Halloween is in the air, and what better way to spread spooky holiday cheer while learning about early American superstitions and the origins of the holiday, than with a trip to Salem, Massachusetts.
Known as the “Witch City,” because of the infamous witch trials of 1692, Salem offers a smorgasbord of Halloween happenings, historical reenactments and museums, and mystical emporiums.
There’s no better way to get into the Halloween spirit than with festivities such as Salem’s Grand Parade, the Haunted Biz Baz Street Fair, and Family Film Nights on Salem Common.
Visit one of Salem’s many haunted houses, take a guided ghost story tour, and have your fortune told by one of Salem’s professional psychics.
Stroll the cobblestone streets and browse unique shops such as the Fivehands Curiosity Shoppe on 55 Lafayette Street and of course, the Crow Haven Corner, located on 125 Essex Street, Salem’s oldest running witchcraft shop which features books, spells, herbs, crystal balls, and incense.
Take a break from shopping at Cinema Salem, where you can catch captivating movie shorts such as The History of Halloween, The True 1692, and Vampires of New England.
History buffs, be sure to visit the Salem Witch Museum, where you can relive the fateful days of the Massachusetts witch hysteria, as well as the Witch History Museum to visit the forest, meet Tituba in Rev. Parris’s kitchen, and view 15 life size scenes depicting the events of 1692. Walk through the Burying Point to see 17th century grave stones, and don’t forget to joinHistory Alive!for a production of Cry Innocent: The People vs. Bridget Bishop, a re-enactment of an actual witch trial where the public gets to play the role of jury in this longest-running show north of Boston.
(Photo by NewBostonPost) 
