Explore Salem’s Haunted Neighborhood with the Halloween Pass

Sponsored Content | Photographed by Jess Shada, Destination Salem

There are plenty of ways to get into the Halloween spirit in Salem, but tucked into the Haunted Neighborhood on Derby Street, you can find five distinctly Salem experiences all in one place.

The Salem Wax’s Halloween Pass bundles five attractions, taking you from haunted houses and spellcasting to a candlelit walk through Salem’s historic streets. We stopped by the Haunted Neighborhood to take a closer look at what’s waiting inside.

Our first stop was Salem Wax: A Halloween Experience, where Salem history meets the wonderfully weird and spooky. The attraction has changed quite a bit over the years, and longtime visitors may recognize pieces of its past mixed among newer additions. During a recent renovation, the team even worked to preserve elements from earlier versions of the attraction, including an original sign that once hung outside.

There are new details still being added, too. An artist has been creating hand-carved figures and scenery for the space, including a wizard that will greet visitors and new trees designed to transform the exit. It’s the kind of attraction where there’s always something new—or something very old—to discover.

Then, it was time to get scared.

One of the biggest perks of the Halloween Pass is that it includes two haunted houses. Frankenstein’s Castle Haunted House features live actors whenever it’s open, with even more joining the cast during the height of the Halloween season. Around the corner, Witch Village: Halloweentown transforms into a haunted house on weekends, with live actors joining the experience during October.

The Witch Village has undergone its own transformation. Visitors who remember the attraction from years past might notice they’re suddenly traveling in the opposite direction. The route was reversed during renovations, new props have been added, and a hidden entrance has become a favorite among visitors after making the rounds on TikTok.

Wondering whether to bring the kids? There isn’t a set age requirement for the haunted houses. The team recommends that parents and caregivers make the call based on their own kids. Plenty of children venture inside—the goal is to mix scares with plenty of fun.

After surviving the haunted houses, the pass shifts gears with Within a Witching Hour Spellcasting, offering the chance to add a little hands-on magic to your day.

And the experience doesn’t end at the Haunted Neighborhood. The fifth attraction is a Candlelit Ghostly Walking Tour, which takes you out into Salem to hear some of the city’s ghostly tales. It’s also what makes this the only Salem Wax Museum five-attraction combination pass to include a walking tour.

Best of all, there’s no need to race from one attraction to the next. The Halloween Pass can be used over one or multiple days, so you can work each experience into your Salem itinerary at your own pace.

Just be sure to redeem your electronic ticket at the Haunted Neighborhood’s Will Call Booth on Liberty Street before 5 p.m. to guarantee access to all five attractions.

Five attractions, two haunted houses, one ghost tour, a little spellcasting, and a souvenir to take home? That sounds like a pretty Salem way to spend a day — or two!