By: Bryn Stiles | Staff Writer
With the newfound chill in the air, leaves on the ground, and pumpkin drinks in hand, it is safe to say that spooky season is quickly approaching us here in New England. With this shift in season, you should take advantage of the opportunity to visit the famed home of the late 16th-century Salem Witch Trials right down the road in Massachusetts this October. Although the acclaimed witches of the period are long gone, Salem remains America’s most spooky town. If you are browsing for a getaway this October, Salem should be a top contender.
I recently ventured off to Salem, Massachusetts for the first time over the fall break with my mom, and I can sincerely say it was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. Year round, Salem takes advantage of its wicked past, serving up a variety of attractions that retell the history for which the town is best known. Upon arriving at Witch City, we strolled through Derby Square, the town center, to visit the well-acclaimed Haunted Happenings Street Fair. From there, we visited countless vendors and booths, each selling different merchandise, from witch hats to crystals to homemade voodoo dolls. Across the street is the Salem Witch Museum where you can watch an interactive demonstration of the 1692 trials and learn more about the evolution of the modern-day witch, along with a quick stop to the gift shop of course. In town, there are many other museums and interactive learning opportunities more related to the season, such as the Halloween History Museum and the Salem Wax Figure Museum.
Another popular option for getting in the Halloween spirit in the heart of Salem is going on a self-guided tour through the filming locations of the cult-classic 1993’s Hocus Pocus. Throughout the town, there are a variety of recognizable landmarks that were featured in the movie, such as Max’s house and Town Hall. Other tours available include Pioneer Village, America’s first living history museum presenting various colonial architecture, as well as a variety of candlelit ghost tours to immerse yourself into Salem’s haunted spirit. However, no Salem visit is complete without shopping on Essex Street. Here, you will find astounding restaurants such as Boston Burger Bar which serves milkshakes bigger than your head, various stores ranging from witchy to toy stores to even bookstores, and the town’s beloved Bewitched statue, depicting Samantha from the 1964 sitcom. The town itself is crawling with festive energy and joy with city goers dressed to the nines in costumes as characters waiting on the sidewalks to be photographed with you. Even though neither I nor my mom consider us to be very “witchy” people, we still had a blast visiting this small town with so much history. I sincerely recommend it to anyone who has the capability of visiting. Even though the witches were how Salem got its name on the map, it was not all “just a bunch of hocus pocus”.
Photos by Bryn Stiles, Staff Writer
