Spellbound in Salem: A Magical Guide to History, Haunts and Hidden Gems

THINGS TO DO

Your first spot should be at the National Park Visitor Center. The visitor center has a fantastic $5 movie giving the overview of the 1692 witch trials. If you aren't feeling the visitor center, check out the Salem Witch Museum. I would do one or the other, not both. All the information is the same and, in all honesty, your time could be better spent elsewhere rather than both.

 

The second thing on your list that is a must-do is Witch City Walking Tours (look for me in the promo video). The amazing tour will give you a fantastic tour of Salem and the history that is ingrained in the city. All the tour guides are extremely knowledgeable about the history of the city, from the witch trials to key figures. The tour finishes at the Witch Trials Memorial, so ensure to walk around and walk into The Burying Point. Either ask the tour guide to point out key graves, such as witch trial judges, a Mayflower passenger and many more.

 

A unique stop is the Witch Dungeon Museum. A fun and interactive experience setting you back to Salem Village in 1692. This gives you a full lay of the land on how people accused of witchery were treated.

 

House of the Seven Gables, a 1668 colonial mansion named for its gables. It was made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1851 novel The House of the Seven Gables. The tour brings you inside a colonial house as it was in the 1660's.

 

If you have transportation, Pioneer Village is a must-see. This exact reproduction village set in 1630 transports you back to what the village felt like to live in. Plus, they filmed Hocus Pocus here.

 

Peabody Essex Museum is a world-renowned art museum housing one of the country's most important collections of American and Asian art and design.

 

Places To Eat & Drink

• Ledger Restaurant: Upscale restaurant & bar serving New England cuisine in a 19th-century bank building.

   

• Olde Main Street Pub: Creative, contemporary American plates, beer & cocktails offered in a cozy, laid-back atmosphere.

   

• Ugly Mug Diner: Hopping daytime cafe dispensing inventive American diner fare & specialty drinks in buzzy surrounds.

   

• Gulu-Gulu Cafe: Cozy, unpretentious coffeehouse offering an eclectic global menu of small bites, plus live music.

   

• Sea Level Oyster Bar: Their chowder fries make a unique place to stop. Oysters, lobster rolls, specialty cocktails & more offered in a casual joint with water views

   

• Village Tavern: Upbeat American tavern with a patio, game room & big beer list serving classic American pub grub.

 

• Longboards Restaurant & Bar: Casual American restaurant & bar offering burgers, sandwiches, flatbreads & a big beer list.

 

Need to know

The time of year you decide to go to Salem can severely impact your experience. Late September, or early October is the best time. This will still give you Fall vibes and in early October all the Halloween decor will be up. But it also avoids one big thing. Crowds!! The crowds ramp up severely starting the second to third week in October. Oh, and don't even get me started on Halloween weekend. Don't even think about it. It's wall-to-wall with people.

 

A unique store to visit is Wynott Wands. Wynott gives me true Harry Potter vibes from when Harry was picking out his wand.

 

I'd skip the Witch House, just see outside. The inside is bare and has era-accurate reproduction pieces, or pieces from the time. But no artifacts are from the original home. I'd also skip the Witch History Museum. We were very underwhelmed by the amount of hype it received.

 

Must Do

Walking Tour

Witch Trials Memorial

National Park Vistor Center (watch the video)

Salem Witch Museum

The Burying Point

Witch Dungeon Museum

 

If You Have Time

Wynott Wands

Pioneer Village

Rebecca Nurse Homestead

Samuel Parris Archaeologist Site (First witch acquisition)

Pirate Museum

House of the Seven Gables

Protecter Ledge (Where the first hangings were)

 

Hocus Pocus Filming Sites:

• Allison's House - Ropes Mansion and Garden, 318 Essex St, Salem, MA 01970

• Max and Dani Dennison’s House - 4 Ocean Ave, Salem, MA 01970

• Thackery Binx House - Salem Pioneer Village, 98 West Ave, Salem, MA 01970

• Daytime Cemetery Scenes - Old Burial Hill Cemetery, Marblehead, MA 01945, USA

• Max & Allison’s School - Bates Elementary School, 53 Liberty Hill Ave, Salem, MA 01970, USA

• Halloween Party - Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square, Salem, MA 01970, USA

 

Skip

Witch House (Just see the outside)

Witch History Museum