Planning your Salem visit

Salem is an old city, for this side of the Atlantic. Walking around the Massachusetts seaport, there’s so much preserved from previous centuries that the mysticism and spookiness the city has become known for somehow seems plausible.

Parts of the tourism experience are, well, touristy – a black witch’s hat for sale anyone? But its neighborhoods are old, many of its witches are true wiccan believers, and scary and very sad stuff happened here, which keeps much of Salem feeling real. Beyond the incense, haunted houses and candles that get most of the attention, Salem has a lot to offer. It has a rich history built on New England fortitude and tragedy, an attractive waterfront, arts and museums.

Witchy appeal

Symbols of witches and real-life witches are everywhere. After all, Salem, Massachusetts, is nicknamed "The Witch City." Even Samantha, the domesticated witch from the TV series Bewitched, has had her likeness carved into a downtown statue. Walk through the Pickering Wharf area, and you’ll see lots of wiccan shops, including one owned by Laurie Cabot, the so-called "official witch of Salem." Cabot has been a spokesperson for the craft for decades and has written several books on the subject, including Power of the Witch and The Witch in Every Woman. Her shop, The Cat, The Crow, and The Crown, is located at 63R Pickering Wharf.

For an historical primer on the history of the Salem Witchcraft Trials, start at the Salem Witch Museum on Washington Square North, where a narrated exhibit educates visitor on witches and the history of the Salem Witch Trials. If you want more, visit the Salem Wax Museum at 288 Derby Street.

Another stop on your tour of Salem should be the Witch House at 310 Essex Street, the home of local magistrate and merchant Jonathan Corwin, who was a judge in the witch trials. The home dates back to the 17th century.

Ghost Tours

Salem has old graveyards, such as The Burying Point, where Justice John Hathorne, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ancestor and a witchtrial judge, rests. A few of your options for tours include Salem Night Tour Ghost Tour, Spellbound Tours, which offers a "Witchcraft and Cemetery Tour" and a "Vampire and Ghost Tour," and Salem Historical Tours, which offers several tours including "Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour."

Psychic readings

A big debate in Salem city government in 2007 centered on whether to license all of the fortunetellers who flock to the city each year, and if so, how to do that. The end result was legislation governing the trade. If you want your fortune told, Salem is the place to go. Just be sure to ask if the psychic is registered with the local police department. Some of the bigger shops in town are Pyramid Books, Angelica of the Angels, and The Broom Closet.

Waterfront/ Maritime legacy

Wander down Derby Street a ways along the waterfront, and you’ll come upon the Salem Maritime Orientation Center, where you can watch a free film on Salem’s Maritime History. You’ll learn about the rich maritime families, the historic homes, and the immigrants who made their living through sea trade.

Docked at Salem waterfront is a replica of the Friendship, an American merchant vessel launched in 1797. The ship is open all year round, weather permitting, and guided tours are conducted by National Park Rangers.

Historic blocks and buildings

Salem’s U.S. Custom House is a National Historic Site and is open for daily tours. It is the last of 13 custom houses in Salem that collected taxes on imports. Author Nathaniel Hawthorne worked there for three years and included the custom house in his novel The Scarlet Letter as the narrator's employer.

House of the Seven Gables

You may remember The House of the Seven Gables as the home of the cursed Pyncheon family. In Salem, the real house that was the inspiration to Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel is located on Derby Street and open for tours. Does the 1668 mansion look as mysterious as you may have pictured while reading the book? Absolutely. Nearby, the Nathaniel Hawthorne House (the home in which he was born) is also open to the public.

Artists

Like a lot of North Shore towns, Salem has its local artists. The section of town nicknamed Artist Row is located between Front and New Derby streets.

Peabody Essex Museum

The Peabody Essex Museum in downtown Salem has a variety American and international exhibits. These include maritime, oceanic, Asian, Indian and Native American art collections.

Getting here

You can get from Boston to Salem by the Salem Ferry or the MBTA Commuter Rail’s Newburyport/Rockport line. If you take a car from Boston, follow Route 93 north to Route 128 north, and then follow Route 114 east into Salem.

More from Massachusetts Travel Journal:
Salem at Halloween Photos
Salem at Halloween
Boston and Salem Witch Trials
Salem Witch Museum
Cry Innocent

Author: C. Danko
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