Emmanuel College The Hub

Written by: Lillian Crain ’26

Visiting Salem the first weekend of October comes with a fair share of rookie mistakes. Trust me, I made plenty. But lucky for you, I’ve learned from them and have some advice to make your trip a whole lot easier.

1.     Take the train.

The first mistake made was driving from Boston to Salem. Not only did it take an hour to get there due to the traffic and crowds (once actually getting to Salem), but parking will cost you $50. Sometimes driving is the better option, I would say on the weekdays you would be fine to drive there. It doesn’t cost much more than taking the train, depending on how many people you’re with. The main problem with driving was that the vibes were not as high as they were before we got into Salem. It was a bit annoying waiting for people to cross the road because they wouldn’t stop for cars, so the traffic kept building. Therefore, everyone was a little frustrated by the time we parked. It was more of a burden for the driver than anyone else in the car.

2.     Do your research.

Don’t do your research on TikTok the night before like we did. Instead, try to plan. I recommend looking up all the spots you shouldn’t miss while in Salem. That way, you make sure you spend your time wisely while there. Also, doing research on the most popular spots and seeing if you need to sign up for anything. Like for example, getting a ticket to the witch museum. You won’t be able to get a tour unless you either don’t go in October, or you plan your trip way before. Definitely have an itinerary!

3.     Get reservations.

We got there at 10 AM, and we needed coffee asap. We knew exactly where we wanted to go. This cute café in the middle of Salem that had the spookiest looking and tastiest coffee. We found it, waited in line, only to find out we needed a reservation to get a to-go coffee because of how popular TikTok made it. We went to check if there were any reservations that day, and the next date available for reservations was October 27^th. We ended up finding a different coffee shop, which was great! Just… not as witchy as we wanted.

Later in the day, around 2 PM, we were very ready for some lunch. We went to the closest restaurant… but they were not seating anymore people. We went to another restaurant… they were also not seating anymore people. At this point, we’re all hangry. Every restaurant we go to has long lines, and each time we get hangrier. Have you ever tried to come to a decision with two other people who are also hangry? Trust me, it is not fun. We ended up leaving and going to a restaurant further away. 

So, if you’re going to Salem, always make sure you have reservations. For everything.

4.     Have lots of patience.

There are going to be lines for everything, and crowds of people everywhere. The best thing you can do for yourself: be patient! Wait in the lines. Otherwise, you will never experience any of Salem. There are lines for everything, and they go by faster than you’d expect. So, wait! It’s worth it!

5.     Bring cash!

Honestly, my favorite part was getting a picture with a human sized labubu. I gave them $3. Worth it.

When it comes down to it, I had a blast in Salem. Yeah, we made some mistakes. But none of it took away from the fun Halloween festivities we got to experience.

Don’t stop yourself from going to Salem due to the crowds. Still go, put on your best fall outfit, and have fun! It’ll be worth it. I promise.