Useful Directions

Don't laugh, but one of the questions we hear in the visitor center is "How do I get out of Salem?" I suppose roads north of Boston may not always be marked, routes may be convoluted, and streets may be one-way the way you don't want to go.

So, here's a cheat-sheet for you. Directions to get out of Salem back to I-95, Route 128, and the Mass Pike.

If you are still trying to get into Salem, use the address 2 New Liberty Street, Salem, MA 01970. That is the address for the Salem Regional Visitor Center. Or visit the map & directions pages on HauntedHappenings.org and Salem.org.

Directions to I – 95

From the parking garage across from the Salem National Park Service Visitors Center:

1. When exiting the parking garage, turn left on New Liberty St.
2. At the stop sign, take a left onto Brown St.
3. At the stop sign, take a right onto St. Peters St. Follow down the hill to the light.
4. At that corner, take a left onto Bridge St. and get into the right lane.
5. After the next light, you will merge onto 114 West.

For I-95 South:

1. Follow 114 West through Peabody to MA 128 South. (Watch the signs: There will be two left turns and one right turn.)
2. Take MA 128 south and it will merge into I-95 South.

For I-95 North:

1. Follow 114 West through Peabody and Danvers. (Watch the signs: There will be two left turns and one right turn.)
2. Stay on 114 West until meeting I-95 North.

Directions to Logan Airport, Boston

From the parking garage across from the Salem National Park Service Visitors Center:

1. When exiting the parking garage, turn left on New Liberty St.
2. At the stop sign, take a right onto Brown St.
3. At the stop sign, take a right onto Hawthorne Blvd. Proceed through the traffic light to stop sign at Derby St. Take a right.
4. Follow Derby St. to traffic light at Lafayette St.
5. Take a left onto Lafayette St.
6. Follow Lafayette St. through third stop light. Bear right onto Loring Ave. (Rte 114 will bear to your left.)
7. At next stop light, take a left. Continue to follow signs for 1A.
8. Follow Rte 1A through Swampscott, Lynn, Revere, and East Boston.
9. You will encounter two traffic circles/rotaries on the way.
10. Watch signs for the airport.
11. The exit to the airport will be on your right.

Directions to Logan Airport, Boston via Rte 1

From the parking garage across from the Salem National Park Service Visitors Center:

1. When exiting the parking garage, turn left on New Liberty St.
2. At the stop sign, take a left onto Brown St.
3. At the stop sign, take a right onto St. Peters St. Follow down the hill to the light.
4. At that corner, take a left onto Bridge St. and get into the right lane.
5. After the next light, you will merge onto 114 West.
6. Follow 114 West through Peabody to MA 128 South. (Watch the signs: There will be two left turns and one right turn.)
7. Take MA 128 south and it will merge into I-95 South. Take Route 1 south to Boston.
8. Follow Route 1 south to Route 60 East. Follow Route 60 through multiple traffic lights, one traffic circle, and more traffic lights to Route 1A South.
9. Watch for the signs for the airport.
10. The exit to the airport will be on your right.

And here are directions to three other spots that are not within Salem's walkable downtown area. Pioneer Village is located in Forest River Park and is the location of Folkways (daytime) and Spiritways (Saturday nights in October). For ticket information for both events, contact Gordon College, call (978) 867-4767 or visit the box office at Old Town Hall.

From the parking garage across from the Salem National Park Service Visitors Center:

1. When exiting the parking garage, turn left on New Liberty St.
2. At the stop sign, take a right onto Brown St.
3. At the stop sign, take a right onto Hawthorne Blvd. Proceed through the traffic light to stop sign at Derby St. Take a right.
4. Follow Derby St. to traffic light at Lafayette St.
5. Take a left onto Lafayette St.
6. Follow Lafayette St. to third stop light. (Salem State College will be in front of you; Rte 114 goes straight to Marblehead; Rte 1A bears right on Loring Ave.)
7. Take a left at this stop light onto West Ave. This will lead you to Pioneer Village.

Many, many people ask for directions to Gallows Hill Park. Because of its name, visitors often assume this is where the victims of the Witch Trials in 1692 were hung. Before you drive to Gallows Hill Park, which is in a residential neighborhood and features soccer fields and a playground, you should know that we do not know if this is actually where the Witchcraft Trial victims were hanged.

The Salem Witchcraft Trial Memorial on Liberty Street between Derby and Charter Streets, behind the Old Burying Point is a very appropriate place to reflect on the tragedies of 1692.

From the parking garage across from the Salem National Park Service Visitors Center

1. When exiting the parking garage, turn left on New Liberty St.
2. At the stop sign, take a left onto Brown St.
3. At the stop sign, take a right onto St. Peters St. Take the first left onto Federal St. (other side of parking lots).
4. At the next corner, take a right onto Washington St. and get into the left lane which is a left-turn lane going onto Rte 107.
5. Follow Bridge St./Rte 107. After going past the first stop light (Flint St.), get in the left lane.
6. At the second stop light (Boston St.), you will be going straight; do not turn left. (You will see a storage facility and Dunkin Donuts on your right and Walgreens on your left across the street.)
7. Go straight onto Proctor St. (past the Walgreens, keeping it to your left).
8. Follow Proctor St. up the hill and to the left. At the stop sign you will take a right to Gallows Hill Park.

The Rebecca Nurse Homestead in Danvers was the home of one of the victims of the Salem Witch Trials. There is more information about sites from the Witchcraft Trials outside of Salem on the Salem Witch Museum's web site.

1. When exiting the parking garage, turn left on New Liberty St.
2. At the stop sign, take a left onto Brown St.
3. At the stop sign, take a right onto St. Peters St. and follow to the end.
4. At the light, take a left onto Bridge St.
5. At the next light, stay in the right lane and merge onto 114 West.
6. Follow 114 West through Peabody.
7. When directed to turn left onto 114 West, instead stay in the right lane
8. and continue straight to Rte 35 (Margin St.).
9. Continue on Rte 35. Proceed through the first set of lights, and over a bridge. When the road widens into two lanes, stay in the left lane.
10. Take a left at the lights onto Endicott St.

Continue to the end of Endicott St. Take a right onto Sylvan St. and then a left onto Pine St. The Rebecca Nurse Homestead is at 149 Pine St.

Continue down Pine St. to Hobart St. Take a left. The Salem Village Witchcraft Victims’ Memorial is located at 176 Hobart St.

Please drive carefully and have a safe trip!