Things to do in Salem
Sort
Salem: Witch Trials & Hauntings Walking Tour with HistorianYou walk Salem's historic streets for two hours with a local historian covering 400 years of history, the 1692 Witch Trials, and the supernatural stories that shaped the town. You'll see the Witch Trials Memorial, Bewitched statue, Witch House exterior, and Old Burying Point without entering buildings. The guide is a professional historian, dogs are welcome, and the tour runs regardless of weather — just bring comfortable shoes and plan for brick sidewalks.Is it for me?Right for travelers who want Salem's history and Witch Trials context from someone who actually knows the subject, without the indoor museum stops. Expect two hours of steady walking on brick and uneven surfaces, which is what lets you cover the full historic district and hear the real stories behind the sites.
Salem Night Ghost Tour: Witch Trials & Haunted SitesYou walk 75 minutes through Salem's most documented haunted sites with a locally rooted, unscripted guide—the Old Burying Point cemetery, Bridget Bishop's homestead, the site where Giles Corey was pressed to death, and the mansion that inspired Edgar Allan Poe. Check-in starts early at Remember Salem on Essex Street, and the tour departs exactly on time with no exceptions.Is it for me?Book this if you want Salem's real haunted history—not a theatrical retelling, but the documented stories of the witch trials, the people who were executed, and the sites where their presence is still reported—guided by someone who has spent two decades learning the city and treating these stories with the weight they deserve.
Salem: Witch Trials & Paranormal Walking Tour with InvestigatorYou walk Salem's most haunted streets with a paranormal investigator who teaches you how to photograph ghostly evidence while sharing real Witch Trials history. You'll stand at Giles Corey's pressing site, the dungeon where accused witches were held, and Bridget Bishop's land — each stop grounded in documented history and paranormal investigation. The tour includes ghost photographs from years of investigation and runs about two to three hours on fully accessible routes through downtown.Is it for me?Right for travelers who want Salem's real Witch Trials history grounded in paranormal investigation rather than theatrical storytelling. Expect two to three hours of walking on paved downtown streets — that's what lets you visit the dungeon, pressing site, cemetery, and multiple haunted locations in one tour.
Salem Witch Trials Walking Tour: 400 Years & Real HistoryYou walk through downtown Salem with a licensed historian, stopping at over a dozen sites tied to the 1692 trials and four centuries of the city's history. The guide brings the real story to life without the pop-culture noise. You get the most in-depth look at what happened, the context that explains why, and the chance to stand where it actually occurred—all in one tour that runs whether the weather cooperates or not.Is it for me?Choose this tour if you want the actual history of the 1692 trials without the costume shops and haunted house theatrics—a licensed historian and real locations do what no museum exhibit alone can do.
Satanic Salem Walking Tour: Occult history, no ghost storiesThe Satanic Salem Walking Tour is a 90-minute guided walk through downtown Salem led by a certified occultism expert and ordained satanic minister, covering witchcraft history and religious practice without ghost stories or superstition. The tour includes a licensed guide and discounted admission to The Satanic Temple's Salem Art Gallery. Wheelchair accessible; moderate fitness expected.Is it for me?Most Salem tours layer ghost stories over history and leave you confused about what actually happened. This one has a guide trained in occult practice and religious history, so you walk away understanding the real witchcraft beliefs, the actual trials, and why the panic happened—not a haunted-house narrative.
Salem Night Walking Tour: True Crime & Murder StoriesYou walk Salem's streets for two hours hearing real murder cases and crime history from a professional guide, moving past the Bewitched Statue and Old Burying Point Cemetery. The tour is adults-only (13+), runs in any weather, and covers mature content including graphic violence — it's built for true crime fans, not casual sightseers. Book if you want the darker side of Salem without arranging your own research or route.Is it for me?Book this if you're drawn to true crime and Salem's real history rather than tourist legend, and you want a guide handling the research and route — the two-hour structure and mature content focus mean it's built for adults who know what they're signing up for, not families or casual visitors.
Salem: Witch Trials Walking Tour & Haunted History SitesYou’ll walk Salem’s storied streets with a local guide, pausing at the Witch Trials Memorial and centuries-old cemeteries where real history lingers. Expect moments of laughter by the Bewitched Statue and quiet chills inside haunted inns—all woven together by tales you won’t soon forget.
Salem: Witch Walk Rituals, Spells & Historic Sites TourYou’ll join real rituals in Salem’s Enchanted Garden—casting spells, making wishes on bay leaves, and learning about modern witchcraft from local guides. Walk historic streets, visit Old Burying Point Cemetery for a moving blessing, then jump the broom to leave your worries behind. It’s not just history—it’s personal magic you can feel long after you leave.
Salem: Walking History Tour with Storytelling & Witch TrialsYou’ll walk Salem’s streets with a guide who brings centuries to life—Puritans, sailors, witch trials—all woven together as you stand before storied houses and memorials. Expect laughter, real history (not just legends), and moments that linger after you’ve left Essex Street behind.
Boston & Salem: High-Speed Ferry with Skyline ViewsYou board at Boston's waterfront or Salem's dock, spend under an hour on a high-speed catamaran crossing the Massachusetts coast, and arrive refreshed at your destination without navigating traffic or arranging ground transport. The ferry includes restroom access, an onboard galley, and open-air decks for watching the skyline and coastline pass. Round-trip travel requires purchasing two separate one-way tickets.Is it for me?Book this if you're splitting time between Boston and Salem and want to skip the drive—the ferry is the fastest route between the two cities and arrives you refreshed instead of tired from traffic.
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.
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 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 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.
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 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: 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.
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: 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.
