Boos and Brews: Here’s Why Halloween is the Best in Salem, MA

When the days become shorter and the dark evenings are crisp with the promise of shorter and colder days ahead, the leaves begin to change color all over New England; a tidal wave of orange, red, and yellow washes over the White Mountains. A cold, grayness covers the afternoons - something you seemingly can’t escape.

October falls and in New England, a small but well-known city seems to awaken. The city of witches comes alive, the beating heart of the history of witches in the United States. Salem, known more for the infamous Witch Hunt of 1692 than anything else, is naturally one of the best places to celebrate Halloween - even if you aren’t from the area, or even New England.

First and foremost, it goes without saying that the city of wItches is an exciting place to be on All Hallows Eve. Really - it’s a pretty good destination for the entire month of October, especially if you’re looking to avoid crowds donning the most popular halloween costumes filling the streets for a rowdy but spooky and frightfully festive night.

Here’s why Halloween is best spent in Salem:

The history.
The Salem Witch Trials of the 17th century are pretty widely known - but there are little bits of the history that really strike you if you’re standing in the streets where you can see the jail where the witches were held. That’s a feeling and an experience you cannot replicate anywhere else.

You can’t visit the jail, walk through Judge Corwin’s house, the memorial, or the Burying Point anywhere else. Spending Halloween in the city of Witches enables you to experience the dark Puritan past with an added layer of spookiness.

The atmosphere.

So, the nickname of the city says it all. The atmosphere in Salem at Halloween is like that of no other city. According to legend, the witches were in league with the devil himself. People who subscribe to a variety of beliefs who celebrate Halloween as a religious event also flock to Salem.

The spirit.

There is Halloween madness all over the cobblestone streets of Salem and there’s pride in Salem from people who participate. The Hawthorne Ball is an evening like no other Halloween party can provide. Of course, there are haunted tours and ghost attractions are something any visitor could take when they’re in the city for the entire month of December (and truth be told, year ‘round) -- but experiencing Halloween in Salem, a city that takes pride in the gothic architecture, cryptic history, and New England location, will leave you spellbound.