With Hocus Pocus 2 flying onto Disney+ just in time for Halloween, its predecessor Hocus Pocus remains a spooky time classic. Starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, the Sanderson Sisters not only invade Salem, Massachusetts in the films, but their portrayers did in real life.
In 1993, a wicked cast and crew took over some notable Massachusetts towns, including the Witch City of Salem, where they filmed several memorable scenes from the film at recognizable locations fans can still visit today.
1693 Salem Aerial Shots - 17th-Century English Village, Plymouth, MA
The very first scene in the movie is an aerial shot that features the shadow of a witch flying over a body of water with portions of greenery that lead to a hidden village. And while the witch may not have been real, the village is.
The aerials were shot over the 17th-Century English Village located in Plymouth, MA, designed to look like the original land around Plymouth Harbor. The water in the shot also isn't actually in Salem, but is Eel River in Plymouth.
Thackery Binx's House - Pioneer Village, Salem, MA
The first person you meet in the film is Thackery Binx, in his bed in his house on Halloween night. Surrounded by trees full of orange leaves, Thackery realizes his little sister Emily has gone missing and runs from the house into the woods to find her.
Thackery's house is actually called the Governor’s Faire House and can be found in Pioneer Village in Salem, MA, recreating 17-century colonial life, much like Thackery and Emily lived.
1693 Salem - Pioneer Village, Salem, MA
When Thackery sets out to find his Emily after witnessing her being lured into the woods by witches, Emily gets her life drained by the Sanderson Sisters while Thackery is cursed and transformed into a black cat for all eternity.
The scenes where Thackery and Emily wander the woods were filmed at Pioneer Village in Salem, MA, a living history museum which was built in 1930 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the New England state.
Max And Dani Dennison's House - Ocean Avenue, Salem, MA
Much like The Myers' house in Halloween and or Stu's house where Ghostface did a slew of slashing in Scream, Max and Dani Dennison's white, seaside, Salem home topped with a widow's walk in Hocus Pocus is a memorable horror movie house.
The Dennison's house is located on Ocean Avenue in Salem, MA, but remains a private home in a residential area, and while the owners allow admirers from a distance, they do not allow trespassing on the property.
Jacob Bailey High School Exterior Shots - Philips Elementary School, Salem, MA
New to the spooky town of Salem, Max Dennison is the new kid at Jacob Bailey High School, where he learns of the Salem Witch Trials and later meets his crush, Allison.
While this school exists in Salem, MA, it is not called Jacob Bailey, nor is it a high school. The filming location for the exterior shots of the school was Phillips Elementary School, which ceased operations in 1992, a year before Hocus Pocus would be released.
Town Park - Salem Common, Salem, MA
The town park where Max rides his bike up to Allison after school and receives his handwritten number back from her is actually located in Salem, and can actually be found across from the school like in the movie.
This little park is called Salem Common, a small patch of greenery in the middle of the town that often hosts events, Pride festivals, and the annual Haunted Happenings Marketplace during the town's favorite time of year.
Cemetery - Old Burial Hill, Marblehead, MA
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The cemetery plays a major role in the movie, where Billy Butcherson rises from his grave on Halloween night, Max battles the Sanderson Sisters, and Thackery's soul is set free to go be with Emily.
But the first time you see the cemetery is during the day when Max rides his bike into it and encounters bullies Jay and Ice, and the cemetery used for filming goes by the name Old Burial Hill and can be found in Marblehead, MA.
Allison's House - Ropes Mansion, Salem, MA
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When Max and Dani visit Allison's house on Halloween night, the big, white mansion is decked out in carved pumpkins and hay stacks.
Allison's house sits on 318 Essex Street in Salem, MA and is referred to as the Ropes Mansion, which is run by Salem's Peabody Essex Museum and offers house tours on select dates.
Old Town Hall - Salem, MA
Old Town Hall was the spot where Winifred Sanderson famously sang "I Put A Spell On You" at the Halloween party, and while that specific scene was shot in California, the building the party takes place at exists in Salem, MA.
The town hall still stands on 32 Derby Square, where it's open to the public and often hosts weddings, parties and more, remaining a popular Instagram-worthy spot for both visitors and locals.
The Lighthouse - Chandler Hovey Park, Marblehead, MA
During Sarah Sanderson's memorable performance of "Come Little Children" as she flies on her broom over a lighthouse in Salem, she's actually not flying over Salem at all.
The scenery below her is of Lighthouse Point, located at Chandler Hovey Park in Marblehead, MA. You can, however, spot Ocean Drive during Sarah's flight, which can be found in Salem,