Things to do in Salem
The unmissables
Most booked
Salem: Witch Trials & Hauntings Walking Tour with Historian★ 4.89 (15,709) · 2h–2h 15m
Top rated
Salem: Witch Trials & Paranormal Walking Tour with Investigator★ 4.88 (2,043) · 1h 30m
Best value
Salem Night Ghost Tour: Witch Trials & Haunted Sites★ 4.64 (4,450) · 1h 20m
Recommended (7)
Salem Witch Trials Walking Tour: 400 Years & Real History★ 4.88 (1,975) · 1h 40m–2hUS$ 35View ›
Satanic Salem Walking Tour: Occult history, no ghost stories★ 4.99 (1,732) · 1h 30mUS$ 30View ›
Salem Night Walking Tour: True Crime & Murder Stories★ 4.82 (1,550) · 1h 40m–2hUS$ 36View ›
Salem: Witch Trials Walking Tour & Haunted History Sites★ 4.82 (1,355) · 1hUS$ 29View ›
Salem: Witch Walk Rituals, Spells & Historic Sites Tour★ 4.69 (1,335) · 1hUS$ 35View ›
Salem: Walking History Tour with Storytelling & Witch Trials★ 4.91 (852) · 2h 30mUS$ 40View ›
Boston & Salem: High-Speed Ferry with Skyline Views★ 4.52 (773) · 50mUS$ 42View ›Top rated (10)
Salem: Witch Broom Making Workshop & Custom SouvenirYou choose your broom handle, broomcorn colors, ribbons, and charms, then learn to bind them together under instruction from Salem-based craftspeople. The result is a custom witches broom for your home or altar, made in a dedicated workshop space designed to keep the experience focused and calm. You leave with a finished souvenir you built yourself, and the instructors provide guidance on shipping if you need it.Is it for me?Right for anyone who wants a hands-on Salem souvenir they actually made, or for groups looking to do something creative together in one ticket—the instructors handle the teaching so you just focus on building and choosing what goes into your broom.
1692 Salem Witch Trial Tour: 400 Years of HistoryA two-hour walking tour of Salem led by a local historian, visiting over a dozen historical sites tied to the 1692 Witch Trials. You'll hear the full arc—Salem before the trials, what sparked the hysteria, the judges and accusers, how residents responded, the 20 victims, and how it ended. The tour meets at the Hermetic Arts Center on Essex Street and is family-friendly and dog-friendly.Is it for me?Standing at the actual trial sites with a historian who knows Salem's story transforms scattered fragments into the full context of what happened in 1692.
1692 Salem Night Walking Tour: 400 Years of Witch Trial HistoryThe 1692 Salem Night Walking Tour is a two-hour historical walking tour led by a local historian with over a decade of experience, covering Salem before the trials, what triggered the witch hysteria, the judges and accusers, the 20 victims, and how the trials concluded. The tour visits over a dozen historical sites throughout Salem, starting at the Hermetic Arts Center on Essex Street and moving to the Witch House and beyond. Family-friendly and dog-friendly; tours run rain or shine.Is it for me?The guide speaks English and delivers the history in a straightforward, documented way — suitable for families with children from age one, and for anyone who wants the full context of the trials rather than a dramatized version. The two-hour pace and group size under 40 mean you hear the guide clearly without a rushed feeling.
Salem: Kids Slightly Spooky Walking Tour & Witch HouseYou’ll follow a local teacher through Salem’s winding streets, hear true tales mixed with gentle spooky stories for kids, peek at Hawthorne’s old home, and climb up to an ancient cemetery before ending outside the Witch House. Expect laughter, curious questions, and just enough mystery to make your family want more.
Salem: Witchcraft & Pirates Walking Tour with Local GuideYou meet your guide at Lappin Square and walk 1.75 hours through downtown Salem, hearing the real history behind the 1692 witchcraft trials, the Puritan settlement, and the colonial shipping empire that followed. The tour is unscripted and tailored to what your group wants to know. You cover a mile at an easy pace and end back where you started, having heard stories most visitors miss.Is it for me?Book this if you want the real history of Salem's witchcraft trials and colonial past without a script—the guide adjusts the stories to what you actually want to know, which is what makes a walking tour feel like a conversation instead of a lecture.
Sailing on Historic Schooner Yacht in Salem, MASail aboard the Malabar X, a historic North Shore schooner yacht in Salem, Massachusetts, on a 2-hour harbor cruise where you navigate Salem Sound and the islands under canvas as sailors did in the early 1900s. You can help trim the sails or relax while the crew handles them; soft drinks and bottled water are included, and a craft beverage bar with cocktails, beer, wine and cider is available for purchase. Morning, afternoon and sunset departures run daily, and children from age 3 are welcome.Is it for me?Pick the morning or afternoon sail if you want to explore the islands and Marblehead's shoreline in full daylight; choose the sunset departure if you want to watch the light change over Salem Sound and the harbor as the day closes.
Salem: Real Pirates Museum Ticket & Pirate Treasure ExhibitYou’ll step into real pirate history in Salem—see centuries-old treasure from the Whydah shipwreck, watch archaeologists uncover artifacts right before your eyes, and try out pirate tattoos or snap goofy photos with friends. It’s one of those places where you actually feel the past breathing down your neck—in a good way.
Salem: Witch Costume Photo Shoot at Olde Salem Village SetYou’ll step right into Olde Salem Village and get styled head-to-toe by a friendly local expert before posing on an elaborate 1692 set with your own pro photographer guiding you through every shot. Your session wraps with a private photo reveal—expect laughter, maybe some surprises—and digital files to keep.
Salem: Witch Cottage Costume Photo Shoot & Theatrical SetYou’ll step into Salem’s Witch Cottage set and get styled in your own witch or wizard costume from their huge wardrobe. A friendly local photographer guides you through playful poses among potions and spell books before revealing your photos at the end. It’s fun, welcoming, and surprisingly memorable — especially if you let yourself be a little silly.
Salem: Hocus Pocus Movie Locations 3-Mile Walking TourYou walk to five Hocus Pocus filming locations across Salem's downtown and out to Pioneer Village, hearing movie trivia and local history along the way. The tour is 2.5 hours and covers three miles of uneven terrain at a brisk pace, ending away from the start point. Bring comfortable shoes, plan for no restrooms on the route, and arrange your own transport back if needed.Is it for me?This tour works for Hocus Pocus fans who want to see the actual filming locations without having to research and navigate Salem on their own — the guide handles the history and trivia while you focus on the spots. The three-mile walk and uneven terrain mean you need to be comfortable on your feet for the full duration.
Lowest price (10)
Salem Witch Trials Walking Tour with Local GuideYou walk downtown Salem with a licensed local guide who untangles the 1692 witch trials from the mythology. You see the memorial, the old jail, the first church, and the Bewitched statue while learning the actual history and colonial context. The tour includes a guide who knows Salem and can point you toward places locals actually go—so you leave with both the facts and the lay of the land.Is it for me?Book this if you want the actual history of the 1692 witch trials rather than the sensationalized version, and you'd rather have a local guide untangle the colonial context than read a plaque on your own.
Salem Ghost Tour: Witch Trials & Haunted Historic SitesYou walk Salem's witch trial sites with a trained guide who knows the stories behind each building — Bridget Bishop's execution ground, Judge Corwin's house, the Ropes Mansion, the Athenaeum. The guide handles the history and the legends; you just show up dressed for the weather and ready to listen. No building entries, but every stop has a story that sticks with you.Is it for me?Book this if you want Salem's witch trial history told by someone who knows the names and dates, not just the spooky version — the walking pace and small group size mean you can actually hear the guide and ask questions as you go.
Salem: Witch Trials, Revolution & Maritime History Walking TourYou walk about one mile through Salem's downtown over 90 minutes, stopping at the Witch Trials Memorial, Old Burying Point cemetery, Lyceum Hall, and sites tied to the American Revolution and the Age of Sail. A local guide with an amplifier covers four centuries of history — from the 1692 trials to maritime wealth to George Washington's visit to Alexander Graham Bell's telephone work. The fixed 12pm departure time and frequent stops mean you see the major sites without arranging your own route or timing.Is it for me?Best for travelers who want Salem's full history — witch trials, revolution, maritime wealth, and famous residents — covered in one walking tour without arranging separate stops or timing. The guide's amplifier and frequent stops mean you hear everything clearly even on busy streets, and the fixed 12pm departure takes the scheduling off your hands.
Salem Dark History Tour: Witch Trials & Haunted SitesYou walk Salem's actual Witch Trials sites with a licensed local guide who knows the real stories, not the Hollywood version. The tour covers the church graveyard, Giles Corey's haunted location, and the Old Jail—a place with documented ghost stories that locals still believe in. You'll spend 2 to 3 hours on foot hearing what happened in 1692 and what people still report happening today, with a guide who lives in Salem and answers questions as they come up.Is it for me?Book this if you want to understand the real Witch Trials history without the theme-park treatment—a licensed local guide who lives in Salem takes the guesswork out of where to go and what actually happened on these streets.
Salem Ghost Tour: Haunted Sites & Literary Horror StoriesYou walk Salem's haunted streets for just under two hours with a professional guide who connects the town's documented history to the Gothic horror it inspired. You see the actual locations where hauntings occurred, learn what early ghost hunters looked for, and understand why Lovecraft, Poe, and Hawthorne all found their darkest material here. Pickup is at the Black Cat statue; no separate transportation needed.Is it for me?Book this if you want Salem's haunted history explained by someone who knows both the documented facts and the literary legacy—the guide connects what actually happened to why it became horror fiction, which is what separates this from a generic spooky walk.
Salem Dark History: Murders, Pirates & Witch Jail Walking TourYou walk through Salem's oldest neighborhoods on a 90-minute evening tour led by a city-licensed guide who tells the real dark history — murders, torture, pirates, and cemetery secrets — rather than Halloween fiction. You stop at six historic locations including the 1637 cemetery, the Captain White murder house, and a Hocus Pocus filming location, and you finish knowing what Salem actually was, not what people imagine it to be.Is it for me?Book this if you want Salem's actual dark history — murders, torture, and real crimes — told by someone who knows the city and can separate fact from Halloween marketing. The evening timing and licensed guides mean you get the stories locals tell, not the tourist version.
Salem: Witch Trials Walking Tour with Storyteller GuideYou’ll walk Salem’s streets with a licensed storyteller as your guide, pausing at places tied to the witch trials—Sheriff Corwin’s house, the old courthouse site, and finally the Witch Trials Memorial. Expect moments of laughter and quiet reflection as you move through stories that linger long after you leave.
Salem Ghost Tour: Witch Trials History & Haunted SitesYou'll walk four historically significant sites in Salem connected to the Witch Trials and documented hauntings, guided by someone who knows the archive as well as the lore. The tour is designed for adults 16 and up, so the stories don't pull punches. All entry fees are included, and the route is wheelchair accessible. Book directly if your group is 10 or larger.Is it for me?Book this if you want Salem's real history—the trials, the executions, the paranoia—without the kid-friendly version. The adult-only format is what lets the guide tell the story straight, and the small-group pacing means you're not rushing between stops.
Salem: Haunted Pub Crawl with Ghost Stories & Local BarsYou’ll wander Salem’s haunted streets with a local guide, sipping drinks in bars where staff whisper about ghosts and glasses shatter for no reason. Hear chilling tales at spots like Joshua Ward House and a bookshop that feels alive with history. Expect laughter, goosebumps, and moments when everyone goes quiet—especially after one last story in a tavern where the past feels close.
Salem: Witch Trials, Ghost & Real Witch Tours ComboYou attend a 45-minute Q&A with a practicing witch at 3:30pm, walk the Witch Trials sites for an hour at 5pm, and join a 60-75 minute ghost tour after dark. All three tours include a certified guide; the combo pass saves $10 and lets you choose your evening start time at 7pm or 8:30pm.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Salem from three angles—the actual witchcraft history, the 1692 trials, and the ghost stories—without planning three separate bookings or timing them yourself; the fixed schedule across the afternoon and evening is what makes all three fit into one day.
