Salem and the Small-Town Tourism Trap
03/18/25 • 26 min
Salem, Massachusetts is best known for the Witch Trials of 1692. That history turned the small town into a Halloween destination, with more than 1 million people flocking there in the month of October alone. It’s so crowded that residents can’t get down the street, walk into a shop, or sit down at a restaurant. How does a small town like Salem deal with a flood of visitors in just one month of the year? And is it really worth it for the people who live there?
SHOW NOTES:
- The Salem Witch Trials: A Story of Patriarchy, Persecution and Misogyny
- Witch Hunt: A Traveler’s Guide to the Power and Persecution of the Witch
- How Salem, Massachusetts Became America’s Halloween Capital
- Visit these 12 Halloween towns that aren’t Salem
- Salem residents share perspectives on tourist crowds
Salem, Massachusetts is best known for the Witch Trials of 1692. That history turned the small town into a Halloween destination, with more than 1 million people flocking there in the month of October alone. It’s so crowded that residents can’t get down the street, walk into a shop, or sit down at a restaurant. How does a small town like Salem deal with a flood of visitors in just one month of the year? And is it really worth it for the people who live there?
SHOW NOTES:
- The Salem Witch Trials: A Story of Patriarchy, Persecution and Misogyny
- Witch Hunt: A Traveler’s Guide to the Power and Persecution of the Witch
- How Salem, Massachusetts Became America’s Halloween Capital
- Visit these 12 Halloween towns that aren’t Salem
- Salem residents share perspectives on tourist crowds
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