A Salem, Massachusetts Halloween
"Burn the Witch!"
Happy *almost* Halloween!! I thought it only appropriate to talk about the spookiest city in the U.S. today.
I love all things spooky, creepy, and scary (within reason). Salem is all that! But Salem also has a history much greater than just the Witch Trials. In fact, the Witch Trials only lasted 9 months! More than 200 people were accused, 59 were tried, 31 were found guilty, and 20 were executed. And then, the history of the trials was pretty much swept under the rug until the 1900's! We may never have known about those gruesome 9 months unless history was found beneath the city proving the existence of these tales.
So... What should you do during your Visit???
Essex Street:
If you can find Essex Street, you can find everything you need to in Salem! Essex has all of the shops, a handful of museums and galleries, as well as The Witch House, the Witch Statue, and Alison's House from Hocus Pocus. Follow the red painted line on the ground, and it will take you right there!
The Salem Witch Museum
The Salem Witch Museum is one of the most iconic stops. The Museum features Life-size stage sets, exhibits & tours exploring the 1692 Salem witch trials, plus witchcraft today. You will need to buy tickets ahead of time online, which sell out FAST. You can buy your tickets here. Adults ar3e $15, and Children $13.
The Witch House
The Jonathan Corwin House, known locally as The Witch House, is a historic house museum at 310 Essex Street in Salem, Massachusetts. Jonathan Corwin was the judge during the Witch Trials who sentenced each of the 20 victims to death. You can tour his house and learn more about the history of the trials here. You will need to book tickets online ahead of time as well here. You can find tickets here.
Hocus Pocus Filming Locations
There are a few different locations that you can visit in Salem where the movie Hocus Pocus was actually filmed! I'll list them out below:
Alison's House: 318 Essex Street
Old Town Hall: 32 Derby Square
Max & Dani's House: 4 Ocean Drive
Thackery Binx Home: Salem Pioneer Village
Count Orlok's Nightmare Gallery
This is one of the attractions in Salem that you don't have to buy tickets ahead of time for! If you are a lover of scary movies, you will LOVE the nightmare gallery. The Gallery is filled with Wax figures from famous movies throughout the years, and I genuinely thought they were real people at first! They look so realistic! They have a very strict no photo policy so you will just have to take my word for it, or visit yourself!
Salem Trolley Tour
I HIGHLY recommend the trolley tour! The tour takes you up through beautiful residential areas that you would absolutely miss on your own. The tour also focuses more on the history of Salem as a whole, rather than just the Witch Trials. It takes you to the wharfs, a lighthouse, and past many of the attractions you want to see already. Did you know Monopoly was invented and originally produced in Salem?! There is a rich history of Sea Merchants in the area that is fascinating to learn about as well. There is only one trolley tour in town, which you can find by walking down Essex Street until you hit the City Information Building, then turning left, and at the next street turning right along the parking garage. Or just go to the information center and ask for directions like we did. You may have to wait in line depending on the time of day that you hit this, so I recommend showing up early.
The Salem Bewitched Statue:
The Witch Statue on Essex street makes for a great photo opportunity! But just a warning, lines and crowds form here FAST! So if you see an opening and would like a photo, I highly suggest jumping in quick!
The Second Oldest Cemetery in the United States (also where the "witches" rest today):
Also known as the "Burying Point", the cemetery can be found at 51 Charter St. The Graves date back to the 1700's, which is mind boggling to me! There is also a memorial built there for the 20 witches who were found guilty during the Witch Trials, and a small home on the property you can tour with a gift shop.
Essex's NY Pizza and Deli:
I don't know if I was starving, or if this was the best pizza I have ever eaten. Either way, I highly recommend it for a quick and affordable meal!
Melt Ice Cream:
In every city we visit, I am sure to try the local ice cream. It's just a tradition we have now! Melt had fabulous fall flavors! We tried the Maple Bourbon, Apple Pie, and Pumpkin Pie! I'm still dreaming of these flavors.
Where to Stay:
We stayed in Boston at the Hampton inn on Chelsea Street. I highly recommend it! We are team Hampton til we die. Boston also will have a lot more options of hotels and Airbnb's to stay at than staying directly in Salem.
How to Commute to Salem:
If you are staying in Boston, your easiest and most affordable way to get to Salem is taking the MBTA train. You will hop on the Pink line (also called the Newbury Rockport Line), and take it to Salem. It will be about a 35 minute ride. On the weekends you can get the $10 unlimited pass, or during the week get the Charlie pass which is equivalent for $14. You can hop on and off any train, bus, subway, etc. with these passes. I recommend getting the MBTA app.
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