Humor Travel Life
Salem and Halloween go hand-in-hand. The small Massachusetts town just north of Boston has been infamous for the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. Despite the real-life tragedy of the time, modern-day Salem has embraced that history, finding ways to both honor the victims and celebrate their spooky lore. And of course, there’s no better time to experience a spooky city like this than October.
As you can imagine, the October/Halloween season is like Salem’s Super Bowl. They go all out while crowds of people from all over descend upon this tiny town. Salem is actually quite easy to get to if you’re staying in Boston. From Boston’s North Station, you take the Newburyport line and get off at Salem. Tickets are $16 roundup, and it’s about a 40-minute ride. In my case, I had pre-booked a Salem walking tour that started at 10am, and the trains were slightly behind. I ended up making it just in time (literally running from the Salem station to the tour’s meeting point). If you have any timely reservations, I recommend giving yourself more time and checking the train schedules that morning since they were behind for us. Speaking of tours, I reserved a spot on the 10:00 a.m. tour of the “History & Hauntings of Salem” with Witch City Walking Tours. I actually recommend this particular tour if it’s your first time since it covers both the history of the town, as well the witch trials and some local spooky stories. Our meeting point was 32 Derby Square, which also happens to be the town hall featured in Hocus Pocus. Along with the town hall, we saw the statue of Samantha from Bewitched, Salem’s “Witch House” from the 1600s, the Ropes Mansion (Allison’s house in Hocus Pocus), Chestnut Street (beautiful federalist style homes and where Hamilton Hall is, which is named after Alexander Hamilton), Charter Street Cemetery, and the memorial for those who died during the witch trials. Our tour guide, Aurelia (I hope I spelled that right!), was absolutely fantastic. She grew up in the area, which made it even better to hear from a true local. The tour was about 2 hours long and $37. I would recommend it in a heartbeat. Worth every penny! That said, book it well in advance, especially if you plan to be in Salem on the weekend. The same goes for any other exhibits or shows you want to see. Book everything in advance. Just as it was the day before in Boston, it was another sunny, fall day without a cloud in sight. This probably didn’t help the overwhelming crowds there either. Salem in the fall is picturesque, but the crowds are insane and kept getting worse later into the day. There were lines everywhere – even to get in stores. Restaurants? Forget about it. That said, there are food stands all around too, which did not have crazy long lines. I loved how festive everyone was. People dress up in elaborate Halloween costumes for tips; I saw everyone from Beetlejuice and Jack Sparrow to Ghostface and, of course, the Sanderson Sisters). But visitors also dress up too. They really get into the Halloween spirit there. After meandering around the city following the tour, I eventually made my way to the Gallows Museum; I had booked a ticket to their main show for $16. These shows run every 30 minutes, and they don’t have timed slots. Rather, you just need to get in before 5:45 (**double check time). That said, there whole setup wasn’t well-run. There were like five different lines and no one knew where to go. I think timed slots and more people outside to corral the visitors would probably help. The theater is tiny but could fit a good amount of people. Unfortunately, I soon discovered how badly people do not know how to behave during a live theater performance. This guy toward the front kept talking and making noises the whole time, to the point that he was talking over the actor on stage. Worst of all? Nobody in his party or the staff there told him to pipe down. I eventually had to leave in the middle of the show because it just ruined the experience. Honestly, considering how it was run and that the staff didn’t step in, I wouldn’t recommend this one. Kinda kicking myself for not booking the Salem Witch Museum instead... While seeing Salem in October was a bucket list experience for me, I think you also miss out on a lot because there are so many people. Instead, I’d recommend going that first week in November, immediately after Halloween. This way, it’ll still be fall but the crowds shouldn’t be nearly as crazy. Comments are closed.
|
About the author
Jill Zwarensteyn is a writer and comedian who has been featured on Amazon, truTV, The New York Times, Matador Network, BUST Magazine, Sleep Advisor, Tiplr, ARTRPRNR Magazine, YourTango, Thought Catalog, GoMad Nomad, Mashable, The Daily Mail UK, the Cannes Film Festival, LaughFest, Women's Lifestyle Magazine, and the Funny Women Festival LA. Archives
December 2024
|