FAQs about visiting Salem

Here are some answers to many frequently asked questions that may not be covered by one of our other blogs. If you have a question not answered by one of our blogs, go to our Salem

Travel Tips, Advice and More Facebook Page where you can ask the hive mind.

Can I make restaurant reservations in October?

Many restaurants will not take reservations in October because they don’t want to tie up a

table and have someone no show. October is the month these restaurants make their money

and they can’t be holding tables when they have a line out the door. You will have to wait in

line at many places. There are many street vendors in October selling food. You can also walk a little bit outside the downtown area and find restaurants.

You should not have any trouble getting restaurant reservations from December through

August, unless it is a holiday. You could have a little trouble in September.

Plan ahead. Carry water and snacks so you can settle your appetite while you wait. Keep in

mind that our cooks and waitstaff are overwhelmed and are doing their best to serve you and 999,999 other people who have come here in the month of October. Be patient, kind and tip well.

When do hotels book for October?

If you have already stayed at one of the hotels in Salem, many hotels will offer you a right of

first refusal for the following October. You will likely get an email asking if you want to book

again. Once you say no, you lose your “legacy” status and are back in the line with the rest of us.

Hotels will book for current year October in November of the previous year. Once you know

your itinerary, you need to book asap because the rooms will book up. Remember, over one

million people have the same idea as you to come to Salem in October.

How far in advance do I have to buy tickets for tours and attractions?

It depends on the venues. The Witch House, Salem Witch Museum and the House of the Seven Gables sell tickets on the day of the tour. The Gables also will put October tickets on sale in early September.

Salem Trolley day tour tickets are not available online.  Please purchase your tickets in person on the day you want to ride. Ticket Sellers are outside the National Park Service Visitors’ Center (corner of Essex Street & New Liberty Streets). That location is different in October so check their website.

You can buy advanced tickets to all of the walking tours. You can also walk-in for many of the

walking tours too. However, it is strongly recommended that you buy your October tour tickets as soon as you know your itinerary. Just remember that many tour companies and attractions will not offer refunds. You can buy insurance through a third party as an add-on to your ticket purchase. If you cannot go on that day, you can get a refund through insurance and you are only out the price of insurance.

Uber/Lyft tips for September and October?

Coming in to Salem by Uber/Lyft is not a huge issue from November to August. But you will

encounter lots of traffic when you come in September and October. A helpful tip is to have your driver drop you off at a location outside of the Downtown District like the library on Essex Street, Pickering House on Broad Street, Coffee Time on Bridge Street, Mary Queen of Apostles

Church on Federal Street. This way it eliminates getting stuck in traffic for 30 minutes and

racking up a high fee. When you leave, walk out of the downtown district to one of those

locations and have the driver meet you there to save time and money.

Will I look out of place if I wear a costume?

You’ll look out of place if you DON’T wear a costume in October. That’s part of the fun.

Everyone dresses up. Many people dress up in September too. You are welcome to dress up in costume anytime of the year. Nobody will bat and eyelash in October or September, but maybe do a double take the rest of the year.

Where to trick or treat on Halloween night?

The places where people tend to trick or treat on Halloween are the homes around the Salem Common and the streets behind the east side of the common like Forrester, Boardman, Briggs, Pleasant, Andrew and Spring Streets. You can also find some willing homes doling out candy on Federal Street and Chestnut Street. The city holds Mayor’s Night Out in the downtown business district on the Friday of the first

week of October or the Friday of the last week of September. The businesses give out candy to all the kids dressed in costume.

Is the Halloween vibe still prevalent outside of October?

The vibe starts in mid-to-late September and continues into early November. How long

depends on what day Halloween falls on. If Halloween is mid-week, there will likely be

festivities and events through the next weekend. But the vibe kind of winds down by the

second week in November.

What is the night life like in Salem?

Salem has a a vibrant night life in October. One of the hottest spots is The Roof on top of Hotel Salem. But there are so many other places to go to like Beer Gardens and events that get set up in Derby Square, Charlotte Forten Park and Pickering Wharf.

Where can I see and listen to live music?

O’Neills, Gulu Gulu, Speakeasy, Village Tavern, Koto, Tipsy Cowboy, Brodies and Mercy Tavern have live music on weekend nights and sometimes during the week. The AOH (Ancient Order of Hiberians) is outside the city near the site where we hanged the accused witches in 1692. It has music on Fridays and Saturdays.

There are probably some more that have pop up musical guests. Check the calendar listed on this page for possible concerts. You can also go to The Cut Live in Gloucester. You can take the Salem Train to Gloucester. The venue is not far from the Gloucester Station

You might also find concerts at the Cabot Cinema next door on Cabot Street in downtown

Beverly. It is a short ride by car or you can take the train just one stop. There is also the Off

Cabot that features music, comics and all sorts of acts. It is located on Wallis Street in

downtown Beverly.

Where are the best beaches in and near Salem?

Salem has two okay beaches. One is down at the Salem Willows that is the tip of the Salem

peninsula. The other is on Winter Island and is called Waikiki Beach.

Devereaux Beach is in Marblehead that is next to Salem. It is a short uber or bus ride.

Nahant Beach is not too far. It is on the other side of Lynn that has its own beach as well.

The best beaches are all along the north shore coast. You have Crane Beach in Ipswich (you

need to drive) and Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-sea (20 mins from the train station)

The beaches in Gloucester that are in walking distance of the train station are Half Moon Beach (30 minute walk) and Pavillion Beach (20 minute walk). Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester is a very nice beach with a long continental shelf.

However, not greatly accessible by train. You would need to drive or uber from the station.

Good Harbor, Plum Cove, Niles and Long Beaches are all in Gloucester, but not walkable from the train station. You would have to drive or uber from the station.

Front Street Beach in Rockport is definitely in walking distance (5-10 minutes) of the train

station. Pebble Beach in Rockport is on the other side of the town and you would have to uber. If you drive to the beaches listed above in Gloucester, you will need to make a reservation for parking. Click here: https://gloucester-ma.gov/299/Beach-Information

Is there a calendar of events?

To see a calendar of events, go to the city’s tourism website at https://www.salem.org/events-calendar/. You should also go to Salem.org and look events at the links for Festivals and “Weekend at a Glance”.

Where are the bathrooms?

Many retail stores do not allow you to use their bathrooms. Restaurants will let you use their

bathrooms if you have eaten there. The hotels will only let you use their bathroom if you are

staying there or if you ate in their restaurant.

There are several public bathrooms throughout the city and port-a-potties are placed at various locations in October. You can find bathrooms at the Witch City Mall. In addition, there are a list of the city’s bathrooms at this link: https://www.salem.org/restrooms/

A good tip is to bring your own toilet paper in September and October. The toilet paper in many of public bathrooms will get used up because of the crowds.

Can I rent scooters and wheelchairs?

There are two places to rent scooters and wheelchairs. One is Silver Lining Goods ((857) 237-

3110). Their website is https://www.mobility2rent.com/shop. The other place to rent scooters is a small independent dealer who can be reached by calling 978.238.8299.

Can I store my luggage somewhere?

Most hotels, BnBs, Inns, etc… will allow you to store your bag for a few hours after you

checkout. Additionally, check www.Bounce.com that lists place where you can store luggage for a nominal fee. The UPS Store at 203 Washington Street in Riley Plaza (next to Starbucks) can store your luggage.

Can you bring a witch broom on an airplane?

We asked our friends at a broom making shop this question and they said it depends on the airline. They recommend calling the airline first to find out. There are a few broom making shops in Salem and they might be able to answer many of your questions.

They also might be able to get your brooms ready for shipment for a cost that might be less than you would be charged elsewhere. Your shipping options are The UPS Store and The United States Post Office (USPS). 

The UPS Store is at 203 Washington Street in the Hawthorne Block. The USPS is across the street in the Federal Building on Margin Street.

The UPS store provided some estimates so you have an idea what it will cost to ship your boom. They have rectangular boxes for your broom. They can pack it for you for a fee, including the packing materials.

Then it has to be shipped. The farther away you live from Salem, the greater the cost. UPS, like all carriers, bases shipping costs on zones. The range the UPS store provided us is from Caribou, Maine to Sacramento, California. All these prices include insurance from The UPS Store.

Small brooms up to 26 inches (box is $10.50, packing $12, shipping $19 to $37).

Medium brooms 26-35 inches (box is $13, packing is $15, shipping is $21 to $58).

Large brooms 36-48 inches (box is $15, packing is $17, shipping is $24 to $47).

XL brooms 49-75 inches (box is $28.50, packing is $24, shipping is $93-$185).

For XL brooms, you can save money by shipping through the post office. You would need The UPS Store to pack it for you.

The shipping range from the USPS is $52 to $155, but you would need to buy insurance from the USPS because they are shipping it, not The UPS Store.

If you are shipping to Alaska, the shipping rates from small to XL are $172 to $400 through The UPS Store and $75 to $150 through the USPS.

If you are shipping to Hawai'i, the shipping rates from small to XL are $102 to $350 through The UPS Store and $60 to $175 through the USPS.

Again, get insurance from the USPS if you ship through them.

It is definitely worth it to call your airline and find out if you can bring it on the plane. If not, maybe find an airline that allows it. Better yet, maybe just drive to Salem from wherever you live.

It might actually be easier to ship all of your clothes home, and fly home on your broom.

Where can we go camping?

There is a camp site at Winter Island in Salem. RV and tent camping is allowed from mid to late May through November 1. You should make reservations at their website:

https://www.salemma.gov/winter-island-park

Other campsites are in Salisbury that is a short ride to Salem. Or you can drive to the

Newburyport train station and take the train to Salem. Those campsites include Pine Camping

Area, Black Bear Campground, Rusnik Campground, Salisbury Beach Campground and Salisbury Beach State Reservation. The Cape Ann Camp Site is in Gloucester. That is also a situation where you could take the train from Gloucester to Salem.