Your Ultimate Guide to Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts: Monsters to Ghost Tours
From ghost tours to a Hocus Pocus house, Salem Halloween has never felt more magical
Key Takeaways
- Salem Halloween's Haunted Happenings is the world's largest Halloween festival.
- Visitors can tour haunted sites, sip cider and shop for spellbinding souvenirs.
- The real Hocus Pocus house welcomes guests to its free, magical back garden.
Step back in time in Salem! Though the New England locale may be infamously known for the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, it has since blossomed into a welcoming autumn destination. It’s now home to Salem Haunted Happenings, the largest Halloween festival in the world, which features street performers, costume parades, markets and so much more!
Learn about iconic monsters
Begin at Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery, a monster museum featuring some of the horror and sci-fi genres’ most memorable characters. You’ll catch a glimpse of vampires, zombies and werewolves through special effects and life-sized creations. Afterward, satisfy your appetite at the Dire Wolf Tavern with creative menu options like yucca fries and the Lone Wolf Smash burger.
Take a spooky ghost tour
As dusk approaches, embark on the 1692 Salem Night Walking Tour. A local historian will take you to more than a dozen spots while sharing witchy stories from around Salem.
Shop for unique souvenirs at The Lost Library
The quaint shop is also home to a witch’s cottage and Salem’s largest glowing pumpkin.
Sip cider flights at the Far from the Tree Cider taproom
This rustic bar serves delicious hard cider made from local apples
See the house featured in ‘Hocus Pocus’
Owned by the Peabody Essex Museum, this 18th-century Georgian home features a back garden that’s free to the public.
Bonus: Halloween fun at home!
Experience Salem during spooky season with a festive cocktail and an online tour of historic locations
Purple Potion
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbs. sugar
- 1 tsp. purple decorating sugar
- 2 cups cranberry juice
- ⅓ cup gin
- 1/4 cup limoncello
- Purple food coloring
Mix the two sugars; dip rims of 2 glasses in water, then in the sugar the mixture. In an ice-filled pitcher, combine cranberry juice, gin, limoncello and a few drops of food coloring. Pour into glasses. Serves 2.
Virtual Tour
Learn about the 17th century houses, gravesites and jails through the Salem Witch Trials Online Sites Tour. To see the historic locations, log on to SalemWitchMuseum.com/witch-trials-online-tour/.
This story first appeared in the October 26, 2026 issue of Woman’s World magazine.
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