One of the best places to be during the most wicked time of year is Salem, Massachusetts. Considered the “Witch City”, its Haunted Happenings Festival was something that I’ve been wanting to attend for a while now. With Halloween just around the corner, my roommates and I thought it would be a great idea to get into the spooky mood through a tourist-filled day in Salem. Although it’s a far two-hour drive from our college, UMass Amherst, we were absolutely dedicated to having this fun day that we had planned a few weeks in advance. So much so that not even the rain could lower our spirits!
In case you are unaware of its grim past, Salem is the exact location where the witch trials happened back in 1692. This was a period in which religion and paranoia were at an extreme, and 20 executions occurred due to ridiculous speculations of women practicing witchcraft, a practice that went against Christian beliefs of the time and was thought to be the work of the devil. This dark history is what promotes the bone-chilling atmosphere of Salem, Massachusetts.
My roommates and I found some TikToks and gathered information about where to find the best spots for tourists, like food, parking, cafes, and things to see. We figured it would be best to leave early in an attempt to beat the crowds, foolishly thinking the rain would keep others away even though it didn’t hold us up. After parking at the very top of a packed parking garage, we went across the street into the Salem Armory Regional Visitor Center for the restroom, browsing the gift shop as we waited in line and also picking up a pamphlet filled with information for the festival, including a map. Once outside of those doors, we followed a yellow line that indicated a self-guided walking tour of Salem. We first stopped at the statue of Roger Conant, the founder of Salem, Massachusetts, which I’d say was a pretty good place to start our travels.
We kept following the yellow line and ended up near the Friendship of Salem, a replica of a ship that made 15 trips to different countries for trading goods after the American Revolution to supply to the town of Salem. There, we walked all the way down to the little Derby Wharf Light Station, while joking about how much we missed the ocean since UMass is pretty far from any waterfront that isn’t a lake or the Connecticut River! Not to mention it was an awesome view. We then decided to stop for a little pick-me-up at a small cafe called the Jaho Coffee Roaster & Wine Bar with some fall-themed coffee and snacks.
We had bought tickets in advance for the International Monster Museum, not realizing that it was more of a teeny tiny haunted house with a few jumpscares. They gave us a lantern to hold as we walked through the different sections of monsters, which made it creepier to walk through the darkness. There were plaques that told a brief backstory for each monster, which I suppose was the ‘museum’ aspect of it, but we were too creeped out to stop and actually read it for too long. Next time, I would probably go to a museum more about the witch trials to be able to delve more into its history.
The only issue my roommates and I had with exploring this festival in Salem was that everything required tickets, which makes sense but I personally did not want to spend $15-18 for each event. I really wish there were more free attractions, but next time I would do more research to see where and how I can save money and still get the full effect. The trolley tours are something that I will keep in mind for next time because it seems like a good way to hear more about the background and stories of the town. The most exciting part for my roommates and I was seeing the Ropes Mansion, one that was seen in the movie Hocus Pocus!
Despite the rain and not seeing as much as we might have liked to, we really enjoyed our time in Salem and loved getting into the Halloween vibe. We are glad that we got to see the main tourist attractions and now know more about Salem and what we can do next time for an even more fun experience! Going to Salem in the off-season is just as fun, too, and much less crowded while still getting to explore the town and learn of its fascinating history.
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