Salem turns 400: how to eat, stay and play in the US's real Halloweentown

Salem, Massachusetts turns 400 this year, and the city that built its fame on the 1692 witch trials is preparing for its most crowded — and most extravagant — October ever. The town drew roughly 4.6 million visitors in 2025, about 1.4 million of them in October alone, and the milestone birthday is expected to push those numbers even higher.

The key to surviving high season, according to Ashley Judge, executive director of Destination Salem, is planning ahead. "The biggest thing I always say is that a little planning goes a long way," she says. "Midweek visits are generally easier, and taking the commuter rail or ferry instead of driving into downtown can make the experience much smoother."

Get there without the traffic

Salem sits just 30 to 45 minutes from Boston, so the smart move is flying into Boston Logan International Airport or taking the train to Boston, then grabbing an Uber or rental car. Skip the car if you're staying downtown — Salem covers just over eight square miles and is entirely walkable, but parking is a headache. Judge suggests exploring beyond the Essex Street crowds: "Some of the best parts of a visit are just a few blocks away from the busiest areas."

For food, lean into the theme: Blackcraft Coffee for a morning fix, Witchside Tavern for tavern fare, and Hallowed Grounds for cocktails like the Boneyard and the Midsommar. Seafood lovers should book Turner's Seafood at the historic Lyceum Hall, where the signature lobster roll gets a buttery finish under 19th-century wood paneling. Flying Saucer Pizza Company is the writer's favorite, serving pies named Marvin the Martian and Mars Attacks from the heart of town.

Where you sleep depends on your nerves. The Hawthorne Hotel, opened in 1925, is considered one of the most haunted properties in America — guests claim to have encountered Bridget Bishop, the first woman executed in the trials, whose apple orchard once stood on the site. For the budget-minded, the SpringHill Suites Boston Peabody sits an 18-minute drive away.

The Salem Witch Museum is the non-negotiable stop, using life-sized figures to bring the trials to life, while the House of the Seven Gables channels Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1851 novel. October also brings Salem Haunted Happenings — the city-run festival of costume parades, ghost tours and the Witches' Halloween Ball — plus special-edition Salem 400+ witch hats whose proceeds fund a local domestic violence organization.