Salem casts a spell—even without the witchcraft
The infamous witch trials may have put this Boston suburb on the map, but they’ve also overshadowed much of its magic. Here’s how to experience everything else Salem has to offer.
When 19 people were hung for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693, they sealed the city’s identity forever as “the Witch City.” That’s reinforced daily by Salem itself—in the names of shops, museums, restaurants, boutiques, and school teams. Add to this neighborhoods dense with
Colonial-era homes fit for a Crucible film set, especially when the ocean fog rolls in. But nothing certifies the witch logo more than the million-plus tourists that flood Salem each October.
(Witch hunts were common in the 17th century. Here’s what made Salem infamous.)
While the business blessings of this tourism are undeniable, they come with a curse—fixing the Boston suburb to one moment of its 400-year history and exorcising the rest. But as any of the 45,677 residents will tell you, Salem is so much more than witches, and those who explore beyond may discover a more magical experience.
Ocean tides and trade winds
Originally home to the Naumkeag tribe, the coastal coves of the North Shore soon attracted Colonial prospectors, who established the settlement in 1626 and transformed it America’s sixth-largest city at the time of the Revolution, and the wealthiest per capita. Standing at the tip of Derby Wharf today, you can see the main reason—a protected, deep-water harbor that opens to the world. On these ocean tides and trade winds, the fortunes of Salem were built.
That makes any Salem experience incomplete without a ride on waves. One of the best ways is on the ferry from Boston. Boat rentals abound in town, be it under the captainship of others, as at Mahi Cruises or Sunset Sail Salem, or your own paddle power in kayaks at outlets like Coast to Coast. On the Tiki Hut Boats, pair the 90-minute harbor cruise with mai tais, pain killers, and odes to Jimmy Buffett.
Storybook neighborhoods
Throughout Salem’s four historic districts—Derby, McIntire, Lafayette, and Washington Square—have white placards on home fronts that tell stories of the original inhabitants: “Built in 1807 for Mrs. Sarah Silsbee, widow of Captain Nathaniel Silsbee, by her three sons;" “Built by Captain Charles Hoffman for his gardener Hugh Wilson 1858;” “This house was built in 1750 byCapt. John Hodges, a West Indies trader. In 1788, it passed to his son, Capt. Benjamin Hodges;” and “Home of Jason Voorhees, Knife Sharpener, 1813.”
Bound together, they form the pages of storybook that conjures these worlds back into existence, once again filling the streets with sea captains, shipwrights, and sailmakers. That’s particularly true in the port-side Derby District, where the narrow lanes, colonial frames, and carriage barns still accommodate the horse age.
This is also the neighborhood of author Nathaniel Hawthorne, who wrote some of Salem’s most memorable stories while counting ships’ cargos at the eagle-topped Custom House at the base of Derby Wharf. The Custom House is one of 12 historical structures of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, each full of stories, such as the 1675 Narbonne House. The Colonial Revival Garden tucked behind the Georgian-style Derby House is a particular treat at full bloom. A few blocks east, find the 17th-century mansion that was the setting of Hawthorne’s 1851 novel, The House of the Seven Gables.
(Witch panics killed thousands throughout history)
Military matters
Salem Common, the eight-acre park at the heart of the Washington Historic District, witnessed a founding moment of the American military. Here in April 1637, the National Guard mustered its first soldiers—a moment marked annually in the Common with a parade and activities. This martial spirit also fills Salem’s historic cemeteries, especially the overlooked Broad Street Cemetery, where 71 Revolutionary War veterans are interred.
Two forts east of downtown also echo Salem’s military stripes. Amid the scraggly woods on the north side of Fort Avenue are the remains of Fort Lee, built in 1776 to deter British aggression. Today, the ramparts and ditches form part of a mountain bike trail. Branching south off Fort Avenue is Winter Island, a military base from 1643 to 1972. Today, the public area hosts a campground, walking trail, Civil War-era bunkers, and Salem’s best public beach, Waikiki.
The heart of Salem
The pulse of the living, breathing Salem of today is perhaps felt strongest at Peabody-Essex Museum, the city’s pride and joy. With 850,000 works of international art, it tops many museums in larger cities, and its robust events calendar regularly brings Salem together. Art also opens up Salem’s immigrant communities in the El Punto neighborhood. The outdoor Punto Urban Art Museum festoons three blocks with 75 large-scale murals by global artists.
The 35-acre Salem Willows Park, at the tip of the Salem Neck, marks the second community hub. Opened in 1858 on the grounds of a former smallpox clinic canopied by willow trees, the park wraps the rocky coastline with sprawling lawns, sports fields, tennis courts, several beaches, a concert stage, fishing pier, and strip of arcades and eateries that would fit any county fair. In summer, this is where Salem beats the heat, and in fall, the deluge of tourists, who only swing through briefly on the Salem Trolley.
(How to do spooky season the right way in Salem)
Where to eat and drink
Explore Salem’s dining scene with the excellent Salem Food Tours, which pairs foodie finds with tasty tidbits of history. Locals like to spend Fridays at Mercy Tavern, when bands play to the everybody-knows-your-name crowd. Get the next pint at Notch Brewing, which pours Salem’s best beer. Across the street at All Souls Lounge is cocktail hour, which you can carry on at Deacon Giles Distillery.
All serve as great prequels or sequels to fine dining at Settler and Ledger, farm-fueled bistro at Maitland Farm, Kitchen and Spirits, award-winning seafood at Turner’s, paninis and pastries at A&J King Artisan Bakers, an afternoon tea at Jolie, and international flavors at Blue Fez, Howling Wolf Taqueria, and Ray Adea’s Mediterranean & Jamaican Cuisine. Sweeten the tooth at Melt Homemade Ice Cream and Goodnight Fatty.
Staying in Salem
Salem’s popularity ensures a strong portfolio of accommodations. History fans should aim for The Merchant Salem and sleep in the same room George Washington did in 1789. The Daniels House Inn, built in 1667 by a sea captain, is even older. Three 19th-century properties make up the Salem Inn. The 93-room Hawthorne Hotel fast forwards to 1925 with all the Art Deco fixings. The Hotel Salem takes you into the 21st century with a hip, boutique vibe, plus a rooftop bar. Salem Waterfront Hotel and Suites works best for families and groups.
