Travel
We’ll share photos, videos, and stories from Salem during Halloween week.
After a jam-packed month full of spooky activities in the historic city of Salem, Halloween is just days away.
Salem, famous for the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, welcomes more than 1 million visitors in October for its Haunted Happenings festival, and the Essex Street Pedestrian Mall is “like a magnet” for tourists, a local business owner recently told Boston.com.
Whether you’re visiting Salem for the first time or you’re a returning guest, our 2024 Halloween season in Salem guide will give you all the information you need to make the most of your experience.
Be sure to check back throughout Halloween week as we add photos, videos, and updates covering everything from the costumes to the crowds in what’s billed as the largest celebration of Halloween in the world.
Salem parking garages filled up fast on Saturday
City officials have been urging visitors to take public transportation, especially during Halloween week when attendance in the Witch City is at its highest.
On Saturday, South Harbor Garage was full at 9:45 a.m., the MBTA Garage was full at noon, and the Museum Place Garage was full at 12:15 p.m., city officials posted on X. On top of that, officials warned of several road closures to accommodate the crowds.
Those braving the roads on Saturday were instructed to head to three free satellite parking lots at 225 Canal St., 77 Willson St., and 108 Jefferson Ave. behind Salem Hospital. Free shuttles run all day between the lots and downtown Salem.
A peek into the Official Salem Witches’ Halloween Ball 2024
The ball, which took place Friday night at the Hawthorne Hotel, is part of the annual Festival of the Dead and included a laser light show in the Grand Ballroom, hors d’oeuvres, free psychic readings, live performances, an authentic Salem seance, costume contests, and more.
If you’re heading to Salem during Halloween week, it’s worth downloading the Destination Salem app full of information about parking, traffic, attraction tickets, and more. Travelers should also have a solid plan for how to get there, experts say, and public transportation is the best bet. Get info about taking the MBTA and ferry and where to park and get a shuttle for those brave enough to drive.
Hungry visitors should check out Flying Saucer for pizza, Bella Verona for “old-school Italian,” Turner’s Seafood for classic seafood, Howling Wolf Taqueria for Mexican food, and Sea Level Oyster Bar along the harbor, according to Ashley Judge, executive director of Destination Salem.
For witchy things to do, take your pick between The Witch House, the Salem Witch Museum, the Witch Dungeon Museum, the Salem Wax Museum, and the Witch History Museum.
Salem is brimming with Halloween fun, and visitors can choose between tours, haunted houses, costume balls, and more this Halloween season. Guests can shop and people watch at Salem Common and Derby Square during the Haunted Happenings Marketplace, which features more than 200 artisans and makers.
The Festival of the Dead, an annual event series that explores death’s macabre customs and rituals, brings events such as a witches ball on Oct. 25, graveyard magic on Oct. 26, dinner with the dead on Oct. 27, and a witch’s magic circle on Oct. 31.
Dozens of walking tours crisscross the city daily, and options include a Candlelit Ghostly Walking Tour, Salem Witch Walk, and the History & Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour. Or guests can hop on a trolley tour such as the Ghosts & Legends Trolley tour and the Tales & Tombstones tour, the latter of which explores Salem at night.
Finally, it’s worth checking out a haunted house in Salem this year, such as Frankenstein’s Castle, the Chambers of Terror, and the Witch Mansion.
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