At long last, I’ve visited one of my must-see spooky destinations: Salem, Massachusets. It was absolutely bewitching (and I had a lot of fun).
This jaunt to Salem was part of a bigger trip my mom and I took to New England (more on that later), but I figured I’d share all about this stop while the mood is right.
What to Do
My primary goal for visiting Salem was to learn more about its history (you know, beyond Hocus Pocus). So before we even made it to Massachusetts, I booked my mom and myself a tour.
I chose Witch City Walking Tours (though there are lots of tour companies). I was really impressed by how thorough the tour guide was and how she was able to blend history with ghost stories and pretty astute commentary (shoutout to Paige!). What I appreciated most was how Page dispelled a lot of common misconceptions. I felt like I got the real history.
I’d definitely recommend a tour like this. It helped me appreciate the sights more and learn all about what spurred the witch trials.
What to See
Outside of our tour, we spent most of our time just wandering the streets of Salem. Fortunately, a lot of the historical sights are right downtown, so we found many of them just by making our rounds. This was pretty nice since I like a good walkable destination.
The Witch House
I was really excited to bump into the witch house as we were walking. It’s really haunting to look at all dressed in black. It’s a real mood and I love it.
This is the only edifice still standing that was actually used during the trials. It was home to Jonathan Corwin, a judge in the trials. Perhaps it doesn’t deserve the term Witch House as Judge House, but that’s alright.
Inside is a museum, which wasn’t really much to see if you ask me, but I’m glad we did it anyway.
Hocus Pocus Haunts
Now, there are Hocus Pocus-focused tours in Salem if you’re serious about the movie, but we didn’t opt for one of those. But we still got to see a few locations where the movie was filmed.
Above is the Town Hall where the big party is held (you know, the one where Winifred sings “I Put a Spell on You”) and below is Allison’s House (it’s actually a museum).
Salem Witch Trials Memorial
Our tour ended at the Salem Witch Trials Memorial and it was honestly really moving. The tour guide did a great job conveying the meaning of the place and how the trials still weigh heavily on Salem and how a lot of people feel conflicted over its fame, which is very fair.
Where to Shop
Part of what was so fun about Salem was walking into little shops that were full of all the strange, creepy and metaphysical-style things I love. We went into a lot of stores but these four were my favorites.
HausWitch
Visiting HausWitch was a big deal to me—so much so that I listed it on my monthly goals.
I’ll admit that my expectations were just too damn high for this shop. I was fully expecting it to be a treasure trove overflowing with wonderfully modern witchy home essentials. The store in actuality was not jam-packed full of must-haves. Instead, it was light and airy (if a bit sparse). I snagged a pretty moon necklace and a mug. They had lots of other great resources for modern witches, too.
So while I was a bit let down by the experience (thanks to my own unrealistic expectations), I would still recommend stopping here. It was a pretty shop that didn’t feel hokey or touristy.
Emporium 32
I’ll admit it: I visited this store based on a recommendation from a BuzzFeed article. It didn’t disappoint.
Emporium 32 was equal parts witchy and Victorian. It was full of wonderful hats, Stevie Nicks-style capes, art, stationary and jewelry. I snagged an Edwardian-esque necklace and grabbed a wax seal for Michael.
Die with Your Boots On
Die with Your Boots On was such a fun surprise. My mom and I wandered in here on a whim since it was close to our hotel and we had some time to kill. It was so much fun.
This is the place to go for wonderfully kitschy, witchy clothing. I’m talking jack o’ lantern flats, Ouija board jackets and crushed velvet everything. I’m having serious regrets about not buying a goth Dolly Parton tee I saw there.
Circle of Stitches
Perhaps my favorite shop in Salem was Circle of Stitches. This was right by our hotel and I walked in thinking it was just a nice yarn shop. It was so much more!
Yes, of course, there was a lot of beautiful yarn (shame I don’t knit or crochet), but Circle of Stitches was also full of other crafty items like embroidery kits as well as tarot decks, books and some other local goods. I only snagged an enamel pin here, but it was really fun looking around.
• • •
Overall, Salem was a really fun part of this trip. It was fun to embrace the silly, touristy side of the town and the serious, historical side as well. I feel like we got a good balance. And in the end, it also helped me reconnect a bit with all the scary, strange things I love.
Anyways, I’ll be back with more about Maine soon!
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