Screw You, I'm a Witch: Salem Edition
My journey towards magickal enlightenment began earlier this year at the oldest occult shop in New York City. But on October 9, 2020 my Wiccan chronicles continued as I ventured four hours northeast to the home of the Salem Witch Trials—Salem, Massachusetts.
The unofficial Halloween capital of the United States is known for its year-round spooky festivities and dark history, so it felt fitting that I should visit during one of the most eerie times of history. This time, I didn’t venture out alone. Instead, I travelled alongside two other witches-to-be with the goal of determining whether or not Salem was truly worth the trek.
Old Burying Point/Salem Witch Trial Memorial
While we originally wanted to take a trolley tour to really understand the history of Salem before venturing out on our own, the trolley tour didn’t pan out. Instead, we visited the Old Burying Point and the Salem Witch Trial Memorial, and honestly, it was a great way to set the tone for the rest of our trip. The tombstones at Old Burying Point—which happens to be Salem’s first cemetery and the second oldest cemetery in the country—were so weathered away that we honestly thought it was a fake cemetery! We soon learned that we were wrong, and as we visited the witch trial memorial, we paid our own respects (literally and figuratively) to the women who were falsely accused of witchcraft and lost their lives during the Salem Witch Trials.
CroW haven corner/spellwork garden
During every meal we had, we would recap the trip and discuss what our favorite location/adventure was, and every single time, Crow Haven Corner took the cake. Crow Haven Corner is the oldest witch store in Salem. It was amazing to see the differences between the oldest occult store in New York and the oldest witch store in Salem. At Crow Haven Corner, we took part in the Spellwork Garden where we and a bunch of other witches-in-training were guided through three spells by a Salem witch. She took us through casting a sacred circle, performing three spells, and through closing the circle before sending us on our merry way. The entire experience proved to be perception-shifting and very authentic. I’d be lying if I told you that we didn’t deem ourselves witches for the rest of the trip following the Spellwork Garden.
Witch city Mall/Escape room salem
The Witch City Mall looked nothing like I thought it would, mostly because it didn’t look like a mall at all. It had a very zombie apocalypse-esque feel to it. There were barely any people in it, and most of the stores were empty. I mean… not even a single worker. This was the case for the escape room. We walked into the escape room, and it was empty. I was so creeped out that I ended up sharing my location with my mom. But when we finally did go into the escape room—wizardry themed of course—it was such a fun experience. It actually consisted of (I believe) three rooms, but unfortunately, we didn’t succeed in escaping the rooms. But we were so close. Even though you can find an escape room anywhere, this one was such a different and more immersive experience. This location definitely holds a spot in the top three for my Salem list.
candlelit ghostly tour
From the oldest cemetery in Salem where one ghost is often seen and her scream heard to a now-hotel where George Washington once woke up to himself being strangled by an apparition, the Candlelit Ghostly Tour was a fun way to learn about the history of Salem. We were able to learn about real-life events and the most experienced ghostly sightings. It is sad to say, though, we didn’t see any ghosts. But I look forward to going back and maybe seeing one then.
Good Eats
I will admit that I wasn’t expecting the food to be anything special during this trip. After all, I was coming for the witchy experience. But The Lobster Shanty, Red’s Sandwich, and O’Neills Pub and Restaurant proved me wrong. Pictured first, we ordered a Connecticut style lobster roll with onion strings, lobster mac and cheese, and poutine. The entire thing? Delicious. At Red’s Sandwich shop, we ordered burgers and an omelette, and honestly, the burger was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had… and I’ve had a lot. Finally, on our last night as one last hurrah, we went to O’Neills for fish and chips and a couple of drinks. And you guessed it, it was all amazing. The seasoned batter on the fish, the crispy fries, the autumn-inspired drinks… what more is there to ask for? Salem really wowed me with their good eats!
historic sights
We wanted to do a day of sightseeing during our last day. This included going to the Witch House, Hocus Pocus house, Witch Museum, Bewitched statue, and the first church of Salem. Unfortunately, the Witch House and the Witch Museum were all sold out of tickets, so we ended up just passing by. All of these places were just amazing locations to visit and take in. The Witch House is the only place in Salem with direct ties to the Salem Witch Trial. So to see the house in person, even though we couldn’t go in, seemed unreal. The Bewitched Statue was huge for me as well considering that I’m a huge fan of Bewitched, the TV show (and the 2005 movie version). Overall, Salem has some amazing sights that every Wiccan-lover must see.
emporium 32
Emporium 32 sits across the street from Red’s Sandwich Shop, and being that it’s solely a gift shop, I wasn’t expecting to be amazed by anything. But I really do think that this gift shop has a lot to offer. While it’s not necessarily the mecca for all things Wiccan, it’s definitely a mecca for all things Salem. It’s a place to get cool pieces of art, incense, jewelry, stickers, pointed hats and cloaks, and so much more. We found ourselves perusing the store for quite a while, and you bet your bewitched booty that we made some purchases!
gallows hill museum/theater
Gallows Hill holds second place in my list of top three experiences in Salem. The Gallows Hill Main Show as well as the Lost Museum, which is the theater’s underground attraction, are both such fun experiences that anyone can enjoy. The Main Show is a performance that involves smoke, holograms, and a few jump scares. It’s a performance that is definitely a bit cheesy, but if you’re into that, then it’s fantastic! We were very into it. The Lost Museum, I feel, is a bit less cheesy. There are definitely a bit more scares (at least for me). It takes you through an adventure that is based in escaping the underground rooms. There isn’t a dull moment when you go to Gallows Hill, and I would do it all again.
Final thoughts
Although it doesn’t take longer than two or three days to see the whole town, we found ourselves still wanting to see more and stay longer. Maybe it was our inner Wiccan calling. Maybe it was history of Salem. Maybe it was the people. Maybe it was that one worker at a store that asked us if we were locals while we were dressed at witches. Either way, we definitely felt like we belonged. So, is Salem worth it? Absolutely.