Salem Witch Trials, Ghosts and History Walking Tour
Description
Walk Salem's most haunted streets and uncover the fascinating true story of the 1692 witch trials — told the way only a lifelong local of old Salem can tell it. Named one of the best Salem walking tours by TripAdvisor in the Top 10 Salem Walking Tours of 2026. Enjoy Hocus Pocus stops, thrilling ghost stories - then be surprised along the way by Salem's lesser known history, and the question nobody thinks to ask: Why are there no Sheriffs in Salem anymore? Enter Salem's stunning McIntire District with Revolutionary War, maritime, and pirate tales woven throughout. This is a historical tour enriched with some beloved ghost stories. Tours end with dining, shopping and exploring recommendations on request. Perfect for families, couples, day trips from Boston, solo travelers, haunted history tours, friends, bachelorette parties, bridal parties, and curious kids. Meeting point: East India Fountain, 158 Essex St, Salem MA 01970. About 2 hrs. Outdoors only, no entry. See you in Salem!
Tour Options
Itinerary
The East India Fountain. This will be our meeting point! Get to know your guide, enjoy an introduction to Salem. Why is Salem known for Witch Trials? Why does the East India Fountain look so unique? What is the significance of the giant building you'll be standing in front of? This is an outdoor only stop.
What kind of people were accused of witchcraft? What was done with them? How is Saint Peter's Church tied into the Witch Trials? What happened on nearby property and why do so many people get chills and strange photos here? This is an outdoor only stop.
Did you know Salem looked very different in 1692? We will traverse a large piece of property with special Witchcraft Trial history. Today, many believe it to be haunted by an executed victim. You'll also hear a few other surprising chapters of Salem's history here...this is an outdoor only stop.
The famous Hocus Pocus stop! We discuss the movie's filming and the true history of the building. The founding of Salem and those here before the Puritans are also explored. This is an outdoor only stop.
So much history in one stop! This site is tied to the Witch Trials as well as our rich Maritime history. It's also famous for one of the most famous hauntings in Salem. This is an outdoor only stop.
A very iconic stop, great for photos! How are Salem's Witch Trials connected to the classic Bewitched TV show? What sensitive legacy does the statue have today? This is an outdoor only stop
The Witch House is the only thing left standing in modern Salem with direct ties to the Salem Witch Trials! What happened here? Further explore how everything went so wrong in 1692
Marvel at Salem's historic residential neighborhood, both spooky and breathtaking!
Stroll down Historic Essex St and learn it's history - is it haunted? How old are the buildings in Salem? Better understand where the Witchcraft Trial sites are. Hear about Puritans, Pirates, Patriots and more! What is the hidden secret about Central Street? This is an outdoor only stop.
Enjoy a sumptuous mansion from Salem's maritime era and another Hocus Pocus filming stop! Who lived here? What happened to them? And why do people get strange photos in the beautiful historic garden?
The Old Burying Point. Famous as one of the oldest maintained burial sites in the country. The final resting place of several people involved in the Salem Witch trials and other significant chapters of history. What ghosts are famous for walking the grounds? This is an outdoor only stop.
How do we honor the victims of the Salem Witchcraft Trials? What is the symbolism built into it's design? This is an outside memorial, access is free and depends on the amount of people utilizing the memorial (such as October crowds).
This federalist era hall has a captivating and amusing history!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Many people take this tour with mobility scooters or wheelchairs, BUT PLEASE, keep in mind, we are an old historic city so the terrain is going to be uneven sometimes. Use your own discretion. We are very happy to have people with mobility devices on our tour! We will always accommodate you the best we can but visitors assume all responsibility and Witch City Walkabout will not be held liable.
- The tour requires walking and standing.
Reviews(62)
April was funny, knowledgable, engaging and helpful. She offered to give suggestions as to what to do for the rest of our stay. If you want to learn Salem history with a bit of humor, I highly recommend it.
Thank you Stacey! We believe humor makes history more fun. Our guides also work hard to make sure your visit in Salem is excellent, so we will always provide you with recommendations of things to do on request. Thank you for choosing our tour, we hope to see you in Salem again!.
April was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the history of Salem! She was an amazing host and I could not recommend her more.
Thank you! We're glad you were so pleased with your guide and the tour! We hope to see you back in Salem sometime.
We really enjoyed this tour and left feeling like we had learned so much about Salem's history! We appreciated that it focused on the area's history, with just a sprinkle of ghost and Hocus Pocus stories, and was led by a local.
Thank you Abigail. We're glad you got so much out of our Salem tour! Our guides make sure you get a great blend of history, ghost stories, Hocus Pocus, spooky pop culture and beautiful scenery. Thank you for booking with us and thank you for this recommendation!
The tour was very interesting and well done. April was a very engaging and knowledgeable host, who is a local person with a long family history in the area. She took us to many sites and gave us a fuller picture of Salem’s amazing history. She answered all of our questions and made it fun. I went with my ten year old grandchild who really enjoyed all of the stories the way April told them.
Thank you Karen! We take pride in the fact that we are founded and run by life long locals of the old Salem historic region, many of whom are descended from Puritans. Our guides love answering questions and showing people the real Salem, which is a much richer story than many realize. Our walking tour is very family friendly, we're so glad your 10 year old grandchild loved it! We appreciate you choosing our walking tour and your recommendation here.
This tour was very interesting and packed with information and sites around Salem. April is so knowlegable and enthusiastic about showing us real Salem history and was able to answer all of our questions. She has a very engaging manner. I took the tour with my ten year old grandchild and she was fascinated too.
April was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining. Even my teenager enjoyed it. We learned a lot about the history of the town and the personal stories about the people involved in the tragedy.
Thank you Samantha! We work hard to make sure you get the best blend of Salem history, personal stories, and fun storytelling. Our walking tour really is a great thing to do with a teenager in Salem, we're happy they loved it. Thanks so much for taking our Salem walking tour, and for the recommendation!
Great history and very informative, our guide was very informative and nice. Learned a lot of things about the history that I have never heard about before
Thank you Jessica! We try hard to give our tour value by sharing Salem history many people don't know about. We're glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for picking our Salem tour, we hope to see you back again soon!
This was a very well done tour. Our tour was led by April, a very knowledgeable local. I would highly recommend this tour, especially if you’re looking for a good balance of history and spooky stories. We found it to be very in-depth, while still being entertaining. April even became our photographer, and took very nice photos of our group at each location. Again, I highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting!
Thank you! We believe Salem's history can be fun and not just dry facts - ghost stories always liven things up! We aim to please by helping you get great pictures of Salem and pictures of your group! Thank you for exploring Salem with us, we hope to see you back here soon!
Alice was incredible! She was charismatic, professional and provided honest accounts of the past and present Salem. We even toured a historical neighborhood and heard some local stories. My 12 yr old daughter also enjoyed it. Highly recommended!
Thank you! We're happy our guide's honest, well-rounded approach to both Salem's past and present came through —and a tour is a great thing to do in Salem with a 12 year old, we're glad she enjoyed it! A mix of local tales, history, ghost stories, downtown Salem, and the added bonus of our historical neighborhood is a real crowd pleaser. Thanks so much for the recommendation, and thanks for taking our Salem walking tour!
Was the best experience for our first tour. Personable, knowledgeable, was very fun!!
Thank you so much! We love that this was your very first tour and it left such a strong impression. Delivering Salem history and a good time with a personal touch is exactly what we aim for. Thanks so much for taking a chance on us, and for the recommendation!
