John was so knowledgeable! He discovered me and my friends were from Baltimore, Maryland and had SO…read moreMANY FACTS about how it related. That guy deserves a raise. Very small but cute museum. Lots of boards to look at. Oh and don't forget to take a picture with the skeleton :)

Best museum in Salem! John really knows his stuff! We stop in every time we're in town.read more

I found Hocus Pocus Tours while seeking things to do in Salem on Yelp and TripAdvisor. Fellow…read moreYelpers' rave reviews did not disappoint! In messaging Hocus Pocus Tours with a couple questions about the tour and travel to and from Salem, the owner Susan replied immediately and suggested that I call her. This led to a one hour phone conversation where Susan was so gracious with her time, knowledge, and suggestions, not just about how to make the most of the tour, but how to appreciate a day in Salem. I can see why those who had the opportunity to take the in-person tour with Susan really enjoyed it. Covid changed the business model and Hocus Pocus now offers a self-guided tour by purchasing one of two tour apps. I opted for the $19.99 grand tour and it was well worth it. It has 37 points of interest. The app is user friendly and well designed. It provides a map of all stops, tracks where you are, and guides you to the next stop that you select on the tour. When you get to your stop, you can confirm you're at the right spot by comparing a photo of the site with what you see. Then you click on a 2-3 minute audio recording that provides a great snapshot of the significance of the site. As Susan had pointed out to me, there is much more to Salem than the historic witchcraft trials. It includes author Nathaniel Hawthorne's The House of Seven Gables, America's oldest candy company, and other interesting sites. Of everything I visited, I experienced a very deep emotional connection with the 1692 Witchcraft Memorial with 20 stones dedicated to each of the victims of the witchcraft trial. The tour includes brief descriptions of some of the victims including those written about in Arthur Miller's The Crucible. If you plan to visit Salem, I highly recommend this tour. All sites can be visited on the outside and some on the inside at no charge. Some sites, such as The House of Seven Gables, charge separate admission fees. If you want to travel to Salem and don't have a car, the ferry from Boston offers a nice, scenic, and entertaining 50 minute ride. The commuter trains run more frequently and can come in handy if the ferry schedule coming or going doesn't meet your needs. There are plenty of good places to dine at to break up the tour. We had lunch at FINZ and really enjoyed it (I'll post separately about that).

This was legit SO much fun! The name Hocus Pocus kinda throws you off because you may be thinking…read moreabout the movie, but this tour really is amazing. Start off with the tour guides, extremely friendly and beyond knowledgeable. They really know their history for Salem. The tour itself was a few hours and you walk to all of the sites in Salem with historical significance. There is so much to learn from Salem. So much history and heartbreak. It really is eye opening to hear the stories oof the witch trials and how the witch trials began and who all was wrongly persecuted. The tour guides were so nice and explained everything with such great details. This tour was definitely the highlight of our trip in Salem. I highly highly recommend Hocus Pocus Tours, I learned so much regarding Salem, the witch trials, the history behind the two, and a little bit of Hocus Pocus and Bewitched. So much fun!

I don't want to Salem short because this is a gorgeous building, so I'm gonna give 5 stars…read more This beautiful Old Town Hall in Salem has a bunch of costume people coming out of it around Halloween and it's really fun to watch. It's amazing even without that added bonus, but at that time of year it's great. It's a good place to get your picture taken and if you're a witch you should probably stay away from here because the witches were hung around here bro.

We came in to kill some time while we waited for our table to open up at a nearby restaurant…read more For three dollars, you get to see informational banners in a small room, lol. Nothing exciting, nothing fun.The best part of the museum is that you get access to use their downstairs bathroom throughout the day, if needed. Definitely not a place you want to come, unless you were in a situation like ours and just need to kill 10 minutes (if that).

We almost didn't make it see the Ropes Mansion before heading back home last week, but we decided…read moreour trip wouldn't be complete if we didn't see it. Do you remember in the movie when Dani and Max are outside the mansion just staring up at it in awe? That was me. The infamous mansion where Allison lives is a sight that can't be missed! It is located in a residential neighborhood at the very end of the street, but it is worth the quick detour away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist area. We came later in the evening so were only able to get a couple of night time shots - we wanted to get one of us in front of it, but a tour group was coming through at the same time and we didn't want to be too distracting. I'm not sure if they ever do tours inside, I believe the Ropes Mansion is owned by the Essex Museum, but the outside was definitely enough for me. If you're a fan of Hocus Pocus, this is a must stop!

As a fan of Hocus Pocus (it's one of my favorite Halloween movies!), I was very much looking…read moreforward to visiting Allison's house. While I didn't enter the house, it was great to see the exterior and take photos from outside. The Ropes Mansion garden is free to enter, and is accessible through an arched pathway at the side of the mansion. The garden, while small, is beautiful and tranquil to walk through, complete with plenty of roses and a small pond. It's a great spot to take tourist photos as well. A must-visit for Hocus Pocus fans!

The gift shop was pretty cool, didn't do the tour. The place had some cool decor. The staff was…read morefriendly and I sent a while checking out all the cool items on display and for sale.

My second time visiting Salem, but my first actually getting to explore witch village. I went on…read moreHalloween with my boyfriend and it was definitely a fun experience. Would purchase tickets earlier if possible to avoid the raise in prices (hence losing a star).

Absolutely fantastic staff and performing arts theater!! The staff, who are all extremely friendly…read moreand talented, put on a fun and entertaining show. I visited The Witch's Cottage, also known as the Gallows Hill Museum & Theatre, for a show in October and enjoyed every minute of my experience. The staff knows exactly how to run its shows, with large crowds trembling over the cobblestone steps outside this charming Salem edifice. The show was just perfect in length, especially for kids, and gave its viewers interesting facts about Salem's history, including the witch trials. The Witch's Cottage is perfect not only because it has a great staff and a fun show, but also because it is nicely and conveniently located within walking distance of a lot of attractions in Salem. Following the show, my family and I purchased t-shirts in the Museum and headed out onto the old and classic streets of Salem. It made our venture to this Museum even more worthwhile as we were able to know exactly what occurred centuries before in the streets we padded down. If you are in for a good show--put on by an outstanding cast and staff--and want to learn about an interesting, old town in New England, then you definitely have to visit The Witch's Cottage!!

This is a cute little performance-based museum. You see real actors alongside wax figures act out…read morethe Procter trial. Then you get to tour a dungeon that is replicated off of the original dungeons. The tour guide does a nice job going over the different cells and how you could pay to have more space. You could also pay to have hay to sleep on but most people couldn't afford it. It's a truly sad sight to see these dungeons that are based on real experiences.

I learned a lot and it was a short but immersive experience. Our tour guide (an actress in the…read moreplay) was masked and it detracted from the experience.

Through out the United States, there is only a handful of registered Satanic Temples. And the…read moreSatanic Temple/ Art gallery in Salem Massachusetts does not disappoint. It was easy to make reservations for the visit, the temple is well managed, staffed, and maintained. They offered an excellent selection of swag and merchandise for the believers and haters alike. The art presentations were beautifully done and well presented. The merchandise was priced fair and was plentiful. If it's your thing.. make the visit, learn a thing or two and schedule your Marriage, Un-Baptism, or your divorce at this location!

My daughter and I made our first trip to Salem this weekend, and a visit to TST was at the top of…read moreour list of things to do. It did not disappoint. We spent several hours looking at the art on display, viewing the exhibits, and spending time in the library watching the documentary while flipping through books in their extensive collection. We both enjoyed the documentary, and it gave us both a greater appreciation for the important work TST does. If you've seen their online store, you know what to expect in the gift shop. I've ordered things online several times and always received my items promptly. The staff onsite was equally helpful in assisting my daughter select some jewelry that she loves. If you don't know what the temple stands for, I encourage you to stream the documentary "Hail Satan?" or read the FAQ on their website. TST is probably not at all what you think it is and the work they do is more important now than ever before.