Salem FAQ

Salem.org continues to expand and improve. This week we added a much-needed FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page, that I hope will answer your questions before you submit them with your visitor guide request or as an independent email. If you have a question that is not answered here, let me know by either emailing me at info@salem.org or commenting on this blog post.

Here's the current list of FAQs:

Where do we park?

There’s lots of parking in Salem! We recommend using one of the two parking garages for long-term parking. The City of Salem Parking Department offers a great map on their web site to help you find parking. Meters are $.25/hour and most street and lot parking has 1 or 2 hour meters. The Museum Place Garage, South Harbor Garage and Church Street lot cost $1.50/hour. Click here for complete pricing information. The Museum Place Mall is located directly across the street from the National Park Service Regional Visitor Center, which is the perfect place to start your exploration of Salem.

When can I get a schedule for Haunted Happenings 2008?

The schedule will be published by July. We are in the process of updating HauntedHappenings.org now. As we update information on the Haunted Happenings web site, the best place to find a current schedule for October 2008 is the calendar on Salem.org. We post events there as they are submitted to Destination Salem.

How much does a taxi from Boston's Logan Airport to Salem cost?

Approximately $50.00 one way.

When does the Salem Ferry run?

Salem Ferry Service between Boston and Salem begins May 23, 2008 and runs through October.

Can we take a train or bus to Salem?

You can! The MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) Commuter Rail connects Salem to Boston’s North Station, Newburyport, Rockport, and Gloucester. The fare between Boston and Salem is $5.25 per ride (one way). You can walk from Salem Depot to downtown shopping, dining, attractions, waterfront. For bus service, take #450, #455 from South Station and Bus #459 from Logan Terminal C.

What is the weather like in Salem?

New England weather is unpredictable year-round. Monthly averages, in degrees Fahrenheit, are:

• January 37 high, 20 low;
• February: 40 high, 23 low;
• March: 47 high, 30 low;
• April: 57 high, 38 low;
• May: 67 high, 48 low;
• June: 76 high, 58 low;
• July: 82 high, 63 low;
• August: 80 high, 62 low;
• September: 73 high, 55 low;
• October: 62 high, 45 low;
• November: 52 high, 37 low;
• December: 42 high, 27 low.

Where can I purchase a combination ticket to Salem’s attractions?

There are a few combination tickets available in Salem:

• Visit The Land of Witches & Pirates with a combo ticket to the Witch Dungeon Museum, Witch History Museum, and New England Pirate Museum;
• The Salem Hysteria Pass includes the Salem Wax Museum & Salem Witch Village;
• The Discover Salem Passport includes admission to the House of the Seven Gables, The Peabody Essex Museum, The Salem Witch Museum, and the Salem Trolley (in season).

How big is Salem?

Salem is a very walkable city. How fast you walk it is up to you! Most people can walk a half-mile at a leisurely pace in 15-20 minutes. Here are some sample distances:

• To walk from the MBTA train station to the Salem Ferry at Blaney Street is less than one mile.
• The National Park Service Regional Salem Visitor Center to the Phillips House on Chestnut Street is just over a half-mile.
• The House of the Seven Gables to the Salem Witch Museum is a half-mile.
• The Peabody Essex Museum to the Salem Maritime National Historic Site is less than a half-mile.
• Salem Willows and Winter Island Maritime Park are each about 1.5 miles from the center of downtown Salem (at Salem Common). While people do walk these distances, most prefer to drive. There is ample parking at both destinations.

What is the Red Line drawn on the sidewalks?

Salem’s Red Line connects the most important stops and neighborhoods in Salem. The line is painted on the sidewalk and creates four loops through the city to help you explore. It is painted on the map in the Salem Visitor Guide, on the maps in the information kiosks around Salem, and in the Salem Best Maps.

We are traveling in an RV/Motor Home. Where can we park it while we see the sites?

Motor home and RV parking is permitted at Salem Willows Park and along Fort Avenue adjacent to the Dominion Power Plant. From downtown Salem, driving north-east, Derby Street turns into Fort Avenue. The two trolley companies in Salem run tours to Salem Willows and can provide transportation to the downtown for the cost of their ticket prices. RV camping is available seasonally at Winter Island Maritime Park.