Cemeteries & dark history
Salem Witch Trials History Walking Tour
Twenty people executed on evidence that would not survive a moment's scrutiny.
Maine in October1h 30m
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Detailed city guide · Maine & the New England coast
Maine in October
A seasonal collection rather than a city. The one month of the year when the New England marketing and the New England reality are the same thing. Salem is busy and, to its credit, honest. The coast is cold and the boats go out anyway.
7 Terminal Leisure picks · 12 bookable activities
Our picks
On the water
Maine Coast Lighthouse & Shipwreck Boat Trip
The lighthouses exist because a great many ships did not make it.
Maine in October2h 30m
After dark
Portland Maine After-Dark History Walk
A working port with a long memory, walked once the working part has stopped.
Maine in October1h 30m
Unusual museums
Salem Witch Trials Museum Visit
The trials, told with dioramas, in a building that takes the subject more seriously than the street outside does.
Maine in October1h
Animal encounters
Maine Seabird & Puffin Island Boat Trip
A colony re-established on a bare rock after being hunted off it, reachable only by a long cold boat.
Maine in October3h 30m
Underground
Granite Coastal Fort After-Dark Tour
A granite fort that never fired a shot, with unlit passageways you walk through by torchlight.
Maine in October1h 30m
Outdoor in all weather
Portland Head Light & Shipwreck Site Visit
The oldest lighthouse in the state, and the rocks below it that explain why it is there.
Maine in October1h 30m
Good to know
October in Salem is the peak of the year. Activities fill quickly, so book early if your dates are fixed.
Coastal boat trips cancel for sea state, not rain. Build in a spare day.
Sunset arrives early in late autumn. An after-dark walk in November starts before dinner.