Fall Halloween Fun in Salem, Massachusetts
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Any Halloween lover must pay a visit to Salem, Massachusetts, known by many to be the “Halloween Capital of the World.” The historical significance of the town (most notably the infamous witchcraft trials of 1692 took place here) alone warrants a visit. A winning combination of haunted and historical attractions and festive events draws more than a million tourists each October.
Living in the Greater Boston metro area, I knew a trip to Salem this time of year was a must for me while I was living so close. Plus, I am a huge Hocus Pocus fan, and as all fans of the cult 90’s Disney classic know – it filmed throughout town. Really, I love everything about the fall season – nothing sounds better than grabbing a PSL and enjoying the fall colors, spooky sites, and seasonal decor in one of America’s most haunted and historical towns.
First off, make sure to visit The Witch’s House, the only standing Salem structure with ties to the witchcraft trials. Most notably, it was the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin. The house located at 310 Essex Street. Today, you can tour the house. It’s super busy the entire month of October, so you will want to book your tickets in advance. The house was built in the 1670’s (it is one of the oldest houses in the US) and opened for tours in 1948. Is it just me or does this house look really creepy and haunted just from the outside?
While you are in town, I recommend checking out the Witch Trials Memorial and Old Burying Point cemetery, both located on Charter Street. The memorial will take you through 20 dated granite stones, each representing one of the accused. As most of us learned back in school, the infamous witch trials took place in the 1690’s. 20 witches were executed and more than 200 were accused of practicing witchcraft. At this memorial, you can see the name of each accused and executed witch on a stone marker. Some tourists choose to leave gifts behind as an offering. The most recognizable memorial to most will probably be that of Bridget Bishop. She was the first to be executed but denied here involvement of any witchcraft.
Old Burying Point is the oldest cemetery in Salem. The most notable gravestone is that of Justice John Hawthorne, one of the judges in the Witchcraft Trials. It was established in 1637, so a really creepy and old place to walk around. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is haunted. Interestingly, there are a lot of ghost tours in town that make a stop at this historic cemetery. I absolutely loved the ghost tour I took in Plymouth and would love to ghost hunt here too, but I was limited on time on this trip. I really loved the fall colors surrounding the old weathered gravestones. That feeling of fall was really in the air.
A leaf peeping hotspot
Whether or not you are a Halloween buff, Salem is also a great trip for anyone who loves leaf peeping. Really, the same can be said for any quaint New England town in my opinion. Since moving here, I have really enjoyed exploring all of these gorgeous historic towns, especially during the peak of fall. The weather is gorgeous, the colors are gorgeous, and there is a lot going on. Gorgeous fall foliage surrounds historic homes and beautiful old buildings. Beautiful parks and cemeteries are alive with the vivid colors of the season. Fall foliage cruises offer a relaxing opportunity to take in the seasonal beauty.
“It’s Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus!”
Salem is the filming location of various Halloween/Horror movies, including the popular cult classic Hocus Pocus. You will be able to check out many of the filming locations during your time here. I am a movie buff (especially of 90’s films), so I always check out my favorite filming sites wherever I travel. This is one of my favorites, so exploring the real life sites was definitely on my must list. There was no way I was leaving without seeing the houses. I started watching this movie in 1993 – long before it was a cult classic.
At 318 Essex Street, you will find The Ropes Mansion, owned by the Peabody Essex Museum. The house is no longer open to the public for tours, however, the gardens are open year round. It’s Allison’s home exterior in the movie. I love the scene when Max and Dani are trick or treating and they come up to the gorgeous house and they are like “Rich people – they will probably make us drink cider and bob for apples.” The house, surprisingly, does not looks as grand in person as they made it appear in the movie. This is usually always the case from my personal experience.
4 Ocean Drive is the most recognizable house the Dennison’s reside in (Dani and Max) in Hocus Pocus. Although located on the waterfront, the filming angle made it appear to be located on a side street. The funny thing is that if you watch the movie closely, the parents have a painting on the wall which shows the water. Let’s just say it’s a must stop for any fans out there! Note: This is a private residence. Only take photos or view from your vehicle! Do not bother current residences by taking photos on their property!
32 Derby Square is the site of Old Town Hall, used during filming as the exterior shot of Max and Dani’s parent’s Halloween Party where the witches put on their amazing performance of “I Put a Spell on You.” Best scene in the movie in my opinion! This building, the oldest standing municipal structure in Salem, now houses a small museum. Additionally, several special themed performances take place throughout the season. I’ve seen Cry Innocent (a live reenactment of the witchcraft trials) and various magic shows on the lineup in recent years.
A spooky time for sure!
October is prime season to visit Salem. There are attractions and special events all month long. During October, you can look forward to haunted houses, special treats and vendors, costume contests, and other unique festivals in an annual tradition known as Haunted Happenings. You also have your pick between dozens of festive witch themed shops. Bewitched and HEX both are interesting shops to browse around.
A few great themed attractions that I personally visited and recommend include: Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery and the Haunted Harbor cruise. This city, is expectedly, absolutely packed this time of year. This is not a surprise as it’s an easy daytrip from Boston and Providence. And unlike other touristy traps, Salem is absolutely worth visiting as the atmosphere is just so incredible – nothing else really compares. From vendors selling specialty apparel and props, to families and couples dressed in their best costumes, to the gorgeous colors of fall everywhere, it is impossible not to get into the spirit of the season.
I recommend mapping out a plan of action before visiting, especially around this busy time of year. Expect crowds at all attractions, especially those located on touristy Essex St. It would easier to pinpoint your attractions versus trying to find something to do amidst the crowds. Haunted Happenings is a great publication which lists all the major events. Check out the Haunted Happenings guide to see a full listing of this year’s events.
Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery
Being a big horror movie fan, Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery was first on my list. This museum includes wax figurines from horror movies both past and present. Freddy Krueger (Nightmare on Elm Street), Jason (Friday the 13th), Pennywise (Stephen King’s It), and Beetlejuice are just a few of the great recreations you will find. You will walk through an eerie, dark path viewing the realistic wax statues; it’s the perfect creepy ambiance for the horror movie theme. I’ve been to many of these type of museums around the US, but this one is really eclectic.
Unlike a regular wax museum, I felt like I was walking around a dark dungeon here – it was really creepy. I felt as if the figures could come alive at any minute – ever seen House of Wax, anyone? At night, the museum transforms into a haunted house. This really spooks me out and I’m not sure if I couldn’t handle it as our daytime visit was creepy enough! Unfortunately, photography is prohibited inside. Take my word for it – this is one of the better attractions in town. Make sure to book your tickets online to save money or check Groupon for special deals to this attraction and others in the area.
Haunted Harbor Boat Cruise
Mahi Mahi Cruises offers a fun lineup of themed cruises throughout the month of October. Whether you are interested in a daytime fun cruise, or an adult’s only Cocktail Boo’s Cruise (a nightly harbor cruise including a costume contest and specialty drinks), you will have a festive time! Mike & I took an afternoon Haunted Harbor cruise. The staff did a great job decorating the boat with lots of festive spooky decor such as skeletons and zombies hanging off the boat.
Tarot card readers, fortune tellers, and face painters added to the Halloween ambiance. Spiced apple cider and seasonal fall beers were available to create an even more special cruise. Spooky music played in the background while crew members told their stories about various hauntings in the area. Add in chilly fall temps and gorgeous colors surrounding the coast, and you have the picture-perfect fall ambiance. Unfortunately, we took the ride just a bit past peak foliage, so I recommend timing your trip during the prime of fall for the best photo opps. Despite the lackluster color, we had a great time. This was one of our favorite fall activities since moving to the region.
Only the bottom level of the boat is heated. I recommend getting in line early if you get cold easily. All bottom level seats were filled before we got in line (about 15 minutes prior to departure). I was a bit cold to be honest – expect it to be a lot colder on the water even if the temps are mild.
Where to eat?
There are lots of great local restaurants on Essex St where all the action is taking place. You can find just about anything – cafes, coffeehouses, donuts, modern American dining, fancy Italian restaurants, bars, and more. I love this place called Life Alive. I am a healthy eater so I frequently visit these types of cafes. They serve so many fresh sandwiches, salads, grain bowls, soups, and specialty drinks here. It is a vegetarian and healthy eater’s oasis. I ordered the Green Goddess wrap which includes eggs, kale, broccoli, white cheddar, and nutritional yeast in a wheat wrap.
Overall, we really enjoyed our daytrip here and would love to come back again and explore more. We were a bit limited on time and did not get to do everything on our list. I would love to see a show and take a ghost tour. This is the place to be if you love ghosts, everything fall, and history. It’s the number one stop for Halloween adventures in New England.
