October is by far my favorite month for multiple reasons. Halloween is at the top of the list and one of my favorite holidays to decorate. It's the best time of the year, not to mention my birthday month! Leaves are turning, sweater weather, bonfires, pumpkin everything, corn mazes, the list goes on.
Every fall, we have a cozy must-watch movie list. Harry Potter will always be #1, but right next to it, you guessed it, is Hocus Pocus. Who doesn't love that movie?! For my birthday, and a bucket list item: Fall foliage road trip to see Salem, Massachusetts. Not only for the movie locations, but also for all the historic streets, attractions, museums, tours, food, shops, and of course Halloween decors!
If you are thinking about visiting Salem in October, be prepared for heavy traffic, large crowds, and long lines. It might not be enjoyable if you don't plan ahead for places to go and parking. Some places are not open everyday or have limited hours.
First stop: Salem Pioneer Village (Opening scene of the movie) Built in 1930 the village is America's first living history museum. The village sits on three acres of land and contains various examples of colonial architecture: dugouts, wigwams, thatched roof cottages, etc. Unfortunately we timed the first stop wrong and were there too early before they opened. So I had my giant husband take pics from the gate so we could stick to our schedules. Not to mention it was right next to the water so we were able to walk the beach a bit after our drive.
Max and Dani's House. Located in a tranquil neighborhood with limited parking reserved for residents only, the house is situated not far from Pioneer Village. We opted to walk from there and noticed others biking in the area. The house is currently occupied so we kept our distance. Exterior and street was used for the movie.
Ropes Mansion, also referred to as Allison's House, is featured in the movie during a scene where they are out trick-or-treating and crashing the party. Moreover, the mansion boasts a beautiful garden at the back which is open to visitors at no cost.
Salem Common. Where Allison gave Max his number back, also where Max rides his bike through town. Old Town Hall. Where Max and Dani's parents attend their Halloween party all night and the sisters performed "I put a spell on you". Last but not least Phillips Elementary School where they were tricked them into getting in the kiln.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS:
Visiting Nathaniel Hawthorne's works or historical homes is essential, including the House of Seven Gables, a 17th-century mansion in the post-medieval style formerly owned by Captain John Turner.
Witch House. The home of Judge Jonathan Corwin and is one of the few structures you can visit in Salem with direct ties to the Salem witch trials of 1692.
First Church in Salem. Established by the Puritans of Massachusetts Bay Colony in August of 1629, this is among the earliest Protestant churches founded in North America and the pioneering one to be administered through congregational polity.
The Derby Waterfront District is the place where ships would dock to load and unload cargo. The wharves were encircled by warehouses and workshops that catered to the needs of the ships and their crews. Presently, the Friendship of Salem, a reproduction of a merchant vessel from 1797 constructed in Salem in the late 1990s, is moored in that location.
Bewitched Statue. Located at Derby Square and commemorates the 1965 tv show.
Main streets of Salem to check out: Essex Street, Washington Street, Front Street and Derby Street for a lot of shopping and food!
Places we skipped: Salem Witch Museum. The line was VERY long and wrapped around the entire block, it was also mentioned that the tour was very underwhelming and not worth the ticket price.
All other places we visited I was not able to get shots of due to the overwhelming amount of people. Maybe next time!
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