If it’s your first time going to Salem, I highly suggest staying right in town instead of trying to drive in and out every day. It just makes everything easier, especially in October when parking is basically impossible. We personally stayed at The Salem Inn, which is right across from the Ropes Mansion, one of the filming spots from the movie Hocus Pocus. Not gonna lie, it was pricey, but totally worth it. The place has that old historic feel. Creaky floors, vintage furniture, and a little bit of that old smell that just fits the town perfectly. Plus, being able to walk everywhere is a game changer.
When it comes to stuff to do, there’s a few things I’d say are must sees. Count Orlok’s Monster Museum is one of them. The things they have on display in there are wild, you won’t see anything like it anywhere else. Definitely check out The House of the Seven Gables, Old Burying Point Cemetery, Ye Olde Pepper Companie (which is actually the oldest candy company in the country), Ropes Mansion, The Witch House, and of course, The Witch Museum. Those are all classic Salem stops and totally worth your time.
For food, you can’t go wrong with The Ugly Mug Diner for breakfast. It’s small, always busy, but everything on the menu is great, just make sure you are on the line by 7am or else you wont get a spot. For lunch, I’d go with Red’s Sandwich Shop, it’s one of those old local places that’s been around forever. Then for dinner, Rockafellas is my go to. The building itself is historic it was actually a bank at one point and I think the vault is still in there. The food is solid.
You should also do at least one ghost tour while you’re there. Even if you’re not super into that kind of thing, it’s fun and you actually learn a lot about the history behind the Salem Witch Trials. And if you have time, the Salem trolley ride around town is worth it too. It’s about an hour long and takes you past all the big landmarks and old mansions, a good way to see everything without walking miles.
Trust me, once you’ve been to Salem once, you’ll already start planning your next trip before you even leave. We go every single year and get our hotel usually the first week in November for the following year.
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