Salem, Massachusetts // New England Pt. 1

Visiting Salem, Massachusetts had always been on my bucket list. I didn’t have any plans to visit, until recently, and couldn’t help but feel giddy once I knew I was going. I only had a few, short hours to spend, wandering these historic streets, but it was plenty of time to take in the sights.

It was a gloomy October evening, which set the perfect scene. The streets were filled with people, but it wasn’t overly crowded, since it was a Monday evening. I met street performers and saw places I’d only ever seen in movies or read about online or in books, I wandered through shops, took too many pictures, and thoroughly enjoyed my time here!

Below I’ve listed everything I saw + the address. Aside from the “Dennison Home”, I was able to see everything on foot. Hopefully it will help you on your visit!

The Witch House—310 1/2 ESSEX STREET

The Witch House is the last remaining structure from the time of the Salem Witch Trials. The home belonged to the judge who sentenced the accused witches, rather than to any “witch”.

The trials themselves only lasted a short time. In the end, those who began the accusations came forward to admit they had made up their claims. The whole thing may have begun by some storytelling that got very out of hand.

The Salem Witch Museum—19 1/2 Washington Square North

The Salem Witch Museum is located inside an old church (which I forgot to take a photo of), and offers a half an hour tour. The tour gives a history of the Salem Witch Trials, as well as the evolving perception of witches since then.

Beverly Bees Candles

Essex Street, in Salem, is the hub for shopping and street performers. Setup, at an outdoor booth, was a beautiful display of beeswax candles by Beverly Bees. I couldn’t resist and ended up buying a few for myself and my mom.

Allison's Home—318 Essex Street

The exterior of the Ropes Mansion was used as Allison’s house, in the Disney movie Hocus Pocus. They have daily tours, but were closed by the time we got there. However, the garden was open and was definitely worth a walk through!

The First Church in Salem—316 Essex St

I believe that this building is the first, or oldest remaining, church building in Salem. It’s possible that the name simply comes from the religion. But the gothic style, in which it was designed, definitely fits the setting of the rest of Salem.

Street Art

Located on the ground behind the Old Town Hall.

Old Town Hall—32 Derby Square

Another building featured in the movie Hocus Pocus (where the witches sing to the parents of Salem.) Old Town Hall is the earliest surviving municipal structure in Salem, built around 1817.

The Dennison Home—4 Ocean Ave

This is perhaps the most iconic location, from the Hocus Pocus movie. Today it is a private residence, but the home owners still allow outside photographs. Just be sure to show respect, should you visit!

Bewitched Statue—235 Essex Street

I grew up on classic TV shows, including Bewitched. So I had to get my photo taken with the iconic statue of Samantha flying across the moon.

John Ward House—161 Essex Street

Another survivor of the seventeenth century, the John Ward House is a beautiful representation of the Post-Medieval style. The home doesn’t necessarily have any connection to the trials, but was built around the same time period.

Old Burying Point Cemetery—Charter St.

The Old Burying Point Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Salem, and among the oldest in the US. Here there are memorial benches for those who were executed during the Salem Witch Trials. Most were hung, but Giles Corey was “pressed to death”. (Rocks were piled on top of him until he either gave information or passed away… The latter was his fate.)

The Coven's Cottage—190 Essex St

Nestled among the souvenir shops and themed restaurants is The Coven’s Cottage. It’s a whimsical little store, filled with everything a witch could need (I assume).

The Sanderson Sisters

These ladies look better than ever, and were kind enough to sign the autograph page of my Adventure Journal!

While Salem wasn’t actually the first stop on my trip to New England, I wanted to get this post up as close to Halloween as I could. Between travel and jet lag, this is the best I could do... But I hope you will still enjoy it as much as I did!