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About this trip-
Practical Magic is Alice Hoffman’s beloved novel of sisterhood, love, and survival, standing as a cornerstone of modern magical realism and a profound exploration of the bonds between women. It tells the story of two orphaned sisters raised by their eccentric aunts in a house where chocolate cake is breakfast and the rules of polite society simply do not apply. Through sheer force of will, the sisters attempt to outrun a centuries-old family curse. Decades after its publication, the Owens women still remind us what it looks like to claim our own power despite a world commanding us to conform to the ordinary.
The townspeople would say the Owens women are dangerous, strange, and far too wild. But it is exactly this refusal to be tamed—the archetype of the witch as the ultimate ungovernable woman—that serves as their greatest strength. On this pilgrimage, we'll explore the theme of ungovernability. Together, we will ask ourselves questions such as: How does the pursuit of the conventional constrain our truest selves? What are the true costs and rewards of living wildly and authentically? Where in your own life are you being called to break the rules and claim your own magic?
In Rockport, pilgrims will explore the windswept Massachusetts seaside that mirrors the moody, isolated majesty of Hoffman's novel. We will walk the rocky, salt-sprayed beaches and explore the nearby forests in the brisk November air—the ideal season to wrap up in warm layers, drink midnight margaritas, and embrace the liminal magic of late autumn in New England. A day trip to Salem will ground our exploration in history, allowing us to walk the very streets where women once paid the ultimate price for being ungovernable, as we meditate on the fierce, unyielding hearts of the Owens women.
Throughout the pilgrimage our home base will be the lovely Yankee Clipper Inn, which much like the Owens house, is full of character and offers stunning views from its perch on the sea cliff.
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We expect to walk up to 5 miles per day, but some days will require less walking. The weather in Massachusetts in November is brisk, with an average low of 40° F and an average high of 55° F. We will utilize the outdoors come rain or shine, and we recommend that pilgrims prepare for varying temperatures and potential rain. Our plan is to immerse ourselves in the nature which inspired Hoffman’s novel and we expect to be tired at the end of each day.
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The full tuition of the trip is as follows:
Private Room $5,350
Shared Room $4,850
Shared Rooming: If you wish to share a room with another person, you will each purchase your own shared rooms. This enables us to functionally receive one registration form per participant. Please do not purchase a private room if you prefer to share a room with another participant.
Meeting Up
We will meet after lunch in Rockport on November 1st and we will end programming before lunch on November 5th. Specific meeting time and location will be offered privately to pilgrims upon payment.Travel Expenses & Arrangements
Each pilgrim is responsible for handling their own travel expenses and arrangements prior to our meeting on November 1st and after we say goodbye on November 5th. Flights are not included.Accommodations
Throughout the pilgrimage, we will stay at the charming and historic Yankee Clipper Inn, an art deco mansion overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Full of personality and charm, the Yankee Clipper Inn has a storied history— hosting famous guests such as JFK, John Lennon, Paul Newman, and Bette Davis. The award-winning inn offers cozy rooms, panoramic seaside views, and beautiful grounds.Payment Plan The last date to register for the trip using a payment plan is May 23rd, 2027. If you cannot join before that date, you can still register for the trip and pay in full at registration.
Scholarships
We occasionally offer partial scholarships for pilgrimages. If you are interested, please fill out our form here.
Trip Faculty
Hannah McGregor
Faculty Leader (she/they)
Hannah is a professor and podcaster living on the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations (currently known as Vancouver, British Columbia). She is the co-host of Witch, Please, along with a variety of other scholarly podcasts, including Secret Feminist Agenda and The SpokenWeb Podcast. When she isn't yelling into a microphone about feminism, she's hanging out with her two extremely bad cats, Al Purrdy and Pancakes.
Hannah will serve as lead faculty for this trip.
Stephanie Paulsell
Chaplain (she/her)
Stephanie Paulsell is a recently retired member of the Harvard Divinity School faculty where she has taught since 2001, focusing on the history and literature of Christian spirituality and the relationship between religion and literature more generally. Her most recent books are Religion Around Virginia Woolf and Toni Morrison: Goodness and the Literary Imagination. An ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), this will be her third pilgrimage with Common Ground.
Stephanie will serve as the chaplain for this trip.
Colette Potts
Logistics Coordinator (she/her)
Colette is an educator, family therapist, and parent of three book lovers. She serves as chaplain on our pilgrimages, runs our children’s classes, and shares a life with Matt Potts, the co-host of HPST. Colette has worked with families across the developmental spectrum in settings ranging from urban public schools to rural homes, to help parents raise loving children, using caring communities to make it easier – and more fun.
Colette will serve as the logistics coordinator for this trip.
“My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage.”
— Practical magic, alice hoffman