Bewitched by Salem: From Witch Trials to Ghost Tours, Explore the Town Where History Lives.

November 4th – 8th, 2024

When you hear Salem, Massachusetts, the first thing that comes to everyone’s mind is of course; the Salem Witch Trials. This tiny but beautiful town holds so much history and is a bucket list destination for Halloween lovers. In October, the witch city is at its peak with tourists from all over the world.

Pro tip: if this is your first trip to Salem, September or November is the best time to go to make the most of your visit! You will avoid the chaotic lines to get into attractions, museums and stores, while still immersing yourself in the rich and spooky history of the town.

If you are looking to dive into the culture, the history, and the eerily cool town of Salem, these are a few attractions any traveler should add to their itinerary.

First off, The Salem Wax Museum is a perfect blend of creepy (without trying to be), and informative. Ever heard of the movie ‘House of Wax?’ This place radiates the same energy, in the best way possible – assuming you like that kind of thing because, well, you’re here. It almost seems as if the wax figure’s eyes follow you as you learn about the events that took place in their town over 300 years ago.

The Salem Wax Museum. photo by Lex Inzirillo

Right across from the Salem Wax Museum, make sure to stop at the Salem Witch Village. At first you’ll be walking into a charming store, with witchy souvenir items. In the back of the store is a self-guided tour about the misunderstandings around witchcraft and how modern-day witchcraft presents itself. Very cool and educational, because while being more accepted now than in 1692, there still is a lot of confusion over what being a “witch” actually is. The Puritans would be shocked to discover that no, it is not satanic and does not even involve “devil worship” of any kind.

The Salem Witch Village. photo by Lex Inzirillo

On that topic, here’s a fun fact: Salem actually houses the Satanic Temple International – now turned Salem Art Gallery. Some might be skeptical entering this one, but you’ll come to find it is not intimidating at all. The workers are very kind, and it is simply an old house with local artists displaying their work. I recommend venturing upstairs, where you can take the opportunity to browse more art, educational matters, or go downstairs to take a photo with Baphomaet.

Salem Art Gallery. photo by Lex Inzirillo

Next up, the iconic Witch House. This one is a staple in Salem, being the only structure still standing that has a direct connection to the witchcraft trials. This home was built around 1675 and was the residence of Judge Jonathan Corwin in 1692. Having been one of the judges involved in the trial, you can assume that some of the civilians visited his residence to submit their complaints of witchcraft happenings in the town. This alone makes the house fascinating and worth a visit – but inside, you’ll find other intriguing facts about the time period, which helps give an understanding about the time, how they lived, and what they thought about the world.

Witch House. photo by Lex Inzirillo

Now even though there aren’t many buildings open to the public such as the Witch House that directly relate to the trials, the Witch Dungeon Museum is a great place to visit if you’re interested in seeing an excellent recreation of the jail in which the accused witches were imprisoned. Before you are taken into the dungeon, though, you are seated in the pews of this old church building for a dramatic reenactment of the witch trials. The actors were excellent at portraying the hysteria amongst the townspeople and this sets the tone of the time before they take you into the dungeon.

Witch Dungeon Museum. photo by Lex Inzirillo

An interesting fact is that the actual dungeon part of this museum was created using the exact dimensions of the original jail – that site being located in a different part of town at 4 Federal St. – now, inaccessible and covered by office buildings rumored to be haunted.

On display is a wooden beam from the original witch dungeon, a very cool part of history to experience. As you walk through, scenes are portrayed inside the cells to reflect the reality of 1692 with replica props and wax figures. It is a shocking yet compelling display of the inhumanity that existed in this time of mass hysteria.

Witch Dungeon Museum. photo by Lex Inzirillo

If you’ve made it through all of these attractions by this time, the sun will probably have set – as it usually does around 4:30pm here during the fall. This makes it a perfect time to dive right into the real spooky side of Salem with a ghost tour. There are many different ones, but the Salem Night Tour is a must-do. Your guide will take you walking around the town of Salem as they retell true ghost stories on the very ground you stand on. With Salem’s vibrant history, naturally it comes with ghosts, and this is the perfect time to learn where they are! And if you’re lucky, you might even see one lurking in the dark alleyways and cemeteries.

Salem Night Tour. photo by Lex Inzirillo

The scarily captivating history behind Salem, Massachusetts is what many come for and these attractions happen to be a great way to dive right into that during your stay. Keep in mind there is also so much to do including all-star dining options and even film locations from the Halloween movie staple ‘Hocus Pocus.’ Salem is now, ironically enough, a witch’s dream spot!

The Witch House. photo by Lex Inzirillo