A village on the old track

Rockingham Park ran its last race day in August 2016, after 110 years. Two months later Joe Faro bought 120 acres of the 170-acre site. Faro was already a local name: in 2010 he had opened Tuscan Kitchen in Salem and built it into Tuscan Brands, with markets, a chophouse, a seafood grill and a catering arm. He planned the old track as a walkable village around a small lake.

The old track came down in 2017. What went up is New England's take on an Italian hill town, built around Lake Park. In summer the pond holds outdoor movies and a live-music stage, and at festivals gondolas carry riders across the water. Around it are more than 15 restaurants and more than 30 businesses, by the village's own count.

Shoppers come for L.L.Bean, Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Arhaus, Nike and dozens more. Food people come for Tuscan Market's fresh pasta and Neapolitan pizza, or a class at its Cooking School, run with Williams Sonoma. Whole Foods opened its first Salem store here on July 22, 2026, down the road from Market Basket.

The Artisan, a 165-room Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel, anchors the main street. Tuscan Kitchen is on its ground floor and The Rooftop is on top. For an evening out, see our date night guide. Outside, the Sam Adams Pavilion beer garden has cornhole and giant Jenga, and the Sun Cruiser Social Club serves drinks from shipping-container bars beside fire pits. Parking is free, in dozens of lit lots; our Tuscan Village visitor guide has the details.

Mark the calendar

• Summer: live music at Lake Park Thursday through Sunday, plus summer fireworks.
• October: the Parmigiano Reggiano Festival, ToscanaFest and the Concorso Italiano car show. More in our fall in Salem guide.
• November–December: the 50-foot tree lighting and the Holiday Shoppes.