Add dates

Salem Halloween activities

Our most recommended Salem Halloween activities

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: Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour

2. 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: Witch Trials and Beyond Guided Walking Tour

3. 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: Ghosts of Salem Walking Tour

4. 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: 1692 Witchcraft Trials Walk

5. 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 History Tour: Winter Edition

6. Salem History Tour: Winter Edition

Salem is almost 400 years old, making it one of the oldest cities in the US. It has a vast and varied history. Since its humble beginnings as a fishing community, it has developed as a key metropolis and was even the state capital for a brief period. On this 1.5-hour tour, you will see sites that relate to the 1692 Salem witch trials and hear compelling stories that once shook the town to the core. There are also locations that have incredible significance to the American Revolution; the US may not be the same US without Salem. The seaport was arguably the richest in America in the early 1800s and was frequented by ships that brought goods from all over the world. The city is home to inventors, as well as famous political leaders, and has been visited by countless celebrities who have shot movies and TV shows within the city and its environs. At the end of the tour, you will be regaled with a tale of the supernatural activity that plagues the city even still.

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: Self-Guided Ghost Tour

8. 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: HP Lovecraft Connection Walking Tour with a Guide

9. 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. 

Salem: Witch Trials Self-Guided Walking Tour and Quiz

10. 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.

Frequently asked questions about Salem

What are the best indoor activities in Salem for rainy days?

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 5 reviews

We had a wonderful time. The tour was very informative and is a great way to learn about Salem as a whole not just the witch trials. A beautiful city with a rich past. This tour is good for the whole family!!

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.