(Last updated in 2019)
Salem Haunted Happenings offer something for every member of the family! Find things to do with the teens and tweens in your family, or get them tickets in advance for the following events:
On the Water
The Haunted Happenings Harbor Cruise with Mahi Cruises allows guests to take in the seasonal views of Salem, Beverly, Marblehead, and the Misery Island, while relaxing on an open air deck or heated cabin with Halloween party music. The cruise also features Mahi’s grill with clam chowder, hot cocoa, and soft drinks, along with complimentary tarot readings. Tickets for the Haunted Happenings Harbor Cruise are $26 for adults and $22 for kids ages 4-12, and may be purchased in advance on Mahi Mahi’s website.
For maritime ghost stories, join Essex Heritage for Eerie Stories on Salem Sound. This hour-long evening boat tour is sure to thrill the whole family with lively stories of hauntings and scenic views of Salem Sound. Learn more here.
Haunted Houses
For the thrill seekers in your family, be sure to check out Salem’s haunted house attractions, Frankenstein’s Castle, and the Haunted Witch Village. At Frankenstein’s Castle, become fully immersed in the classic horror story as you walk through dark hallways where a mad scientist has created a terrifying monster. The Salem Witch Village, is Salem’s longest running haunted attraction, and features all kinds of Halloween ghouls, goblins, and monsters, waiting to frighten those who dare to enter. Both attractions may be purchased as part of a combination ticket with other attractions in the Witch Village. See the Salem Wax Museum website for complete information.
Theatrical Performances
The Salem Haunted Magic Show’s 2019 production, HYSTERIA: Ghost Stories! combines thrilling Halloween scares with mind reading, dark comedy, illusions, audience participation, and more. While not too scary for the whole family, the show does offer enough scares to keep the audience guessing, along with unbelievable stunts that will have you wondering, “How did they do that?!” Tickets cost $20-42 based on seating and package options and may be purchased in advance at TheSalemMagicShow.com.
Select evenings in October, the House of the Seven Gables hosts two nighttime performances, Legacy of the Hanging Judge and Spirits of the Gables. Fans of Nathaniel Hawthorne will be intrigued as his characters haunt the historic home in Spirits of the Gables, and as Hawthorne’s great-great grandfather recalls his role in the Salem Witch Trials. Tickets are $17 for a single performance, or $32 for both, and may be purchased at 7Gables.org.
What could make an interactive crime mystery show during Haunted Happenings even better? What about dining with an all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet while working to solve the mystery? The Haunted Dinner Theater’s presentation of Clue Live! is an entertaining theatrical performance focusing on solving a crime based on the hit board game. Advanced tickets ($64.95 for adults, $39.95 for kids) are highly recommended, get them at the Haunted Dinner Theater’s website.
The Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre offers experiences for every member of the family. Teens in particular will enjoy the Lost Museum, an interactive walk-through attraction through a recently discovered series of rooms below the museum that were thought to be to time. With spirits from Salem’s past and other supernatural forces hidden beneath the building, guests must work together in an attempt to escape from the museum!
While at the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre, be sure to pick up tickets for the Witchcraft and Ghost Experience. This live performance combines audience participation, with scares, special effects, and bits of Salem history. Tickets for just the Witchcraft and Ghost Experience may be purchased as part of a combination ticket with the Lost Museum or other events at the Gallows Hill Museum/Theatre. See the museum’s website for complete ticket information.
Witch Trials History
What trip to Salem would be complete without learning something new about the Salem Witch Trials? For information on the history of the Salem Witch Trials, consider visiting the following sites:
The Salem Witch Museum, features two very different exhibits on the history of the Witch Trials. The first is a presentation on the trials themselves that was compiled using historical documents to tell an accurate story using life-size sets. The second exhibit focuses on how perceptions of witchcraft have changed over time, offering information on the stereotypes witches face, why witch hunts have happened in various parts of history, and where the images of witches that we commonly see today were invented. Tickets may be purchased on site for $13 for adults, $11.50 for seniors, and $10 for children ages 6-14.
For a different side of the story, visit the Witch Dungeon Museum, which showcases the conditions that those accused of witchcraft were forced to deal with while imprisoned and awaiting their trials. In addition to a guided tour of the dungeon, this experience includes a live reenactment of one of the trials. Tickets for the Witch Dungeon Museum may be purchased on-site and/or as a combination ticket with the Witch History Museum and the New England Pirate Museum.
Cry Innocent is the most interactive way to learn about the Salem Witch Trials. For the full experience, arrive early and watch as Bridget Bishop is arrested on the streets of Salem, before taking a seat and witnessing the trial first hand. In this experience, audience members are able to become fully involved in the trial, as they examine the evidence and vote for an outcome. Tickets for Cry may be purchased in advance on HistoryAliveSalem.com or as part of a combination ticket with the Spirit of Salem film.
