What To Do In Salem Massachusetts: One Day To Tourist It Up!

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We love visiting new cities and we love being a straight-up tourist. Don’t tell us to tour like a local, y’all, we want the super touristy stuff in our life! And nothing brings more tourists to their city than October in Salem, MA. Here’s a one day tour covering what to do in Salem, Massachusetts.

What To Do In Salem Massachusetts: One Day To Tourist It Up!

Got a day trip to Salem coming up? Here’s a one-day tour covering what to do in Salem, Massachusetts.

If you’ve got a longer visit to Boston, consider taking a day trip to Salem. It’s not far from the city and it’s generally easy to get here via the train from Boston’s North Station.

A ferry also runs from Boston to Salem during most months.

If you plan to drive into Salem, there are parking lots and garages available as well as some metered street parking. Outside of the month of October, it should be relatively easy to find a spot at one of the parking garages.

But the entire month of October is very busy in Salem.

Please be cognizant of the residential neighborhoods and do NOT park in front of homes unless it’s specifically noted as a public parking space.

One warning for parents: Salem is super pot-friendly. If you aren’t from Massachusetts (or other places where pot is legalized already), the smell of weed in the air and the bongs on sale in many windows could be something your kids will ask about.

What To Do In Salem Massachusetts: When To Visit?

Salem is open for business year-round, but if you are looking for a spooky esthetic, fall is the best time to visit.

The leaves are changing colors, the weather is perfect for walking all day, and the town embraces Halloween in a massive way.

One note: October is an intense month. Like Disney World at Christmas time intensity.

If crowds are not your thing, plan mid-week visits vs weekend days, especially in October.

Or better yet, go in September OR early November when the Halloween crowds in Salem tend to thin out.

We’re going to cover a day trip to Salem, MA in October specifically a little further down in this guide.

Best Places To Stay In Salem, MA

Salem has both hotels and Bed and Breakfast options right in the heart of the city.

If you plan to visit during the months of September through November, we suggest booking one year in advance if being in the city is important to you.

If you don’t mind driving in, taking an Uber, or taking the train you may have a little more time to find good places to stay. Peabody and Danvers are two of the closest towns that offer chain hotel options and fairly short commutes into Salem.

Here’s a list of the best places to stay in Salem MA:

• Hawthorne Hotel Centrally located and walkable to most areas in Salem
• The Salem Inn
• Salem Waterfront Hotel – Suites
• The Hotel Salem– right on Essex Street where the shops and entertainment happen
• The Stepping Stone Inn– Next door to the Witch Museum, centrally located
• Hampton Inn- Salem

Best Places To Eat In Salem MA In October (Or Any Time of Year!)

Salem is a foodie’s delight.

There are so many options for great meals in this city, that you probably can’t go wrong wherever you stop!

Here are a few of the best places to eat in Salem MA in October- or any month, really!

Bakeries In Salem MA

• The Ministry of Donuts
• Lulus Bakery and Pantry
• Goodnight Fatty- cookies after dark

What To Do In Salem Massachusetts: Best Breakfast In Salem MA

• Red’s Sandwich Shop finds itself on most “must-do” Salem lists. If you’re heading in for a day trip to Salem, make Red’s a priority! The menu has sandwich options, entrees, and incredible breakfast items. If you are looking for the best breakfast in Salem MA in October: Red’s is IT.
• Fountain Place– serves breakfast all-day
• Salem’s Retreat
• Red Line Cafe– right on Essex Street. Perfect for early risers who want to be on the street when the shops start opening.

Best Brunch In Salem MA

• Ledger Restaurant and Bar- Sundays – consistently voted the best brunch in Salem MA by locals and visitors!
• Ugly Mug
• Red’s
• Gulu Gulu Cafe– Drag Brunch Sundays from 3:00-6:00 pm
• The Derby

Lunch and Dinner: Best Places To Eat In Salem

• Finz– located on Pickering Warf, you cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. Seafood lovers: look no further!
• Red’s- we really love Red’s, ok?
• Mercy Tavern
• All Soul’s Lounge
• Turner’s Seafood
• Jolie Tea Company

Best Things To Do In Salem Massachusetts: Day Trip

Salem is chock full of historic sites and kitschy pop-culture attractions.

If you want a full experience, we’d recommend a 3-day stay in the city.

But a lot of the historical stories are repeated, so you can make a day trip to Salem worth it!

Here’s what we’d suggest of what to do in Salem Massachusetts if you only have one day to visit.

Tips For A Day Trip To Salem, MA In October (Or Any Time Of Year!)

Tip #1: Make Your New England Reservations in Advance

Start your planning EARLY. Particularly if staying in Salem during October is your goal.

• Hotels typically start booking 1 year in advance (November 1 will open for most for the October 2024 season).
• Some restaurants do not take reservations in October, but if you can grab one: DO IT. Otherwise, you could end up with 1-3 hour waits to be seated. Make those reservations weeks or months in advance; nothing will be available the day of.
• Many tours and attractions also take reservations or sell advance tickets. Go ahead and consider locking some of those down before they sell out (and they do!).

Tip #2: Arrive In Salem Early For Your Day Trip

Especially if you need parking.

We highly suggest parking in one of the city lots vs street parking. On the weekends, the price does go up quite a bit ($30 a day) but during the week we paid $5.25 for all-day parking in one of the garages.

If you can get to Salem before 9:30 or 10 am, you should be able to find what you need (except for weekends in October. Arrive by 8 am.)

Tip #3: Eat First, Then Start Your Touring

Arriving early sounds smart, but unfortunately, most of Salem’s shops and attractions don’t open early.

Even during the busiest times of the year, you may find yourself with a few hours to kill before you can really get into any of the attractions.

Plan to get some breakfast or brunch before you kick off your one-day tour of Salem. Or get started on some of the photo ops like the Hocus Pocus filming locations to avoid crowds!

Can’t Miss: Things To Do In Salem

These are all possible to do in a single-day trip to Salem as long as you arrive early and plan to keep moving throughout the day.

By no means is this ALL you can do in Salem, but here are some of the main attractions!

We tried to narrow it down to give you a good experience in this great place.

Start At The Salem Witch Trials Memorial

This memorial is adjacent to Charter Street Cemetery and is dedicated to the innocent people who died as a result of the Salem Witch Trials.

It’s free and open to the public to walk through and reflect.

Hocus Pocus Filming Locations

You can do a self-guided Hocus Pocus Walking Tour to see all the filming locations from the original movie. Walking to all the locations should take 1 1/2 to 2 hours (including stops for pictures).

You’ll see the Old Town Hall, Max and Dani’s House (a private residence), and Allison’s House, among other locations, on your Salem day trip.

Hocus Pocus 2 was not filmed in Salem, so you won’t see anything from that movie.

Read more: Salem MA Hocus Pocus Tour

The Witch Dungeon

There are two similar but different attractions in Salem: The Salem Witch Museum and the Witch Dungeon.

For a day trip to Salem, we’d suggest the Witch Dungeon as it’s a little shorter experience and just as interesting and informative.

You’ll get a live re-creation of a transcript from the witch trials and a tour of the recreated jail cells used to hold the ‘witches’ awaiting trial.

One note: they do warn you about this before you visit the dungeon, but the last room shows multiple convicted witches hanging from trees. They are dummies- ie, not moving or interactive. But it was still jarring to witness. We were told to look down and walk straight ahead if we wanted to avoid seeing the mannequins hanging.

The Witch House

Similar name, but a different tour/location.

Also known as the Judge Jonathan Corwin House (who had a direct hand in the greatest witch hunt in American history), the Witch House is an important location in relation to the witch hysteria.

This is the only location in Salem still standing with a direct tie to the trials.

It’s a self-guided tour once inside, but you can also stop outside without a ticket to take pictures.

Take A Picture At The Bewitched Statue

Elizabeth Montgomery is immortalized as Samantha, the housewife witch from the hit series Bewitched.

You can find this statue at the intersection of Essex Street and Washington Street.

It was only after the TV show came to Salem in the early 70s to film some segments that the town really leaned into the whole “witch” thing.

Witch logos can be found on everything in Salem, including the vehicles and arm patches of the local police department.

Shop Along Essex Street

Essex Street has a large compilation of attractions and shops to visit.

Looking to have your aura read? There’s a shop for that.

Need psychic readings? There’s a shop for that.

Need a good book about the Witch Trials? There’s a shop for that.

Looking for a witchy tattoo? Yup, you can do that on Essex Street as well.

You’ll also find a whole host of vendors and street performers on this street.

Visit Count Orlock’s Nightmare Gallery- A Monster Museum

While you are on Essex Street, get tickets to tour Count Orlock’s.

If you are a horror movie fan or just want to be creeped out a bit, this monster museum is very cool.

Pictures are not allowed inside the museum, but it’s well worth the time and money to take this tour.

Did we say it’s cool? ‘Cause it really is. This is high on our list of what to do in Salem, Massachusetts.

The Halloween Museum

If you are interested in the history of Halloween, be sure to get tickets for the Halloween Museum.

It’s short and sweet and gives you a ton of history about the Halloween holiday (and Halloween happenings in Salem).

Take A Guided Tour Of Salem, MA

We absolutely love a good tour, and there are plenty of options to choose from in Salem.

If you want a ghost tour or a history tour or a trolley tour, you will find excellent tour guides who really know their city.

Trolley Tours Tip

If you want a trolley tour and are going to Salem in October, hop on the first trolley you can in the morning.

By mid-day on a weekend, the streets are impossible for trolleys to get through, and many have to cancel or close ticket sales.

What To Do In Salem Massachusetts: Bewitched After Dark Walking Tour

If you aren’t looking for ghost tours, we highly recommend this walking tour. And hopefully, you get tour guide Jeff.

He’s a Salem local, a passionate historian, a witch, and a total character.

Want the real Massachusetts? This is the best way to experience Salem- you’ll get it directly from Jeff!

If There’s Time: Tour The House of Seven Gables

If you have time and reserve in advance, we also love the House of Seven Gables Tour.

This tour lasts 45-minutes to an hour and is a little pricey compared to the other options we suggest. But it’s also one of the most famous houses in the United States, thanks to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel and well worth a visit.

Add this one to your day trip to Salem if you have the time.

Important Salem In October PSA: Bathroom Tips

Due to the size of the city (small) and the size of the crowds visiting in October (huge)… there can be a struggle to find a good public bathroom.

Tip number 1: Do NOT use the public bathrooms in the Witch City Mall. You’re better off hitting a portapotty (eww, we know, but seriously. They are better than this location).

Tip number 2: Bathrooms are for customers. So consider stopping in a store for a smoothie, coffee, or some other treat in order to use the cleaner bathrooms.

Tip number 3: Don’t count on toilet paper. What To Do In Salem, Massachusetts: pack your own TP. Go ahead and pack some tissues or a roll into your touring bag; trust us- you don’t want to be caught with your pants down in a portapotty without TP!

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