Salem Already Planning for October Crowds
Saturday May 17, 2008
Salem, Massachussetts, is a small town. However, when October rolls around, big crowds move in. In fact, much of Salem's tourists arrive there in time for Halloween, and that's presented some logistical problems, particularly when it comes to public parking and available restrooms. Now, various Salem administrators are working to resolve these issues before they start. Hopefully, this year's Samhain crowds will have plenty of places to park and to pee.
I'll be stopping in Salem for a day or so sometime in June -- for those of you who have been there, what's the one thing you enjoyed the most?
I'll be stopping in Salem for a day or so sometime in June -- for those of you who have been there, what's the one thing you enjoyed the most?
Comments
I’m there pretty regularly (live about an hour away, and have some of my handiwork in a few shops). It’s kind of the Wiccan Disney World- Lots of witchy shops, and a sickening level of touristy stuff.
If you want to go the historical route, you need to go to the nearby town of Danvers, formerly Salem Village: Most of what happened in 1692 happened THERE, not in Salem proper. Be sure to see the memorial at 176 Hobart Street in Danvers. The wax museum is cheesy, but neat enough, and right next to the cemetary and another memorial. Peabody Essex Museum is a 1/2 block away.
For the touristy route (and for shopping!), Walk down Essex St and over to Pickering Wharf. Laurie Cabot’s shop is at the wharf, and there are at least 5 others on that route. The Witch Dungeon, Wax Museum, and a few other tourist traps are within 3 blocks. Make your first stop the visitor’s center at the foot of Essex- they have free maps, bathrooms, and are next to the parking garage.
Salem is home to an OTO chapter, several Pagan awareness groups, and at least a dozen covens that all do public outreach and ritual. There’s always something going on if you ask around.
I have been there several times, a few of the shops a really good like the Broom Closet for its handmade besoms (I have bought 2), but mostly they do not have anything I cannot get in Florida. My boyfriend lives up there and he has never found an open ritual to attend - he always spends the day and evening on Halloween night. Any suggestions? He lives in Framingham and the nearest UU (Unitarian Universalist Church) with a pagan group is over an hour away.
I went to Salem for halloween once, and hated it. It was so commercialized and soooo many cops constantly telling us to “move along” and when it was time to roll in the sidewalks, so to speak, they were practically corralling us out through all their horse poo. i’LL NEVER go back on Halloween, though it seems like a great place when it’s not witch season. The other post is correct in saying if you want authentic Salem, you’ve got to go to Danvers, preferably not halloween. The one awesome thing was that year it was like 65 degrees that night, so it was very comfortable, t-shirt weather. One last thing, our group took two separate cars, and didn’t find each other the entire night. At all. We ran into other people we knew, but not the people we left CT with.
I have been to Salem during the summer..very nice there. Talk about stereotypical!! I love the shops, and all the interesting stuff to look at though. Sad though, (the whole witch trial thing). I love that everyone is friendly there. It’s like walking through MACY’s all your life, then one day you walk into HOT TOPIC and you feel right at home…Although walking over cobblestone was murder on the back after 3 hours…
I visited Salem in January,2005. The week after I got there, they received feet of snow. Being from Texas, I had no idea of how to drive in it but soon learned. That was the year I first became interested in Wicca. I had visited the Pickering Wharf. After meeting Laurie Cabot and few other ladies, I soon became interested. I bought alot of books while there and have been studying every since. The one thing I still haven’t found out is how to find someone to learn from.
I’ve been to Salem in the early spring, summer and at Halloween time and have loved every minute of it. I so want to live there. I will say though that never again will I go in April… not many shops were opened, and those that were, closed early.
The BEST time is in summer, it’s not crowded and you can actually look at things. Something you can not do the closer it gets to Halloween. That said, I still love being there in October, tho I’m going to be there the weekend before the 31st, I am hoping the place will still be hopping.
I went this past year for Halloween! I thought it was great - we had a blast! It was like Mardi Gras! The protestors were a bit much, but we just ignored them!
If you’ve never been you should go and have fun being a total tourist! Do the museums and everything - however, be warned - if you are already very familar with the history then you will begin to giggle as you go from place to place and hear the same thing word for word!
Their is a really fascinating insane assylum where I felt some serious energy flowing - the Empath in me was rocking! Also, the Lyceum restuarant was interesting. This building is built over the site of Bridget Bishops place!
Have fun!!