in town. That was all the proof Salem townspeople needed to start the hysteria that would put 19 people to death.

Over the course of the trials, several of the accused women confessed and even pointed the finger at other women in town in exchange for lighter sentences.

Salem has since become the inspiration for a number of fictionalized accounts of those events. That includes The Crucible, a play by Arthur Miller and an eventual film starring Winona Ryder.

The town leans heavily into this identity with a lighter touch, although reenactments throughout Salem detail the events of that time period.

Fun fact: Salem High School’s mascot is The Witches. If you go to their website, you can see a logo beside their name of a little witch on a broom.

Things to Do in Salem in October

All of the things below are activities we enjoyed during our own trip to Salem in October. I’ll include a few more activities after the first group that we weren’t able to get to, but would still make for a special Salem Halloween on repeat visits.

Go on a self-guided Salem walking tour.

Salem is easy to explore on your own once you’ve made a plan for the day around activities and museums you’d like to see. We had a great time wandering the town to find the shops, cafes, and spooky stops that spoke to us. Essex Street is a great place to start.

Salem is also great for people-watching, especially the closer you get to Halloween.

Go on a guided Salem walking tour.

If you’re not sure where to start, there are a number of highly rated guided walking tours available for your enjoyment.

If that’s what you’re after, check out your options for a guided tour through Salem below:

Be basic with all pumpkin everything.

I’m as basic as they come when it comes to loving all things fall. If it involves pumpkin spice, I’m probably going to want to get my hot little hands on a piece of it. While in Salem, find your favorite spots for pumpkin spice everything.

Interested in a pick-me-up? Check out these Salem coffee shops:

• Front Street Coffeehouse: This cafe is a great option if you know you want to visit the Peabody Essex Museum. It’s a short walk from there to a nice variety of coffees and light sandwiches.
• Gulu-Gule Cafe: Enjoy eclectic dog-themed decor along with your Mind Sweeper, their version of hot coffee and espresso. If you want something more substantial, pick up one of their artisan sandwiches.
• Red Line Cafe: Crêpes and flavored coffee — yes, pumpkin spice is on the menu — are a good start to any day in Salem. It’s not basic if it makes you feel alive.

Find your favorite Salem Halloween house.

If you visit Salem during Halloween, pay attention to everything around you. Most of the houses will be decked out for the holiday, and some are definitely spookier than others.

Note: Keep in mind that these homes are private property. While they do want you to be impressed by the decor, they’d also like you to stay off their property…as most homeowners are wont to do.

Introduce yourself to Roger Conant.

You’ll see this imposing statue if you visit the Salem Witch Museum, the Salem attraction I get into below. While it may look like some kind of witch memorial, that’s not even close.

That’s Roger Conant up there. He was an English colonist credited with establishing Salem and building the first house on Essex Street. He remained active in Salem for many years, and you’ll find his name on many of Salem’s founding documents.

Let’s be clear, though. The land he “settled” had Native American roots that were completely disregarded in favor of the “new” Salem. Salem was home to the Naumkeag band of the Massachusett Tribe when Conant arrived.

Visit the Salem Witch Museum.

The 1692 Salem Witch Museum is essential in Salem.

You’ll be shown inside a theater and seated amongst mannequins depicting figures from the Salem witch trials for a reenactment of the events leading up to the trials. You’ll sit and listen to reenactments of the trials themselves.

It’s dramatic and everything that likely brought you to Salem in the first place.

From there, you’ll walk inside the museum portion of your visit. Exhibits include information on modern witch hunts, so it does get quite sobering in there.

Tickets are only available online and on a day-of basis. That may cause some anxiety, but we had no issue getting onto the second ticket time of the day when we logged on the morning of our day trip.

Tickets do sell out, so if you have a preferred date and time, get online as early as possible on the morning of your intended visit.

Go back in time at The Witch House.

The Witch House, officially known as The Jonathan Corwin House, was the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin. It’s the only structure in Salem with direct ties to the trials, no matter how effective those dramatic reenactments feel.

Tours are self-guided, and tickets can be purchased at the door. If you take a Salem ghost tour, you’ll likely make a stop here. It’s known as one of Salem’s most haunted places thanks to the bad vibes coming from Judge Corwin himself.

Pay your respects at the Old Burying Point Cemetery.

The Old Burying Point Cemetery, or the Charter Street Cemetery, is an easy add-on to a Salem itinerary for very old graves and to pay your respects to those buried here.

That includes Martha Corey, one of the accused during the Salem witch trials. Corey was convicted and hanged in the wave of witch hysteria. John Hathorne, one of the lead judges in those trials, is also buried here.

While he never apologized for his role in sentencing innocent people to death, one of his descendants was disturbed enough by their link that they tweaked the family name. That’s Nathaniel Hawthorne, friends. Hathorne was his great-great-grandfather.

I’ll have more on the author and his connection to Salem later.

Don’t miss the Salem Witch Trials Memorial nearby. Each of the victims is represented there, with names and execution dates on the granite benches.

Eat all the lobsta at The Lobster Shanty.

Enjoy the best lunch in town just south of the Old Town Hall at The Lobster Shanty. It’s definitely a dive bar, but the lobster rolls are delicious. They’re pricey, but not much more expensive than lobster rolls all over New England.

You’re just going to have to cough up some cash for those succulent sea bugs.

Order your lobster roll warm or chilled. I can never decide, so Brian and I usually get one of each to share.

The eatery is seasonal, but if you’re visiting Salem in October, you’re in luck. The Lobster Shanty operates from April 1-January 15.

If you’re in Salem for longer and want a little more variety, here are a few more Salem eateries to try:

• Flying Saucer Pizza Company: Pizza is always welcome on day trips from Boston. Honestly, pizza is always welcome on day trips from anywhere. Their McFly specialty pizza includes a swirl of hot honey, which is also always welcome.
• Sea Level Oyster Bar: If you want a side of oysters with your lobster roll, this is the place to make it happen. I’m not a fan — I call them the boogers of the sea — but I would never stand in the way of your ideal time.
• The Ugly Mug Diner: This is a great breakfast or lunch alternative if you’re seeking classics or traveling to Salem with picky eaters. Their Crabby Patty is a favorite if you love a good crab cake.

Feed your inner cheese demon.

If you’re not here for a completely Halloween-themed visit, The Cheese Shop of Salem will steal your heart if cheese brings you a similar amount of joy.

I mean, if you’re lactose intolerant, things may get scary for you, but it’s on you to make adult decisions.

Cheese, wine, snacks to go along with your cheese, and more cheese await inside. They’ll also make you a platter if you want to arrange that ahead of time after all of your touristy activities.

Relax on the Salem Common.

If you ordered a cheese platter, the eight-acre Salem Common is a great place in the heart of downtown Salem to have yourself a nosh. It’s also a great place for a nap if you’re suffering a bit from that lobster roll.

I’m talking about suffering in the best way here, by the way.

Marvel at Herb Mackey’s Metal Sculpture Yard.

This display of one man’s passion project isn’t meant to be spooky, but I couldn’t help but picture some of these metal creatures coming alive during our visit. Everything you see here is made from found objects, putting your own recycling efforts to shame.

This isn’t a public museum in any way, but if you happen to run into someone in the yard, including Herb himself, you can ask for a visit to poke around. Otherwise, there are lots of things to see from behind the fencing.

Tour the inspiration for The House of the Seven Gables.

Nathanial Hawthorne fans won’t want to miss visiting the 1668 colonial mansion that served as the inspiration and setting for his novel, The House of the Seven Gables.

Honestly, while I’d read the book before our visit, I remembered little about it before our Salem tour. That said, this was one of my favorite stops during our Salem visit. 

Our guide was fantastic with answers to even the most niche questions on Hawthorne and the historic house they walk you through. A highlight was walking through a secret staircase and musing about what it could have been used for back in the day.

If you’re interested, book your tour ahead of time online. This one does sell out during busy times of the year, like Halloween in Salem.

READ MORE: Love a historic house? Check out this guide to the mansions of Newport.

Stroll the Salem harbor.

Learn about Salem’s port and trading history along the harbor and Pickering Wharf Marina. For a deeper dive, visit the various attractions of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, the first National Historic Site in the United States.

We loved strolling along the Derby Wharf National Recreation Trail, a short walk that takes you along Salem’s harbor.

With more time, visit some of the historical buildings that make up the bulk of the park, like the Custom House, the Derby House, and the Narbonne House. That last one is also known as the Narbonne-Hale House on some map apps.

See the Hocus Pocus house (from afar).

If you’re obsessed with Hocus Pocus, as many are, particularly during the Halloween season, you’ll want to visit the Hocus Pocus house at 4 Ocean Ave. This was Max and Dani’s house in the movie.

Just know that you can’t tour the Hocus Pocus house. This is a private residence, so don’t get obnoxiously close. These people know they signed up for photos taken of their home, but they didn’t sign up for more shenanigans than that.

Continue a Hocus Pocus self-guided tour.

Interested in a few more Hocus Pocus filming locations? Here ya go:

• Old Town Hall: This historical landmark was used for exterior shots in the film, particularly during the sequence featuring “I Put A Spell on You.” It’s one of Salem’s most iconic buildings.
• Ropes Mansion: This Georgian Colonial mansion was Allison’s house. It’s also worth a visit all on its own as the home of Nathaniel Ropes, a famous merchant back in the 1700s. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Salem Pioneer Village: This living history museum may already be on your itinerary, especially if you’re traveling with little ones. If you’re traveling with Hocus Pocus fans, you may recognize it from the opening scene.

Guided Hocus Pocus tours are also an option. These do sell out, so book a few weeks before your trip!

Expand your mind at The Satanic Temple.

We only saw The Satanic Temple from the outside. I’m not sure why it didn’t happen. We got there, then chickened out.

If you visit, you’ll be treated to an over eight-foot-tall statue of Baphomet, a deity once worshipped by the Knights Templar and then embraced by the occult. You can cuddle up with him if you want. It’s even encouraged.

There’s also an occult library, art gallery, and permanent exhibit inside dedicated to the mania around the Salem witch trials.

Treat yourself to sweet treats.

If you love candy with a good story, it doesn’t get much better than Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie. This shop is known as the oldest candy company in the country and the first candy shop to produce Gibraltars commercially.

If you’re unclear on what a Gibraltar is, I was in the same boat. It’s an old-fashioned rock candy that’s good for busting a tooth each Halloween.

I’m big on caramels, so I had to get a bag of their sea salt vanilla variety during our visit. Expect a line out the door if you’re there on a weekend afternoon in October.

If you’re looking for some Halloween-themed cookies, too, the Coffee Time Bake Shop does it up every Halloween with its artful treats.

Visit Bunghole Liquors.

I never said I was the most mature travel blogger out there. This is a quick stop if you just want a photo and a longer stop if you’re here for booze and T-shirts emblazoned with that most excellent name.

Bunghole Liquors used to be a funeral home back in the day, with a secret drinking space down in the basement. During Prohibition, men around Salem would use the word “bunghole” as a reference to drinking, not whatever else you were thinking of.

They’d literally say things like, “I’ll see you at the bunghole tonight,” and no one batted an eye.

These people knew how to live…unless they were accused of being witches, of course.

Reminisce about all you’ve seen over cold beverages.

There are a variety of breweries and other cocktail opportunities in Salem, where you can wet your whistle that may feel a little classier than Bunghole Liquors.

Here are a few to finish out your day:

• East Regiment Beer Co.: This is a brewery inspired by Salem’s pioneer beginnings. Enjoy a variety of beer styles along with snacks and sandwiches as you round out your day in Salem.
• Far From The Tree: I love me some cider. It’s also one of my favorite things to indulge in during the fall season. Their strawberry basil variety is speaking to me even today.
• Notch Brewing: Enjoy a variety of snacks along with your German-style pours. They’re known as the first brewery to focus on their session beer. If you’re not in the know, a session beer isn’t really a style. It’s just a very drinkable beer.

Things to Do in Salem With More Time

We only visited Salem on a day trip from Boston, but if you’re staying through the weekend, there are all kinds of ways to keep the Halloween party going:

• Go on a haunted ghost tour. Salem ghost tours are the stuff of legend. We had to get back to our pup back at the hotel after our day trip, but a haunted Salem tour would definitely be at the top of my list the next time around.
• Visit the Peabody Essex Museum. The Peabody Essex Museum was closed during our Salem visit, but it’s well-regarded for the variety of its collections. It’s also the oldest continuously operating and collecting museum in the United States.
• Shop at the Crow Haven Corner. Salem is a great place to find unique souvenirs, but no shop has quite the reputation of the oldest witch shop in town. This is also where you’d join the popular Salem Witch Walk.
• Watch a reenactment at the Witch Dungeon Museum. If you didn’t get enough on the 1692 witch trials from the Salem Witch Museum, you can watch another at the Witch Dungeon Museum. The performance is adapted from the trial transcripts.
• Pose with the Bewitched statue. I can’t believe I missed this one, as it’s been here for years. Thinking about posing with Elizabeth Montgomery’s Samantha, arguably her best role, is enough reason to make a return trip to Salem.
• Experience history at Salem Pioneer Village. I’ve already mentioned this one as a great place to go on Hocus Pocus tours. This is a living museum that depicts Salem as it was in the 17th century. 

Halloween Events in Salem

Salem does all kinds of things for Halloween. The most popular is Salem Haunted Happenings.

It’s a month-long Halloween festival of activities that include costume parties, a Halloween parade, walking tours, and other special events. The Salem Haunted Magic Show is also part of that lineup.

It’s the biggest, most involved event of its kind in the United States, let alone New England.

If you’re planning a trip during the Halloween season, it’s a good idea to investigate what kind of events may be happening when you’re there.

Note: If you’re in Salem for the adults-only Endless Night Vampire Ball, also known as the Endless Night Salem Vampire Ball, that one typically happens in September.

How to Visit Salem

We visited Salem in October on a day trip from Boston. It takes about 45 minutes to make the drive, so I’d highly recommend a self-drive if you’re able. 

READ MORE: Love the sound of Boston day trips? I have a longer list of options!

If you’re not in Boston already, you’ll still probably need to fly there to get to Salem. Boston Logan International Airport is even closer than downtown Boston and about a 40-minute drive to all of the Salem fun. 

New England towns like Providence, further south, get closer to two hours’ worth of driving time.

Fun fact: Salem is also doable from Portland, Maine. That trip will take about an hour and 45 minutes.

Don’t want to drive? You can still visit Salem. The MBTA Commuter Rail adds options to their schedule every Halloween to get you from Boston to Salem in about 30 minutes. 

If you don’t get seasick as I do, you can also take a scenic ferry ride from Boston to Salem. The high-speed Salem Ferry will get you from Boston’s Long Wharf to Salem’s Blaney Street dock in less than an hour. It runs from mid-May all the way through Halloween.

How to Get Around in Salem

Salem is best enjoyed on your feet, so it’s best to park your car as close to the Salem happenings as possible and hit the pavement from there. Most of the main parking lots will be within 10-15 minutes of the best Salem attractions.

Parking can get tricky on weekends, especially the closer you get to Halloween and on Halloween itself. Expect parking fees to be higher throughout October.

Use the city’s parking map to get a better idea of where to leave your car for the day once you arrive in Salem proper. It also includes parking shuttle information. You can pay for parking at meters using coins or through the Passport Parking app.

If you want a little narration to go along with your Salem tours, the Salem Trolley takes visitors on a one-hour tour of the city with fun facts along the way.

What to Pack for Your Trip to Salem

It’s not usually very cold in Salem in October. Average temperatures for the month are in the 60s.

That said, New England weather can be unpredictable. It could be much warmer or chilly and wet. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst as you plan for your fall trip.

People do dress up to visit Salem in October, especially the closer you get to Halloween. If there’s a time and place for your best witch hat, it’s Salem during the spooky season.

Where to Stay in Salem

Salem hotels can be expensive during the Halloween season. We were able to find more affordable accommodations in nearby Boston, and I’d recommend you do the same if you’re on a budget. 

If you don’t mind the cost or plan WAY ahead of your expected travel, use the map below to try to find some deals on Salem hotels:

October is such a fun time in Salem.

October is a great time to visit Salem. While you will have to navigate crowds the closer you get to Halloween, there’s no town in the United States that does the holiday better.

If the idea of navigating lots of people doesn’t entice you, do as we did. Visit earlier in the month of October. You’ll still get to enjoy the best of Salem at Halloween with fewer tourists.