Plan your experience

This is an absolute must do! Despite the name no witches ever lived here. The Witch House is the only building left standing from the Salem Witch Trials. Judge Hathorne and his family lived (and many of them died) here. Walking inside takes you right back to that awful time in history, you are immersed in 1692. As far as serious historic sites in Salem go, the Witch House is my absolute favorite.

The Witch House also has a well-deserved reputation for being haunted, makes sense for a building so many people lived and died in. It is one the most photographed places in Salem. It is almost a law that you must take a spooky picture out front. Make sure to go inside and absorb the history too. Ask about the 1600s era anti- witchcraft carvings recently discovered on the old wooden beams.

The most asked question in Salem other than “where are the public restrooms?” is “where were the witches hanged?” The answer is that none of the hanged were witches and the exact location of the hangings has been hotly debated for centuries. The best guess as to the location and the one backed up with the most evidence is Proctor’s Ledge. A somber memorial was finally installed at the site in 2017. I can tell you from personal experience that it is a very heavy feeling place. Even the most hardcore skeptics of the supernatural will get a chill there sometimes.

The memorial is off limits after dark and if you are caught you will get fined or arrested, no organized tours are allowed. It is as if the powers that be are still ashamed to remember the tragedy. I used to occasionally take people interested in paranormal investigation or serious history over there but discontinued that years ago because even the skeptics got too spooked! If you go early in the morning sometimes you will see flowers and offerings left at the memorial by descendants of the accused witches. The address is 7 Pope Street.

Step away from the real-life horrors of the Witch Trials and into the world of Hollywood horror. The Nightmare Gallery is a monster wax museum and if you only have time for one thing to do before your Spellbound tour this should be the one. Filled from floor to ceiling with just about any movie monster you can think of. From the classic Universal era of Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff as Dracula and the Frankenstein Monster to modern maniacs like Chucky and the Saw puppet and everyone in between. I was thrilled to discover a Tombs Of The Blind Dead ghoul tucked in a corner.

Killer Klowns, Aliens, Hellraisers, zombies, bloodsucking freaks and more. The creatures were all sculpted by professional monster makers and special effects artists. In addition to the monster figures, The Nightmare Gallery offers a special event called Lifting The Coffin Lid where they take you down into the basement and show you a tremendous collection of macabre antiques including a 1600s edition of the Malleus Maleficarum from the Witch Trials and a very convincing vampire hunter’s kit!

This is an art museum, and a very good one, but what is of most interest to Salem visitors is that the museum owns a remarkable collection of items from the Witch Trials. Court documents, personal artifacts that belonged to the “witches”. The Peabody Essex Museum itself is historic, being the oldest continually operated museum in the United States. Go for the witches and stay for the art and artifacts.

After decades of distancing themselves from the Witch Trials the new management is wisely embracing it. That gives me hope that other artifacts buried deep in their archives like the alleged skull of Blackbeard the pirate will soon be put on display again.

Gets mixed reviews but I really like it! Inside an imposing old church next to Salem Common is a classic spooky wax museum style presentation telling an easily digested version of the Witch Trials story. The main show is dark and creepy. If you like old school roadside attraction type experiences this is for you.

They also have an exhibit on the changing perspectives about modern witchcraft and a dedicated staff that really cares about researching and preserving the true story of the Witch Trials. If you are a descendant of any of the “witches” you need to go to the gift shop and ask for the ancestor information packets they have made with genealogy and information for each victim.

We cover the cemetery and its haunted legacy and historic connections on our top-rated walking tour but I highly recommend going on your own time too and really exploring. The Charter Street Cemetery is the final resting place of Judge Hathorne who developed a reputation as the hanging judge of the Salem Witch Trials! The cemetery started getting used as early as 1637 and has some of the most beautiful early New England gravestone carvings you will ever see. My favorite is the Timothy Lindall stone which depicts a folk art looking skeleton and a Father Time kind of figure.

There is also a smaller stone with a unique heart motif, something not seen often on memorial stones of the time. Some stones have details of how the person died, like “struck by lightning” and “consumption”. Taphophiles will have a grand time.  Horror literature fans will appreciate that H.P. Lovecraft took inspiration for his story Pickman’s Model after seeing the Pickman stone.  Fun fact, Johnny Cash’s first American ancestor is buried here! Stay on the marked paths or the staff will yell at you.

Bring your camera. This is a perfect spot for taking social media pictures and you might just catch something ghostly too.

This one is a little off the beaten path, most visitors never see this one. Since it is away from the downtown hub it is a more intimate experience than Charter Street, you can get right up to the stones. This is the place to go if you want to get away from the downtown crowds and maybe have a good old-fashioned cemetery picnic. Both Judge Corwin and Sheriff Corwin are buried here. You will find a discreet obelisk bearing the name Curwin. It is the Corwins! After the Witch Trials some families tried to hide their involvement by altering their names and the Corwins had a lot to hide.

Is a museum dedicated to the pop culture history of Halloween. I like it because they have a collection of screen used props from classic movies like Sleepy Hollow and The Nightmare Before Christmas. There is a blacklight 3D walk through designed to be a spooky approximation of Salem Halloween in days gone by. Lots of fun Salem history on display. Look for the creepy 1930s gauze clown mask on the wall with the vintage Halloween costumes, that are on loan from the Spellbound Tours Collection.

Take the trolley, an Uber, or a looooong walk from downtown but you do not want to miss The Willows. On the water, away from the bustle of downtown is a perfect strip of restaurants, beaches, and arcades, and of course the area is haunted. Called the Willows because of the white willow trees that were planted there long ago, the Willows has quite the history. There is Dead Horse Beach, now families play there, but in the past the indigenous people buried their dead horses there! Rumor has it that once in a great while someone sunbathing will get poked in the back by big old horse bones coming to the surface.

The Willows is home to Hobb’s Popcorn where they have been making popcorn and popcorn bars for about a century. It is still in the Hobb’s family and they still use the antique equipment. It is the best popcorn you will ever eat. I recommend the orange and the vanilla popcorn bars.

The arcades are cool, containing a mix of modern games of chance and skill to win prizes, video games, pinball, and of course skee ball, but the real stars of the arcade are the vintage antique amusement machines! Love testers, rickety old hand cranked mutascope cartoon viewers, vibrating devices, and the beloved mechanical monkeys! It is not a real trip to Salem until you drop a nickel to watch the elderly apes shake it up to a Herb Alpert tune. It is like a museum you can play in.

The Willows has always been a dining destination, in the Food section of the guide I will mention what is arguably the best Seafood restaurant in town and it happens to be at the Willows. Ice cream, slush, pizza, tacos, Chinese, whatever fun food you want the Willows has it.

So why is this happy place haunted? Because before it was a playground by the sea there had been a tuberculous hospital on the land! Patients were shipped down there to get better in the cool sea air. Many perished and their spirits are said to still be wandering the grounds. Additionally, in 1952, just up the road one of the most convincing UFO pictures ever taken was captured on film!

A live theatrical reenactment of Bridget Bishop’s witch trial held in the Old Town Hall. The audience gets to vote if she is innocent or guilty! Local actors play the part of the accused and the accusers. You will likely recognize the Old Town Hall from Hocus Pocus.

Tucked in the back rooms of the Remember Salem shop is a staggering amount of Ouija Boards! Properly called spirit boards or talking boards, Ouija is the brand name, like how all tissues are Kleenex now. This is one the most unique attractions in Salem. Hundreds of boards! The curator is a skeptic but visitors have claimed that some of the boards feel like there are spirits attached to them! The staff will answer questions and explain the history and significance of the boards. I was surprised at how large a role these things played in world history! There is a picturesque nook to take eminently Instagramable photographs and a selection of spirit boards for sale.I have my eye on the Black Magic board.

A few other attractions that are worth checking out are both pirate museums (very different experiences, Real Pirates has artifacts from sunken treasure ships, The Pirate Museum is a campy guided wax museum walk through), The Salem Museum Of Torture (exactly what it sounds like) and The Witch Dungeon Museum (a pretty cool recreation of the long demolished jail where the accused were held).

Hands down my favorite store in Salem. It started out decades ago as a combination novelty shop/psychic reading room. Today it is owned by a professional special effects makeup artist and filmmaker who has worked on projects you are aware of like American Horror Story. When film productions come to the area they buy supplies from him. The Magic Parlor is jam packed with fun. Jokes and novelties in the front, antiques, oddities, vintage goods, and witchcraft supplies in the back. It is something of a local secret among Salem witches that the Magic Parlor has the best prices on herbs and candles. I love how they manage to be both fun and goofy and at the same time respectful of the craft. The Magic Parlor is proof that witchy spirituality and having fun are not mutually exclusive as some sticks in the mud used to think. They have some of the best psychic readers in town and a massive selection of tarot cards. Vintage Halloween blow molds, magic candles, Alchemy Gothic jewelry, scary dolls, monster masks, true crime memorabilia, fake dog doo, magic tricks, spell books… the list goes on forever. Their website says From Serious To Delirious and they mean it! My favorite purchase there was a Fiji Mermaid. The Magic Parlor also offers horror make up classes. Definitely check them out. And if you are getting ghost tour tickets last minute they are the only shop in town selling our ticket day of!

If you want to dress up fancy Salem style go here. The shop is beautiful and the music piped in really sets the mood, jazz age and vaudeville. Vintage inspired items evocative of a hundred plus years ago. An entire wall of fine hats! I purchase the extra tall top hats I wear on the tour at Emporium 32. You can get all you need for your next Gatsby party or put together a look like a classy sideshow personality, I am a big fan especially because unlike a lot of other cool, vintage inspired shops Emporium 32 actually has men’s clothing as well as women’s. They also carry an extensive line of exclusive jewelry and pins, art objects that would not look out of place at the Explorer’s Club, mustache wax, absinthe paraphernalia, art books on macabre and antique subjects, and wonderful postcards with unusual imagery from the weird old past. Make sure to give a dollar to Zoltar! He is the cheapest psychic reader in town!

This in an important one. Enchanted has direct lineage to the beginning of modern Witchcraft in Salem. It is Laurie Cabot’s current shop. Salem has always been the historic Witch City but Laurie Cabot was the person who opened it up for present day practitioners. In the 1960s when people were experimenting with opening their minds and alternative spirituality Laurie Cabot discovered witchcraft worked for her. Then she moved to Salem, where better to promote witchcraft as a way of life and to make money doing it? Laurie Cabot came out of the broom closet and became a pioneer for witch’s rights and getting witchcraft respected as a real religion! Without her work Salem might have stayed stuck as a much more puritanical place. She jumpstarted Salem’s tourism revival and put a positive spin on witchcraft; she is still teaching classes at over ninety years old! Enchanted does psychic readings, sells herbs, spells, ritual objects, art and more.

I almost put this in the Attractions section, but since they have Shop right in the name it goes here I guess. Black Cat Curiosity Shop is one of the best themed environments in Salem. Imagine the shop from Gremlins but less dusty. Like an old time dime museum. Not quite a witch shop but they do sell “magic” items. Not a tourist trap, but they do have every conceivable tourist trinket you could ever want. Hard to pin down exactly but the environment Lara and Dan created is like spooky Disney meets Victorian. Very cool. You should buy the books they wrote about Salem legends and the Charter Street Cemetery, those titles were very useful for my research. The museum section is impressive, with loads of antique Salem paraphernalia, but what got me excited was a toenail from the Yoda puppet used in The Empire Strikes Back and a life size statue of The Gloucester Sea Serpent.

If anyone in your group likes comics, action figures, manga, Star Wars, horror, CCGs, or any other “nerdy” collectables plan to spend a long time in here. It is easy to spend an hour or more digging through the back issues and looking in the cases, I know I do sometimes! The staff is extremely helpful and knows their stuff, especially Max. Does not matter if you need an expensive, obscure silver age back issue or a single pack of Pokemon cards,Harrison’s will hook you up!

THE thrift store. You never know what you are going to find here! Since Salem is such an eclectic city it makes sense that the items that Witch City Consignment gets in reflect the character of Salem. Being a thrift store it can sometimes be hit or miss but it is almost always hit here. I visit at least once a week. Here are some examples of things I have acquired at Witch City through the years; 1960s tabloids with Manson Family cover stories, a vintage McDonaldland promotional poster, authentic advertising paper from P.T. Barnum’s freakshow, vintage Halloween decorations, so many records, candid photographs from the first Star Trek convention held in Boston, sheet music for songs to accompany silent movies, rare Salem books, long out of print horror movies, a giant ceramic toad, a silver pendant with a fossil in it, a tiki mug in the shape of a shrunken head, an imposing, human sized Congolese Nkondi protection statue… and that is just scratching the surface. Some old timers call the place Jerry’s because the space used to be Jerry’s Department Store and they never took the sign down. You cannot miss it. Right across from the Witch House. Make sure to check the window displays, sometimes the best antiques and Halloween stuff ends up in the window. Also, this is the spot where people get the floppy knit witch hats that have become such a trend.

They may be a new business but Stardust is a real, old school witch shop. You will feel like you entered the store from The Craft. Located in a fascinating three-hundred-year-old house with hidden chambers, what I like about this place is how so much of the product is handmade by local members of the witchcraft community. My favorite piece is the enormous stuffed spider knitted by the proprietor. The line of spell candles are something they are especially proud of. Psychic readings are done here too of course. Make sure when stopping in to say hello to Tinkerbell the angry elderly chihuahua who works here as their mascot!

Salem’s record store for fifty years! Record collectors and music fans from all over the world come here for the impeccable selection and expert staff. You will know you found the right shop when you see the faded Tom Waits standee that has been staring from the window since the 70s. I gravitate towards the long row of 50s artists and old blues and country records, but they have something for all tastes. From Taylor Swift’s newest to first pressings of The Cramps early albums to soundtracks to movies no one has seen in sixty years. One day I left with Dee Dee Ramone’s ill-fated rap album and Tex Carmaine’s unhinged cowboy songs, they really have everything! If you are lucky you might meet local soul sensation Barrence Whitfield working the counter. Tell them Dr. Vitka sent you!

My favorite thing about Salem is how dog friendly the city is. If you have an animal friend with you or one waiting at home, you need to check this place out. Freshly baked treats, dog food, training supplies, cute leashes, toys, and of course doggy sized witch hats! And it is haunted! They do not exactly advertise that fact but if you ask nicely the folks who run the place might tell you some very strange and convincing stories of things they experienced while working late making the biscuits.

When people ask what Hive & Forge is I tell them it is like an in person etsy for witches. Everything is either handmade by artists or authentic vintage. Since it is on consignment the stock is always rotating and always beautiful. I usually head straight for the back where Serpentine Books has their outpost. Carefully curated vintage and antique books, many of which pertain to local topics of interest or various forms of occultism. Hive & Forge has a whole petting zoo worth of taxidermy and sometimes offers classes in that art. Herbs, some stones, handmade scented soap, and art. Lots of art. Do not miss the bins of ephemera, you can find unique Victorian trade cards, advertising art, and bookplates. Lots of nature stuff.

Imagine a supermarket just for herbs. That is Artemisa Botanicals! A Salem classic since 1997! Floor to ceiling jars of herbs. Whether you want herbs for spell work or are just going to make an herbal tea this is your spot. They offer Herbalism classes too. A beautiful, welcoming green witch space.

Die With Your Boots On is what 90s Hot Topic wishes it was. Goth, metal, and punk inspired clothing, some of which are created by local artists and companies. Big chunky boots, fun button up shirts with interesting imagery, graphic tees, TRIPP pants that will make you want to fire up a clove cigarette, spooky, sexy swimwear, peplums, mesh, vinyl, and of course Wednesday Addams looking dresses… Mostly in black. Cool accessories, band and horror patches, pins (my favorites are a bondage Beetlejuice, and an Oscar The Grouch coming out of a R2D2). Very inclusive, sizes for all body dimensions and genders. I should go and get a few shirts for the tour season! In addition to the garments they have a book section with music, culture, and political titles. They also have a sister store on Pickering Wharf called Ossuary that is more traditional gothic.

Vampires in Salem? Oh yes! We have more than just witches! Although some of the vampires are witches! Confused? Do not worry about it. Vampfangs is the hub of vampire culture in Salem. They sell a collection of gorgeous gothic and vampire style clothing ranging from formal pieces to lingerie, and they will make custom fitted fangs to fit over your natural teeth. Vampfangs carries books on the vampire lifestyle, vampire culture, and vampire folklore. They are lovely people, and they host the various vampire balls and salons around town. If you are curious check one out. Vampfangs has become quite the selfie destination for their oversized leather chairs. Maison Vampyre is their vampire themed psychic parlor.

This is where people purchase the infamous “I Got Stoned In Salem” t shirt and my personal favorite “Giles Corey’s Gym; Add More Weight!” The guy comes up with new funny and on trend shirts all the time, check them out!

For thirty years our friend Joan has been keeping Salem tourists covered!  There have been many cold days I have run in here for an inexpensive hooded sweatshirt. In addition to a great selection of witchy, Salem, and Boston tee shirts and hoodies this is where you can stock up on ponchos and umbrellas if you arrive on a rainy day.

Unquestionably the best clam chowder in Salem! Family owned. Lobstah and fish fresh off the docks every day! I recommend the chowder and if it is on the menu the bacon wrapped scallops. They also have steaks, salads, and a pasta option or two so everyone will be able to find something to enjoy. Turner’s is a stop on the tour because it is located on land that had been owned by Bridget Bishop, the first person in Salem hanged as a witch. The building has a reputation for being very haunted and as an interesting historical footnote it was at the Lyceum Hall (now Turner’s) that Alexander Grahm Bell first demonstrated the telephone to an amazed audience. You might recognize Turner’s from any number of ghost hunting shows.

Asian Fusion. Sushi and scorpion bowls. Noodle soup, stir fry, Chinese. Koto is a favorite with locals and visitors alike. A not to be missed item on the menu is the so-called Spicy Vegan Chicken. It is not artificial chicken, the “meat” is portobello mushrooms fried up with cornstarch and spices. Might not sound like much but it has quickly become my favorite meal in Salem. That, some spring rolls, seaweed salad and a great big scorpion bowl are perfect as a post tour meal. Koto also is one of the only spots left in Salem that still has live music sometimes. Generally punk and metal. On the fourth Thursday of every month Koto hosts horror trivia.

There are a handful of restaurants in Salem with tavern in the name, but the one located in the historic Hawthorne Hotel is the one you want to visit. Cozy wood paneling, big comfortable chairs, and in the colder months roaring fire in the fireplace. The environment is a perfect mix of comfortable and tasteful. The “famous” Hawthorne nachos are a standby. The menu ranges from American classics like various burgers, sandwiches, and fried fish, to the somewhat unexpected like a cocoanut curry bowl. If you come in October, arrive early, get a seat at the window and watch the madness unfold across the street on the common and at the Witch Museum. My favorite time to visit the Tavern is in the winter with a fire in the fireplace as the snow falls outside. After dinner, explore a little, the Hawthorne is haunted! If you ask the staff politely some of them have ghost stories to share. Some of them will say it is all bunk, but others have seen some weird things!

Classic Italian! Bella Verona is tiny and has a well deserved reputation for being delicious so you better make a reservation if you want to get a seat.

The greasiest of greasy spoons! Located just up the street from the Proctor’s Ledge hanging site. This is where you want to go for a big breakfast if you had a long night out. Usually just a breakfast and lunch joint but on some weekends they do late nights too. Ask for the Fatty Patty, it is a truly gigantic burger, two patties, cheese, bacon, tomato. It is the biggest burger I have ever seen outside of gimmicky Man Versus Food type places! It is a burger for a special occasion. They also make a huge breakfast sandwich. For the life of me I cannot remember the name of it but the waitress will know what I am talking about. If you are lucky they will have the Frooty Pebbles muffins when you go.

A shack on Salem Willows that serves fried clams! This is the best fried seafood you will get in Salem. Highly, highly recommended. Outdoor seating only so make sure to get extra French fries for the seagulls. For a laugh ask a local to tell you what used to occupy the clam shack.

If you would rather relax with a cocktail in the comfort of your hotel than out at a bar this is where to stock up. The name raises eyebrows constantly, but bunghole was not always a naughty euphemism, it used to be a perfectly innocent nautical term for where the keg was tapped! But as time wore on the Beavises and Buttheads of the world made it what it means what it does today. For a while the owners protested, but now they lean in cheerfully selling I Got It In The Bunghole t-shirts! The Bunghole sign is one of the most photographed things in Salem for people with a certain sense of humor. Once you purchase your libations you might want to inquire about the reported hauntings down in the basement.

Opinions on pizza are always personal and in a town like Salem can be controversial. We have almost as many pizza places as tattoo shops and it seems like a new one opens every day! Classic Italian, Greek, Albanian, bar style, flatbread, brick oven, the list of pizza varieties in New England goes on and on. Here are my three favorites;

The newest might just take the crown. Huge pies in a classic pizzeria environment down to the checkerboard tablecloth.

A.K.A the pizza place in the mall. I end up eating here almost every day when doing the tour downtown. It is just so convenient. Great tasting pizza, exciting daily slices, and plenty of sides to choose from. They were on the frontlines of the Tater Tot invasion. Fast service and extremely nice staff. Perfect if you need something quick and good downtown.

A Salem standby for fifty years

I put it in the food section instead of the attractions because candy is food! The oldest candy manufacturers in the country, been around since 1806. They still use recipes from hundreds of years ago! Some of it tastes strange, some is different from modern candy but still very good, and some are bonafide classics. Lots of tasty candy to purchase and enjoy. Unfortunately the jar full that has been sitting on the counter since Hawthorne’s lifetime is not allowed to be tried!

Other dining establishments to consider- Sea Level is a good alternative if Turner’s is full, good sea food and an ocean view. For a quick bite, Polonus, the Polish deli is excellent. They have pierogi, kielbasa, subs, and European sodas for take-out. Boston Hot Dog Company will serve you up some good dogs, lots of fun variations and toppings, they have veggie dog options too. The Gyro Spot has what you would expect with a name like that, good gyros, try the tzatziki fries

If you have a highbrow kind of palette Settler is incredibly popular. Celebrity chef and all that. Make reservations far in advance. The Adriatic is pretty classy Mediterranean fare.

When you see the sign out front you know what you are getting into here! Mark and Mark,the guys who own Tomb, wear their influences on their sleeves, metal and horror movies! Gory dripping ghouls, piles of skulls and guts, artistically rendered like the best heavy album covers. They do not take walk-ins so make an appointment. I get lots of compliments on the Bat Boy and big fat toad Mark put on me. They also sell shirts and art prints.

This is where you go for American Traditional and flash style adornment. A classic old fashioned tattoo establishment. Sacred harp has lineage to the classic tattoo era and history, no hipster junk here, just real, solid tattoos! I have gotten a bunch of small and medium sized tattoos from them including one of my favorites, a cartoonish Elvis Presley dressed as a saint with a flying saucer above him, so clearly they will work with you if you bring in design ideas. One of their former artists (JRO not in Salem anymore but look him up anyway! Inked the Spellbound ghost on my leg. Scared Harp also helped cover up a bit of really bad work done elsewhere. They do take walk-ins if there is space on the schedule.

Black Veil were major trendsetters in creating the modern Salem Gothic aesthetic. The twins create art almost exclusively in black and grey, spooky realistic distorted portraits and witchy animals are specialties. Their tagline is “shoppe of drear and wonder” and they live up to it, the image is carefully cultivated, I see folk horror and Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark influences. One of the twins did a grey alien on me I am very pleased with. You must schedule well in advance for a tattoo session though you can visit anytime to enjoy the carefully cultivated environment, take photographs, and buy apparel and art prints.