It's no secret that I love Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I grew up watching the show, and as an Emerson student (coincidentally the same school Josh attended—who was my favorite of Sabrina's boyfriends), it was only a matter of time before I introduced the show to my roommate, Kathryn, who now also loves it (her favorite boyfriend is Harvey, if anyone's wondering).
Kathy's headed off to DC for grad school next year, so to commemorate being young and loving Sabrina and living in Boston, we couldn't resist going on the Sabrina the Teenage Witch Grand Tour (aka visiting all of the places featured in the theme song circa seasons 5-7). While making plans for our trip, we realized that there were no guides online that trace the theme song's steps. And after spending an extensive amount of time researching the theme song, exploring on Google Earth, and asking Melissa Joan Hart to verify some questionable locations, we're pretty sure we've got it right (or at least, as close as we possibly could, 21 years later.
Because we're certain that we aren't the only ones who've wanted to retrace Sabrina's steps, I decided to upload our journey here, for every other Sabrina fan who wants to share in the fun of recreating the theme song.
Our Journey
1. Gate to the President's Lawn, Tufts University
We started off our Grand Tour with our farthest stop: Tufts. We took the T (Red Line) from Boylston to Davis, and walked from there to the President's Lawn. A lot of the walk was uphill (why is Tufts' campus entirely uphill!?), so be prepared for that trek when visiting the gate.
2. Final Parapet (Westward Facing), Longfellow Bridge
After we left Tufts, we rode the Red Line from Davis to Kendall/MIT, and then walked across Longfellow Bridge, stopping at the last parapet (closest to Downtown Boston, facing the Esplanade) to take our pictures.
3. Newbury Comics (Old Location), Newbury Street
This was one of the trickier locations to find because we originally went to the current location of Newbury Comics...which isn't the same as where it was in 2000. The old location is actually a few storefronts down from the new location (Aum Healing Center's current location). While the Newbury Comics sign is no longer there, I'm happy to report that the Wine & Sprites shop next to it still is, so the background to the shot is still identifiable.
4. Parade Ground Intersection, Boston Common\
After Newbury Comics, Kathy and I had to take a pit stop back at our dorm building to cool down and eat lunch (and change clothes because we were overdressed for the warm weather). And since we live right next to the Common, that was our next stop. We couldn't find the exact location of the Common shot, in large part because we're pretty sure most of the shot was constructed with the help of CGI (namely, the screen was paralleled to double-line the path with street lamps and the skyline was edited in). This path was the closest we could find, because it has similar background features to the the scene from the theme song (see: the entrance to the Boston Common Garage and the rounded sidewalk), albeit we're missing some of the trees.
5. Liberty Mall Stairs, MA State House
Kathy and I then ventured over to the other end of the Common, towards the MA State House. This was another instance of CGI magic; this shot in the theme song uses the steps in the Common adjacent to the State House and edits in the State House stairs into the background. Other than that, it's pretty much the same location, sans the unfortunately timed construction on 50% of the stairs and big yellow bus.
6. Myrtle Street (after Grove Street), Beacon Hill
This is the find that I'm most proud about. After leaving the Common, Kathryn and I embarked on the seemingly impossible journey of locating the street in Beacon Hill that Sabrina falls back in. After almost an hour of wandering and comparing various streets to the theme song, we found the street. While I can't definitively say that this is the street used in the theme song, it looks pretty darn close, from the lampposts to the white-roofed house at the end of the street, it's almost an identical match—at least, the left side of the street is (we're pretty sure the right side of the street was constructed using CGI).
8. Samuel Adams Plaza, Quincy Market
From Beacon Hill, we made our way down (up??) to Quincy Market, where we found the clock tower peaking out over the market buildings next to the Samuel Adams restaurant. It's worth noting that in the theme song, Sabrina is standing at the top of the City Hall Plaza stairs, which are nearby, but don't offer the same view of the market (this was another case of the background being CGI'd into the scene).
8. Marshall Street, Union Oyster House
Next, we made the short trip to the Union Oyster House. The iconic sign is actually facing the back of the building, so to get this shot, you'll have to walk past the Union Oyster House and down Marshall Street.
9. Harvard Bridge
After the Union Oyster House, we went back to our dorm to eat dinner, relax a bit, and wait out the small rain shower before venturing out again. We took the Green Line from Boylston to Hynes Convention Center. From there, it was a short walk to Harvard Bridge, at which point, we wandered down the bridge until we found a mostly spider-free section to take our pictures. This location is the most difficult spot to find, because it sort of doesn't exist. According to Melissa Joan Hart herself, this shot was filmed on Harvard Bridge, but then CGI'd onto a private balcony, and then the skyline was edited in the background from there. So, we did the best that we could, and used the natural skyline of Boston at night as seen from the Harvard Bridge.
Our Tips
This was a lot of walking. Like, 30,000-steps-and-11.5-miles a lot. So, if you want to do the Grand Tour in one day, be sure to wear comfortable footwear (or just take the T more than we did) and check the forecast ahead of time to make sure you're dressed appropriately. Granted, we ended up walking a little more than we had to, because we walked through most of Beacon Hill trying to find the correct alley, and then got lost walking home from Harvard Bridge; but even so, be prepared to walk on this adventure. This was also pretty much an all-day excursion, so you might prefer to break the grand tour up into various days, to make it easier on your feet or your schedule.
Despite feeling exhausted from the walking, this trip was a wonderful way to explore Boston, spend time together, and celebrate our love for Sabrina the Teenage Witch. If you're a fan of the show, or you're looking for a fun way to explore the Boston area, this trip is for you.
My hope is that you find this guide useful, or at the very least, entertaining; and if you end up using this itinerary for your own Sabrina the Teenage Witch Grand Tour, feel free to share your adventures with me either here or on my social media! ♥
Want the Sabrina Grand Tour Locations in Order of Appearance?
Note: Masks were worn for the duration of the trip, except for the brief time it took to take photos, at which point, we ensured we were 6 feet away (or more) from other people.
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