“The streets look charming.
The story underneath them is not.”
Salem, Massachusetts may look like a Halloween postcard, but its fame comes from something far more serious than costumes and cauldrons. In 1692, fear and suspicion turned this small New England town into the center of the infamous Salem Witch Trials, where over 200 people were accused and 25 lost their lives. This Salem Witch Trials self-guided walking tour lets you explore that history at your own pace, turning the streets, gravestones, and waterfront into a living case file.
With the audio guide in your ears and historic Salem around you, you will hear how the panic began, who was targeted, and why it spiraled so quickly. At the 1692 Memorial and nearby Charter Street Cemetery, the names and dates on stone benches and headstones ground the story in real people instead of legend. Here, figures like Bridget Bishop, Giles Corey, and Sarah Good become more than just names from a history book.
As you walk through downtown Salem, the narration points out historic sites, old meeting places, and buildings with reputations that still feel a little uneasy after dark. You will pass locations tied to old jails, court sessions, and the legacy of the trials, as well as later landmarks like the Salem Witch Museum and Hawthorne Hotel that keep the story in the public eye. Modern Salem blends witch-trial history with maritime trade, architecture, and literature, and the tour leans into all of those layers.
The route continues toward the waterfront and the House of the Seven Gables, where Nathaniel Hawthorne’s family connections and Gothic imagination helped turn Salem’s past into classic American fiction. Along the way, you will also hear about other local spots with reputations for hauntings, speakeasy secrets, and grim colonial stories that still echo through today’s restaurants and taverns.
This Salem walking tour is fully self-guided, so you decide when to linger, when to detour for a café stop, and when to circle back to a site that caught your attention. The audio simply keeps the story moving whenever you are ready.
Usual post-tour behavior
Googling more about 1692, realizing how many films and shows got the details wrong, and looking at Salem with a new mix of respect, sadness, and curiosity every time you see a witch hat in a shop window.
Hello, Bonjour, Bonjour, and Hola – Explore Salem Witch Trials in English, French, German, and Spanish!
All languages are available to you when you purchase the tour.
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Check the list for details.
2025 Update
- The Old Burying Point (Charter Street Cemetery) in Salem, Massachusetts, does require a free timed entry reservation. Due to its historical significance and popularity, the City of Salem implemented this system to manage crowd sizes and protect the site. You can easily reserve your entry slot online ahead of your visit. It’s recommended to book in advance, especially during busy seasons like October, when Salem experiences high visitor traffic.
Note: The NPS Salem Armory Regional Visitor Center is now open, with information and restrooms available for visitors.
Note:
Important! Do not tour at night!
- This is a daytime-only tour. Do not begin after dusk.
- Cemeteries are off-limits after dusk.
- Use crosswalks and cross only when safe to do so.
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Salem Witch Trials Map
Starting Point
Join the tour anywhere along the route. Follow the route in the indicated direction.
Suggested starting point is indicated by the green START marker on the map:
5 New Liberty St, Salem, MA 01970
The suggested start is on New Liberty St, near the Salem Armory Visitor Center.
How Does It Work?
- Access your tour: Download the Action Tour Guide app and sign in with the same email used for your website purchase. Your tour will appear under My Tours.
- Download your tour: Download it before you go. Once downloaded, no internet or cell signal is needed.
- Start your tour: Open My Tours, select your tour, and tap Start Touring when you reach a starting point.
- Listen your way: Use your phone’s speaker or headphones, or connect to your car’s audio system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not currently supported, compatibility is in development.
- GPS-triggered audio: Stories play automatically as you reach each location along the route.
- Stop and start anytime: Pause, take a break, make a detour, or continue another day. Tours are valid forever (one year for Action+).
Salem Witch Trials Audio Tour
Things to do on the Tour Include:
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Welcome to Salem Witch Trials
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Salem Armory: The Bell
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Salem Armory: The Arch
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Samuel Pickman House
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The 1692 Memorial
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Bridget Bishop
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Sarah Good
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Rebecca Nurse
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George Burroughs
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Giles Cory
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Old Burying Point
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The Peabody Sisters and the Grimshawe House
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Do What Is Right
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Old Town Hall
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Joshua Ward House
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Hollywood in Salem
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Turner’s Seafood at Lyceum Hall
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St Peter's Episcopal Church
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Old Witch Gaol
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Old Salem Jail
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Martha Corey
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Howard Street Cemetery
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Roger Conant & Witch Museum
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The Girls
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Ann Pudeator
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Aftermath of the Trials
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Hawthorne Hotel
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Nathaniel Hawthorne Statue
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Bunghole
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Mercy Tavern
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Nathaniel Hawthorne's Birthplace
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The House of the Seven Gables
Preview The Tour
Tour FAQs
The Salem Witch Trials, also known as the Salem Witch Panic, were a series of bogus trials resulting in the conviction and execution of 20 men and women during the late 1600s. These trials were fueled by a mass panic about witchcraft in the village, despite no concrete evidence ever being presented.
The 20 victims executed as part of the Salem Witch Trials ranged in age from 30 to 77, and included 14 women and six men. Five others died in prison. One of the most famous victims was Giles Corey, who famously refused to plead guilty to witchcraft and was crushed to death via a torture method known as “pressing.”
Over 200 men and women were accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials. Most were able to beat the accusations, but those without social influence or who had angered those in power were not so fortunate.
The Salem Witch Trials ended as abruptly as they began. When someone accused the wife of Massachusetts Governor William Phips of witchcraft, the governor himself intervened and put an end to the madness. He ordered a halt to the trials, demanded an end to the admission of so-called “spectral evidence,” and brought the nightmare to an abrupt conclusion.
The Salem Witch Trials ended in October of 1692, the same year they began. Some trials would continue, but this time under the watchful gaze of Governor Phips, and they would result in no further executions.
Official numbers put the total death toll at 25. 19 were executed, five died in jail, and one was tortured to death in an attempt to elicit a confession.
Salem is an excellent town to walk around. The town center is quite compact, having been built well before the invention of the automobile, and there’s plenty to see and do as you stroll through this historic district.
The first thing to do during any visit to Salem is to go to the cemetery where the Witch Trial victims are memorialized. After that, perhaps visit the Witch Museum, stop by one of the many cafes for a pick-me-up, and admire the historic architecture. Plus, visit important landmarks like the site of the jail where accused witches were once held. And be sure to end your day at one of Salem’s many excellent restaurants!
Five years after the trials, a day of fasting was called to honor the victims. In 1702, the trials were officially declared unlawful, and in 1711 some of the victims’ families received £600 as compensation for their suffering. But it wasn’t until 2001 that the last of the victims were finally exonerated of their supposed crimes.
Besides the Witch Trials themselves, Salem has huge historical importance as one of the earliest settlements in New England. It was incorporated in 1626 and was at one time the home of Roger Williams, who later went on to found the state of Rhode Island.
Salem’s infamous witch trials started in February 1692 and ended quite suddenly in May of the following year.
The witch trials of Salem, MA, began in February of 1692. It all started with two young girls: Abigail Williams and Betty Parris. The two children suffered from fits of screaming and convulsions. Nobody knows for sure what the reason for their behavior was; it could have been food poisoning, sleep paralysis, or any number of other psychosomatic disorders. But the pious townsfolk of Salem immediately suspected the devil was involved.
Modern historians might point to any number of medical conditions, but at the time, there was only one explanation: the girls were possessed by the devil. Nobody can say for sure, but the prevailing theory is that paranoia and mob mentality are to blame.
A trip to Salem wouldn’t be complete without taking in its haunted history. A Salem walking tour is the ideal way to experience the witch trials.
One hundred percent yes! Salem, Massachusetts, home to the infamous witch trials of the 17th century, is a spooky place to visit any time of year. But Halloween is when Salem truly comes to life!
Despite popular conception, none of the victims of the Salem Witch Trials died by fire. How did they die instead? Mostly by hanging.
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Inclusions and Exclusions
Action Tour Guide app: Download the app to access your purchased tour.
GPS-triggered audio: Stories and directions play automatically as you reach each location.
Tour anytime: Single tours and bundles never expire and can be used anytime. Action+ is an annual subscription that automatically renews each year unless canceled.
Narrated stories: Hear local history, culture, and stories from experienced narrators.
Stop and start anytime: Pause, take a break, make a detour, or continue another day.
Offline access: Download your tour before you go. Once downloaded, no internet or cell signal is needed.
Stories, stops, and directions: Follow the route to key attractions with automatic directions and stories at each location.
Transportation: Transportation, parking fees, and tolls are not included.
Admission: Entry tickets and reservations are not included.
Food and drinks: Meals and drinks are not included.
Rental car: A rental car is not included and may be required for driving tours.
