Welcome to New England’s most haunted Halloween. When twilight spills over Salem, and the old brick sidewalks hum with the sound of laughter and rustling costumes, you can feel something electric in the air. This isn’t just another Halloween town—it’s the place to be October 31. The spirits of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 are never far away, and every October, Salem resurrects them in all their eerie glory.
Whether you’re hunting for paranormal chills, historical haunts, or pure theatrical fright, these are the scariest, most unforgettable things to do in Salem this Halloween.
1. Step Inside the Witch House—Where History Still Whispers
There’s spooky—and then there’s Salem spooky. The 17th-century Witch House sits firmly in the latter.
Once home to Judge Jonathan Corwin, one of the magistrates who presided over the infamous Witch Trials, this black-timbered structure feels frozen in time. Inside, every uneven floorboard creaks with stories, and every candle flicker seems to illuminate the faces of the accused. Guided tours reveal chilling artifacts and the dark Puritan logic that fueled mass hysteria.
Insider Tip: Visit later in the afternoon. (The last tour on Halloween is at 4:45 p.m.) As the sun dips behind the gables, the rooms grow shadowy, and imagination does the rest.
2. Take a Ghost Tour by Lantern Light
Forget Hollywood horror—Salem’s ghost tours serve something more chilling: truth.
The “Mysteries & Murders of Salem” walking tour leads you through cobblestone alleys and centuries-old graveyards while guides recount tales of unquiet spirits and unsolved crimes. The flicker of lanterns casts ghostly shapes on the walls of old houses, and you’ll swear you hear whispers in the wind.
Pro Tip: Bring a flashlight—and an open mind. Even skeptics have reported goosebumps when the temperature drops suddenly near the Old Town Hall.
3. Visit the Witch Trials Memorial & Old Burying Point Cemetery
Few places feel this sacred or this unsettling. The Witch Trials Memorial is simple yet haunting: granite benches engraved with the names of the condemned. A few feet away, the Old Burying Point Cemetery cradles the gravestones of 17th-century victims and judges alike.
Best Time: Just before sunset. The long shadows stretch across the headstones, and Salem’s oldest souls seem to stir awake.
4. Scream Your Way Through Haunted Houses and Themed Attractions
For those who prefer their scares loud and theatrical, Salem obliges with a lineup of haunted attractions that rival any Hollywood set. The Haunted Witch Village offers sensory overload: fog machines, animatronic demons, and jump scares galore. Meanwhile, Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery celebrates cinematic horror—from Nosferatu to Freddy Krueger—in a museum that’s part nostalgia, part nightmare. Shown above is PEM’s Ropes Mansion decorated as it was in the Hollywood movie Hocus Pocus starring Bette Midler.
Courage Meter: Moderate to terrifying.
Warning: Some attractions go all-in on gore. Check age limits before you line up.
5. Join the Carnival of Spirits
On Halloween, Salem becomes an open-air masquerade ball during the final night of Haunted Happenings. Street performers, psychics, witches, and revelers pack the historic downtown in a blur of capes, costumes, and moonlight.
It’s quite the scene: loud, wild, and absolutely thrilling. The kind of night when time bends and you half believe spirits have come back to join in the fun.
Survival Tip: Arrive by train if possible, and wear comfortable shoes—you’ll walk miles, mostly in awe.
For more information, visit Haunted Happenings.