America's 'Most Witchy' State Is A New England East Coast Destination With Pretty Forests And Pagan Shops

It will not come as a surprise to many that the home of Salem is considered America's witchiest state. It's not just the hundreds of years of history, many literary masterpieces, or even Hocus Pocus filming locations you can visit that make Massachusetts the ideal bewitched place in the U.S. Its silvery dark pine and oak forests, along with its Pagan communities, have contributed to keeping that spirit (pun intended) alive to this day.

Charmed itinerary stops abound in this stretch of fertile land where the woodland meets the sea. In Salem alone, there are dozens of sites connected to the lore of witch hunts, all packed within the small town perimeter. Must-see locations include the spooky circa 1668 House of the Seven Gables, famous for inspiring Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel by the same name. However, you can definitely skip this one attraction that's deemed to be a tourist trap. But step beyond the town's boundaries and you'll notice what makes Massachusetts the most witch-friendly state: its openness and embracing of the cultural phenomenon.

While some spots are better connected than others and are easy to reach on public transport (say, Boston with its own airport, or the university town of Cambridge), if you want to carve your own Pagan-inspired path through the state of Massachusetts, driving from place to place will give you more freedom to chase the hidden gems. It may even give you the opportunity to stay in town for a nighttime Wiccan gathering or two.

While the lore of witchcraft is a key driver for many, it's important to remember that Wicca and Paganism are belief systems that people follow to this day. Many events focus on embracing day-to-day practices, such as a reverence for nature cycles and herbal healing. This is one of the points that makes Massachusetts top of the list of witchy places, as unveiled by Psychic Source. Hard though it tried, Salem has not managed to banish witches from its grounds. Ironically, its infamous 1600s hunt is what cast it in popular culture as a place for witches, and today the town is the epicenter of modern Wiccan practices.

Another big brownie point for Massachusetts is the widespread presence of shops specializing in the occult. Whether you are after crystals and gemstones or want to get your hands on gorgeously decorated arcana and tarots, the state is dotted with opportunity. Boston has its fair share of both Pagan shops and organisations, from popular places like Ritual Arts (for gems, runecraft, and incense) to inclusive communities like The Cornucopia Collective.

Picture a witchy gathering and you're likely to summon: flickering candlelight, maybe a bubbling cauldron, and a remote cottage deep in the woods. There is plenty to feed that fantasy with the bounty of breathtaking forests in this New England state. The light-filtering spruce firs, paper birches, and northern hardwoods come to mind, particularly in the underrated Savoy Mountains State Forest with its mountain trails and bogs, located an hour north of Springfield. Many of Massachusetts' picture-perfect fall destinations with forests and cranberry bogs can be found in Cape Cod, so there is no corner of the state left untouched by woodland enchantment.

While Massachusetts may have been a given, Psychic Source reveals dozens more states that are spell-bound, or simply curious, about Pagan and witchy practices, based on a year's worth of Google AdWords searches. For example, Oregon is at the top of the list for web searches of healing crystals such as amethyst, obsidian, and bloodstone. Unsurprisingly, the "Jewel of North America" is a hotbed of gemstones and precious crystals, thanks to its unique geological properties.

Despite being home to many witchy TV show revivals (such as "Charmed" and "Sabrina"), California only places No. 11 on the list. Instead, topping the list after Massachusetts are New Hampshire and Rhode Island. New Hampshire, too, has a strong history of witchcraft, and though it reportedly had only one "official" witch, known as Goody Cole, many young, unmarried women were accused and tried as late as the 18th century. There are even intimate communities in the state now, including the Celtic faith-based (and amazingly named) Order of the Raven's Reflection in Barrington.

How about Rhode Island, you ask? Well, America's tiniest state has its own occult memorabilia, too. After all, it sits right under Massachusetts, so proximity is a strong factor. There are extensive records of trials and executions for witchcraft in the Ocean State; a few colonial tales go back to women cast out of communities after being accused. One such example is Portsmouth's very own founding mother, Rhode Island-born Anne Hutchinson, a midwife and self-reliant female entrepreneur for many, but a heretic and willful witch to others.