To get away from the chaos in of New York City, my friends and I have taken weekend trips to Salem, Massachusetts for the past three years. Salem is a town rife with history of the beginnings of the United States and has a peculiar cultural relevance as the site of a witch-hunt hysteria that took place in the 1600s. After exposure to the obeah (African spiritualism) of a West Indian slave named Tituba, several young girls from Salem Village went into fits after pressure from the adults and accused many, many innocent people of witchery and conspiring with the Devil; many of the victims were needlessly hanged. Now, this is an EXTREMELY watered down version of the actual events, but if you are interested, I highly suggest you do your own research, as the events are fascinating on a social, political, and psychological level, and it is very telling about the Puritan mindset of that time period.

The village itself is a quaint port village that is very welcoming! The locals are all very nice and you feel at home everywhere you go. If you like to do the tourist thing (I know I do), there are tons of things to check out. Because of the infamous history of the town, downtown Salem caters to those who are interested in exploring "witch" stuff. There are many shops with things like cauldrons, crystal balls, Halloween pumpkins, incense, books of spells, wands, all kinds of things. You're probably wondering, "is it for real? Are there real witches in Salem if they sell those kinds of things?". My answer is...maybe! There are stores there that you can obviously tell that it is just a store that sells those products, or if there are people there who claim to be witches, they are just doing it for commercial reasons. However, there ARE people in Salem who do adhere to a spirituality and are store owners that sell spiritual products, like the herbs Artemisia Botanicals sells for people to make their own herbal remedies, or the spiritual knick-knacks that shops like Nu Aeon carry. Whether you are a tourist looking to just explore and have witch-themed fun, or an observer of Wicca like me, downtown Salem has a lot of fun for everyone!

One of the things my friends and I like to do is go out to the restaurants around town. There is something really awesome about Salem cuisine. At Scratch Kitchen, near the Peabody Essex Museum, they make this burger with this amazing sauce INJECTED into their burger that makes you not need ketchup, and great specialty hot sauce. At The Witch's Brew, they have THE BEST beers on tap and, if you're a Beer aficionado, Beer Works has over one hundred beers on tap too. Red's Inn gives you pancakes bigger than the plate itself...nobody at my table could finish it in one sitting. However, one of my favorite places to eat is the Little Depot Diner in Peabody, the town right next to Salem, which was highlighted on Guy Fieri's travel show, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. I've only gone for breakfast, but they make amazing food. They have Hungarian sausage that is homemade and is a family secret recipe. They make crazy good omelets, and the best thing about it is the personality. We've had the same waitress each time we've gone, and she is the sweetest thing! The diner itself is tiny, almost the size of a subway carriage, and they have a little railroad train that goes all around the space. Salem's restaurants are one of the best things about Salem.

If you like to go antiquing and shopping, then you need to definitely visit this town. They have both thrift stores and antique shops that have pieces you wouldn't believe! I found a huge amethyst crystal that would be priced at $60-$70 at one of the witch shops for $22. That alone made going into the thrift store, also located on Essex street, worth it. If you've read my article “U.S. Craziness!”, you can see that I have a knack for finding great goods for cheap prices. Everyone should! Anyway, the antique shop located near Nu Aeon is pretty unique. Because Salem is an old, old American town, you can find A LOT of vintage things. The shop we went to had cups, spoons, plates, jewelry, coins, and statues, many things from colonial times, all for sale. I even found an old ship compass in the store, and it was reminiscent of something you would see in Pirates of the Caribbean.

Salem is one of my favorite places to visit, and I could see myself relocating there some day. The locals are great, the food is amazing, it has so much personality, and it is quiet and peaceful. It may not be for everyone, but everyone, at least once, should take a good look at the piece of American history Salem represents. Not just the witch trials, but the colonial side of life. If you're from New York City, it may do you some good. Happy travels!