Salem Braces for Record-Breaking Halloween Season

The city of Salem, Massachusetts, is gearing up for its busiest time of year.

bursting with historic charm, the city is known for the Salem Witch Trials and draws massive crowds during Halloween and the weeks leading up to it-sometimes seeing more than a million visitors.

Officials are expecting a record-breaking year, preparing for around 100,000 people on busy days. while visitors are welcome, leaders are already urging people to plan to use public transit to reach downtown. There are just 4,000 public parking spaces, and various road closures will occur for the city’s annual “Haunted Happenings.” Events kick off at the end of September.

Options include the Salem Ferry, the MBTA commuter Rail, or parking in a free satellite parking lot and catching a shuttle. There will be increased service on the Newburyport-Rockport line during the month of October.