The 30 best parks and gardens in Salem

A true gem by the ocean to catch nice summer breezes and beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Also has a nice 300' pier for views and fishing. I just wish the City did more to interact with the neighborhood and take suggestions about how it could be improved (especially regarding the litter.

Very fun place to go with family. The water nearby keeps everything cool and not too hot! ive been multiple times and it was very fun each time. If you have little ones, the arcade is very nice and has much to offer. I definitely recommend if you are in the area!

This is my favorite place in Salem. Beautiful scenery, great walking area, and the seafood shack there is great also

Great spot to chill and enjoy the shoreline and beach. The views esrly andnlate are beautiful from sunrise to sunset Salem Willows is a beautiful place to enjoy with family and friends.

This is a Beautiful Park in every Season. We Love it!

Salem Willows' pickleball ball courts provided an awesome venue for Kinship Farm's 'Play Pickleball for Good' fundraiser ❣️

Salem Willows will always be my happy place!! This park has a very important place in my families heart. I just wish they would take better care of the park as well as the strip of amusements and restaurants. Over the years it has started to look more of a ghost town than the amazing park I used to know and love. They really need to give this park a face lift and take care of it!!!

Salem, Massachusetts, is much more than a rollicking Halloween-themed street party. Long before the Hollywood witches of "The Wizard of Oz" or the television series, "Bewitched", Salem began when a band of Puritans, led by Roger Conant, explored new lands a few years after the first Puritans sailed aboard the Mayflower landed in Plymouth. If you want to experience hundreds of thousands of visitors, street performers dressed in creative Halloween costumes, visit in October. But, be prepared for hours-long lines to enter any of the shops or even the portable toilets. Designated parking is miles away, and shuttle buses transport visitors from the parking areas to Salem Common. If you want to explore the history of Salem from its founding through the witch trials to its growth as a merchant seaport in the 19th century, visit in the spring or summer. Pack a snacky snack and relax on the Common and enjoy some music played on the bandstand.

Hocus Pocus and Bewitched 7th season was filmed in this area by the Hawthorne hotel. The park is very large and had vendors for Halloween. A nice park to walk around to enjoy in Salem.

Went to Salem for Haunted Happenings, Halloween. What better time to tour the town famous for its history of withes and witchcraft. The movie Hocus Pocus has several filming locations here, the witch house and House of the Seven Gables are here as well, and you can actually go inside most of them. The entire town is so cute from the cobblestone streets to the old style charm. This was so much fun.

This park is gorgeous especially on or around Halloween. Loved seeing the Hocus Pocus Highschool and Witch museum just across the road. So much to see, do and eat here.

Well I just wanted to let my girlfriend enjoy a great time with with me, before she has surgery on her foot, to fix a bone spur so we walked around for a few hours and enjoyed the scenery and the history of the many buildings in Salem MASSACHUSETTS!

Nice area, well kept and relatively quiet. There are plenty of places to just chill under a tree and enjoy the day. Also a great place to just walk and think with minimal distraction. Event held here are well planned and cleaned soon after.

Its just a park with open space, nothing special. Our second time in Salem was in October tho and the whole commons is filled with vendors and food trucks. It was neat but It was jammed packed.

Setting up reservations for a place we've never been has never been so easy! The site was a bit small yet cozy in its own way. You're only a few minutes from the tourist area of Salem. The beach and views were over the top and beautiful. The bath house could use some upgrades, but it was clean. Staff was so very kind and friendly.

Camp ground is nice, great price and proximity to Salem . If you are camping the raccoons are huge and they will get into your stuff! Do not leave any food out . Also if you are tent camping anywhere near the gate . Be prepared to not get much sleep. The gate is constantly opening and closing throughout the night. People drive in at all hours and have music blasting. If it’s not the gate, it’s the raccoons getting into garbage, or the planes fling in / out of Logan. Suggest bringing ear plugs.

In my opinion, this is the best way to stay in Salem. A tent site is 38 a night. If you book far enough in advance you can stay close enough to the beach you will hear the waves while you sleep. As afar as the physical grounds, its okay, nothing special, its the location that makes it next level. The island is little and easy to.get around. If you have bikes, this is a perfect adventure for anyone wanting to be close enough to all the Salem action in October without the price tag. We walked everywhere. Its totally reasonbly walkable if you are a person who enjoys walking. There are ubers as well and for the most part ubers are cheaper than the parking in the center of town. You could always uber into the center and walk around there and uber back. It was $12 one way when I did it. Parking was 50. There is some sort of power station that does make some noise and planes regularly go overhead. As you walk around the little island you will hear these. It did not bother my ability to sleep. I will add video and photos to this review later today.

The park was really nice. The camp grounds were clean. The bath house was a bit run down so I did not use them. The staff were very nice and suggested great things to see in Salem. Being right next to the water was beautiful. The hook ups for the camper were good but there is no sewage. You have to go next door to a waste treatment plant to dump the waste. I didn't see any vending machines or other amenities. There was a place to launch your boat if you have one.

Rv spots are amazing trolley picks you up and brings you right down to Salem downtown family friendly staff are amazing one of the first campgrounds. I don’t have any negative things to say it was smooth from start to finish.

This RV park is basically a parking lot so the spots are VERY close together. We had a hose connection that was leaking fresh water and our neighbor complained. The maintenance man came and checked it out and said everything was OK. He was nice & professional. I fixed the drip. Then, our neighbor complained again and Peggy from the camp office came over and harassed us about it. We did not appreciate the harassment. We explained to Peggy that her coworker already addressed the issue, but she kept on going on about it until we asked for her name. This camp site had a beautiful view of the harbor, but we will not stay there again. Peggy needs a lesson in customer service. It is a bit overpriced considering that there is no space & no sewer connection. The bathroom attendant was great and kept the bathrooms cleaned all day.

It’s a beautiful place. Both water and electric at our site in the field. We loved the location’s proximity to both Salem and Boston. We couldn’t stay a long time because our grey/black tanks are small, but it is perfect for 2 or 3 nights. The restrooms and showers are usable. Not high class, but clean. The staff was very friendly and helpful.

We love the pool and the playground. Some of the lifeguards are a little too strict when it comes to the kids playing. I completely understand that there’s rules for a reason but let’s keep them the same across the board. Also if the parent is there with the child let the parents enforce the rules. Please don’t yell at my kid in front of me. Otherwise this place is great I’ve been going there for over 30 years. We love it here. Most of the staff is great! I do wish there were some picnic tables closer to the pool so you didn’t have to pack all your stuff up and walk across the park to have lunch.

David and I had never been to Forester River Park before and originally came to see the Pioneer Village, but we decided to take some time to explore the park and shoreline as well and we’re so glad we did. What a beautiful place! The park offers lovely walking trails, peaceful views along the river, and plenty of benches and picnic tables for relaxing. There’s ample parking, and everything feels well cared for and inviting. A wonderful spot to spend an afternoon appreciating nature and local history.

Just had a quick walk here on Halloween to see the village which has strange operating hours. Park itself seemed nice with a large car park, small baseball field and basketball court.

From pool to ocean this place has it all!!! Next time I go, I’m definitely gonna be one of those ones on the paddleboard :-) Me and one of my friend went for a walk around the grounds. If you go around a couple of times, you get a great workout in will be in cool with that ocean breeze.

Small park to walk around with dogs but it gives good energy. plenty of seating to sit all around, there is a playground and public pool with a snack bar and bathrooms. Seems to be a well maintained space.

Very cool place for the kids and my kids love sliding

Forest River Park is a great place to spend a day with family and friends. There are plenty of things to do, from swimming and sunbathing to picnicking and playing on the playground. The park is also home to a living history museum, which is a great way to learn about the area's past. The park is well-maintained and clean, and the staff is friendly and helpful. There are plenty of parking spaces, and the park is accessible for people with disabilities. I highly recommend Forest River Park to anyone looking for a fun and relaxing place to spend a day. Excellent place to be quiet and just take it in. Has swings, benches, trees everything you want in a park. It even has some vistas & some views!

Never read the book, but looked interesting, my wife had and wanted to go. The tie guide was very knowledgeable in the story, the home, architecture, hawthorne and his lineage and she made the tour very enjoyable. The grounds are beautiful and also very interesting. One great thing i never knew was the effort to help people gain legal citizenship through classes which also help teach English. Really great to know money from my tour goes to this. A wonderful cause.

The House of the Seven Gables is one of Salem’s crown jewels - part museum, part literary landmark, part seaside retreat. It’s always busy, especially during peak Halloween season, so it’s best to reserve tickets in advance if you want to tour the interior. Even if tours are sold out, don’t skip it: the reduced-fare grounds ticket (around $15) is still a great value. It grants access to the scenic property, the gift shop, the restrooms, the Hawthorne birth home, and some of the outlying buildings, plus the stunning waterfront area. Between the historic architecture, the sea breeze, and the view of the harbor, it’s a peaceful escape from downtown’s chaos. The guided tour of the main Gables house is a highlight as it’s informative without being dry, blending stories of the real Turner family with Hawthorne’s inspiration for his classic novel. Walking through the low-ceilinged rooms, antique furnishings, and especially climbing the narrow hidden staircase tucked inside the walls is a thrill for any history or literature lover. The guides do an excellent job of capturing both the historical and literary importance of the site while keeping things engaging for visitors of all ages. The self-guided Hawthorne birth home, meanwhile, is smaller but equally fascinating, displaying authentic period furniture and personal items tied to Hawthorne’s family. The grounds themselves are worth lingering in. Between the gardens, cobblestone paths, and panoramic views of the waterfront, there’s no shortage of photo opportunities or places to simply sit and take in the atmosphere. On warm days, the wind coming off the water makes it a perfect spot to cool down and relax before heading back toward the bustle of Essex Street. The gift shop deserves its own mention too, stocked with locally inspired books, literary souvenirs, and even games that tie into Salem’s history. Whether you’re there for Hawthorne, colonial history, or just the coastal New England charm, the House of the Seven Gables absolutely lives up to its legend.

We went in September and the gardens were in bloom and it was not crowded. Our guide made our experience very enjoyable. The gift shop has item such as tee shirts saying I survived the secret staircase. For seniors admission five dollars less. I am not sure but the proceeds go towards the economy of the town of Salem. There is a lot of walking to be done but there are benches in places. There are great views of the water to.

This was a treat for me being that I read the book. Its a very neat tour and a very cool house and the grounds are SPECTACULAR. It has very little to do with the Salem Witches though. If you like old buildings and historical feeling things, this may be worth it for you. If you skip the house tour your won't be missing anything truly relevant to the trials or Halloween. I do recommend the grounds tour though. Especially if you love a majestic view. The pictures I took do not do it justice. Also, no ghosts were felt or spotted during the tour.

Purchase tickets in advance!! There are a lot of stairs with some being very narrow. Low ceilings as well just FYI. Definitely worth it though. Amazing experience! It was wonderful tour full of information an surprises! Parking is included with your tour ticket. You can park about 20 mins prior to your tour time and stay for 1 hour after your tour ends.

What a neat experience! So many neat things to see and explore. The house sits right on the harbor and makes for some pretty amazing sunset photos! Really neat experience! Would recommend checking it out if you have time!

Cool tour. If you are into early American history, or literature you'll love this tour. This is a house built in the early 1600's and has survived and been restored over the years. A relative of the author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, was a famous American author and visiting this house and listening to his aunt tell him stories of growing up in this house inspired him to write the House of the Seven Gables novel. Has rooms restored to the time period, and original antique furniture and home pieces. The coolest part is a secret stairway that goes behind the fireplace up to the attic. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable.

The wharf is bigger than I expected and you may find one end before you find the other! I noticed it when I visited the Sea Level Oyster 🦪 Bar. There is a Pickering Wharf Marina there and one at another location along the Smith River. It looks like there is a walkway along the wharf and river as well. It is scenic at night 🌃 with all of the lights and especially during the Halloween 🎃🍦 season , where you might see 🙈 Micheal Myers. The walk was chilly but enjoyable.

Soooo beautiful! So 💘 romantic! My happy place is any body of water. This place is such a vibe. So many things to do, places to eat!

I just returned from my biannual trip to Salem, and as usual, I loved it; however, I was disappointed to see the continuing decay of Pickering Wharf. A spot that should be vibrant and inviting has become shabby and depressing. On Memorial Day, I would have expected flowers, plantings and flags. Instead, paint was peeling off buildings, shops were empty, mattresses were still stored against the window of a vacant shop (the third time that I saw this).Where bushes had once been, there was now clumps of dirt, It surprises me that the city of Salem has not pressured the owners of the Wharf to do better. After all, it overlooks The Friendship and The National Historic District. What a shame!

The only place in Salem without a rainbow flag so I chose here to park. Easy short walk to everything.

Quensential New England spot Nice surroundings and great shopping area

There was alot of people there, we got to see the ocean.

I went on the sat before Halloween. People say your crazy but, what keeps people away is what I go to see ! Thousands of people walking around, laughing , talking, eating, taking in the sites ! The atmosphere is joyous. All kinds of costumes. An alien might pass by followed by 2 ducks ! Make it a whole day and check out neighboring Gloucester and Hammond Castle.

A perfect way to visit Boston from Salem. The captain an crew were excellent. Had beautiful weather. Trip only took 55 min. We got a great view of the coast and coves along the way to Boston and Back. A few hints. Check the schedule as there can be a large time gap between departures. There is a free parking lot, but it is difficult to find a space if a busy day. So you may have to park the car is a paid lot which add costs and time constraints. During the week the 5:30 ferry to Salem can be filled with commuters. Be back on time to get a seat with day trippers. The dock is out of the Salem town allow at least 20 min to walk from down town. At Boston, a lot of people hawking tours. Shop around. Enjoy

The Salem Ferry is a great option to get into the city of Boston. It's a quick 45-60 during which you get amazing views of the coast as well amazing tidbits of history from the crew. The staff is very welcoming and helpful. Don't forget to enjoy an adult beverage and a hot dog on the trip. They are very punctual, so don't be late!

A lovely ride from Salem to Boston and back. Enjoyed the ride up top in the open air

Gorgeous little trip from Boston back to Salem. I recommend 100%.

Great ferry boat trip with amazing views of Salem and Boston

I'm a Salem resident and I am on a mission to tour all the local attractions. About this one: We took the ferry the other day to go from Salem to Boston and back! It is a fun, efficient way to move between the two cities. In Salem, you can park in the parking lot by the harbor if you're coming by car. The ferry (the Nathaniel Bowditch boat) has two floors, bathrooms and a bar and is medium size. Very clean and well maintained. When you are leaving/entering the harbours, the crew will give a short but informative presentation about the history of the two towns, 100% understandable both from the microphone and the speakers. PROs Fast - about 55 minutes - efficient and scenic, especially when entering Boston. The boarding process too was very quick and easy - they leave exactly on time! Don't be late! CONs A bit on the expensive side. We didn't know there was a discount for residents and we paid the full price, which is not cheap. Be aware, this can be a bumpy ride. I'm sure it is not necessarily all the time - I'm sure many have done this ferry on smooth, tranquil waters. It was not the case for us today, thought! It was choppy and bumpy, a bit more than what I expected from a ferry. And the boat goes fast...! If you suffer from motion sickness, I definitely recommend NOT to seat on the second floor but to stay on the first floor. And bring some layers, because the second floor is open and the first floor is covered and kind of closed, but it might get cold there anyway.

This is an absolute MUST! We took the ferry from Boston to Salem and back again on our way out. It was one of our favorite parts of our witch trip to Salem! The views were spectacular and we even got some history! They have snacks and drinks and a great staff. We truly enjoyed this amazing experience!

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Birthplace is an interesting house to visit. To see the house a ticket to tour the House of the Seven Gables must be purchased. After touring the House of the Seven Gables you can walk over to Hawthorne's house and do a self-guided tour. The House of the Seven Gables is well worth the visit and seeing Hawthorne's house is an added bonus. The house was moved to its current location in 1958. It was originally at 27 Union Street in Salem. The house was built around 1750 by a Boston mariner named Joshua Pickman. In 1765 Nathaniel's grandfather purchased it and Nathaniel was born there in 1804. Inside the red clapboard Georgian style house you will see Hawthorne family furniture and displays about his life. On the tour you can see the room where Nathaniel was born. The other rooms in the house are an interesting look at the early life of Hawthorne in the early 19th century. The self-guided tour usually takes about 15 minutes, but depending on interest level you can stay longer if you want. A tour guide is available in the house if you have questions.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's birthplace home is part of the House of the Seven Gables admission price and located in the grounds. Id suggest since it is self guided to do it before or after your Seven gables home tour. Going upstairs is very steep steps. Thus Id advise those with disabilities to rethink and check out the steps before going up. I found it more difficult coming back down. Really not worth your health going to the attic if leg issues.

The full tour is worth it, even if it is a little pricey. Not a tourist trap like most of sights in Salem. Guides are knowledgeable.

We bought a guided tour and our guide (if I'm remembering a few days later her name may have been Meg?) was absolutely amazing, even my two pre-teen kiddos were kept interested the entire time. I believe at the end of the tour they even told our guide "I thought I was going to be bored but I wasn't" Highly suggest buying the guided tour!

Interestingly, this house is both the birthplace of Nathaniel Hawthorne and it isn't. As is plainly articulated by signage, the entirety of the house was moved from its original location to now rest beside the House of the Seven Gables years ago, making it possible to tour these two highly interesting sites in one location.

Spend the money for the full tour and not just the grounds....with the full tour, you'll be able to go inside the buildings and learn a little more than you knew when it started.

This place was amazing. I spent hours there and didn't want to leave.

Day trip for swimming beaches, one sandy with lifeguard and one pebbly. The fort was closed for excavations while we were there but you can still walk around and take in the views. RV camping too.

Beautiful view, we were lucky we were here during good weather

Beautiful environment. A stone throw away from town and beach. So close, you can ride a bike there. Interesting piece of history

Ok so the lighthouse itself is pretty neat. I came for the lighthouse stamp! (I got the actual stamp from the Salem Maritime National Park headquarters). 4 stars here because to actually walk to the lighthouse it costs $10 for parking. The small store is cash only so be ready for that too. There are a few picnic tables to enjoy the view with and a bunch of -what looked like- full RV spots. Oh I did go to Fort Pickering as well. From Fort Pickering you can walk down to the rocky beach to get a closer look at the lighthouse. Sadly I didn’t see any snakes!

This is a beautiful spot. There’s a million lighthouses in NE but we randomly picked this one on Apple Maps and went. It’s quite easy to get down to the beach as the terrain is sandy and small rocks. There’s also benches to sit down and take in the view.

Plenty of parking, couple trails to walk around and explore. There is old ammunition storage areas, 2 old military bunkers, a lighthouse, and plenty of benches to sit down to take in the view. It's right on the water so you can walk down to the beach an take a look in the tide pools in between the rocks.

Abandoned fort dating back to 1643 which was used for military and coast guard purposes up to the 1970's. Great place for a quiet walk to look at the ocean and the lighhouse. Has a series of benches overlooking the water. Worth a stop.

Awesome park! There are big grassy areas, a baseball field, a playground, a community garden, and a community compost dropoff. I like bringing my dog here for daily walks. The park is clean and well maintained. Glad I live nearby.

small but nice park quiet an peaceful

they updated the park,I've been going to this park over 30 years,they have a softball field,clean bathrooms,a basketball court ( has a fence so your ball won't roll down the hill ), we played a game of round the world in the court today.alsi has a children's playground ,in winter you can go sledding down the hills ,and I'm not sure if they still do it but would freeze some water for skating,we noticed garden and a koi pond in the park,we aren't sure if it's community or not. sometimes the concession stands are open but not always ,ice cream trucks visit this park in the summer,and it's far away from the main roads so you can relax while your children play

Nice walk up a path with stairs to a simple, classic park. Walking path, baseball diamond and trees shading a pretty lawn. Mack park is what i grew up thinking of as a neighborhood park. The afternoon i visited, it was quiet, with a few dog walkers, and a guy practicing his saxophone. I walked up the stairs so not sure about wheelchair access. No fee. No vendors.

There's a great playground for children and a baseball diamond there are also other sports that are played they're also. It's a great place to take the family and have a picnic. Or to just chill out with your partner.

A neighborhood park, good for kids; it has a playground and ball field. It is not very large; limited walks, biking not recommended. Has a very small area of woods and a community garden. Good for chilling out.

Killer park, you can smell the ocean breeze. My dad and I just took 2 super beefs from Atha's over here kehhhhd and they were delicious. This park is great go hang out there plz

Great place to park while visiting Salem. Cost was $1.25/hour. By the time we arrived at 9:30 am on a Friday, garage was fairly full. It was easy to pay upon exit by using the kiosks.

Not a bad parking garage in a great location for touring Salem. Simple access and exit, and easy to pay. The mall you exit into is, um, rough to say the least, but I don't consider that as part of the garage.

Stay Away at All Costs – Crooked, Deceitful, and Not Worth the Headache. This garage is an absolute nightmare. The employees are deceitful, unhelpful, and quick to tow you at their own mistake—then turn around and ticket you improperly on top of it. It’s not even worth the $30 you might spend here, because there’s a real chance they’ll tow you anyway. The customer service is horrid. On the phone, they are rude, inconsiderate, and completely unwilling to help. They don’t even attempt to contact the owner of the vehicle, and instead, they belittle and blame you. Their excuse? Claiming you were “too close” to a spot or not parked correctly, while also blaming it on their poorly marked spaces—when in reality, you weren’t blocking anything. Save yourself the stress and money. This garage is full of crooks, and it’s not worth the risk.

Prime location and easy to access, but beware of weekend pricing. I was surprised by a $50 flat day rate Saturday morning after only paying a few dollars Friday evening. This increase is not advertised on signs at the entrance.

3 levels, fills up quick and top level uncovered. Difficult to find the elevators and has 2 sets and they both do not go to the same levels. Stairs are steep, concrete, and slick. Wear your walking shoes. Does open up right by Peabody museum and witch city mall

Expensive, bit close to the Peabody Museum and other downtown locations. Lots of trash on the ground, but seemed safe.

The mall below not clean. The bathrooms were awful. The porta- potty across the street was 100 times cleaner.

While in Salem, we were waiting for the Witch Museum to open, so we had breakfast and went to find Gallows Hill where they hung the people involved with the witch trials. Maps was telling us we were in the right place, but we never found a historical marker saying we were there. We did talk to a man walking his dogs in the park and he mentioned "it" was on the other side of the hill, speaking of the place where they were hung.

Playground is not younger kid friendly. The slides have at least a 2ft drop.

This park has always been one of my favorite parks in town. Now it has a skatepark it's even better. Nowhere fast skate shop located in Beverly has events regularly and is closer to the park than zoomeez. So don't shop at zoomeez ok. The local crew is friendly and looks out for each other.

I heard that they believe that witches were hanged around here but overall the park was underwhelming when we went. A small trail through some trees, a baseball field or two, and a skate park but I'm pretty sure it was under construction.

I love this spot, it’s full of historic energy, it’s beautiful, it can be a bit creepy, definitely haunted, but (and maybe just me), but the skate park is obnoxious and ruins the feel of the place. There are no historical signs with information, especially about how thats actually not where the witches were hanged, but they did trail through there on their way to the true hanging tree around the corner. And its not just the skatepark, though that should have been built by the proctor street side, and the park could’ve had so many more opportunities to look beautiful. There are way too many thoughts I have about this place so I’ll stop here, but I feel like Gallows Hill Park is not being able to live up to its worth. Let’s do better Salem

Loved the historical aspect, odd they chose to put swings and a playground ...

Salem, Massachusetts never disappoints for Haunted Happenings and Halloween 🎃

Easy to get to. This park had a well-maintained playground, pickleball courts, and a basketball court with a wall they use for an ice rink in winter.

Cute area. The water is receiving those so it was kind of stinky.

A nice basketball court/skating rink, 4 new pickleball courts, small playground, and a couple picnic tables under a shelter. Small but quite nice, with cool breeze off the water.

Nice little park by the water just outside of downtown. Great to let your doggo run out some energy and play. Playground for the kids with a tennis court and ice/street hockey rink

Collins Cove Park in Salem is a fantastic spot! The playground is a hit with kids, and the picnic areas are perfect for family outings. The stunning ocean views create a serene atmosphere, ideal for a leisurely walk. Well-kept grounds and clean facilities make it even better. Don't miss the vibrant sunsets here!

Great park on the water. At high tide there is a bit of a beach but at low tide it can be muddy. 4 nice pickleball courts, a playground, swings, softball field and a basketball court.

There is a great view of the cove. You can pick up some lunch or dinner at Amazing pizza and More and then enjoy it at the park. I haven't tried the pickle ball yet but this is a nice unique addition to the park.

Beautiful violinist was playing here, adding wonderful and enchanting ambiance.....police shut it down, unfortunately. But they dont stop the explicit lyrics blasting a block away from a store front.

I took my 16 year old daughter on a road trip to see ghosts and witches. Salem, Massachusetts was fantastic. We had so much fun exploring the museums and shops of Salem! Very LGBTQ+ friendly, I would highly recommend it!

Nice small pocket park with the bewitched statue in it

Took the kids prior to Halloween. On the wknd, at night. Traffic gets crazy & you will need to park a little far away, recommend by the Traun station. Then 10-15min walk and you walking downtown. Roads are closed down at night. Reopen around 10pm or 11pm. Do your research on what to do, get tickets ahead & make reservations for anything. Crowds get ridiculous and even a gift shop will have a line round the bldg. We sight saw, went to Hallowed Happenings, and ate at the park patio side

A lovely place to walk around and take in the historic scenery.

This is a nice little park in downtown Salem, MA. Benches to sit and relax, and the oh-so famous Bewitched statue of Samantha Steven's (Elizabeth Montgomery) commemorating the Bewitched tv episodes that were filmed in Salem. Stop by for a photograph! Sit with an ice cream and watch the world go by.

Park might be a bit much of a term: this more of park-let. If you're really moved by the Bewitched Statue then by all means. Otherwise, its got a small, but nice set of grass and shade.

Its magical. Awesome place.

Great place three parks in walking distance.

My kids loved to play here when they were little. Huge open field for running. Super cool tank for climbing. There are swings and a fence to keep kids away from the main road. Close by Salem Willows.

The park is nice enough, clean, easy to get to. The star attraction is the M60 tank on the south west corner. You can climb on it. For me it was a treat to see that kind of hardware up close.

It was empty of other people, so a great place to practice soccer. However, the Canadian geese have been there and my shoes are covered with goose poop all over the bottom of them.

Small public park next to the charter school. The playground equipment is in need of repair. Basketball court looked good.

Features a playground, basketball court, and a real army tank for climbing. It is also adjacent to Bentley Academy.

Great place to park! It is a bit run down, but that's a fair sacrifice for the super cheap prices. I recommend parking here if you want cheap prices and convenience to many Salem attractions. Also, check out the mural out back. it's a cool sight to see.

This garage is our go to for Salem trips due to the location both by the water, and walkable to most anywhere you'd want to go in town Salem. The price is pretty cheap to park (less than $10 for the day), and there are bathrooms at the bottom, accessed by an outer door from the sidewalk. The bathrooms are.. not great, thus the 4 stars instead of 5, but at least they are there in a pinch!

My only reason to visit was to use the public restrooms. They are not unisex. Two men's and women's bathrooms each. Hopefully, you don't have someone who decides that staying over ten minutes is acceptable. It looks like this parking 🅿️ garage has an information ℹ️ both that has people available to answer questions. Convenient for downtown. I didn't see 🙈 a lot of vehicles inside though.

Tight parking for my f150 door was hit there and is very low i have a stock hight f150 and it was close to ceiling it was affordable and clean though so if you have a smaller car i recommend it

Best parking garage in Salem. Affordable prices located next to all the popular parts of Salem. Bathrooms attached to parking garage. Helpful staff as well. Visiter center attached as well with helpful information and assistance. Great gift shop as well.

A nice place to park. Fantastic location that's walking distance from downtown Salem.

Amazingly priced parking in downtown Salem! We had parked here from 8a-6p and it had only cost us around $9! The weekend price of $30 for a full day certainly isn't bad either! My suggestion is that you arrive before the rush, as the lot can fill up quickly. Especially during October of course.

Cute park with some swings, picnic tables and a basketball court. Connects to the Salem bike path and Marblehead rail trail. Gorgeous views of the marsh! The ground along the water can be very mucky at low tide and the beach nearly disappears at high tide so keep that in mind. Parking is for residents only due to the university nearby.

Definitely worth a visit. Nice long play structure w/some unusual play equipment and an excavator on the side. Basketball court, two picnic tables (one w/roof), and nice open field. At high tide, beach is nice place to play in the sand, but pretty muddy when low. Scenery in adjacent marsh is beautiful: we saw four snowy egrets! Parking is tough. Adjacent spots are resident-only, but a 3-minute walk away they are resident-only only on weekdays during business hours.

The grounds are well kept all year round, plowing is on point, grass always mowed. We love the inside of our condo however, the walls are paper thin. On one side the snoring of a neighbor is like they are in the room with us and on the other side, a family who screams, fights, gets physical and throws things constantly. The parking is awful. If you have only one vehicle, you have a driveway, but parking is a huge issue. Someone has tried breaking into my vehicle twice now and parking around the corner and down the street is not ideal. $2,000 a month I would have hoped for better.

I love bringing my dog here since the park is usually empty during lunch time. Nice little playground and close to the rail trail.

Pickman park is a great place to take the kids. Lived here 22years and spent a lot of time there. Great neighborhood!

Great size for toddlers

Good place to walk and be close to nature. You can enjoy the views

My family have been residents on the island for definitely longer than I've been around. Always a wonderful and peaceful getaway close to home.

If I told you I'd have to end you. It's better this way.

It was weird and small. Good if you like privacy and doing nothing.

If I told you I'd have to end you. It's better this way.

llove it there because it food and beach is so nice

Stunned

so uh, the swing broke and I fell

Cute playground but it's very dirty . Trash everywhere

When I was going there I knew it was going to be more of an attraction than coming to see a part of American history. This place is very special and I hope it is honored. As I did wander through the streets My eyes weren't focused on the books as much as the architecture around there I must say it was beautiful. Well I'm really grateful for is that you do see the respect from a lot of people not touching the offerings. I was so excited to go there and I'll be frankly honest with you it lived up to it the whole town everything. What I think would be peaceful is a 5:00 a.m. cup of coffee walk no people no stores just the history the architecture the pride in a build in a fear of injustice.

Its very humbling to have people not forgotten. The memorial is definatly being honored and the names kept alive of those that were mistakenly accused and lost their lives. The fact thousands of people visit and take their time to view each name and some even dropping flowers in their memory really does feel as if they wont ever be forgotten. The graveyard also very full with visitors look & talking about those who are no longer with us and there is just a buzz in the air for those that could have been forgotten being remembered.

Wonderful place to come. It’s a free tour but you’ve got to get your pass online. So much history in one area.

A beautiful and powerful place of reflection. The Witch Trial Memorial is simple yet incredibly moving — a quiet space that honors the innocent lives lost during the 1692 witch trials. The stone benches engraved with each victim’s name create such a heavy emotional impact, especially when you realize how close it is to the Old Burying Point Cemetery. It’s not flashy or touristy, and that’s what makes it so meaningful. The atmosphere is peaceful and somber, and it really encourages you to pause and reflect on what happened here centuries ago. If you’re visiting Salem, make sure to stop by. It’s a short visit, but one that stays with you long after you leave. A beautiful and respectful tribute — five stars.

Probably one of my favorite experiences of this whole trip. It was really sobering to be in the spot of remembrance for these people who were killed because of hysteria and groupthink and intolerance. Brought pennies all the way from Seattle to leave one of each of their markers It was amazing to see others then felt the same way that I did. It was beautiful and moving

Interesting stop along your journey through Salem These are just a few of the the benches dedicated to the people persecuted for being a witch Most were hung and one crushed to death from "spectral evidence" Let me help in case you've never heard of such a thing like I hadn't Google says, Spectral evidence is testimony based on dreams, visions, or apparitions, where a witness claims the spirit or "specter" of an accused person appeared to them and caused harm, even when the accused was physically elsewhere. It was notably accepted during the Salem Witch Trials in the late 17th century, reflecting the Puritan belief that malevolent spirits could project themselves to torment others, but it was later condemned as unreliable and dangerous. What it entails: Apparitions: Accusers reported seeing the specter of a witch, sometimes in human or animal form, that would pinch, bite, or choke them. Dreams and Visions: The evidence often came from victims experiencing visions or dreams where the spirit of the accused person tormented them. Spiritual Projection: The underlying belief was that witches, through a pact with the Devil, could project their spirit to harm others from a distance, while their physical body remained in a different location

This is a memorial of the salem witch trials. You will see the gravestone of those convicted, and hung, of being a witch. There are tickets you need to register for, but are free, just so they can keep track of the visitors.

Beautifully preserved 1700’s mansion on Essex Street in Salem. Close to the Witch House. Garden is free to explore and absolutely stunning. We added $5 to Peabody Essex Museum entry fee for mansion tour. Timed entry. It’s beautiful inside with a lot of history and memorabilia from the Ropes family. Helpful staff to answer questions. Four stars is due to not enough time to explore. Only 20 minutes to explore the house and its numerous rooms and countless keepsakes (after 5 minute intro). Oh, & it’s Allison’s house in Hocus Pocus. Definitely worth the visit.

Wow the Ropes Mansion and Gardens are beautiful. The gardens are free to visit. The flowers and all the plants are beautiful and breathtaking. This is a definite must see in Salem Ma

This is a historical stop and also is Allison's house from the movie Hocus Pocus. You can't go inside, but there is a beautiful garden that you can walk through and read about the history of the home. This is free to walk through.

We only saw the gardens, but they were beautiful! It's definitely worth seeing! The flowers were so pretty and they even had a little pond AND a Little Free Library!

Amazing!! Totally worth a visit while in Salem for a moment of quiet astonishment at this beautiful garden. Free/no cost to explore the backyard. Thanks to the friendly passerby for recommending it to us 😌

Visited in early September. The views were absolutely amazing, not too crowded either! Loved the information about each plant that they had posted as well!

Ropes mansion the Iconic Allison's house from Hocus pocus. The garden's are absolutely beautiful in the fall 🍂🍁 and the koi 🐟 fish pond

Quite private like beach vibes 🏖️ it has its own camping spot available but with a limited space - has shower, change rooms and restrooms. Tiny hidden beach - Waikiki, watch your steps as it is rocky even on some trail walks.. there are tables at the lookout spots to enjoy the views of the lighthouse. There is a party hall - good for small events.. the parking was $15 for us(whole day)not sure if there is a resident discount(you may wanna check that if you are Salem resident) definitely so sooothing and peaceful - I would not recommend swimming.

Quite, peaceful, relaxing, lots of sea shells for us collector's. Even found a piece of sea glass. The beach itself is smaller than what most would picture a beach to be, but beautiful none the less

Nice and peaceful. Great place to sit on a bench and unwind.

RV camped for a couple of nights. Cool spot just a short bike ride from all Salem has to offer. We enjoyed the ample space to walk our dogs around. The abandoned building is creepy to see at night but we liked that sort of thing 🤣

Winter island is a really nice little camp spot tucked off in Salem. After a crazy day in town with all the tourists and lines, it was serene to just relax here. It was quiet and quaint even with other campers. The staff was very nice and accommodating, they were helpful when I emailed and again when I called. The beach is a great bonus here. I didn’t expect it to be so nice. It was like a little slice of your own vacation beach. All in this was a very relaxing spot.

Great park for day activities and you can camp there. I suggest reservations.

Very nice little beach and the park has great views of the sailboats.

Salem woods is a great beginner/ intermediate trail with beautiful scenery. However, much of the paths are overgrown and not taken care of very well. There are parts where the path can be very rocky as well.

Very clean, I didn't see any trash while walking. If you are going to get here by GPS put in the golf course, otherwise google will just take you to the nearest edge of the woods, not somewhre that you can park.

One of the best short trails I've done so far

Came here on 12/9/2023. All the leaves that are going to fall have fell so just be careful bc they hide rocks and you might slip and fall, but otherwise the main path (yellow) was marked well and you can go in either direction. The blue and red paths not so well, just be careful. To get to the entrance, go through thr golf course entrance on Willson Street and once you get to the top of the paved hill, stick to the right and you'll see the entrance by a wooden sign at the back of the parking lot. Enjoy!

Salem woods is my go to place for peace and happiness. I go there feeling off at times and every time I leave I'm full of love and admiration of how beautiful life and nature is.

This trail didn't work out so well for me. It started out fine and I decided to take the blue trail because I wanted a shorter hike. All of a sudden the marked blue trail had red marks on the trees that confused me because there was no red trail on the map. So I stayed on a trail that was completely overgrown & where I ran to 2-3 homeless sites, pitch tents and garbage all over the place....Only to find that I ended up in the back of the high school parking lot. I never once veered off of a trail so I don't know how I got there. However it was brutal having to cut through that huge school, back down Willson Rd. and up the hill to where my car was parked, in order to avoid having to go back through the homeless camps to find the blue trail that just completely disappeared along the way in the 1st place. Never again

We had a little difficulty finding the trailhead and had to put the golf course into waze to find it. Once there, it was a beautiful location. Moderate trail difficulty with roots, rocks and changes in elevation throughout. Nice vistas and very few people. It could use more markings because it was hard to follow the map. Generally, we didn't know where we were or how long it would take to get back (could definitely use a would-be eagle scout to fix it😀) . Overall, however, we had a great time and it was a nice hike!

Nice and peaceful to come and have a cup of coffee and enjoy the view

This is a nice, small park by the ocean and right next to the Essex Bridge. It’s an enjoyable place to take in the ocean air, take some photos, read or write, or just simply sit and soak in the scenery. I’ve biked to this spot quite a few times and always find it to be a great place to just pause and be present. Highly recommend.

The park had mature trees and a nice walking path. There was a children's play area and picturesque boulders. The only reason for my 2-star review is the pioneer village (1630 reconstruction) was closed and fenced off for improvements so we were unable to get any photos.

Nice and clean little park directly on the ocean. Definitely nicer during the warmer months for dog walking, sea gull watching or just to sit on a bench and have some take out from a nearby restaurant. Plenty of parking available.

2 hrs parking restrictions. I was only gone for an hour and fifteen minutes and was ticked. Take a bike here to enjoy the scenery.

This is a beautiful, comfortable and very special piece of Salem. The park is beautifully designed. Simple but has the obvious look of dignity. It boasts a proudly lit American flag, as the area is illuminated during the dark hours. There is plenty of parking. A brick paved area traditional of Salem. With lovely, well groomed land scraping and plenty of benches comfortably placed and recycling and waste barrels. A perfect place for a snack or coffee. The dock is safe for small children as there are no spaces large enough for a little one to slip through. You may view scenic beaches previously only known to local beachcombers or adventurers. While at the same time providing colorful deep blue star speckled and golden sunsets skies. And in the early mornings you can actually witness the sun rising over the beautiful North Atlantic Ocean. A proud piece of Salem contributing to Salems honorable history of our forefathers and those who served and made our country free. The city itself is speckled with Presidential names such as Washington and even houses some of the actual presidential bloodlines. Such as the Grants who reside on Bridge st. Neck. As well as Moses Farmer's first house in the world (known to our current history) with electricity. Also on Bridge st. Neck. 11 Pearl st. The Salem common (birthplace of the United States National Guard) has a beautiful arch from George Washington, built for his soldiers, because he loved them so much. Salem being named after Jerusalem, city of peace.. is truly an amazing place. Especially now in recent times of the New Age which has taken Salem by the hand and washed away any misconception of being wicked.. Salem.. city of peace. Land of our forefathers. A true symbol of freedom, change, understanding, exceptacne and growth.. in my opinion gets better everyday. A spiritual and loving place that is realistically evolving with the times while still holding on to our core values that make this country so great. God bless America and the entire world.

Perfect spot to watch beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Limited parking is available. Wonderful place to come and relax by the water.

It was used as a landmark for our group as we traveled in Salem. It is near a homeless shelter. We were not interrupted by anyone, but they gather there during the day while the shelter is closed.

this park is lost to the homeless. you can't go through the washington st lights without a homeless person holding a sign at the top the hill across from dominos or at the derby st/ washington st intersection. most mornings they are tolling both locations. there's also a spooky guy in all black by mandee's pizza @essex and boston st. cops and the mayor do not care.

They need to keep the homeless people out like they do at Lafayette Park. They yell, fight, sleep on the little walls. It doesn't look good for tourists. I know Ligebridge is right there.. but can't they make an adult park somewhere on a side street just for them?. Some benches, trees and such but nothing for kids.

This has to do with the driving experience: the city had a wonderful rotary here that worked well and then destroyed it with the new system of traffic lights and worse traffic back ups. They should return this to a rotary!

Very pretty. I love that they have Pride flags during June. Such a great representation of all members of the community.

many spots are permit only, and you can only park an hour at the meters mon - sat; but i called the mall and asked (worried about being towed) & they said parking isn't enforced sundays!

One of the most beautiful parts of Salem. I found it a perfect spot for contemplation when I was going through a rough patch.

A tiny little park right in the middle of an ocean of concrete. My wife and I stopped here to eat Spitfire Tacos which is just around the corner. The park was empty when we were there in mid October, which was nice as just two blocks away is the heart of Salem during its busy season. There were some nice shaded benches for eating at, and a nice view of the water.

Tried to take my 4 yo to play after lunch while on vacation. It is a homeless encampment now. 5/2/2024

A quiet little spot with some nice outdoor art. One or two little structures for children (5+?) to play on. Nice to walk through to the board walk, or sit next to the water for a minute, but don't expect much out of it.

Not a destination. We call it "Little Park," since it's only got a spinner, two medium climbers, and a broken "telephone." Nice, pretty rubberized surface. Well conceived landscaping with tiny, grassy hills. Unfortunately, an effort to pretty it up with a series of local children's hand-painted tiles mostly failed when the majority of tiles fell off. The table area is typically occupied by local vagabonds who are friendly, but only sometimes careful with the salty talk when little ones are present.

Extraordinary outdoor museum, Punto Urban Art Museum. 50 murals within a three-block walkable neighborhood by some of the most renowned artists from around the world next to some of the best artists from the North Shore. Murals range from 8 feet to 50 feet talk and 130 feet wide. I loved my afternoon discovering and photographing these wonderful works of urban art, a huge thank you to the North Shore CDC.

A cute little park! Especially for the occasional dance events! Great little community!

Cool place cool runnings

Nice little spot to catch your breath away from all the crowds

Salem’s Frozen Fire Festival

Away from Halloween hordes but also near homeless encampment. Be on guard.

not safe for kids. homeless hang out. tent city across the river.

It's a cute little park and the swings are good. But stay away after dark.

Cute little park in Salem. Great production!

Salem's Frozen Festival