So you’re in Salem but you only have 24 hours to check out all the sites around downtown. What do you do? I’ve made up a list of all my favorite things to do in Salem with only a short timeframe to work with. These are the places I love to take friends to when they come to visit.

Breakfast & Morning Activities

I would recommend starting your morning as early as you can and either get a coffee or tea and breakfast at Jaho or AJ King Bakery. Jaho roasts their own coffee right next to their shop on Derby street. This is a cool spot, especially if you are heading into Boston at any point since you can go to their coffee shops there as well! Or maybe you’re lucky enough to be planning a trip to Japan and check all Jaho locations off your list. No matter where you are starting your 24 in Salem day, you can always find a Jaho. They have multiple locations in Salem, some central to downtown, others a little further away from it all and closer to Salem State University. If you chose to start your day at AJ King Bakery at their downtown location, I recommend getting the sticky bun latte. I also really enjoy and can’t recommend this place enough because they work with a lot of local farms and small businesses for their food and drink. Their grains are sourced from One Mighty Mill, which is located a few towns over in Lynn. They also have a chalkboard up with all the farms and businesses that they are currently partnering with so you know where your goods are coming from. I would recommend either having a quick sit down breakfast at either of these locations in Salem, or taking it to go. Both locations are either on or close to Derby street, so from there I would walk down to the Wharf or the common for some sight seeing or people watching while eating breakfast. The lighthouse is a beautiful spot and short walk from the edge of the wharf.

Lunch & Afternoon

The next stops I would recommend, would be making your way over to a museum. Salem is home to plenty of them. No matter the weather, if it’s raining or too hot to be walking all around downtown, there are plenty of museums to pop into. My favorites are the Peabody Essex Museum or the Salem Witch Museum. The Peabody Essex Museum has a nice rotation of art and beautiful gardens. If you’re looking for a place to sit and relax a little in between a long day of walking downtown, the Salem Witch Museum is the perfect place to learn all about the history of the Salem Witch trials.

After that I would take a casual walk down Essex Street to pop into the local witchy shops. I would head into Crow Haven Corner (the oldest witch shop in Salem) to get your tarot cards read or book a group activity. There are plenty of different shops on Essex Street no matter what you’re into.

If you made your way over to the common this morning, I would also recommend doing a self guided Hocus Pocus tour. Phillips Elementary School is located just next to the common and is where they filmed Max and Allison’s school. Old Town Hall is located just off Essex Street and was where the Halloween party was filmed, and The Ropes Mansion is Allisons house. These are all spots that are within a 20 minute walking distance from one another and can be checked off quickly if you don’t have a lot of time here in Salem. If you are interested in seeing all the filming sights from Hocus Pocus, I would recommend getting there by car and it definitely can be done in one day!

If you’re in the middle of your self guided Hocus Pocus walking tour, I would grab a quick lunch along the way. Red Line Cafe is conveniently located on Essex Street just across from Old Town Hall. After lunch I would keep heading down Essex Street, making stops at the Sabrina statue, The Witch House, and The Ropes Mansion and gardens. Depending on the season, the garden might be in full bloom and is free for everyone to view and enjoy!

Dinner & Evening

After your stroll down the spookiest street in Salem, it’s probably pretty close to dinner time. If you’re here during the warmer seasons, I would recommend heading over to The Roof, Salem’s only open air rooftop bar located at Hotel Salem. This is the perfect spot to look out on the city and enjoy some appetizers, drinks, and dinner. Personally, I love the prickly pear ‘rita. Another great spot for some views would be at Sea Level Oyster Bar. From there you can enjoy a meal outside on their deck with the views of the wharf and harbor.

The one place I am always sure to take family and friends to when they are here visiting in Salem, is Bit Bar Arcade. They have a rotation of games which include things like pinball, skee ball, DDR, Pac Man and my favorite the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game. Bit Bar is also kid friendly until 8 PM! Here they have game themed cocktails, mocktails and snacks. Some nights they even have local band shows, trivia and karaoke. Check out their website or instagram to see if they have a fun event happening while you’re in town.

Bonus Time

If you’re going to be in Salem on a weekend, then this final stop is for you. Goodnight Fatty is a late night cookie shop that is only open on the weekends. If you are going to be here Friday through Sunday, you should definitely take the time and grab a cookie on your way out. They have a secret rotating menu that includes so many different flavors. They also have soft serve ice cream that you can top with cereal, or coffee!

Links

https://www.jaho.com

https://ajkingbakery.com

https://www.nps.gov/places/derby-wharf.htm

https://www.pem.org/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=pem_fy2025_brand_all_maxconversion_&utm_content=pem_responsive&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwqMO0BhA8EiwAFTLgIPvvUtRGHveD8LVXzQ5-x41WsB-kvO_AKBCdcqH8FiiM9IyTX0dP0hoCBIkQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.crowhavencorner.com

https://www.theroofsalem.com