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Salem Walking tours

Our most recommended Salem Walking tours

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: Ghosts of Salem Walking Tour

2. Salem: Ghosts of Salem Walking Tour

Join this family-friendly walking tour and explore Salem’s haunted houses, cemeteries, and victims of the Witch Trials. Visit locations where spirits are tied to famous author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Enjoy a stop at one of Salem's haunted cemeteries, Old Burying Point Cemetery, which is considered by many as the most haunted place in Salem. Throughout your tour, visit many other haunted locations, including a few featured on TV Shows like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. Learn more about the city's history and famous residents from your local guide.

Salem: Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour

3. Salem: Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour

Get an introduction to the history of Salem and discover local ghost stories on a guided 1.5-hour walking tour. Visit at least one cemetery and several buildings known for paranormal activity. Listen to dark tales of accidental death and murder. Hear about a man who was murdered for his treasure by his heirs and a woman who died in a fire and continues to haunt the home. Learn about the various unexplained sightings in some of the older structures in the city. Your tour will end in the downtown area, where your guide will direct you to wherever you'd like to visit next.

Salem: 1692 Witchcraft Trials Walk

4. Salem: 1692 Witchcraft Trials Walk

Explore this history of the infamous 1692 Salem Witchcraft Trials on a 1.5-hour walking tour of the city. Listen to tales of the fear, political turmoil, and family rivalries all help fuel the hysteria that pitted neighbor against neighbor and family members against each other. Starting from the local partner's office, visit the jails where suspected witches were held, the court house, and homes of the judges and accused. Discover how two girls having fits transformed into a frantic quest to expel the Devil, leading to the deaths of 25 innocent people. 

Salem: Witch Trials and Beyond Guided Walking Tour

5. Salem: Witch Trials and Beyond Guided Walking Tour

Find out how the strict Puritan town of Salem became the witchcraft capital of the world and get a behind-the-scenes look at today's tourism industry on a guided walking tour of the Witch City. Meet your guide outside the Old Town Hall and begin your history-packed walking tour of Salem. Together you'll visit 9 historic locations, including the Salem Athenaeum and Old Burying Point Cemetery, unlocking a new chapter of Salem's past at each stop. Uncover shocking secrets like the connection between author Nathaniel Hawthorne and infamous witch trials judge John Hathorne, or the fact that most of the accusations, executions, and alleged witchcraft actually occurred in Danvers, not Salem. Walk away from your tour with a full picture of Salem's history and plenty of memorable moments to share with family and friends back home.

Salem: Witch Trial Walking Tour

6. Salem: Witch Trial Walking Tour

Immerse yourself in the dark and somber history of the Salem Witch Trials on this walking tour. See the most important historical locations in the city. Learn about the trials' main players such as John Proctor and Bridget Bishop. Discover the most tragic aspects of the witch trials, including the humiliating examinations that women who were suspected to be witches endured. Meet your guide at the Salem Five Bank and begin your journey into the tragic history of the trials. Learn more about topics such as the possession of children and animals, curses, and black magic. Make your way to the Witch House and head towards the 18th-century Merchant Hotel. Wander through the country's oldest cemetery, Burying Point Cemetery, and pay your respects at the Witch Trials Memorial.

Salem: Requiem for Salem Walking Ghost Tour

7. Salem: Requiem for Salem Walking Ghost Tour

Join this adults-only walking tour and explore the dark side of Salem's history with an expert local guide. Learn how witches were treated during the 17th-century witch trials and how this set the tone for future atrocities. Discuss spooky topics and themes and maybe even encounter some of the restless spirits that call Salem home. Wander through the former Red Light District and feel the presence of its former workers. Visit some of the city's most haunted locations associated with dark or aggressive ghosts, including demonic hauntings. Explore sights such as the Old Burying Point Cemetery, the Derby Wharfs, and the Wicked Good Books Building.

Salem: History & Witchcraft Day Tour

8. 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 101 General History Tour

9. 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: Ancestors and Descendants Witch Trial Walking Tour

10. Salem: Ancestors and Descendants Witch Trial Walking Tour

Learn about the history and descendants of those involved with the Salem Witch Trials. Discover the most important sights in the downtown area and learn about the key people involved in the trials almost 400 years ago. Visit the Salem Witch Trials Memorial and the Old Burying Point Cemetery, where judges of the trials are buried. Listen to tales about a descendant's role in the American Revolution and the town's legacy as the richest seaport per capita from 1790 to 1812. Learn about the approximately 200 people accused of witchcraft, along with the 70 victims, nine judges, dozens of jurors, and hundreds of observers who were all involved in the 1692 witch trials. Hear about other descendants - some famous and some infamous. Many people do not know they're descended from the Salem Witch Trials - perhaps you're one of them.

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What people are saying about Salem

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 426 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!

John was an EXCELLENT guide! He was knowledgeable and made learning history very fun! Highly recommend this tour!

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

Excellent guide, very knowledgable, interesting and well organised.