The Witch-iest Locations
to Visit in the Witch City
Welcome to Salem, a city steeped in enigmatic history and bewitching tales. Nestled on the picturesque shores of Massachusetts, this charming town beckons travelers with its intriguing past and otherworldly ambiance. As you wander through cobblestone streets, you’ll discover remnants of the infamous 1692 witch trials, where accused witches once stood trial.
When you think of Salem, MA, it is impossible not to think about witches. The Salem witch trials were about prosecuting and punishing people for being witches. The hysteria around the practice of witchcraft took place between 1692 and 1693 in Colonial Massachusetts. Over 200 people were accused. Thirty people were found guilty of witchcraft around the area of Salem and Salem village – today known as Danvers. In the years and centuries since the Puritanical Witch Trials, Salem all but left this terrible part of its history in the past.
Witchy Tourism
In the 1970s, Salem learned there was a tourism boost they could tap into. Today, Salem fully embraces its witchy past. Witch tourism attracts visitors from all over the year who want to experience this bit of history for themselves.
If you are visiting Salem and you want to explore her storied past – here are some of the many places in the area that you see with some level of connection to witches, from the infamous witch trial hysteria to pop culture and to the Kitschy side of the witch lore and mythology.
Get Enchanted – check out our 48-hour itinerary for Salem, Ma.
Salem Witch Trials locations
When it comes to doing Dark Tourism travel, Salem, Massachusetts, certainly has to be one of the top American destinations to visit. These locations are related to the horrible atrocities associated with the witch trials and hysteria that affected the town in 1692.
Danvers Witch Locations
Rebecca Nurse Homestead & gravesite – 149 Pine St, Danvers
One of the thirty people accused of (and executed for) witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials was Rebecca Nurse, a 71-year-old grandmother. Her home is now a museum and the only victim’s home that is open to the public. There are 27 acres of farmland to explore, including the home, a replica of a Salem Village meeting house, and the family burial ground.
Witchcraft Victims Memorial – 176 Hobart St, Danvers
Dedicated to the memory of those innocents who died during the Salem Village Witchcraft Hysteria of 1692, the memorial is a short drive from the Nurse homestead.
Samuel Parris Archaeological site / Salem Village Parsonage. – 65 Centre St, Danvers
The Salem Village parsonage was ground zero for the 1692 Salem Village Witch Hunt. Samuel Parris was the reverend in town; Tituba, his enslaved servant, was the first accused of witchcraft, and he testified against several accused of witchcraft – including Rebecca Nurse.
Proctor’s Ledge Memorial – Gallows Hill – 7 Pope Street, Salem
The long-held belief has been that the executions took place on Gallows Hill. However, in 2016, it was discovered that the actual location was Proctors Ledge. This spot is named after John Proctor, who, along with his wife, lost their lives during the trials and lies at the bottom of Gallows Hill. In 2017, a memorial was placed at the ledge in honour of those who died during the hysteria.
Salem Witch Locations
Several hundred years have passed since the Salem Witch Trials. Many of the original buildings are long gone; however, visitors to the town will still enjoy checking out some of these locations.
The Witch House – 310 Essex Street, Salem
It was the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin and is the only structure in Salem with direct ties to the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. The house is now a museum and a popular (and easy to find) attraction for tourists on a witch hunt.
The Old Burying Point Cemetery – Charter Street, Salem
A historic graveyard in the heart if Salem, The Old Burying Point Cemetery is a popular spot for tourists visiting Salem. Presiding judges of the witch trials, John Hathorne and Bartholomew Gedney, are buried here.
Salem Witch Trials Memorial – 24 Liberty Street, Salem
Adjacent to the Old Burying Point cemetery is a memorial dedicated to the victims of the Salem Witch trials, providing a peaceful place for people to pay their respects, reflect on intolerance, and remember those whose lives were cut short due to fear and hysteria. Each of the victims (not allowed to be buried in the graveyard) is honoured with a marker with dates and method of death.
Old Witch Goal – 10 Federal St
During the witch hunt, accused witches were held in a small wooden jail on Federal St, which had a dungeon underneath. The building is long gone, however there is a plaque dedicated to commemorating the history at this site.
Salem Witch Locations in Pop Culture
With Salem’s rich and storied history regarding the lore of witches and witchcraft, it is no surprise that the city has been the filming location for several movies and shows. Of the many projects where Salem is featured, two that have a special place in our hearts are Bewitched & Hocus Pocus. If you are also a fan, you absolutely must include these spots in the itinerary of witchy locations to check out when you visit the city.
Bewitched – witch locations
Visitors to Salem of a particular vintage may remember the 1960’s television show “Bewitched”. Samantha Stevens is a witch who marries Darrin Stevens, an advertising account manager, and becomes a suburban housewife in Connecticut. The series about a witch trying to live an ordinary life without using witchcraft ran for eight seasons. From 1964 to 1972.
In 1970, many episodes were filmed in and around Salem during the series’ seventh season. These locations are still there for visitors to check out, and a statue to honour the show.
TVLand Bewitched Statue – Washington & Essex St
A statue depicting actress Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha astride a broom framed by a crescent moon is in the town centre. This statue has become a popular tourist attraction, with many visitors lining up for a photo. We have visited it many times over the years for an annual photo opp. Often with the latest addition to the Dalmatian family.
Hawthorne Hotel – 18 Washington Sq
The Hawthorne is one of America’s Historic hotels and our favourite hotel to stay in whenever we visit Salem. The hotel was home to the cast of Bewitched while they were in town for the filming of the Salem episodes. In one scene, Darrin and Samantha are in an elevator in the Hawthorne Hotel. There is a photo on the wall of the cast from their time here.
Visit our article on Pet-Friendly Hotels featuring The Hawthorne Hotel.
The House of the Seven Gables – 115 Derby St.
Built in 1668, this Colonial mansion was made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 novel. The House of the Seven Gables. It has become one of Salem’s most popular tourist attractions. Nathaniel Hawthorne is the g-g grandson of Judge John Hathorne – a lead judge in the Salem Witch Trials. In one of the Salem episodes of Bewitched, Darrin and Samantha take a tour of the museum; an enchanted historic bedwarmer accosts Samantha while on tour.
Hocus Pocus Witch locations
Released in theatres in 1993, Hocus Pocus was considered a critical and commercial flop. Upon its release on DVD in 2002, it was resurrected from the dead. It immediately became a cult classic. Today, Hocus Pocus is a perennial Halloween favourite, with people dressing up as the Sanderson Sisters for Halloween parties, Drag queens performing as the witches, and crowds of fans flocking to Salem, MA, to see the filming locations.
If you are one of the fans of Hocus Pocus who wants to visit Salem to visit these filming locations, here are some of the critical spots that you can check out when you are in the Witch City:
Pioneer Village – 310 West Ave
At the beginning of the film, we first meet the character of Zachary Binx as a human in the era of the Salem Witch Trials, when the Sanderson Sisters put a spell on him, turning him into a cat. The filmmakers utilized the Salem Pioneer village to replicate the look and feel of a 17th-century Salem. The Pioneer Village, built in the 1930s to commemorate the city’s 300th anniversary, is a 3-acre living history museum that tourists can visit during summer.
Philips Elementary School – 86 Essex Street
This building is where Max, Dani, and Binx capture the Sanderson Sisters in the school’s kiln in a pivotal scene. A stream of green smoke is seen billowing from the roof of the building in the movie. The school is across the street from Salem Common and is now an apartment complex.
Rope’s Mansion – 318 Essex Street
In the Hocus Pocus film, Allison’s family resides in the Rope’s Mansion. It is where Max attends a Halloween Party. The 18th-century Mansion is a part of the Peabody Essex Museum Foundation. Visitors can freely walk about through the 15 rooms of the home, exploring the property at their own pace. The gardens are open year-round, free of charge for visitors to explore.
Old Town Hall – 161 Essex Street
The Old Town Hall is a gorgeous & historic building in the heart of Salem, dating back to 1816. A memorable scene in the film occurs here. During the community Halloween party, the Sanderson Sisters sang “I Put on Spell on You,”. The Old Town Hall was the location for the party.
Salem Common
The Salem Common is a large recreational park in the heart of town. Founded in the 17th century, the Common has long been a place for gatherings, recreation, and community events. It was once used for military training. The Hocus Pocus movie featured this gorgeous green space surrounded by a historic wrought iron fence.
Max & Dani’s house – 4 Ocean Avenue in Salem, MA
This gorgeous Second Empire-style house is located near the ocean and the Salem Pioneer Village. This is the house where Allison and Max opened the Sanderson Sisters’ spell book, releasing the witches from their slumber.
Old Burial Hill Cemetery – Orne Street, Marblehead, MA
When I first saw the cemetery scene in Hocus Pocus, I assumed it was the historic Burying Point cemetery in downtown Salem. However, it was the Old Burial Hill cemetery in Marblehead, a 15-minute drive away.
Salem Kitsch Trails
In a city known for its witchy history, it is no surprise that Salem has come to wholly lean in. They now embrace it as a tourism draw. As a result, there are many businesses around town where tourists can let their witchy side shine bright. Many shops in town carry souvenirs, shirts, trinkets, candles, and much more. The focus is on the witch-based tourism that draws visitors to Salem. Some places are so kitschy and fun despite having no connection to the Witch history. They don’t call it the Witch City for nothing.
The Salem Witch Museum – 19 1/2 N Washington Sq
The Salem Witch Museum is a must for visitors to learn the tragic stories of the 1692 Witch trials. Dioramas and displays based on actual trial documents tell stories depicting the significant events of the witch-hunt hysteria.
Salem Witch Pix – 172 Essex St
We got souvenir photos taken at Salem Witch Pix during our first visit to Salem. The joy we got from this led to a tradition of taking roguetrips to Salem to do it every year. Surprisingly, they even allowed us to bring the dogs of Bedlam Acres Dalmatians, which undeniably made for even more spectacular photo memories.
Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery – 217 Essex St
A wax museum dead-icated to the cinematic monsters that thrill and scare us. Furthermore, it is also home to a significant Winifred Sanderson figure.
Liberty Street
This small street between Charter & Derby Sts is home to trendy attractions for tourists on a Witch hunt in Salem. The Salem Village and the Salem Wax Museum offer a unique take on the history of witches. Other tourist attractions and tours meet here as well.
If a trip to Salem is in your future, and you want to check out some witchy haunts, hop on your broomstick and zap yourself to these locations. The Salem Witch Museum offers online tours of other sites and markers that will be of interest to visitors. To learn more about the history of Salem and the ‘real’ witch trial hysteria – visit the Peabody Essex Museum.
The post The Best Witch Locations to see in Salem appeared first on Roguetrippers.