9 Hocus Pocus Filming Sites to Visit in Salem That Will Put A Spell On You [2022]

Salem, Massachusetts was the primary filming location for one of the most popular Halloween movies from the 1990s: Hocus Pocus.

It’s been nearly three decades but Hocus Pocus fans can still run amok at a lot of the original filming spots located throughout the charming and fascinating city of Salem.

In this article, I will give you the most efficient way to visit these filming sites and also give you some tips into how to line up your photos with movie screen stills!

Map of Hocus Pocus Filming Sites

The best routes for exploring Hocus Pocus locations in Salem

The easiest way to see all of the Hocus Pocus filming locations in Salem is to lump them into three separate groups and then decide how you want to explore each group (walking, driving, etc.).

Group 1:

  • Ropes Mansion and Garden (318 Essex St)
  • Old Town Hall (161 Essex St)
  • Phillips Elementary School (next to 56 Washington Square)
  • Salem Common (next to 82 Washington Square)

Group 2:

  • Max and Dani’s House (4 Ocean Ave)
  • Pioneer Village (98 West Ave)

Group 3:

  • Old Burial Hill Cemetery
  • Crocker Park
  • 85 Washington St
Map of Hocus Pocus movie filming locations.

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Exploring Group 1 via walking could be done in as short as 15 to 20 minutes from point to point, so it’s a great way to hit some cool Hocus Pocus spots in a very short amount of time.

If you want to add on the sites from Group 2, the time needed for the full walking tour from the Ropes Mansion (318 Essex St) to Pioneer Village (98 West Ave) would be about one hour (one-way).

The Old Burial Hill Cemetery is not located in Salem and is a handful of miles away so if you plan on walking that will take you an additional couple of hours. Using a rental car or calling an Uber would be a better way to go for a lot of people.

We broke our Hocus Pocus tour into two days.

The first day we explored Group 1 sites and then took a short break before heading down to check out the Group 2 locations.

The next day, we chose to drive out to Old Burial Hill Cemetery at sunrise to avoid the crazy October traffic in Salem. After that visit we then took off to Danvers to check out some of the real witch trial memorial sites.

Tip: If you want to start from the very beginning, you can use my pre-set directions here.

I would also recommend to focus on Hocus Pocus locations separately from the Salem witch trial sites.

While it might be more efficient to check out both sites at the same time, visiting the Hocus Pocus filming sites is more about having fun while visiting the historic sites and memorials for the Salem witch trials is more about reflection and remembrance.

I think it is a better experience to explore them separately but that is just me.

Related: The Harry Potter London Tour Review at Warner Brothers Studio

Old Burial Hill Cemetery Hocus Pocus movie.
Old Burial Hill Cemetery at sunrise.

Ropes Mansion and Garden

  • Google Map address: 318 Essex St, Salem, MA 01970
  • Website

Photo/visit notes

The Ropes Mansion is very easy to find and it is right next to the The Witch House at Salem.

To get your movie shot, simply stand in front of the Ropes Mansion and take your photo from the street or sidewalk. To align your photo with a screenshot from the film, make sure you are getting all four posts from the gate.

Movie scenes

  • 23:49

The Ropes Mansion is Allison’s house where they had the fancy Halloween party with Colonial ball costumes. It’s also the site of the infamous and cringe-worthy “yabbos” scene.

When we visited in October, we didn’t find any jack-o’-lanterns or haystacks outside but a day or two before Halloween they might decorate the house in Hocus Pocus fashion.

The actual filming of the party in the interior of the house took place in California at the Crank House, which interestingly enough was also used as the Omega Beta Zeta house from Scream 2 according to iamnotastalker.com.

Did you know? Dozens of black cats were used for Binx with each cat having special abilities that could be tapped into for the specific scene (e.g., jumping, staying still, etc.)

Allison's house Hocus Pocus movie.

More on the site…

Built in 1727 and extensively remodeled in 1894, The Ropes Mansion is one of the most iconic buildings in Salem and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The mansion is now the property of the Peabody Essex Museum. You can walk onto the property and even head to the back where there is a pretty elaborate garden. If you want to explore the interior you can also book a tour. Just be warned, the mansion is apparently haunted!

Ropes Mansion and Garden Hocus Pocus movie Salem MA.

Old Town Hall

  • Google Map address: 161 Essex Street
  • Website

Photo/visit notes:

The Old Town Hall, a National Historic Site, is located right in the middle of town and is about an 8 minute walk from the Ropes Mansion. The side of the building used in the movie did not have stairs and it looks a little different on each side so in case you are in doubt about the correct side, take photos from both angles.

Movie scenes

  • 54:22

This is the building where Max’s parents attended their Halloween party and Bette Midler did her famous rendition of “Put a Spell on You.” The actual filming of the interior took place in California at the The MacArthur’s Elks Hall according to iamnotastalker.com.

Town Hall Hocus Pocus movie.

More on the site…

You can go inside Old Town Hall today and it hosts several events.

The most notable of these events is the interactive play Cry Innocent (about to hit 30 years running…). This tells the story of Bridget Bishop’s trial and allows audience members to participate as members of the Puritan jury. Tickets are about $25. Read more about the play here.

Town Hall Hocus Pocus movie Salem MA.
Town Hall Hocus Pocus movie Salem MA.

If you want to enjoy a nice buttery lobster roll, you can eat at the Lobster Shanty. Some tables set up for outdoor dining have a great view of Old Town Hall.

Related: Goldbelly Lobster Rolls (McLoons) Review (Order from anywhere in the US!)

Looking at Town Hall Hocus Pocus movie from Lobster Shanty in Salem MA.

Did you know? In South America, Hocus Pocus went under the title “Abracadabra.”

Phillips Elementary School

  • Google Map address: 56 Washington Square (next door)
  • Website: None

Photo/visit notes

The Phillips Elementary School is located on the perimeter of the Salem common. You could put in the address 86 Essex St but that will take you to the back of the building.

So I would just head to the Salem Common and then walk along S Washington Square. The old elementary school will be right next to 56 Washington Square. You can’t miss it.

Movie scenes

  • 1:01:28

Phillips Elementary School was used as “Jacob Bailey High School” and featured in the early scene where the students are leaving school. Somewhat accurately referred to as a “prison, for children” by the witches, it is also the place later on where Max and Allison trick the witches and melt them down into a green trail of smoke.

Max's High School Hocus Pocus movie.
  • 1:03:11
Max's High School Hocus Pocus movie.

More on the site…

The elementary school reportedly shut down in 1992 which was just one year before Hocus Pocus was made. From everything I can tell, this building looks like it might serve residential purposes now.

Related: Hobbiton Movie Set Tour Review

Max's High School Hocus Pocus movie Salem MA.

Salem Common

  • Google Map address: 82 Washington Square
  • Website

Photo/visit notes

The Phillips Elementary school and Salem Common film site are located in virtually the same spot so you should be able to knock out two birds with one stone.

Movie scenes

  • 14:13

The scene in the Salem Common looks like it was shot from outside the fenced area near 82 Washington Square.

You can try to line up your shot with the screen still from the movie by using the basketball court as a frame of reference.

However, this one is tough because it’s possible they framed the shot with a nice zoom lens and I’m pretty sure the color change trees were fake, which kind of throws off your alignment.

Salem Common Hocus Pocus movie.

More on the site…

Established in 1667, the Common was initially a partial swamp where livestock roamed freely. Over time, it also became grounds for early militia drilling and may have even been the birthplace of the National Guard.

Eventually, efforts were made to beautify the area and the wrought iron fence around the Common was put up in 1850. Today, this is one of the popular places in Salem for strolling around and for local events.

You’ll likely encounter some food carts here serving up all sorts of different items like crepes, hot chocolate, and fried foods. The prices here were very expensive and the quality in my experience was not very great so keep that in mind.

Salem Common Hocus Pocus movie Salem MA.

Max and Dani’s House

  • Google Map address: 4 Ocean Ave
  • Website: None

Photo/visit notes

From Salem Common this would be about a 1.5 mile one-way walk so it will take you about 30 minutes to get there.

It’s a nice walk down Lafayette Street and a great opportunity to check out a lot of the local architecture. If you’re visiting in October, you’ll see a lot of houses going all out for Halloween. This is Salem, after all!

Max and Dani’s House is also located extremely close to Pioneer Village so you can knock those two out at the same time.

Movie scenes

  • 17:25

You’ll see their house several times in the movie including when they open the spell book and a bright beam of orange light is shot from the crow’s nest atop the house.

Max and Dani's house Hocus Pocus movie.
  • 1:09:53
Max and Dani's house Hocus Pocus movie.

More on the site…

Max and Dani’s House is a private residence so you absolutely want to keep your distance and show respect. I’ve heard that the owner is really cool but your best bet is to stay in the street to take a couple of photos.

You might also want to take photographs in the opposite direction since this house has a pretty amazing view of the water, which was not depicted in the movie (but included in the deleted scenes).

Max and Dani's house Hocus Pocus movie Salem MA.

Pioneer Village 

  • Google Map address: 98 West Ave, Salem, MA 01970
  • Website

Photo/visit notes

The village is tucked away behind a baseball park and could be very easy to miss. It is only about a 7 minute walk from Max and Dani’s House. Check out the open hours and dates below if you want to visit.

Movie scenes

  • 2:16

The opening scenes of the film (before Thackery Binx made his feline transition) were filmed at Pioneer Village. Because it was closed when we visited, we were not able to explore this place closely. But even if it is closed when you arrive, you can still peak over the fence and check out a couple of the structures that were used in the movie.

Pioneer Village Hocus Pocus movie.

More on the site…

Pioneer Village, built in the 1930s, is America’s first living history museum and still offers tours. As of October 2021, they were only open on weekends from 12 to 4pm with a $5 admission ticket. So be prepared for odd and limited hours.

Pioneer Village Hocus Pocus movie Salem MA.

Old Burial Hill Cemetery

  • Google Map address: Marblehead, MA 01945
  • Website

Photo/visit notes:

From Salem Common this would be about a 4.5 mile one-way walk, taking you about 1.5 hours. For that reason, you may want to drive or take an Uber.

There are a few areas to park along the street nearby and if you go early in the morning (we went around sunrise) you should be able to easily find a spot somewhere close.

When you get there, you will see Fountain Park on one side and then some steps taking you to the cemetery on the other side. It’s a short uphill walk and to find the specific spot that was used in the film.

Movie scenes

  • 15:45

This scene is where Max ends up shoeless after he has a run-in with the two bullies: Jay and Ernie (aka Ice). This spot is cool because you can get in the exact same location that was filmed in the movie by finding the specific tombstones.

Shortly after you enter the graveyard you will look to your left and you’ll be looking for two tombstones that are angled towards each other (pictured below in the bottom left). The name on the tombstone you are looking for is: Mary Doak.

I think that the tombstone pictured below on the right is either a fake or was removed for some reason because I did not see it in person.

There are also a couple of other tombstones you can find that were used in individual scenes, like when Max was riding his bike into the cemetery.

Old Burial Hill Cemetery in Hocus Pocus movie.

More on the site…

In case you couldn’t tell this is a real graveyard (and in fact it is one of the oldest in New England dating back to 1638). It’s said that about 600 Revolutionary soldiers were buried here so be sure to be respectful.

Old Burial Hill Cemetery in Hocus Pocus movie Marblehead MA.

If you want to add an extra location to your stop check out nearby Crocker Park. There is where a quick scene was shot where Max is overlooking the city right after dealing with the bullies and you can check out that overlook.

  • 17:19
Old Burial Hill Cemetery in Hocus Pocus movie.

You can also head to a nearby intersection at 85 Washington St, Marblehead, MA 01945. This is where another very short clip of Max riding his bike back home after getting bullied was shot.

  • 15:22
Max riding bike Hocus Pocus movie.

Los Angeles, CA Locations

As mentioned above, some of the shots from the movie were also filmed in Los Angeles.

If you remember the scene where the Sanderson sisters find themselves in the home of their “master” aka Satan (and his not so happy wife), that house is located at 6536 Friends Ave, Whittier, CA 90601.

Another house was used was 6546 Friends Ave, located just two houses down from the house above. This house was only seen briefly in a scene where kids were trick-or-treating.

Interestingly, the shot where they are celebrating after melting the witches was actually shot at the Warner Bros. Ranch. It’s the same park and fountain used in the intro of Friends.

Also, in case you were wondering the graveyard where the Sanderson sisters turned to stone/died and their house where they brewed their potions were filmed on Stage 2 on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, CA.

Information found via iamnotastalker.com.

Hocus Pocus 2 filming location

Hocus Pocus 2 how now been released!

Filming began in the fall of 2021 and at least one filming site was open to the public at Chase Park in Lincoln, Rhode Island.

A large portion of the park was partitioned off but they still left a trail on the fringes that you could follow and get a good view of the set.

The set at Chase Park consisted of a small colonial village, which we were able to capture below.

Hocus Pocus 2 movie filming Lincoln RI.
The new Hocus Pocus 2 movie set getting built!

Final word

Salem Massachusetts already has a ton of interesting and fascinating places to see. But if you are a fan of Hocus Pocus, you’ve got the added pleasure of checking out these cool sites. If you follow this guide you should be able to efficiently visit all of these filming places and know exactly what to look for.

Salem Witch Trials Historical Sites To Visit (Guide) [2022]

Salem, Massachusetts is a unique destination to say the least. It’s a charming New England town with a modern reputation as a bewitched city where Halloween lovers seem to flock. It has its fair share of cheesy tourist attractions but it also has a treasure trove of historical sites, some of which have a very sinister side.

In this article, I will show you all of the important historic sites of the Salem Witch Trials that you can explore in Salem. These are places where real events took place like the hangings of the accused witches and the first outbreaks of the “afflicted” girls.

I’ll give you a pre-made itinerary so that you can logically follow the events of the witch trials in a type of chronological order that makes sense from a historical perspective.

In addition, I’ll give you all the details you need to know like addresses, historical insight, and some practical tips on visiting.

Planning your visit

I’ve divided these sites into two separate groups (I explain why below) but you can easily view both of these groups in one day.

It will help tremendously if you have a vehicle to take you over to Danvers but you could also Uber back-and-forth if needed or just go for a very long walk (not recommended).

I would try to carve out time to visit the sites in this article that is separate from time used to check out light-hearted destinations like Hocus Pocus filming sites or other more “entertaining” sites in Salem.

It’s just my personal preference but I really like to consolidate all “memorial-type” sites into one continuous outing. That way you’re not going back-and-forth between fun sites and sites that deserve a little bit more reverence.

So with that out-of-the-way let’s get into how to check out the Salem Witch Trial sites!

My pick for a hotel in Salem: Hampton Inn Salem

A quick word on the sites

The sites in Danvers and Salem are mostly memorials and site markers meaning that you don’t see the actual structures that existed during the witch trials (although some buildings are thankfully still standing).

For me, it was still worth it to stop by the historical markers just to imagine the happenings that went on over 300 years ago and “feel” the history.

But because you will be dealing with historical markers, it will really help if you get versed in the history surrounding the witch trials before you visit. I would recommend watching a documentary like the Witches of Salem.

These sites below are 10 of what I believe are the most relevant and interesting Salem Witch Trial sites but if you would like, you can go down the rabbit trail and find a lot more sites in the nearby areas to explore.

Salem Village and Salem Town

When the Salem Witch Trials were taking place in the 1600s, Salem consisted of two separate areas: Salem Village and Salem Town.

Salem Village is modern day Danvers (population: 27,400) and Salem Town is modern day Salem (population: 43,252). The two cities are located about 5 miles away from each other.

Both locations have key sites from the witch trials, and in my opinion if you want a complete visit of Salem Witch Trial historical sites, you HAVE to visit both.

Danvers is less urban and more of a residential area, so you probably won’t encounter a lot of tourist crowds since those tend to stay in Salem.

This affords you a more intimate experience with the historical sites allowing you to properly reflect and contemplate the craziness that ensued.

Note: Some of the Danvers sites are located by the Highlands School so if you visit in the morning, the area can be quite congested. My suggestion would try to be to avoid the morning rush hours when visiting during the week.

Image via UConn.

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Salem Witch Trials sites in Danvers

The great thing about Danvers is that most of the spots are clustered together so you can just walk around the block and see a handful of them. It only took us about 30 to 40 minutes total to see all of the main spots in Danvers.

The drawback is that Danvers is a little far from Salem (15 minute drive) and will likely require you to drive or take an Uber to get there. If you drive you should be able to find street parking nearby these locations.

Salem Village Parsonage

  • Address: 67A Centre St, Danvers, MA 01923
  • Website

This is the spot were the Salem witch trials began, so it makes sense to kick off your visit of the historical sites with this location.

Samuel Parris and his wife Elizabeth lived here along with their 9 year-old daughter Elizabeth (aka Betty), and 11 year-old orphaned niece Abigail Williams among other family members. Also living in this house was their slave, Tituba.

In the middle of January 1962, Betty began having her fits along with Abigail Williams. A month later, their condition worsened and soon a local physician came by and declared them “under an Evil Hand.” It was the very beginning of what would become a very dark chapter for Salem.

The parsonage in Salem Village, as photographed in the late 19th century. Via public domain.

While looking over this rocky foundation, you can imagine the frenzy that played out in his house. Puzzled doctors and ministers going in and out, prayers of desperation — this house had mad drama.

Note: The actual location of the foundations are a bit tucked away from the main street. When you arrive at the address, you’ll need to walk down the pathway pictured below and you’ll eventually come across an open lot where you will see a blue sign post for the site. You really can’t miss it.

Salem Village Parsonage
The site where the witch trial events began.

Church in Salem Village

  • Address: Corner of Hobart Street and Centre Street, Danvers, Mass

Just a short walk from the Salem Village Parsonage is the site of the Salem Village Church. This is where some of the accused and their accusers attended church during the Salem Witch Trials.

In fact, some of the afflicted girls even exhibited symptoms of their afflictions here in the spring of 1692 and some of the accused were excommunicated.

You’ll find a historical marker where this church was located and there is also a church that currently sits on that site: The First Church of Danvers Congregational.

Church in Salem Village historical marker
The First Church of Danvers Congregational exterior

First Meetinghouse of Salem Village

  • Address: 175 Hobart Street, Danvers, MA, USA
  • Website

This meeting house was where a lot of the accused witches were examined including Tituba, Sarah Osborne, and Sarah Good. Others who were examined here include: Rebecca Nurse, Dorothy Good, Martha and Giles Corey, Bridget Bishop, and Mary Easty.

These examinations were initially set to take place in a smaller building but because so many spectators turned out they had to use the larger meeting house. With so many stunned locals onlooking, you could only imagine the pandemonium that swept through everyone as the first accused witches were brought in for questioning.

Note: There is currently a replica of the First Meetinghouse of Salem Village at the Rebecca Nurse Homestead.

Witchcraft Victim’s Memorial

  • Address: 172 Hobart St, Danvers, MA 01923

Visiting the Witchcraft Victim’s Memorial is when the magnitude of the trials really started to hit me. It’s actually a beautiful and well done memorial located right at the edge of a park directly across from First Meetinghouse of Salem Village.

Seeing the quotes engraved in the memorial really drives home the innocence of the accused and how terrible it was that they had to endure false accusations and unjustified executions.

When reading the quotes I honestly found myself getting a little angry at all of the accusers and struggling to accept how some humans could be so irrational and heartless.

But I think the witch trials are not just about teaching us the dangers of fear and scapegoating — there’s also a related lesson about the need for empathy even for the accusers.

It’s very easy to judge people from a different time without thinking about how we ourselves could’ve been swept up in such a craze if we were born into those settings.

If we can imagine us having our own irrational blindspots then, we can imagine us falling victim to fear now and hopefully strive to do better.

The Rebecca Nurse Homestead

  • Adddress: 149 Pine St, Danvers, MA 01923
  • Website

Unfortunately, during our visit the Rebecca Nurse Homestead was closed so we did not get to experience it but I think this is definitely one of the must-visits in Danvers. It’s known for being the only home of a person executed during the trials open to the public.

Rebecca Nurse is one of the sadder stories as she was an innocent elderly grandmother accused of witchcraft in March of 1692. She was arrested on March 23 and after that was never returned to her house. She would be hanged on July 19, 1692 at Proctor’s Ledge in Salem Town.

Her family secretly retrieved her body after the execution and buried her in the family cemetery near the property. Today, you can book tours of the property but just be sure to plan ahead.

Salem Witch Trials sites in Salem

Danvers has a lot of the sites related to the beginning of the Salem Witch Trials which is why I recommend heading there first. After you check out those sites, you can head to Salem where you will find sites that played an important role in the later stages.

You can easily view all of the Salem sites on foot since most of them are pretty close together with the exception of Proctor’s Ledge which is still only about 1 mile outside of the center of downtown.

Note: Some of the plaques on the walls of buildings are small and easy to miss so be sure to give them a close eye when you come up on the address.

Witch House

  • Address: 310 Essex St, Salem, Mass
  • Website

The Witch House is known for being the only building you can visit in Salem still intact that played a role in the Salem Witch Trials. It was the home of Jonathan Corwin who was a judge in the Salem Witch Trials and lived there for 40 years until his death in 1718.

Corwin, along with fellow judge John Hathorne, played an early role in interviewing the accused witches in places like the Salem Village Meetinghouse. According to some sources it’s not exactly clear what his overall role was and where he stood on things like spectral evidence.

If you plan ahead of time and get tickets, you can actually go inside and tour the interior.

Courthouse

  • Address: 70 Washington St, Salem, MA 01970 (about 100 feet south of Lynde Street)
  • Website

About a four minute walk from the Witch House you come across the site of the original courthouse that housed the trials of the accused.

Governor William Phips in May of 1692 created the “Court of Oyer and Terminer” with Lieutenant Governor William Stoughton as its chief magistrate specifically to hear the witch trial cases that were quickly accumulating.

Other members of the court were merchants, landowners, and politicians, including Jonathan Corwin — the owner of the house you just visited.

You can imagine the intense cross examinations that took place on these grounds, the elaborate testimonies of “spectral evidence,” the stunned (and probably terrified) jury members, and pleas for innocence that were unheard.

1876 illustration of the Salem courtroom. Image via public domain.

Court proceedings that took place here include the trials of:

  • Bridget Bishop (June 2);
  • Sarah Good, Susannah Martin, Rebecca Nurse, Elizabeth How, and Sarah Wildes (around June 28);
  • Martha Carrier, John and Elizabeth Proctor, John Willard, George Jacobs, and George Burroughs (August 2-5);
  • Martha Corey, Mary Easty, Ann Parker, Mary Parker, Ann Pudeator, Dorcas Hoar, and Mary Bradbury (week of September 2);
  • and Wilmott Redd, Samuel Wardwell, and Margaret Scott (September 13)

Old Witch Gaol

  • Address: 10 Federal St, Salem, MA 01970

About four minutes away from the old courthouse is the Old Witch Gaol.

This is the location where many of the accused witches were imprisoned while they awaited trial or execution. You could imagine the state of disarray the accused must’ve been in as they were transported from the courthouse over to these dark dungeons with onlookers probably cheering in the streets in a frenzy.

The conditions were known to be brutal. Freezing during the winter and sweltering hot during summer. Some of the accused were apparently chained down to prevent their spirits from escaping (I think they believed the iron helped?).

The fact that disturbs me the most was that the accused would be forced to pay for their room and board and even for the chains used on them. Of those who were released, many still struggled financially to overcome their cost of imprisonment.

It’s also worth remembering that some of the accused did not survive imprisonment — probably due to the overwhelming stress and terrible living conditions.

In 1956, the New England Telephone Company constructed their new headquarters over the site of the old jail and that is where you can find the plaque below.

Some wooden beams from the dungeon were donated to museums and you might be able to find them at the Salem Witch Museum and the Witch Dungeon Museum.

Proctor’s Ledge

  • Address: 7 Pope St, Salem, MA 01970
  • Website

From the Old Witch Gaol, it’s about a 20 minute walk to your next destination: Proctor’s Ledge.

This is where the gallows were located and the falsely accused were hanged. It was no doubt a spectacle as the accused witches were paraded through town to the gallows.

A lot of research went into finding this exact location and while the memorial is small, it’s a pretty monumental spot as it is the spot where these victims took their last breathe.

Initially, people suspected that the hangings took place at the summit of Gallows Hill. But in 1921, local historian Sidney Perley pinned the spot of the executions closer to the base of the hill on Proctor’s Ledge. (Eyewitness accounts of residents who had witnessed the hangings from their homes placed the gallows at the lower elevation.)

The current memorial is a recent one built in 2016 and dedicated on July 19, 2017, the 325th anniversary of the hangings of Sarah Good, Elizabeth Howe, Susannah Martin, Rebecca Nurse, and Sarah Wildes.

Proctor's Ledge Salem

Salem Witch Memorial

  • Address: 24 Liberty St, Salem, MA 01970
  • Website

After you’ve gone through the journey of discovering where all of the madness began, where the examinations and trials took place, and where the accused were imprisoned and executed, you can head back to the center of town to reflect on the last site: the Salem Witch Memorial.

The Memorial — built in 1992 for the 300th anniversary of the Salem Witch Trials — houses 20 granite benches with the victims’ names engraved along with the date (and type) of execution.

It sits next to the Old Burying Point cemetery which is where Salem Witch Judge John Hathorne is buried.

There are some quotes in the stone slabs at the entryway of the memorial which echo some of the quotes you may have seen at the memorial in Danvers.

“For my life now lies in your hands”

“On my dying day, I am no witch”

“God knows I am innocent”

“Oh Lord help me”

“I am wholly innocent of such wickedness”

“If I would confess i should save my life”

“I do plead not guilty”

Black locust trees stand in the middle which I believe were the type that were used at the gallows.

The design of the memorial came from a competition that received over 240 entries. The winners were reportedly inspired by the Vietnam Memorial wall in Washington DC.

This is where I imagine a lot of people first hear about the death by pressing that occurred with Giles Cory. He was essentially tortured over the span of several days and suffocated while admirably refusing to plead guilty for something that he did not do.

This is a fitting spot to end your tour of historical Salem Witch Trial sites.

Read more about the memorial.

Final word

As mentioned above, there are dozens and dozens of sites connected to the Salem Witch Trials that you can still check out today. But the 10 sites above are what I believe to be some of the most relevant sites to retracing the history of the Salem Witch trials from beginning to end.

Hampton Inn Salem| Boston Massachusetts Review [2021]

Salem Massachusetts is one of the coolest spots we’ve visited in recent time. We wanted the full Salem experience so we visited in the month of October when crowds can get a bit crazy.

Despite dealing with some busy streets, we felt very good about our choice to stay at the Hampton Inn Salem, a property that just opened up in late 2020.

Here is a full review of the hotel so you know what to expect if you choose to go with the Hampton Inn Salem.

Booking

We made this booking several months in advance which is something I highly recommend that you do if you plan on visiting Salem in October.

Several October weekends were sold out many months in advance so if you plan on staying at this hotel on a weekend my advice is to book wayyy in advance.

Also, if booking for October, be aware that Salem gets extremely busy on the weekends during this month and even weekdays can be pretty hectic closer to Halloween.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

Location overview

The Hampton Inn Salem is located right in the heart of Salem and in my opinion is one of the best locations you could choose for a hotel.

You are just minutes away from Essex Street which has a ton of iconic attractions and popular sites to see in Salem, including those from the Salem With Trials.

As far as walking distance goes, here are some ETAs:

  • The House of the Seven Gables: 14 min
  • Salem Witch Museum: 10 min
  • Salem Common: 11 min
  • Peabody Essex Museum: 6 min
  • The Witch House at Salem: 8 min

If you are interested in doing a tour of Hocus Pocus filming sites you can find several of those nearby.

Guests are also just steps away from the Lobster Shanty which is a fabulous restaurant I would recommend you to check out if you were looking for some good lobster rolls in Salem. Boston Burger is great burger joint that is also super close. For breakfast, you could look into the Ugly Mug Diner.

If you are into cannabis there is a dispensary directly next-door called Seagrass Salem Dispensary, which I found to be a quality dispensary.

Overall, the location really is just about as good as it gets.

Related: Can You Smoke Weed in a Hotel Room?

Lobster roll from The Lobster Shanty.

Check-in

This hotel stay was part of a big road trip we did in the Northeast where we hit up 13 states in 8 days!

On the day of check-in, we drove in from Plymouth, New Hampshire after doing some leaf peeping and on the way stopped in Kittery, Maine for some great lobster rolls at Bob’s Clam Hut.

When you arrive at the hotel, there is a parking garage attached to the hotel and there should be an attendant on duty to help get you situated with parking. The attendants were very on top of their job which was nice.

They admitted each automobile individually into the garage which was a little bit inefficient but given that this was October in Salem they probably had to take extra measures to prevent parking issues. Parking was $18/night.

At check-in, due to Diamond status we were offered welcome gifts of drinks and snacks. Because we had been snacking so much on the road trip we declined the snacks but we did snag a couple of water bottles.

The staff at check-in was exceptional and did a great job of making us feel at home and asking us if we needed anything.

Masks were required in the hotel as Salem has a pretty strict city wide mask requirement for indoor businesses.

A new hotel but old Hilton Honors branding materials?

The room 

The king room is modern and spacious. The comfy bed comes with a floating headboard and floating nightstands. There are lamps on both sides and you also have plenty of power outlets and USB ports for convenient charging.

Related: Should You Use USB Ports In Hotel Rooms? (Stay Away!?)

There’s a workstation with plenty of outlets (three power outlets + two USB ports) and a comfortable rolling chair so if you need to sit down and knock out some work, there’s a great space to get that done.

There’s also a large mirror right in front of the desk in case you need to keep a close eye on your appearance while working, I guess?

The workstation is connected to the entertainment area which has a large 55 inch TV, which was perfect for watching the MLB playoffs during our stay.

We actually stayed at this hotel when we went to Fenway for the Astros versus Red Sox game and I did not think the drive into Boston was bad at all. You just need to figure out your parking situation, which isn’t very difficult to do.

Under the TV you’ll find the microwave, coffee maker, and mini fridge. Next to all of that you’ll find the ice bucket.

Related: Are Hotel Coffee Makers Safe & Clean? (YIKES!) 

We were put on the top floor which is the sixth floor. As far as the view went, there was an interesting rooftop outside but we did not have much else to look out to.

The bathroom was really nice and came with some quality Neutrogena amenities.

We did not have any issues with water temperature or water pressure with the shower.

Facilities

The parking garage is directly connected to the lobby which is nice and open, although on the smaller side.

The hotel lobby has some iconic signage behind the check-in desk which I thought was cool to see, especially when you first arrive in Salem. It really drives home where you are: “The Bewitched City.”

Breakfast

On the third floor, the hotel has a lounge-type area where you can enjoy breakfast and perhaps even conduct business meetings. I honestly wasn’t expecting this type of hotel to have such a nice and spacious lounge area so this was a nice surprise.

It’s a really cool set up where there are booths with their own TVs which I thought was really interesting (at least in theory).

The problem is that not all of the TVs are synced so you can hear echoes while trying to enjoy the TV which is actually very annoying. In fact, I started to feel like I was going a little bit crazy with the echoes, and I actually had to finish my meal in a hurry so I could get out of there!

The hotel offered what I referred to as a continental plus breakfast. You have options for hot food items like eggs, sausage, and potatoes and also other options like oatmeal and cereal.

You could also make yourself a waffle with the waffle maker.

Other options included pastries, fruit, and some really good banana nut bread.

Related: What Hotels Have Free Breakfast?

Fitness center

The Hampton Inn gym is located on the third floor as well.

For only having 113 rooms, this is actually a pretty good-sized hotel gym in my opinion.

Pool

The Hampton Inn also has a beautiful indoor pool area (located on the first floor).

Final word

Salem Massachusetts is definitely a unique destination. While it is a bit touristy (okay, let’s be honest it’s hella touristy), it’s still a very cool spot to check out and it is possible to escape from the tourist areas by walking around the city.

In terms of location, I think the Hampton Inn is one of the best hotels to stay at when visiting Salem because it is right in the middle of everything.