Our recommendation
Visit Salem Maritime in August
August offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. For comparison, October is the most crowded month (~3.5× the average month) and January is the quietest.
Annual visits
570K
2025
Busiest month
Oct
3.5× avg
Quietest month
Jan
0.1× avg
10-yr trend
rising
+44.1%
How crowded is Salem Maritime by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 42 Poor | 36°F / 18°F | 9.2 h |
| February | Very quiet | 44 Poor | 38°F / 20°F | 10.3 h |
| March | Very quiet | 45 Fair | 44°F / 26°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Quiet | 55 Fair | 55°F / 36°F | 13.2 h |
| May | Quiet | 71 Good | 65°F / 45°F | 14.4 h |
| June | Busy | 73 Good | 74°F / 54°F | 15.1 h |
| July | Busy | 73 Good | 80°F / 61°F | 14.8 h |
| August★ best | Busy | 76 Excellent | 79°F / 60°F | 13.7 h |
| September | Very busy | 64 Good | 72°F / 53°F | 12.3 h |
| October | Very busy | 25 Poor | 61°F / 42°F | 10.8 h |
| November | Very quiet | 49 Fair | 51°F / 33°F | 9.5 h |
| December | Very quiet | 41 Poor | 42°F / 24°F | 8.9 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USC00194502, ~1.7 mi away).
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About visiting Salem Maritime
Salem Maritime National Historical Park is a National Historical Park in MA and a moderately visited park, drawing about 570,000 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has climbed over the past decade, up roughly 44.1%, so crowds are trending heavier each year. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: October is the busiest month at about 3.5× the park's average month, while January is the calmest at roughly 0.1× — a 27-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 36% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 71°F in July down to about 27°F in January, with the wettest stretch in October. About 6 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is August: best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the October rush. Daylight ranges from about 8.9 hours in midwinter to 15.1 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
Originally established in 1938 as the first National Historic Site in the United States, Salem Maritime National Historical Park consists of nine acres of land and twelve historic structures along the Salem waterfront, as well as a downtown visitor center. Located in the urban setting of Salem, the park preserves and interprets over 600 years of New England's maritime history and global stories.
Weather & conditions
New England weather is unpredictable year-round. Monthly averages, in degrees Fahrenheit, are: January: 37 high, 20 low February: 40 high, 23 low March: 47 high, 30 low April: 57 high, 38 low May: 67 high, 48 low June: 76 high, 58 low July: 82 high, 63 low August: 80 high, 62 low September: 73 high, 55 low October: 62 high, 45 low November: 52 high, 37 low December: 42 high, 27 low
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Salem Maritime
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Salem Maritime National Historical Park — live availability and prices to plan your trip. August is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Salem Maritime
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Getting to Salem Maritime
The nearest airport is Logan International Airport (BOS), about 15 mi (28 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Salem Maritime by car.
Frequently Asked Questions
August offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight at Salem Maritime National Historical Park. The park is busiest in October (about 3.5× the average month) and quietest in January.
October is the busiest month at Salem Maritime National Historical Park, running roughly 3.5 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at Salem Maritime National Historical Park, at about 0.1× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Salem Maritime National Historical Park recorded about 569,839 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been rising over the past decade (+44.1%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Salem Maritime National Historical Park averages about 71°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Logan International Airport (BOS) is the closest airport to Salem Maritime National Historical Park, about 15 mi (28 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Salem Maritime
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Walden Pond water qualityGrade A · 6 mi · MA
- South Reservoir water qualityGrade A · 13 mi · MA
- Ponkapoag Pond water qualityGrade A · 25 mi · MA
- Sudbury Reservoir water qualityGrade A · 35 mi · MA
- Bare Hill Pond water qualityGrade A · 36 mi · MA
Beach water quality near Salem Maritime
Beaches within a 40-mile drive, graded on multi-year bacteria sampling from EPA BEACON — worth checking before you plan a swim day.
- Whales water qualityGrade A · 4 mi · MA
- Pleasure Bay water qualityGrade A · 15 mi · MA
- Merrymount water qualityGrade A · 18 mi · MA
- Seabrook Town Beach water qualityGrade A · 26 mi · NH
- Sunrise water qualityGrade A · 31 mi · MA
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.