It's Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus....Filming Locations - Salem, MA
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“It’s just a bunch of Hocus Pocus!” Hocus Pocus is by far my favorite Halloween
movie of all time and my trip to Salem (article here) wouldn’t have been complete if I didn’t
make sure to see the places where this movie was filmed! Going to these
locations was certainly a nostalgic and magical experience for me
(especially since I went to them all with my sista, Kristin) and was a great
way to get to see a lot of the city! Read all about my self-guided tour below!
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Phillips Elementary School: Salem Common, South Washington Square
This elementary school (well, used to be elementary school and now condominium)
was the perfect place to film all the exterior shots for Max and Allison’s school.
I can see the green smoke rising up out of the top now! Lol To find this building
simply go to the Salem Common and head down S Washington Square.
It’s the big brick building at the end!
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Salem Common: N Washington Square
Then, after you are done taking your pics of the school check out Salem
Common where many outdoor scenes were shot for the movie. And if
you are lucky enough to be there on Halloween, like I was, you can also
check out various different shops and food trucks that are set up in the common.
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Old Town Hall: 161 Essex Street
“Dance...dance until you die!” The Old Town Hall in Salem is where they
filmed the adult party scenes as well as Bette Midler’s “I Put a Spell on You”
performance. You can go inside the town hall as it now serves as an event hall
and holds performances of the interactive play “Cry Innocent.” The upper
portion of the building is actually where they hold one of the most sought
after events in all of Salem on Halloween, the Witch’s Ball.
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The Witch’s Ball is underway!
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Ropes Mansion: 318 Essex Street
I think one of the most well known scenes in Hocus Pocus is when Max
and Dani visit Allison’s house. While the interior shots were filmed on
a soundstage, the exterior shots of the mansion were filmed at the Ropes
Mansion in Salem! This year the mansion did something extra special and
decided to decorate the outside of the mansion to match the scene in the movie.
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While you can’t currently go inside of the mansion, the gardens behind it are free and open to the public.
Like I said they decorated the outside of the mansion like it was in the movie so you know I had to take a seat in the hay like Dani! However, unlike Dani, I wasn’t crying and saying I wanted to go home. lol
Thelma and Louise ready to party at Allison’s.
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Old Burial Hill Cemetery: Marblehead, MA
“Jeez. We don’t get any smokes from you. We don’t get any cash.
What am I supposed to do with my afternoon?”
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“Maybe you could learn to breathe through your nose.”
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Oh Max and his comebacks! This hilarious scene was filmed in the neighboring
town of Marblehead, MA at the Old Burial Hill Cemetery, one of the oldest
graveyards in New England and home to the first meeting house. There were a
couple of things that really surprised me about this cemetery. One was all the
water both in and around it and two was the size! This is a small cemetery!
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2 other filming locations I didn’t visit on this trip (I know I know….some fan lol):
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Pioneer Village: 310 West Avenue
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Pioneer Village is a living history museum that shows you what Salem
looked like back in the 17th century and is also where they filmed the
opening scenes of Hocus Pocus where we see Binx in his human form.
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Max & Dani’s House: 4 Ocean Avenue
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This house is currently a private residence so no indoor tours, but you
can walk to it and take pictures outside. Just please be respectful of those
that live there and don’t be walking all over their property if you do go.
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