By guest contributor Kate Fox, Executive Director of Destination Salem
Salem Haunted Happenings, the annual celebration of Halloween and fall in New England has grown into one of the largest celebrations of Halloween in the world. Visitors passionate about Salem and Halloween book travel months in advance, excited to be immersed in the unique history and fun that Salem Haunted Happenings presents.
Haunted Happenings presents unique opportunities, including expanded programming and a festive atmosphere, and challenges, including traffic and longer waits for a table at your favorite restaurant. We have a few tips to offer to help you make the most of your visit to Salem during the height of the season.
- Do pack your patience! Lines can be long. Don’t cut the line – other people are waiting, too!
- Do dress for the weather so you don’t get caught in a snowstorm wearing your cute summer T, or melt in a wool sweater on a 75 degree day.
- Do bring cash for the garages and surface lots, which charge $20 on entry on weekends in October so that you don’t get a $40 parking ticket, and do plan to leave your car and walk between sites.
- Do check HauntedHappenings.org for road closures, traffic updates, and event listings so you don’t get stuck on Route 1A on Parade night (October 6) or Halloween.
- Do make reservations for events that take them, including Spirits of the Gables and Legacy of the Hanging Judge, so you don’t find yourself on the wrong side of a sold-out event!
- Do be kind to the workers, staff, and volunteers in Salem. Don’t forget, they are doing their best to help you and others as quickly as they can!
Finally, do have fun. October in Salem is a bewitching season filled with fun, frights, and a festive atmosphere.
For up-to-date information about all the events and programs during Haunted Happenings, visit hauntedhappenings.org. To learn about all of the things to see, do, and eat in Salem throughout the year, visit salem.org.