About a week before Halloween, Salem is already flooded. It was so crowded that on the weekend, Mayor Kim Driscoll’s office issued an official press release shortly after 1 P.M. that indicated no parking spaces were available in Salem, the Witch City. The release urged people to go to Salem via the MBTA commuter rail’s Newburyport line.
Parking fees are as high as $30-$50 for a block away from the action.
In essence, you shouldn’t take a car and drive from Salem. The mayor Kimberley Driscoll said in an announcement sent out on Saturday that people should park along the commuter rail line, and go to Salem via train. “Do not drive to Salem,” she advised. But that would be the least of your problems, for now, you’re with us. We will be prioritizing Salem and all the major party destinations for our cab and chauffeur services. Boston Airport Express MA will be running at its full capacity for you. You’ll be able to instantly make reservations on our website.
So if not the witch city then where else should you take your party?
Let’s look at some more alternatives which are just as good and even better than Salem in some aspects.
Chatham
Chatham, a town in Chatham located on Cape Cod, was recently named one of the 18 most desirable U.S. small towns to visit during the Halloween season by TripsToDiscover.com Visitors are able to take a look at the Pumpkin People at the Park An event in which local businesses and individuals make pumpkin characters that are displayed within Kate Gould Park. The event will include an annual costume parade as well as live music, and much more.
Fall River
The most daring tourists can stay in the same room where the notorious crime of Andrew and Abby Borden took place in August. 4th, 1892 at Fall River, named among the top towns to explore for Halloween according to Country Living.
The Historic Lizzie Borden House was named among the top haunted spots in America according to Conde Nast Traveler, is where the Bordens lived. Lizzie Borden was accused of murdering her stepmother and father with a hatchet. She was found not guilty. It is accessible on a daily basis for ghost tours and hunts.
“Guests and employees have reported all kinds of strange activity in the house, including weeping and footsteps, an apparition in Victorian-era clothing wandering the halls, doors opening, and closing, and muffled conversations coming from vacant rooms,” said Conde Nast Traveler.
Jackson, New Hampshire
An exhibit from an earlier “Return of the Pumpkin People” in Jackson, New Hampshire. – Jackson Chamber of Commerce
In October when the 38th annual Halloween of the People who Pumpkins is held in Jackson and that means more than 50 people dressed in pumpkins designed by local businesses are displayed. Visitors can explore the map of the pumpkins that are posted on the internet and in local establishments on self-guided tours, and then cast their vote for the best.
The All Things Pumpkin Festival, featuring pumpkin-themed activities as well as Sleigh rides with horses that take visitors downtown, including stops to eat pumpkin-themed treats was not held this year, however, it will be back in 2023.
Laconia, New Hampshire
The 34-foot tall tower of Jack-o’-lanterns in the New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival. – Lakes Region Chamber
It’s difficult to beat the autumn display at Laconia which was recently named one of the 18 top U.S. small towns to go to for Halloween according to TripsToDiscover.com. Visitors can take part in the annually held New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival that takes place this year in October. 29.
The festival features a display of pumpkins, live music, face painting, and a zombie walk. There are also food trucks, train rides as well as the craft and artisan showcase and a parade for children, and much more.
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor Ghost Tours, in Bar Harbor, Maine. – Audrey Pictou
Attention, ghost tour enthusiasts If you’re looking for an excellent tour, go to Bar Harbor. Bar Harbor Ghost Tour was recently ranked as one of the most popular Ghost tours of American USA Today readers and is praised each year for its exemplary tour.
“These nightly excursions give an overview of New England paranormal history from a Native American perspective,” said USA Today. “The tour includes exclusive nighttime access to the 1932 Criterion Theater when it’s not in use.”
Damariscotta, Maine
A painted large pumpkin at a previous Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta in Damariscotta, Maine. – Flickr / Paul VanDerWerf
What’s not to like about this festival, which is followed by a regatta where participants take on the Damariscotta River using hollowed-out pumpkins that are transformed into boats. It’s the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta that took place this year on Oct. 7-9. It is a celebration of all things pumpkin.
It is also the parade, a fantastic pumpkin weigh-off, as well as more than 70 gigantic pumpkins displayed throughout the city, all decorated by the city’s artists.
Damariscotta is an integral part of Maine’s Pumpkin Trail which runs beginning Labor Day through Halloween and encompasses activities along the 40-mile Maine coast.
Danville, Vermont
This year’s maze is in the Great Vermont Corn Maze. – Great Vermont Corn Maze
The Great Vermont Maze is located in Danville among the 10 corn mazes that are the best across America according to the USA Today readers, but the grounds also feature Dead North the Farmland of Terror. People looking for a frightening delight can walk for miles through a haunted cornfield brimming with scenes and scares, live actors, animatronics, and other special effects. The haunted attraction is available on the first two weekends in the month of October each year.
Harrisville, Rhode Island
“The Conjuring House” in Harrisville, Rhode Island. – Barry Chin/Globe Staff
Visitors can discover and stay at the farm which was the source of inspiration for the movie “The Conjuring,” a supernatural thriller “The Conjuring” in Harrisville and is ranked among the most charming towns in the country to go to on Halloween according to Country Living. The house, constructed around 1736, is described to be one of the top locations for paranormal activity around the globe.
“This terrifying home served as the real-life inspiration for the film–and the current owners say it’s still very much haunted,” said Country Living. “Whether you book a regular tour or an overnight investigation, expect plenty of paranormal activity!”
Hartford, Connecticut
The Mark Twain House in Hartford sparkles in the sun. – The Mark Twain House and Museum
Mark Twain Fans can visit their way through the Mark Twain House located in Hartford The home in which the author resided between 1874 and 1891. He was the author of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” as well as “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” The house is particularly interesting in October since it’s among one of the most haunted spots in America as per Conde Nast Traveler.
“The billiard room is considered the most haunted spot in the house–it is where Twain used to sit and smoke cigars, and some claim they can smell smoke wafting through the air as they pass through,” was the story in the newspaper.
Have you decided yet? Boston Airport Shuttle will be at your service for all your Halloween requirements. Book a premium chauffeur today to avoid any kind of inconvenience related to parking or after-party driving.
Give us a call at 617-301-8900 or visit our website bostonairportexpressma.com to make instant reservations.
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