It’s all just a bunch of Hocus Pocus and it’s affected me personally in amazing ways. Once upon a time, I met a friend who was in love with and obsessed with Disney’s Hocus Pocus. That friend we all know and love, Michele Atwood. Following TMSM it came to feel like each year fall kicked off a Hocus Pocus season. Three times I tried to watch this movie and couldn’t get into it. Being one of my husband’s faves and Michele’s, I finally made myself watch it and I too immediately fell in love with the candy corny feel of this movie.
Last September, a little black kitten showed up at my home. Making a Hocus Pocus connection, I started feeding this precious baby, and boom, my husband insisted the little girl kitty I named Binxy needed to join our household. She did and she owns it now and allows us to live with her.
Just a couple of months later, hubs and I assisted at the House of Mouse Expo, where we had the pleasure of meeting the town bullies, Larry and Tobias, Doug Jones, and the very voice of Binx, Jason Marsden.
During this same fall of 2021, we purchased Aerosmith tickets, where they were performing in Boston for their hometown audience. What’s near Boston?? Just one short, beautiful ferry ride takes you right to Salem.
Fast forward to the present day. I am writing this article on a plane bound back home to Orlando. Sadly, we had to leave Salem this morning, but I doubt this will be our last visit to this quant city filled with Hocus Pocus sites* and inspiration all around that took a little piece of my black heart. Salem is an absolute must for Hocus Pocus fans.
The Ropes Mansion, aka Allison’s house, sits near the city center on a beautiful piece of property, which includes a serene garden, full of beautiful flowers, which, just like the house, is also open to the public.
After visiting here, we stopped down at the town Hall to see the building where the parents danced until the morning after Winnie put a spell on them.
A bit of a hike, but very much worth it, you may photograph the outside of Max’s house down on Ocean Ave (A private residence so please just take pics of the outside).
Not too far away is Pioneer Village in Forest River Park containing the very home of Thackery Binx.
As history taught us, Salem had an extremely tragic history from the witch trials. We did make it a point to visit sites and see shows and tour museums to appreciate and respect the pain endured during this hysteria. But sad history aside, Salem is a beautiful, shoreside city that allows a special closeness to the Hocus Pocus movie a fan absolutely needs to enjoy. I’m so grateful I watched the movie, which forever impacted my life in these amazing ways, I highly recommend planning a trip to Salem.
If you want to go when it’s really the craziest, visit during the month of October when Salem celebrates HALLOWEEN for the entire month. Word of advice if you choose to visit in October, do your planning way in advance. Locals told us that restaurant waits start at two hours and hotels book full sometimes a year in advance!
*After doing a little more research, we realized we passed two locations and did not even know their significance to the movie. We strolled through the Salem Commons, a smaller but not less beautiful version of Boston Commons Park. We passed the school on a late-night ghost tour, Phillips Elementary School. One location we did not get the chance to visit. This was the cemetery from the movie, Old Burial Hill located in Marblehead, MA, and the movie home of our dear Billy Butcherson.
- Universal Mardi Gras Concert Line up – 2024 - January 18, 2024
- I Drink and Know Things – Around the World at Epcot - December 31, 2023
- It’s Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus…. in Salem! - October 13, 2023