fruit_cats t1_irrwho3 wrote on October 10, 2022 at 3:59 PM

Oh come on guys.

Yes, Salem is super crowded this time of year and yeah it’s annoying if you live there (I get it, I grew up there), but it’s also a lot of fun for a lot of people, especially kids.

OP Salem can be a lot of fun this time of year! I hope you have a great time.

Some pieces of advice:

if you are okay with walking a bit, there is almost always parking over the little bridge on bridge st, if you want something closer you can try the garage near Peabody Essex.
get there early! It helps with the crowds and parking!
if you want to go out to dinner in Salem make a reservation, (there are also some good restaurants in surrounding communities like Beverly, Marblehead and Lynn that will be less crowded)
bring snacks and critically water! Again helps with the lines.
pick a few activities and museums that you really want to go to and get tickets a head
take time to people watch! That’s half the fun of Salem this time of year!
most importantly, embrace the chaos. It’s going to be crowded, it’s going to be touristy, it’s going to be a little silly, but that’s the fun of it!

Plan ahead a little and it will help make the day run smoother!

Hope this helps!

dtoxin t1_irs3ear wrote on October 10, 2022 at 4:45 PM

Seriously Thanks for posting this! Sometimes I think people in this sub must never want to leave home.

Post: Best apple picking/ cider donuts? r/Massachusetts Apple picking is swarmed with children and flannel wearing douchbags. Locals only.

Post: Best beaches? r/Massachusetts Beaches are too crowded, locals only or GTFO

fruit_cats t1_irs59mp wrote on October 10, 2022 at 4:58 PM

These things are crowded because they are fun!

Crowds aren’t my absolute favorite thing either but not everything is an unspoiled hidden gem, sometimes to do the fun thing you need to deal with other people!

AboyNamedBort t1_irtmewb wrote on October 10, 2022 at 11:09 PM

Apple picking is not fun.

fruit_cats t1_irtmoi5 wrote on October 10, 2022 at 11:11 PM

Cool. Thanks so much for your input.

UtopianLibrary t1_isfbjgv wrote on October 15, 2022 at 3:23 PM

I had been avoiding going to Honey Pot in Stow because everyone says how crowded it is, but I went recently. And you know what? It was crowded, but parking was easy. There was a line for donuts, but they had so many people working that I only waited 7 minutes.

Clover_Jane t1_irsipny wrote on October 10, 2022 at 6:28 PM

I'm not OP but thank you! Salem is a lot of fun. I've only been there once and when my son gets a little older I plan on taking him. Sure it's crowded but seeing everyone dressed up and going to the museums was so much fun. I went there on a year Halloween fell on a weekly so it was insanely crowded but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. We got a hotel just outside of Salem and drove over to Salem in the late morning and spent the whole day there. I hope OP goes and has lots of fun!

SharpCookie232 t1_irtyka5 wrote on October 11, 2022 at 12:45 AM

I agree. People are talking about it like it's the apocalypse. I took my daughter and her friends to Salem in October the year before Covid and we had a great time. I found parking in one of the public lots. We went to the Peabody Essex, participated in Cry Innocent, which I highly recommend (I did buy the tix online ahead of time). We ate at the Witch's Brew Cafe on Derby St. (no reservation, but I think it was between lunch and dinner time) and then walked around and saw the sites and did some shopping. It was an awesome time and I would totally do it again. But I guess I just like living on the edge.