‘Do not drive’: Halloween revelers visiting Salem better pack patience, officials say

SALEM, Mass. — If you’re planning on visiting Salem this weekend or next, you better pack a lot of patience, Witch City officials have warned.

Salem has had record visitation numbers this year and that trend is expected to spike as Halloween approaches, according to city officials.

On Saturday, Oct. 15, more than 100,000 people flocked to the city’s downtown section. The problem is Salem only has 4,000 downtown public parking spaces and 1,300 spaces at free satellite lots

In a news release, officials said, “Visitors should not anticipate finding parking downtown on weekends in Salem...Do not drive to Salem on October weekends.”

Halloween revelers who do decide to make the trek to the North Shore are being urged to use the commuter rail or the Salem ferry. The MBTA has added additional trains and the ferry has also increased capacity.

“If you must drive, plan your parking strategy ahead of time. Downtown garages and lots fill up early. Use satellite parking, MBTA garage parking, or the MBTA garage in Beverly and take the Commuter Rail one stop to Salem,” officials added.

Salem police also plan on periodically closing certain downtown roads due to pedestrian volumes. Parking violations will also be increased and aggressively enforced.

Commuters who normally drive through downtown Salem as part of their commute have also been told to plan alternative routes around the area.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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