Things to do in

Salem

Take a 1 hour and 20-minute walk through Downtown Salem's most historic and haunted outdoor areas. Although every tour is slightly different, each tour visits about 10 locations. See 2 cemeteries, the Witch Trials Memorial, the location where an accused witch was tortured to death, filming locations from the movie Hocus Pocus, the Old Salem Jail, the site of the Salem Witch Dungeon, among others. Start the tour at 127 Essex Street in Downtown Salem where you will join a local historian and paranormal investigator who will lead the experiece. Embark on a casual walk through Salem's beautiful, historic and haunted downtown. Take the time to stop and hear stories about Salem's haunted, dark, and surprisingly inspiring history.

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. 

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.

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 did 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.

Spend more time sightseeing and less time traveling with a fast ferry ticket to Salem from Boston, or vice versa. Available as a 1-way or round-trip option, the hassle free journey takes a relaxing hour each way. Hop aboard at Boston’s Long Wharf, and in less than an hour you’ll be museum hopping and sampling the specialties of local chefs in Salem’s quaint neighborhoods. Discover unique boutiques for shopping and more. If you are staying in Salem but want to explore Boston, the fast ferry can speed you to Beantown in no time. Upon arrival, take a cruise along the Charles River, see all the monuments from the birth of America, or go for a walk on Boston Common. Forget the hassle of driving, finding a parking place, and driving back after a long day sightseeing and shopping. Let the ferry take the frustration out of your day. This service is seasonal and operates from May to October. Departure Times (schedule subject to change) May 14–October 31 2022 Round trip daily Boston-Salem-Boston: • From Boston: 9:30 AM, 11:45 AM • From Salem: 4:00 PM One way daily: • From Boston: 9:30 AM, 11:45 AM, 2:30 PM, 5:30 PM • From Salem: 7:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM June 23–October 31 2022 - extra ferries are as follows: One way: • From Boston: 8:30 PM only on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays• From Salem: 7:00 PM only on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays

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.

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. 

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.

Ensure a hassle-free trip with the Boston city pass that is accessible straight from your mobile phone (also available to print) and is valid for 60 days from your first visit. Save time and money compared to paying individual admission prices. Marvel at the wonders of the sea with a visit to the New England Aquarium, explore the city aboard a hop-on-hop-off trolley, or choose a Boston sunset cruise. Simply browse your digital guide for where to go next, show your pass to be scanned at the entrance or ticket office, and you're in. Choose any 2, 3, 4, or 5 attractions or tours from the following: Tours and Cruises • Historic Sightseeing Cruise (April to October) • CityView Hop-On Hop-Off Boston Trolley Sightseeing Tour: 1-Day Ticket (April to November) • Boston Sunset Cruise (May to September) • Fenway Park Tour • Boston Bike Rental • Boch Center Wang Theatre Tours • The Harvard Tour Museums and Places of Interest • New England Aquarium • Old State House Museum & Old South Meeting House Combo Ticket • Museum of Science • Harvard Museum of Natural History • Boston Children's Museum • LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston • Museum of Fine Arts • Salem Witch Museum • USS Constitution Museum • Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum • JFK Presidential Library and Museum • Franklin Park Zoo • Peabody Essex Museum • Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology Attractions and tours are subject to change. Check the digital guide included on your confirmation voucher for the full list of inclusions, opening times, and reservation instructions.

See an authenticated pirate's treasure with a ticket to Real Pirates Salem. Discover the real-life story of “Black Sam” Bellamy and his beloved Maria Hallet, the "Witch of Wellfleet," on an interactive experience. Enter the mysterious world of "Black Sam" Bellamy and Maria Hallet. Learn about Bellamy's success as a young pirate, thanks to his capture of the Whydah Gally, one of the fastest ships of its time. As you explore the exhibit, marvel at the coins, jewelry, and weapons Bellamy liberated from over 50 ships after stealing the Whydah Gally. See bounty that was last touched by pirate hands 300 years ago before falling into the Atlantic after the Whydah crashed on the shores of Cape Cod. Continue your visit with a stop in the discovery lab, where you can see archeologists unearth artifacts. Finish off your day with a video and photo experience.