Before You Go

Salem is a city you don’t go to just once.

 You can go over a day or two, but I always recommend taking a four-day (Sunday to Wednesday) in the off season and really digging in. Due to its' thriving tourism, the city attractions are open mostly year round, so there’s no rush to catch things. February through June is great if you don’t mind wearing a jacket, and the city does an amazing job of clearing the roads and walkways during the winter months. If possible, walk everywhere. I’ve never felt safer walking in a city, and there’s so much more to see just walking through the old neighborhoods. There is far more to Salem than its' Witch Trials and Witchcraft Tourism focus, and it’s important to learn about it. For instance, did you know the first public long-distance phone call was made here? Wild right!

My main rule for Salem is if you want the Halloween vibes, go in the first week of October, but go for  the Haunted Happening events and shopping only. The museum and attraction lines will be outrageous,  and the staff running them are exhausted. If you want, hit a handful but make a day of it, don’t try to mix shopping and museums and spend all your time waiting in lines. If you really want to experience the city, go from January to July. Everything will still be open, but the main difference is parking will be easily available, rooms will be cheaper, and line waits will be nonexistent. Be advised most of the businesses tend to take time off the first two weeks of January to rest and recover, and some places do close seasonally until after April; so plan accordingly.

Tips for Surviving October Tourism:

-If you plan to visit during October, PLAN AHEAD. Months in advance if possible: a Year is better. The tourism season is stretching into September now, and getting a hotel room in the city is impossible at the last minute. Most museums and attractions will need to be booked in advance as well, so do not plan for walk in ticket sales. Also, look up the hours of stores you want to see! Some places will be closed between Sunday and Wednesday, so plan for that as well!

-Plan for Breaks! The public restroom situation is a constant battle for the city, and while they do their best to add porta-potties, pickings are slim. Stay away from the witch city mall at all costs, the visitor center has business hours, and most of the businesses in the downtown area do not have bathrooms for public use, and restaurants have a patron policy. Therefore, take breaks often, and if you are staying in the city, use your room to escape the crowds. If you're not, eat your 3 meals a day and make use of an available bathroom every chance you get. No one willingly walks into the Witch City Mall Bathroom, and Gods forbid it be your only option.

-Don’t Rush! I tell everyone this: it’ll all still be there, you can go back! You don't have to power through every single business in the city in a single weekend. Salem is a beautiful, inclusive, and welcoming city, and the locals are amazing. Yes, support the Witch City, but you can do that year round. The Salem so sweet festival on Valentine's day, the Salem art festival in June, Even their Pride Parade is great! While tourism wants to paint this historic city as a Disneyland-esq Halloween town, there’s so much more to it that's worth seeing at all times of the year!

-Timing! Plan to hit asphalt at 11am. That means breakfast at 10, be ready to storm the beach right when the doors open.  In 2025, crowds totaled over 1.1 million visitors in October: the closer to Halloween, the worse the crowds are(96k clocked on Halloween alone) . Try to go during the work week when crowds are slightly smaller if possible! If you're driving in and parking during October, get there 8:30am to 9am, or you'll be out of options.