Salem: Night Walking Tour with Dark History & Murder Stories

Summary

Salem’s secrets after dark—pirates, curses, lost souls and real stories

You’ll follow Salem’s shadowy streets with a local guide who weaves together pirate tales, lost corpses at the oldest cemetery, infamous murders, and haunted hotels—even a Hocus Pocus filming spot. Expect moments that surprise you or make you laugh nervously—and leave you seeing Salem differently after dark.

What’s the experience like?

Someone in our group pointed at the peeling brick of the old jail before I even realized that was our meeting spot. Our guide—her name was Sam—had this way of pausing mid-sentence, like she was letting the streetlights fill in the blanks. She started with Houdini’s escape act right there in 1906, which honestly I’d never heard about (I thought it’d be all witches from the start). There was a faint smell of rain on pavement, and you could hear someone playing music from an open window above us. Made the whole thing feel weirdly alive.

We wandered over to the oldest cemetery in Salem next, and Sam told us about spiders and corpses that went missing (not sure how you lose a corpse but apparently it happened). The air felt cooler there, almost damp—maybe just my imagination? Someone asked about the headstones and she explained how some were so old you could barely read them. There was this one stone with a cracked angel that stuck with me. I tried to take a photo but my phone glared everything out. So yeah, ghosts or just bad lighting.

The murder story at Captain White’s house got under my skin more than I expected. Sam didn’t rush it—she let us stand there while she described how news of his death swept across America back then. It was quiet except for a car passing by too fast. Later we stopped near where Giles Corey was tortured during the witch trials; Sam lowered her voice and I swear everyone leaned in closer without thinking. That part felt heavy—I still think about what people did to each other here.

We ended up outside a hotel where George Washington once stayed (and supposedly some ghosts too). It’s also where they filmed Hocus Pocus, which made everyone laugh when someone tried to remember which scene it was. By then my feet were tired but I didn’t really want it to end yet. The city looked different after hearing all those stories—like every corner had something lurking behind it, waiting for someone to ask.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Evening walking tour of Salem's dark past

• Meet at historic Salem Jail site
• Visit oldest burying point in Salem
• Hear story of Captain White's murder
• Explore site near Old Witch Jail
• See filming location of Hocus Pocus
• Visit haunted site where George Washington stayed

Top questions

How long is the Salem night walking tour?

The tour lasts approximately 90 minutes.

Does this Salem tour include ghost stories?

Yes, your guide will share ghost stories along with dark history and murder tales.

Is the Salem walking tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, all areas and surfaces on this tour are wheelchair accessible.

Where does the Salem dark history tour start?

The tour begins at the historic site where Harry Houdini performed an escape act from Salem Jail in 1906.

Are children allowed on this night walking tour?

Yes, infants and small children can join in prams or strollers; service animals are also allowed.

Will we visit any cemeteries during this Salem tour?

Yes, you’ll stop at Salem’s oldest burying point dating back to 1637.

Do professional guides lead this Salem murder tour?

All guides are licensed by the City of Salem and are professional storytellers.

Is public transportation available near the meeting point?

Yes, public transportation options are available nearby.

What’s included

Your evening includes a 90-minute walk through central Salem led by a licensed storyteller-guide; stops at the city’s oldest cemetery, infamous murder sites like Captain White’s house, a haunted hotel once visited by George Washington (and featured in Hocus Pocus), plus plenty of stories and time for questions along the way.