Yeah, there definitely is. You don’t have to spend a ton of money to have a good time in Salem. We’ve gone plenty of times where we didn’t really plan to spend much, and still had a great trip. Just walking around the town is half the fun. There’s so much to see, the old beautiful mansions on Chestnut Street, the brick streets, all the witchy shop windows, it’s like a free outdoor museum.
One of my favorite free things to do in Salem is just hang out at Salem Common. It’s right in the middle of everything, and during October it’s full of decorations, street performers, and food vendors (you can still enjoy the vibes even if you don’t buy anything). It’s a great place to people watch, especially when everyone’s in costume.
You can also walk through Old Burying Point Cemetery, which is one of the oldest cemeteries in the country. It’s free to walk around, and the gravestones have some wild history behind them. If you go early in the morning, it’s quiet and really peaceful.
The Ropes Mansion Garden is another free spot that’s worth checking out. It’s right behind the Hocus Pocus house, and it’s open to the public. It’s small but really pretty, especially in the spring and summer.
If you walk down to the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, you can check out the Friend Ship of Salem and the Derby Warf Lighthouse at the end of the pier both are great photo spots and totally free. There’s also the Bewitched Statue on Essex Street that everyone takes pictures with.
Even just window shopping on Essex Street or Pickering Wharf is fun. The stores are full of witchy stuff, crystals, spell books, and Halloween decor. You don’t have to buy anything to enjoy it.
Another thing that’s totally free and actually really cool is following the Salem Heritage Trail. It’s this red line painted on the sidewalks that goes all through downtown and connects all the historic sites. You just follow the line and it takes you to places like the Witch House, the Peabody Essex Museum area, the old jail, and the waterfront. You can walk the whole thing in a couple of hours, and it’s a great way to see Salem without needing a guide or tour. I did it one morning with a coffee in hand, just following the line and stopping whenever something looked interesting, it is super easy and fun.
You can easily fill a day or two in Salem without spending much at all. Between the parks, cemeteries, historic spots, the Salem Witch Trials Memorial, and just walking around soaking it all in, you’ll get the full Salem experience without breaking the bank.
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