hey hey! you're probably here because you love hocus pocus as much as me and want to live vicariously through this post or you're planning your trip to Salem soon and want to know all the deets to see all of the hocus pocus magic in person – whichever of the two, better believe i have the list for you with photos and footage for you to check out. and if you'd like to learn about Salem itself then be sure to check out my other post to see what i got up to while there and places you should check out.
below is a list of every single place that you can actually see in person on your visit to Salem and feel like you're standing next to the Sanderson sisters, and with the second film starting production very soon, this is a place you'll want to get photos in very soon! sidenote: by no means do you have to follow this list in chronological order, this is just the way i chose to do my journey through the film because i was also exploring the lovely city of Salem and its attractions.
alright, folks let's hop right into it!
1. Old Burial Hill Cemetery – Marblehead, MA 01945
don't be alarmed by the different city name, Marblehead is just a few minutes away from Salem and definitely worth the stop. why do you ask? well, friends, this lovely location is the cemetery where the first cemetery scene was filmed in the film. there's a couple of spots where scenes were filmed here from Max riding his bike to leaving home, but the main one that i was looking for was when the bullies known as Ice and Jay stole his sneakers and popped out of the tombstones.
now i must admit if you check out my vlog of Salem you will realize that it took me quite a bit of time to find the location... quite literally circled the cemetery until i decided to whoop out the good old youtube app and see if anyone was successful at finding it. check out my vlog to see where exactly the tombstones are located so you don't wander around for half an hour as i did. nonetheless, this is such a beautiful place to visit for the views and how calm it is. some of you may be thinking how calm could a spooky cemetery be? trust me, it is! there was even a couple of guys eating lunch there while admiring the view of lovely Marblehead in the distance.
2. Max & Dani’s House – 4 Ocean Avenue, Salem, MA 01970
if there's a pair of homeowners that i am envious of, it's definitely the elderly couple that lives in Max & Dani's home. not solely because it's the damn hocus pocus house, but because of the really cool location. you have my favorite victorian style homes next door and an awesome view of the water right of the front porch, and let's not forget how beautiful the house is. you'll recall this location from multiple scenes in the movie and you'll definitely want to get a couple of photos here. if you're visiting in October or Halloween expect to have to wait in line for a photo, but if you're going on a nonbusy time like myself you can get plenty of great shots as seen here. now please remember no matter what time of year you go that this is someone's home and to not get onto the property or disturb them with noise, they're people too and this is where they live so be respectful. they are super friendly though and will definitely wave at you when your coming to visit.
3. Thackery Binx’s House/Village – Salem Pioneer Village in Forest River Park - 98 West Ave, Salem, MA 01970 (zone block from Max & Dani’s House)
now one thing i didn't know Salem had to offer was the actual village where they filmed the opening scene of Hocus Pocus, which is also just a block away from Max & Dani's house. make sure to check out the organization's website for when they are open, especially during October and rainy seasons. to enter it's a $5 fee per person and you get access to the employee there to help give you the backstory of the actual village and also guide you through the hocus pocus filming spots. if you're familiar with locations like St. Augustine, El Morro, or similar old locations from the 1600s then you'll realize that this spot is very similar.
here you can see where Thackery Binx ran out of his home to his friend's home and over the little bridge out into the field. now because of the magic of Hollywood, you'll remember that large field of grass and trees in the distance, but friends hate to break it to you that was not actually filmed in Salem. in fact it's a big parking lot that is a part of the park and baseball fields right next to the pioneer village. this is also where the scene of the Sanderson sisters turning Thackery into a cat and being hanged would've taken place, but that too was filmed in Hollywood friends.
this is a really intriguing place to walk through and feel like you're living in the same times that the Salem witch trials took place and get to see old furniture, tools, and more from that time. so be sure to stop here before heading off into the actual touristy part of Salem.
4. Max & Allison’s School - Phillips Elementary School on Salem Common - 86 Essex Street, Salem MA 01970
one of my favorite scenes of Hocus Pocus is when they focus on Max & Allison's teacher in the school scene while she's speaking about the Sanderson sisters, because it reminds me of going to school in Connecticut and how big Halloween is up here in New England. a very minor scene to many but that gives me 90's and early 2k nostalgia at its finest for us Halloween lovers.
unfortunately, going inside the classrooms will not be allowed because this school does not actually operate anymore and was formerly an elementary school. however still an important location to visit as it was seen multiple times in the film as shown above.
5. Park where Max flirts with Allison - South Washington Square, Salem MA 01970
i'm happy to announce that not much has changed for almost all of these locations so it's like stepping right into 1993 and being on the set of hocus pocus. the same goes for the park scene where Max is riding his bike next to Allison, except for one large tree that has since been taken down. but don't fret as the same basketball court, playground, and even the fence in the forefront of the camera has not changed one bit.
the park itself is right across the street from the school and makes for a great walk any time of day if you have time for a stroll.
6. Allison’s House – The Ropes Mansion - 318 Essex Street, Salem, MA 01970
another favorite scene of mine from hocus pocus is when Max & Dani stumble upon Allison's house in what seems to be her parent's annual Halloween Rennaisance party. the home is beautiful and guess what? you get to go not just inside but in the backyard as well. Ropes Mansion has been turned into a museum and garden, and you can go indoors to check it out. for me taking a photo in the front doors was enough because i didn't want to miss out on all of the fun Salem had to offer, but if you have more time then be sure to check it out and let me what you thought of on your tour.
6. Old Town Hall (Party Scene) – 32 Derby Square, Salem, MA 01970
for our last and final filming location, we have the town hall of Salem that is still used to this day! if you're lucky you'll go on a day that it's open and can get a peek inside if the doors are open. but if you go on a day that it's closed like myself do not worry because you can still get to a pretty cool view of a clip of the movie where you would have seen Max going up the stairs through a window – heading to warn his parents and the adults of Salem that the Sanderson sisters are back. the town hall is right in the middle of one of the most fun parts of Salem and close to all of the great restaurants, the Bewitched statue, and all of the touristy things that you can't miss out on.
and there you have it friends! a list of almost every single scene in the film Hocus Pocus that you can actually visit in person. whether you're coming here during Halloween or the summertime like myself you are sure to have a great time. the city of Salem is very progressive and as a queer person of color with a bilingual-speaking family, we felt as safe as ever and even contemplated moving there because of how much we fell in love with this place. you are sure to relive your childhood memories of watching Hocus Pocus and feel right at home with your witchy sisters – so bookmark this page for later and get to planning your trip to Salem! and of course, don't forget to check out my post on Salem for all of the other cool things you have to do if you're visiting.
for now, i'll leave you with all of this magic of Hollywood and wish you *amuck amuck amuck* of a good time on your travels to the witch city.
keep it spooky <3
J