Last updated on April 13th, 2024 at 10:33 pm
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This blog post contains all my tips for planning a perfect day trip to Salem from Boston.
Salem Massachusetts is infamous for its dark and fascinating past. Despite this dark history, Salem is a lovely place to visit. History lovers and fans of all things spooky will enjoy wandering the streets, visiting the museums, and seeing monuments to the Salem witch trials. I recently had the opportunity to visit Salem on a day trip from Boston. Salem is a pretty small town, and I felt very satisfied by what I was able to see and do there in one day. I’ve compiled this Salem day trip guide with all my tips on how to see Salem on a day trip.
How do you get to Salem?
Salem can easily be accessed as a day trip from Boston. If you have a car, it is only about a 40 minute drive from Boston. But don’t worry, even without a car, it is still easy to get to Salem from Boston. A great option is to take the Commuter Rail train. The Newburyport/Rockport Line departs hourly from North Station in Boston, and is a 30 minute ride to Salem. This train only costs $10! Another option is to take the ferry. The Salem ferry departs from Long Wharf in Boston and takes about an hour. It costs $45 round trip for an adult. Unfortunately, the ferry got cancelled due to poor weather the day I went to Salem, so I ended up taking the train. But I’ve heard that the view from the ferry is very nice!
How do you get around Salem?
Salem is very small! You can easily walk between all the popular sights. If you take the train or ferry, you will be dropped off in walking distance of all the main attractions.
What are the best activities to do in Salem?
There are lots of attractions in Salem that offer a sneak peak into the history of the Salem witch trials.
- Salem Witch Museum. My favourite activity by far was the Salem Witch Museum. In my opinion, this is a must visit on your Salem day trip. This museum has two immersive exhibits that outline the history of the witch trials, as well as the perception of witches throughout history.
- Witch House. Another museum I loved is Witch House. This is the house of a former witch trials judge, and is full of artifacts from the time. Definitely worth a visit in my opinion, even if you don’t want to go inside. It makes for a great, spooky photo!
- Ropes Mansion. A great free activity is a visit to the Ropes Mansion. This impressive house is super close to Witch House, and has a beautiful garden that is open the public.
- Salem Witch Trials Memorial. A visit to the Salem Witch Trials Memorial is a must on any Salem day trip. This memorial honours the victims who were prosecuted, and provides information about the victims, as well as quotes taken from the court transcripts from their trials.
- House of Seven Gables. The House of Seven Gables is a historic (and spooky-looking) home. It was a setting of a popular novel in the 1850’s, and today offers lots of history, as well as beautiful grounds.
- Another great thing to do in Salem is to just explore the streets! There are so many neat shops if you are looking for souvenirs. There are also lots of great restaurants if you get hungry.
How long do you need for a Salem day trip?
The main attractions in Salem can be seen within a few hours. I would recommend arriving in the mid/late morning. This will give you time to explore, check out a museum or two, grab lunch, and be on your way back to town by mid afternoon.
Hopefully this Salem day trip guide is helpful in planning your visit to the spooky city. Salem is a great little town with fascinating history, and is definitely worth a visit. One last thing I will mention is that Salem is very busy during October! Salem Haunted Happenings is a celebration that lasts all month and draws in thousands of tourists. So if you can avoid going at that time of year, I would recommend it. I went in June and it was perfect. The weather was not too hot for walking around, but it was not crowded at all.
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