5 things you need to know before visiting Salem Massachusetts | 2020 Edition
Visiting Salem is on a lot of peoples bucket list especially going during spooky season. Here are a few things you should know before heading there.
First and far most you need at least 2 days and 1 night to really see everything Salem has to offer. Use your first day to go on tours and learn the history of Salem. Day two you can enjoy yourself and explore the locations you learned about the day before.
IMPORTANT: You do not need to stay in Salem. Boston is only 30 minutes away and is an affordable option. When traveling to Salem in October you are looking at $350 and up per a night where if you opt for Boston you can sang a nice hotel for around $150 a night.
Trust me, you need a reservations for EVERYTHING! Book all of your tours and meals in advance. Things get a bit crazy in Salem and the crowds are intense. I knew well in advance that I wanted to go on a ghost tour, but I waited to book it since you know “2020”, big mistake! I almost missed out on the tour due to everything being booked up far in advance. Another mistake was not making lunch and dinner reservations in advance. Mr. K and I also got a bit hungry when we couldn’t get into a diner for lunch on day 1. Take some time the night before or in the morning to plan out your day and to make your dining reservations.
I highly recommend booking your tours for the first day that you are in Salem. This way you can check out all of the things you learn aka haunted locations and or Salem facts the next day. Mr. K and I really enjoyed our ghost tour and learning about the spooky things that happen around town. We only wish that we went on our first day instead of our last day to go to the haunted shops and see the paranormal activity for ourselves!
Try and go on a week day. If you go on a weekend it will be jam packed with people and the closer you get to Halloween or a holiday like Columbus day where schools are closed you will be in for massive crowds. If you do not mind waiting in line to get into shops, museums and restaurants it’s no big deal, but if you are like me and want to be there during the Halloween season, but not into waiting try going on an “off” day! PS all shops, museums and tours are limited in 2020 due to COVID regulations.