Add dates

Salem Culture & history

Our most recommended Salem Culture & history

Salem: Ghosts, Witches, & Warlocks Guided Walking Tour

1. Salem: Ghosts, Witches, & Warlocks Guided Walking Tour

Meet your tour guide and venture through 8-12 different sites around the city, each one spookier than the last, starting with the historical Salem Old Town Hall. Continue down the eerie streets to explore the Old Burying Point Cemetery, a preserved burial ground that was established in 1637 where some prominent pilgrims and town officials were buried. This haunted tour takes you to different sites and reveals their true stories so that you can feel connected to the history that took place there. Experiencing these stories while at the sites where they occurred is a truly unique experience that can’t be recreated by simply reading about their history.  During your tour, find out how Salem became the center for all haunted happenings. The phenomenon is partially explained by Salem’s rich history and the fact that many of its oldest structures and sites are preserved today, including the famed Witch House.  Salem’s commitment to preserving this history has made it a perfect spot for spirits to linger and for visitors to experience a connection with the past.

Salem Witch Trials Self-Guided Audio Tour

2. Salem Witch Trials Self-Guided Audio Tour

Join a spooky self-guided tour that will help you to explore Salem's past and learn about the events that took place there. Explore some of the town's most notable landmarks and places connected to the famous witch trials. Along the way, there are plenty of optional detours available for those looking for a little more. The experience begins at the Salem Armory. From there, walk to the 1692 Memorial, where the victims of the witch panic are memorialized. Get to know many of the key figures who found themselves swept up by the plague of fear and paid the ultimate price. Next, you’ll see the Old Burying Point, where many of the trials’ victims and aggressors were laid to rest. Listen to the tragically heroic tale of Giles Corey as you walk through the gravestones, a man who refused to bow to the nightmare overtaking his town and was immortalized in The Crucible. After that, you’ll pass by some of Salem’s spookiest architecture, including the Joshua Ward House and the Old Town Hall. You’ll also hear of the secret tunnels which run beneath some of these buildings, many of which still exist to this day. Continue on past the old jailhouse, where innocent people were subjected to cruelty so terrible that some suggest their spirits never really left. You'll hear about Hollywood’s many forays into Salem, including hits like Hocus Pocus and Bewitched. Pass by the Witch Museum on your way back and hear about how all the madness finally came to an end. The final stop brings you to the Salem Common, where the tour wraps up with some things you probably didn’t know about the aftermath of the trials.

Salem: History & Witchcraft Day Tour

3. Salem: History & Witchcraft Day Tour

Meet near the cobblestone streets and brick-lined center of town on Essex Street. Follow your licensed and experienced historical guide through the Axelrod Garden Walkway toward the Witch Trials Memorial. Hear about the lead up to the Salem Witchcraft Hysteria that engulfed the town in 1692. Through the memorial and into the Old Burial Point Cemetery your guide will continue to explain the surprisingly relevant stories of those accused and those that accused them. Continue on to several other locations with strong ties to the witchcraft hysteria such as the witch dungeon site, and others.

Salem: Self-Guided Ghost Tour

4. Salem: Self-Guided Ghost Tour

Walk Salem's spooky streets on a smartphone-guided ghost tour. Listen to professionally narrated stories and discover unnerving legends as you make your way to some of Salem's most haunted locations. Charged smartphone in hand, set out on a ghoulish tour that takes you to eerie sites like the Witch House, the Salem Inn, the Salem Witch Trial Memorial, and many more. Hear stories about the lady in blue, the underground tunnels, the ghost of the strangler, and others. This tour is app-based and uses GPS navigation, guiding you turn by turn to the most haunted locations in Salem. Go at your own pace and take the tour at any time, even exploring the city during the witching hour if you like.

Salem 101 General History Tour

5. Salem 101 General History Tour

Start the tour with an introduction to the history of Salem and its humble beginnings. Find out about how whilst Salem is known for the infamous witchcraft trials, it has so many more interesting stories. Discover how it was once one of the largest seaports in the US, was an important city to the American revolution, and has been home to famous writers, celebrities, inventors, politicians, and more. As you begin the walking tour, hear amazing stories of people who lived and visited the quaint historic city as well as see buildings, homes, and locations where remarkable events occurred. See where the revolutionaries met to plan the rebellion for this area, where Houdini escaped from jail, and the first Federal style building built in Salem that holds a dark secret in its basement. Next, learn about various pop culture as your guide reveals which movies and TV shows were shot in Salem as well as the celebrities that came here. See where Alexander Graham Bell lived and where he made the first phone call. Discover how a total of 18 US Presidents have visited Salem and some more than once. Finally, enjoy a stroll through the McIntire District where you will view the Ropes Mansion, Witch House, and Bowditch House. Come away from the tour with a renewed appreciation for Salem's importance over the last 400 years. 

Salem: Witch Trials Self-Guided Walking Tour and Quiz

6. Salem: Witch Trials Self-Guided Walking Tour and Quiz

Learn about the sobering history of Salem at your own pace on a self-guided walking tour. Hear the history of the Salem Witch Trials, visit the Old Burying Point, and find Salem's haunted buildings. Before beginning your tour, download the Action Tour Guide app on your phone to allow easy offline access. Head to the Salem Armory to get started. From there, walk to the 1692 Memorial, which honors the victims of the witch panic. Next, head to the Old Burying Point, the final resting place not only for many of the trials’ victims but also for their persecutors. Walk among the graves and hear the tragic, heroic tale of Giles Corey and others who paid the ultimate price when they refused to go along with the madness. Continue your tour with some of Salem’s spookiest architecture, the Joshua Ward House and the Old Town Hall. Learn about the Old Town Hall's secret tunnels, which still exist today. Head to the old jailhouse, where some say the spirits of the confined and tortured innocents remain. Continue through town and spot landmarks featured in Hollywood hits like Hocus Pocus and Bewitched. Next, pass the Witch Museum and learn how the witch trials ended. Finish your tour at the Salem Common and discover the aftermath of the trials and how the town of Salem recovered. As you follow the tour, there are plenty of optional detours available, from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s house to a tavern infamous for 18th-century kidnappings.

Salem: HP Lovecraft Connection Walking Tour with a Guide

7. Salem: HP Lovecraft Connection Walking Tour with a Guide

Experience the beauty of the city of Salem on a guided walking tour. See the famous places like the Witch House, Derby House, and many more. Learn about the stories that inspired horror writer HP Lovecraft. HP Lovecraft was a writer who delved into the genres of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. He came to Salem several times and used the homes, buildings, and the 1692 witchcraft trials as inspiration for some of his fantastic tales. During the tour, you will visit the Crowninshield-Bentley House, the building which inspired The Thing on The Doorstep story. See the Witch House, used for his The Dreams of the Witch House, and the location of the Old Victorian Train Station that he thoroughly loved. Visit the Charter Street Cemetery that was the setting for his story The Unnamable, Images of the Danvers State Hospital that he called the Arkham Sanitarium, and general areas of Salem that he named Arkham in his books. You will learn how Salem influenced many of his writings and how he references Salem in his books. 

Frequently asked questions about Salem

Other Sightseeing Options in Salem

Want to discover all there is to do in Salem? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Salem

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 40 reviews

We had a great time on our tour! I tour guide Beverly was amazing and extremely knowledgeable. We learned so much about different places in Salem as well as had a fun time hearing ghost stories in the dark. 11/10 tour and we would love to do it again. Highly recommended!

Audio guía que funciona sin internet. Me ha encantado visitar Salem a mi ritmo utilizando esta actividad. recomendable

David T was beyond amazing! He is the best tour guide ever!!! Definitely deserves a raise!!!!

Very professional and knowledgeable guide recommend it for everyone

It was a great adventure! Listened in spanish an it was awesome