Salem Witch Trials: Explore Historic Sites

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Boston

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Uncover the dark history of the Salem Witch Trials on a day trip from Boston. Explore the sites where the hysteria unfolded and learn about the events that drove a quiet community to the brink of madness.

Duration: 8 hours, 30 minutes

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

Salem Ferry - Begin your adventure just like the early settlers did: by boat! (if the ferry option is selected) Board the Salem Ferry in Boston and enjoy the picturesque views as you pass the Boston Harbor Islands, heading up the North Shore coast to dock in Salem in about an hour. Your round-trip ferry ticket is included in the tour price.
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Salem Ferry - Begin your adventure just like the early settlers did: by boat! (if the ferry option is selected) Board the Salem Ferry in Boston and enjoy the picturesque views as you pass the Boston Harbor Islands, heading up the North Shore coast to dock in Salem in about an hour. Your round-trip ferry ticket is included in the tour price.
North Station - Start your journey by meeting your guide at Boston’s North Station (if the train option is selected). From here, board a comfortable commuter train for a scenic, 35-minute ride to Salem. It’s a relaxing start to your day trip, with round-trip tickets included.
Real Pirates Salem - If your tour is on Friday or Saturday, you’ll visit the Real Pirate Museum to delve into Salem’s maritime history. Once a fishing village, the town flourished as a major seaport. Discover the unexpected ways piracy and trade influenced Salem’s history—even before and after the Witch Trials.
Salem - Walk through Salem’s storied past with a tour through town. As a thriving seaport, the town was home to merchants, sailors, and even pirates. Some of these individuals played surprising roles in the town’s history, both before and after the trials.
Salem Witch Trials Memorial - Next, take a moment for reflection at this poignant memorial honoring the innocent victims of the Witch Trials. Dedicated in 1992—the 300th anniversary of the trials—by Elie Wiesel, the memorial commemorates the 20 victims in their own words, featuring declarations of innocence from the court transcripts. You’ll also visit the nearby Burying Point, the final resting place of key figures from the trials, as well as notable Salem residents.
Bewitched Statue of Elizabeth Montgomery - After learning about Salem’s dramatic past, shift focus to the exploration of witches in modern pop culture. A must-see is the famous Bewitched Statue, celebrating the iconic sitcom, which filmed several episodes in Salem in 1970.
Ropes Mansion and Garden - Visiting this location, featured in the Disney movie “Hocus Pocus”, will enchant you! Explore the gardens that are open to the public. Please note entrance to the house is not included in this tour. You’ll also pass by the First Church of Salem as you begin to conclude your day of sightseeing.
Witch House - Pause outside the only building still standing with direct ties to the 1692 Salem Witch Trials: the home of Judge Jonathan Corwin.
Salem - Before heading back to Boston (if the ferry option is selected), you’ll have free time to shop or enjoy lunch on your own. Your guide will offer recommendations for the best restaurants and shops to visit.
Salem Witch Museum - If your tour is Sunday-Thursday, your experience includes either the Salem Witch Museum (Sunday-Thursday tours) or Real Pirate Museum (Friday & Saturday tours). At the Salem Witch Museum, you’ll be transported back to 1692 to experience the history of the Salem Witch Trials. Learn important lessons from how the events unfolded, meet the key figures who fueled the witchcraft panic, and explore how these themes are relevant to modern culture.

What's Included

Entrance to the Salem Witch Museum (Sun-Thurs tours)
Entrance to the Real Pirates Museum (Fri & Sat tours)
Local English-speaking guide
Round-trip Rail tickets from Boston-Salem (if option chosen)
Round-trip Ferry tickets from Boston-Salem (if option chosen)

What's Not Included

Hotel Pick-up/Drop-off
Lunch
Gratuities

Additional Information

Salem, Massachusetts, once a peaceful Puritan fishing village, became infamous when unusual events stirred fear among its residents, leading to the notorious 1692 Witch Trials. This historic town now offers a fascinating glimpse into its past, allowing visitors to explore the true events in the very locations where they unfolded. On this well-organized…

Location

North Station

Causeway Street

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

4.2

(241 Ratings)

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Elizabeth_k

Nov 4, 2025

Wonderful guide and tour.... - Wonderful guide and tour. I do wish we had known ahead of time that we weren’t going to be taken back to the train station at the end. The guide did give us good directions/instructions. I like that there were less than 16 people.

Review provided by Viator

Ellen_r

Nov 4, 2025

Salem before Halloween - It was Halloween time in Salem so it was a bit crazier than normal. There was a lot of walking which we didn’t realize when we signed up but it did give a more personal tour than being on a bus. I like to take pictures and was able to get lots of good ones. Elizabeth B. was our guide and she was great! She was very friendly and knowledgeable. She pointed out lots of details and answered all questions. We went at a perfect time because there was a lot of people around but not too crazy since it was near Halloween.

Review provided by Viator

Rebecca_b

Nov 2, 2025

Great historical tour of Salem - Very informative and in depth history tour of Salem, the witch trials, and many interwoven stories of the main players in the trials. Time well spent!

Review provided by Viator

Ana_r

Oct 30, 2025

The tour to Salem was a... - The tour to Salem was a wonderful experience. Our guides, Brian and Elizabeth, were very friendly and gave us clear and interesting information about the city and its history. We really enjoyed the trip and learned a lot about the witch trials. Salem is a beautiful place.

Review provided by Viator

Michael_c

Oct 28, 2025

A good excursion - We enjoyed the experience, even though it was a rainy day. The witch museum was the highlight. The guide was very nice.

Review provided by Viator

Dianna

Oct 30, 2025

I would skip the museum. - Elizabeth was a fantastic tour guide and very informative. She MADE the tour. The ferry ride was fun and the walking tour was very interesting. The Salem Witch Museum……meh. A very tired and worn display, very dark inside the theater, which I get. They’re trying to highlight certain displays one at a time. A local told me they’ve had the same display in there for decades. It was interesting, but I wouldn’t do it again, or recommend the museum. Everything else, absolutely. I got a better understanding of the time period by watching a PBS documentary on the Salem Witch Trials. The employees were fine and helpful. It’s just the displays. They didn’t work for me.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Rita_g

Oct 28, 2025

Nice time but overpriced - On the positive side, it was well organized and guides were very pleasant. On the negative side, it seemed overpriced for what you get. it lasted about 8 1/2 hours. 2 hours on the ferry with almost no commentary, 1 hour in the WitchMuseum which had a so-so show by the museum staff, and 3 hours on your own. That leaves Just 2 hours of tour guide time. It was a really nice time, but it was an expensive introduction to the town.

Review provided by Viator

Phyllis_s

Nov 6, 2025

I Need a Refund - My tour was scheduled for 10/31. There was a storm the night before and the ferry was cancelled due to rough sea. I did not expect a cancellation and did not check any of my emails that morning. When I got to where the ferry would have left, a person at ticket information told me the tour had been cancelled and since I had made the reservation through a third party, they would be contacting me about refund arrangements. My friend and I got an Huber and proceeded to go over to Salem anyway. On the way I read the email about the tour not being cancelled, only the ferry part and where to proceed to train transportation. At this point it was too late to meet the group at the train and we were halfway to Salem by Huber anyway. I called the Viator office and asked if there was a place we could possibly meet the tour in Salem. The person I talked to verified that I had a reservation and advised me that I could meet the group at the Witch House Museum by 10:15. He said look for a group of about 35 people and a man with a green shirt and green tour sign. My friend and I got to the Witch House Museum by 10:00. The person at the door said she had seen no one or group with that description and they had no record of anyone like that supposed to be there that morning. We went ahead and waited until 11:00 anyway and no one or group of that description ever showed up. Is there some way I can be refunded the $290.00 I paid for 2 adults to attend this tour. I paid by credit card so if the charge could be reversed I would greatly appreciate it. Phyllis Siebken

Review provided by Viator

Yvette_v

Nov 3, 2025

Salem Ferry Tour - The tour was shorter than advertised, and the itinerary did not include the museum that was listed in the description. I reached out to the company to express my concern about the high cost and the fact that the product/service did not match its description. Unfortunately, they responded that there was nothing they could do to resolve the issue.

Review provided by Viator

Jeanette_g

Oct 28, 2025

Not worth it! - You can do all the things that are included in the tour including transportation for way cheaper by not booking the tour. The tour itself is very short and minimal information is included. There is site seeing information for free online and at many sites in Salem. Public transportation is available and affordable. Not worth the price for what it is.

Review provided by Viator

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