Come take a stroll with us down a historical journey through the streets of Salem. From the beginning, our past has been notoriously labeled from the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. With almost 400 years behind us, "The Witch City" has lots of wicked stories to tell.
Witch City Walking Tour's Offers four captivating tours:
🎃 History & Hauntings
🎃 Mysteries & Murders
🎃 Merchants & Mansions, architecture stroll
🎃 Hocus Pocus Movie Locations tour
With your licensed professional tour guide, explore the social, political and environmental influences which spread mass hysteria, causing the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Discover how Salem became a world-class seaport, creating some of the wealthiest families in America and America's first millionaire. Stroll the cobblestone lined streets, taking in some of the most stunning 17th and 18th century colonial architecture. Or get chills down your spine learning about the most macabre murders and true crime stories in Salem's history.
Witch City Walking Tours 'History & Hauntings Tour' was named one of "Best Historical & Cultural Tours in the World" by TripAdvisor 2022. One of the "Best Historical & Cultural Tours in the United States" in 2022. "Trip Advisors Most Booked Fall Experience in America" for 2021. Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Awards and a multi-year recipient of TripAdvisor's "Certificate of Excellence".
So.... come take a walk with us.
OUR TOURS OPERATE RAIN OR SHINE!
Get ready for a mysterious journey through almost 400 years of Salem’s rich and storied history. Your local, well-versed guide and historian is excited to share their passion of this beautiful quaint city with you. Rated as the top walking tour in Salem, you will experience approximately two hours of captivating tales of our city's history, chilling tales of the supernatural, while being awed by the breathtaking architecture, and discover the fascinating truth of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. Your guide will take you off-the-beaten path, while you experience the lesser known sights and history of Salem.
History & Hauntings of SalemCome experience the darker side of Salem with our 1 hour 45 minute Mysteries & Murder tour. We retell the most spine-chilling true crime tales of murder, mystery and macabre that happened in Salem's past. Why did an insane woman in the early 1600s murder her child? Who was the famous hitman who murdered the slave trader in his sleep? Did the Boston Strangler really make a visit to Salem? These tales and much more will unfold on this whirlwind tour of this mysterious seaside city.
Mysteries & Murders of Salem(~2 Hours) Suitable for all ages. Spring and summer only. Do you love architecture? We do! No trip to Salem is complete without a tour of the most beautiful section of Salem, the McIntire district. Come experience over three centuries of architecture from First Period American, to Georgian Colonial and the stately Federal style. Your guide will wind you through the cobblestoned streets of Salem, discovering hidden gems, viewing over two dozen sites, and sharing stories of Salem's rise to becoming the wealthiest city in the country in the 18th century.
Merchants & Mansions of Salem(~2 hours) Brisk 4 mile walk. Come relive the magic of Disney's Blockbuster, Hocus Pocus! Starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, Hocus Pocus has become one of the most beloved movies of the 20th century. The majority of the movie was filmed in Salem in 1993. We will take you to 5 locations used during filming. Your ticket price includes entry to Pioneer Village, as well as a special Hocus Pocus gift! Along the way, you will also hear about the Salem Witch Trials, the maritime history, how we became the "Witch City".
Hocus Pocus Movie Locations of SalemBeth founded Witch City Walking Tours in 2014 as a way to share her passion of the culture and history of Salem. A native of the North Shore, she has traveled all over the country (49 out of 50 states). Beth is a 6th grade teacher, historian, and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree. Some of Beths' favorite spots include the Salem Willows, Ledger Restaurant, the Hawthorne Hotel tavern, the Witch Dungeon Museum, Mahi Mahi Cruises and Notch Brewery.
After moving to the North Shore in middle school, Mykaela quickly fell in love with Salem, and has since spent half her life here. Her passion for history stems from her belief in a strong, supportive community, and equitable access to education. Aside from history and politics, you can usually hear her discussing her cat Boopboop (yes that is the cat's real name,) or singing along far too loudly to the radio in her car. She would recommend Koto for sushi,
April was born and raised in the Salem area. Her family has long, historical roots in New England, so she's passionate about sharing our local past with our tour guests! Some of her favorite Salem spots are: The Adriatic, Ziggy's and Son's Donuts, and The Landing. Her other interests include fashion, photography, makeup, art, philosophy, working in healthcare, and helping others.
Cody is a lover of all things Salem. Growing up in California, he first visited Salem 14 years ago and he felt like Salem was home. He's an avid traveller and has been to over 28 countries. He has a masters degree in International Relations, is a French trained chef, is a designer and artist. He loves to explore New England. He's always on the search for the best Boston Cream Donut and antique Salem Witch memorabilia.
Dani is a New England Native who loves all things spooky, baking and painting. She makes chocolate cupcakes and prop body organs in her spare time. She has a passion for history and feels it’s important to teach it, especially in a place as rich in history as Salem.
David was born and raised in Massachusetts and moved to Salem four years ago, but has been coming to Salem to visit family for the past 25 years. He loves history, architecture, quirkiness, and walkability of downtown Salem. David has a Masters in Education degree in History and has been an educator for over ten years, and doing walking tours in Boston and Salem for six years now. David loves talking about early world history, naval history & architecture.
Heather is a bookworm, record collector, theatre kid, and art lover. You will often find her lurking in the shadows with a book, her trusty headphones, and a cup of coffee. A lifelong mystery and history lover with a passion for giving a voice to those who no longer walk among us. Don't be surprised if she suddenly appears to give your dog a hug and ask you questions, she is a very curious lady.
Justine has a BA from Colgate University in Sociology with minors in Anthropology and Psychology, as well as a graduate certificate in Community Education from Merrimack College.
Mia is a filmmaker, history nerd, & native New Yorker who has relocated to Salem to fulfill her lifelong dream of living in a real-life Halloween Town. Mia can often be spotted in the wilds of downtown Salem where she is on a quest to try every restaurant, geeking out at the PEM with her husband, or in the park with her familiar, Shadow the black lab.
Paige has been with Witch City Walking Tours since 2018, while she was still a student at Northeastern University. When she is not giving tours around Salem, she works for Northeastern in Admissions. She enjoys reading, baking, and learning languages. She is fluent in Spanish, but she can speak a little Arabic, Mandarin, German, Portuguese, and working on Polish. You might see her in town drinking coffee at the Hawthorne or eating popovers at Ledger.
Rebecca was a college educator in the natural sciences and humanities for over ten years before making the pivot in 2020 to guide tours in historic downtown Salem. Rebecca holds degrees in biology, theology, and American studies, and loves to discuss the history and pop culture of Salem. She is a member of the House of the Seven Gables, Historic New England, and a Trustee of the Salem Historical Society. When not on tours, she can be found walking her dog.
Ryan joined Witch City Walking Tours in 2019 and being a history nerd, has loved every minute of it. Moving to Salem for his eighth grade year, he made it a personal mission to learn all he could about the city around him. Giving tours has made him fall in love with every brick in the sidewalk. Each one has a story to tell from years past. Ryan can't get enough of local cuisine and coffee, so he knows where to go for a good bite!
Seán O'Brien is a ginger who does not appear in most pictures and is banned from the state of Oklahoma for reasons the government refuses to divulge. He likes cats and brandy. Also he has a Master's degree in 18th century military surgery.
Stacy Kilb is a professional cat herder with more than 10 years of experience. When not following feisty felines, she can be found stalking the streets of Salem. Having haunted the city since 2005, she is more than happy to eloquently expound upon its not-so-halycon history as well as its contemporary charms.
Vanessa is a talented and captivating story-teller, with a knack for mixing humor with historical fact. Vanessa has lived in Salem since August 2018. Moving here from Pensacola, FL, she fell in love with the rich history and eclectic lifestyle Salem offers. She is an 8th grade Civics teacher and loves sharing her knowledge of history with others. Her B.A. is in History with an emphasis on the witch hunts during Tudor and Stuart England.
Veronica has recently moved from St Louis to Salem. She has fallen in love with the Salem's history, architecture, and culture. She has passed her passion of learning history on to her son, in which she homeschools. She enjoys belly laughs till you cry, site seeing historical sites with her family, and reading a good book. She has a witty sense of humor and she apologizes in advance if she bursts out on song.
Good morning everyone! Happy weekend! We have five tours running today: History & Hauntings st 10 AM, 1230, 330, 630, and our Mysteries & Murder tour at 7 PM. Comment below with your favorite weekend activity!