Visiting Salem for Haunted Happenings? Here's what to know before you go

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Salem is home to around 40,000 people. But when spooky season is afoot and a chill can be felt in the air, nearly a million people pour into the city for its infamous history and Halloween festivities, known as “Haunted Happenings.”

For some locals, the crowds can be so overwhelming they avoid coming downtown altogether. But not Chris Padgett, who’s lived in Salem since 2007. He’s one of many that volunteer with Destination Salem as a local guide for visitors.

“There are people who don’t really appreciate the tourist season in Salem,” says Padgett. “The way I think about it, [tourism] is what keeps this town going.”

Padgett — like many of Salem’s residents and city officials — seem to have accepted the inevitable: People are going to visit during October. The question is: How can the city host all these ghosts guests and how can you be a courteous visitor?

Simply put, officials and locals alike would rather you leave your car at home during Haunted Happenings. The traffic can be scarier than any haunted hayride.

“There’s no street parking and the decks fill up first thing in the morning,” says Padgett. “Do not drive to Salem. Just don’t.”

The good news is that train service to Salem will ramp up to meet visitor demand.

Mayor Dominick Pangallo announced Tuesday that the MBTA’s Newbury/Rockport commuter rail line is doubling its service between Boston and Salem during weekends in October. The train frequency will go from one train per hour to two — that’s more service than the T has ever offered before to and from Salem on the weekends, according to the MBTA. Trains will arrive every 40 minutes in Salem throughout the day, with the last train leaving for Boston at 12:35 a.m. on weekends. You can take a peek at the full schedule here.

The Salem Ferry is an attractive option, too: Board at Boston’s Long Wharf and within an hour you’ll be docking at Salem Wharf (and with this balmy October weather we’re having, riding on the deck might not be too shabby either.)

If driving is your only option, Salem has designated three “satellite” parking lots outside of the city center with free shuttles to and from the downtown. They’re located at Salem High School, behind Salem Hospital and at Salem State University’s O’Keefe Center (click here for more info).

Visitors should remember there’s plenty of passion — and real people — behind Salem’s storefronts. Take Ed Gannon, the owner of the Chambers of Terror, an old-school-style haunted house in Salem filled with practical effects, secret doors and spooky monsters. He and a friend began building the Chambers of Terror 31 years ago, and Gannon gained ownership about two years ago.

“It’s funny. I was in my twenties back then going, ‘Boy, someday I’d like to own a haunted house in Salem.’ And now I own a haunted house in Salem!” said Gannon. “Even after all these years, I still get excited about it.”

Gannon and his staff welcomed me for a walk through the attraction, which thoroughly lived up to its name. It’s the care put into the scare, though, that makes homegrown haunted hotspots like the Chambers of Terror special. Gannon takes pride in constructing the “perfect scare” with authentic, old-school effects sure to rattle his visitors.

Another immersive tourist attraction, Professor Spindlewink’s World of Wizardry, advertises a family-friendly experience with wonderful wizards, witches and fantastical beasts at every turn. But the most awe-inducing part of the new interactive fantasy museum? “The owner is a local guy, and he built this entire thing with his two hands.” said Padgett. “It is pure magic.”

“I think people come here expecting Halloween Disney World, and it’s not,” said Padgett. “It’s a functioning city that people live in, work in and shop in.” Respecting the city, its locals, waitstaff and those operating attractions sit at the top of Padgett’s list of things people should be cognizant of when visiting Salem.

“Salem is not a theme park,” said Padgett. “Just be nice.”

P.S. — Looking for some Salem attractions off the beaten path? Check out some of Padgett’s favorite spots as a local in this video.