Salem, Massachusetts is infamous for the Salem Witch Trials and its tourist attractions relating to it. Salem becomes hectic in the month of October, and living in Salem for school, one can get a bit tired of the "witchiness." So here are 10 things to do in Salem, MA that don't have anything to do with the witches!
1. Visit the House of Seven Gables!
The House of Seven Gables is one of the most well-known places in Salem. Based off the book by Nathaniel Hawthorne, this museum incorporates aspects of his novel as well as teaches its visitors about Salem as a large shipping port. The museum is located right on Derby Street and holds a long and diverse history. There's even a secret passageway visitors love to see!
2. Go to "Open Mic Shindig" at Gulu-Gulu Cafe!
Gulu-Gulu Cafe is an eccentric and cozy cafe located right in downtown Salem! Right behind the Bewitched statue, this cafe offers drinks, foods, and a great time! Many college students as well as artists from the North Shore come to Gulu-Gulu Cafe every Wednesday night to perform music and poetry! This cafe is an eclectic place for millennials to go! (And their mascot is super cute).
3. Visit the Peabody Essex Museum!
The Peabody Essex Museum is a small art museum that may not look like much, but holds some amazing and beautiful art! It is one of the oldest operating museums in the country. This is a great place to go to get away from the chaos that is Essex Street in October. This museum holds an assortment of maritime, Native American, Chinese, and modern art. There's always new installations coming to this unique museum. Right now, "American Impressionist: Childe Hassam and the Isles of Shoals" is in the museum until November 6th, so definitely catch this interactive exhibit before it leaves! It is absolutely breathtaking and calming.
4. Visit the First Church in Salem!
Now a Unitarian Universalist church, this church is beautiful and unique, much like Salem! On the outside, it looks like a Victorian Gothic church. But when entering the church tourists are not prepared for beauty and history that awaits them. Many notable names were once members of the church, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, whose pew is marked in the church. Also, the gothic arches are unique to the church as well as its windows. Both sides of the church contains beautiful stained glass windows from Tiffany and LaFarge. Though many people may not identify as a UU person or even a religious person, this church is extremely welcoming to everyone. It is definitely worth it to see!
5. Ropes Mansion!
This mansion, owned by the Peabody Essex Museum, teaches tourists about the long history of Salem. Filled with original furnishings and tales of life in the 18th- and 19th-centuries, this mansion also has a beautiful garden in the back! This mansion offers self-guided tours through its 15 beautiful rooms. With any questions, its volunteers here, and at the Peabody Essex Museum, are some of the nicest and most knowledgeable people I have ever met!
6. See the first living history museum in the U.S.: Salem Pioneer Village!
Though this was created for a set for a play, Pioneer Village allows its visitors to imagine the life of English settlers in Salem. With a blacksmith shop, gardens, and the Governor's House, this museum offers a walk through history before the Witch Trials ever took place!
7. See the beautiful ocean-view from the Custom House!
Mentioned in "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the Custom House was a place where the federal government collected taxes from trade well into the 1900s. Its high ceilings, sweeping staircases, and knowledgable park rangers allows visitors to understand a different and economic side to Salem, Massachusetts.
8. Walk down Essex Street!
This may be cheating a bit, since many places on Essex Street have many magic shops and witch stores, but there is so much more to it! Wicked Good Books is an amazing bookstore with new, used, and affordable books! Down towards Gulu-Gulu is Harrison's Comics and Pop Culture, a store for nerds and non-nerds alike who love manga, comic books, video games, and anything related to pop culture and media! Also, for vintage clothing, Modern Millie's has 50's style dresses and consigned feminine clothing for anyone interested in the aesthetic of the 50's, but without the politics.
9. Grab a coffee from Jaho Coffee & Tea!
Right down the street from the House of Seven Gables, this coffee shop has an assortment of gelato, coffee, and teas! Try their Zodiac teas or their seasonal options for espressos and lattes! This shop has a similar feel to Gulu-Gulu Cafe, but with more caffeine and closer to the water!
10. Grab a slice from Flying Saucer!
Located right next door from Gulu-Gulu Cafe, this pizza place is the talk of the town! This place has unique pizzas with even more unique names, like The Nick Fury, 16-Bit, and Regeneration! They are heavily inspired by pop culture and are located in the heart of Salem!
