11 Best Things To Do In Salem, MA, According to an Astrologer

As an astrologer and practitioner of the intuitive arts, I’ve always wanted to take a trip to Salem, Mass. I recently had the chance to visit, driving up with my parents and best friend, Sarah Potter, a tarot reader.

The so-called “Witch City” lived up to my expectations. At the time of my visit, Salem was booming with tourism ahead of Halloween, with crowds hitting over 100,000 people a day — in a city of roughly 45,000 people.

Immediately, I connected with the coastal town’s energy. Let’s just say that people in Salem know how to get into the Halloween spirit.

Walking through Salem Common, we came across vendors selling pointed witch hats (part of the unofficial uniform worn by almost every tourist wandering through town), orange cotton candy and fake vampire fangs, along with tons of people and pets in Halloween costumes. (My favorite was a young boy wearing a Chucky costume and a chihuahua dressed up as a hot dog.)

The vendors fully lean into the town’s witchy magic by dressing up as goblins, ghosts and witches. As I learned, nothing says Halloween more than “Frankenstein” handing you a funnel cake.

As for when to go to Salem? Since it gives off spooky vibes year-round, you can get your fix long after Halloween wraps. Keep in mind that tourism is at a high in October, making it more of a challenge to get around or snag tickets to the top attractions. But if you’re willing to accept the crowds (and practice your patience), then there’s really nothing better than taking a trip on or in the weeks leading up to Halloween.

Below, I’ve rounded up the best things to do in Salem, based on my own experience. They point to Salem’s place in American culture — both as a historical site of the Salem witch trials, and its legacy as a place where people can explore their intuitive sides through astrology, tarot, aura readings and more.

Get your aura photographed

Auras are the small electromagnetic field emitted by all living things. Think of them as a vibe.

While invisible to the naked eye, auras take on colors that can be seen by spiritual practitioners like aura readers or captured by special cameras — which is exactly what we did in Salem.

I scheduled an appointment at ASCEND Get Lifted a few days in advance — and good thing because the line to enter the shop was very long.

After having our auras photographed, the photos were interpreted by a highly insightful reader. On our way out, we checked out the store’s crystal selection, which included an assortment of crystal bunnies, witches, pumpkins and butterflies.

Stroll through the town square

Then there’s Derby Square, where we listened to witches sing Madonna and Shania Twain as we posed next to the famous “Bewitched” sculpture of actor Elizabeth Montgomery, who filmed the seventh season of the classic TV show in Salem.

Swing by HausWitch Home + Healing

Up the block from the town square, there’s HausWitch Home + Healing, a lifestyle boutique that aims to “bring magic and healing into everyday spaces.” We bought postcards, blankets, mugs — a bunch of cute home accessories to add to our city decor….