Winter in Salem, indoors and out

The best winter things to do in Salem NH mix snow and shelter: snowshoe trails at America’s Stonehenge, public skating at the Icenter, a tax-free mall with a climbing wall, and a long dinner by a fire. Here is how to fill a cold weekend from December through March, plus the holiday events that start the season.

Snowshoeing at America’s Stonehenge

When there is snow on the ground, America’s Stonehenge, at 105 Haverhill Road, opens its wooded property of more than 100 acres to snowshoers. The trails run from flat, beginner-friendly paths to rugged ones for experienced visitors. They are open during regular museum hours, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily, with last admission at 4 p.m. Bring your own snowshoes or rent a pair at the museum.

The site says snowshoeing is not recommended for young children; families are welcome to bring a sled and pull them along. Trails open only when conditions allow, so check stonehengeusa.com or call (603) 893-8300 before you drive. The site is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. If the trails are closed, the visitor center still has a museum and a gift shop, and the site offers a free mobile audio tour for the half-mile loop. Our America’s Stonehenge guide explains the chambers and the debate over who built them.

Skating, skiing and winter walks

• The Icenter: Salem’s indoor ice arena on Lowell Road, near Hedgehog Park, runs public skating sessions. Times change from week to week, so check the schedule at icentersalem.com before you go.
• Salem Town Forest: the Town’s rules allow skiing and snowshoeing as well as walking and running. It is open daily from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. The trailhead is on Shadow Lake Road, next to the highway maintenance yard.
• The rail trail: the paved stretch of the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor, from North Broadway to Main Street, makes a flat winter walk past the old Salem depot. See our rail trail guide.

Holiday events, November to New Year’s

Salem’s winter starts with the holidays. The confirmed 2026 dates:

• Nov. 6–Dec. 24: the Holiday Shoppes at Tuscan Village, nearly 50 wooden booths of local gifts, crafts and treats.
• Saturday, Nov. 21: the Tuscan Village tree lighting. The 50-foot tree lights up as night falls; the time is not yet posted.
• Sunday, Nov. 29, 1 p.m.: the 55th Salem Holiday Parade down Main Street.

The Salem Lions Club tree lighting on Salem Common and the Town’s Carols & Cocoa are usually in early December; 2026 dates have not been announced. Last year the Town also held Winterfest at the Ingram Senior Center, a free evening with a cocoa crawl, a local vendor market, food trucks and letters to Santa. Our full guide to Christmas in Salem has times, the parade route and parking, and the events calendar has the season at a glance.

Indoor winter things to do in Salem NH

• The Mall at Rockingham Park: about 140 stores under one roof, with Macy’s, JCPenney, DICK’S House of Sport and a Cinemark theater. House of Sport stores were built with a climbing wall, TrackMan golf bays and multi-sport cages. Game On and Loretta’s Last Call, two concepts from the Fenway area, were announced for fall 2026. New Hampshire has no sales tax. Our mall guide has the store list.
• The Cooking School at Tuscan Market: hands-on cooking, mixology classes and wine tastings, run with Williams Sonoma, at 9 Via Toscana.
• Kelley Library: 234 Main St., open Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–8:30 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.–2 p.m., closed Sundays. It lends museum passes, and its fall calendar includes a ukulele class for adults and ages 10+ (Nov. 5) and a pipe-cleaner flower workshop (Nov. 16).
• The winter farmers market: from November through April, the Salem NH Farmers Market moves indoors to the Fisk School, 14 Main St., Sundays 10 a.m.–1 p.m. It closes for a Christmas break and Easter.

Cozy dining after the cold

• The Colosseum: Chef Annibale Todesca opened this family-run Southern Italian restaurant at 264 N. Broadway in 1987. Expect red-sauce classics, seafood and a fireplace. Open Tuesday–Thursday 4–9 p.m., Friday 4–10 p.m., Saturday noon–10 p.m. and Sunday 1–8 p.m.; closed Mondays.
• Tuscan Market: house-made pasta and Neapolitan pizza, with seating inside and on a heated, enclosed patio. 9 Via Toscana.
• Tuscan Kitchen: on the ground floor of The Artisan hotel. The menu gives its tableside Tagliatelle al Tartufo, finished with shaved black truffle, a section of its own.
• The Rooftop at The Artisan: cocktails and small plates on top of the hotel, with a 24-seat bar and lounge nooks for year-round use. Call ahead for hours.
• MaryAnn’s Diner: a 1950s-themed diner at 3 Veterans Memorial Parkway, open from 6 a.m. daily, for a big breakfast before the trails.

Restaurant meals carry New Hampshire’s 8.5% meals and rooms tax. Hours change with the season, so call before you go. For more places to warm up, see where to eat in Salem.

A snowy Saturday in Salem

After a storm, go to America’s Stonehenge in the morning, when the snowshoe trails are freshest; last admission is 4 p.m. Warm up with lunch at Tuscan Market, then spend the afternoon at the mall or a public skate at the Icenter. Finish with dinner by the fire at The Colosseum, which opens at noon on Saturdays. On Sunday morning, the indoor farmers market at the Fisk School runs 10 a.m.–1 p.m. More ways to stay warm and dry are in our indoor things to do guide, and when the snow melts, see spring in Salem.