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For a first visit, the History and Hauntings Walking Tour has the most reviews of the nine: 4.89 from 16,057 reviews on Viator and TripAdvisor combined, at $36 to $40 per adult for two travelers. Prices run from $21 to $127.50 per adult, and five tours allow free cancellation. For an evening, pick the night walk.
Verified on via the Viator partner API (prices, ratings, availability).
Salem, Massachusetts, is a small city, and most of its tours lead with the same story: the 1692 witch trials. A search of the Viator catalog for Salem returned 109 products. Only 21 cleared our floor of a 4.7 rating and at least 100 reviews, and from those 21 we kept nine across seven formats, so the list does not repeat one kind of outing.
Each card shows what the tour covers, what it costs for two adults, how many of the 60 days in our price window are open, and what happens if plans change. If you want the numbers first, start with the comparison table. If you want one walk to start with, the History and Hauntings Walking Tour has the most reviews in the list.
Prices were checked on October 11, 2026, for departures from October 25 to December 23, 2026. Prices for October 1 to 24 were not checked, so confirm any early-October date on the listing. All prices are in US dollars, per adult, for two travelers.
Why Salem Is More Than a Ghost Story
Most Salem tours are built around the 1692 trials. The people executed that year are remembered at Proctor’s Ledge, a memorial to the 1692 executions (Destination Salem).
The Salem Witch Museum is another well-known place to learn the trial story (Wikipedia). The tours here differ more in format than in story: the same town supports a daytime history walk, a ghost walk, a night walk, a family tour, a food walk and a workshop.
Timing matters. Salem’s Haunted Happenings festival takes place in October, and a travel guide describes October as the busiest month in town (Destination Salem; Islands). Our prices do not cover October 1 to 24, so that is the part of the season we could not check.
From Boston, a travel guide puts the commuter-rail ride at about 30 minutes (Wanderu). The MBTA line page we checked did not confirm a travel time, so check the schedule for your day (MBTA).
Format is the first decision. Of the nine tours, three are history walks, one is a ghost walk, one is a night walk, and four are a workshop, a costume photo session, a family tour and a food walk.
The 9 Salem Tours Compared
Only the History and Hauntings walk is open on all 60 days; three tours open on only 13 to 15 of them, so check the date first. Each row comes from the Viator partner data checked on October 11, 2026.
| Experience | Duration | Price per adult (2 travelers) | Rating (reviews, both platforms) | Free cancellation | Open days (of 60) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. History and Hauntings Walking Tour | About 2 hr (120 to 135 min) | $36 to $40 | 4.89 (16,057) | No (all sales final) | 60 of 60 |
| 2. Satanic Salem Walking Tour | 90 min | $30 | 4.99 (1,755) | Yes (24 hours) | 13 of 60 |
| 3. 2.5-Hour History and Sightseeing Walk | 2 hr 30 min | $38 | 4.91 (852) | Yes (24 hours) | 48 of 60 |
| 4. Voodoo, Vampires and Ghosts Walk | 90 min | $28 to $30 | 4.89 (2,064) | Yes (24 hours) | 15 of 60 |
| 5. Night Walk: Murders and Mysteries | 100 to 120 min | $40 | 4.82 (1,569) | No (all sales final) | 22 of 60 |
| 6. Broom-Making Workshop | 90 min | $127.50 | 4.96 (183) | No (all sales final) | 57 of 60 |
| 7. Costume Photo Session, Pequot House | 45 min | $95 to $107.50 | 4.84 (199) | Yes (24 hours) | 38 of 60 |
| 8. Kids Slightly Spooky Tour, Ages 6 to 14 | 60 min | $21 | 4.92 (146) | Yes (24 hours) | 13 of 60 |
| 9. Morning Food and History Walk | 105 min | $34 | 4.96 (100) | No (all sales final) | 31 of 60 |
Prices and availability checked on the Viator partner API on October 11, 2026, for departures from October 25 to December 23, 2026, for 2 adults. Prices can change.
Choose by profile:
- First walk through the history: tour 1, or tour 3 for a longer walk.
- History without ghost stories: tour 2.
- Ghost stories or folklore: tour 4 (free cancellation), or tour 5 for a night walk.
- Children aged 6 to 14: tour 8.
- Hands-on or photos: tour 6 (workshop) or tour 7 (costume session).
- Food and history in the morning: tour 9.
The 9 Salem Tours, One by One
1. History and Hauntings Walking Tour
This is the walk to book first for a first visit to Salem. It covers the 1692 story on foot in about two hours, starting outside Old Town Hall at 32 Derby Square, on the side with the three staircases facing Front Street, and finishing at the Witch Trials Memorial. The listing names the Witch House and Ropes Mansion as stops but says no buildings are entered, so you see them from the outside. It has the most reviews in this list, 16,057. The catch is the refund rule: every sale is final, so confirm your date before you pay. Fees are listed as not included, without an amount, so ask the operator about them. All 60 days in the window are open, which makes it the easiest tour in this list to fit into a trip.
- Local guide, route outdoors only
- Stops named: Witch Trials Memorial, Witch House, Ropes Mansion
- Fees not included, not itemised
2. Satanic Salem Walking Tour: History Without Ghosts
Pick this one if you want Salem’s history without ghost stories. The listing says the walk has no ghost stories or supernatural elements, and that the guide is licensed and certified. The price includes discounted admission to the Satanic Temple’s Salem Art Gallery, so read the listing text if that subject matters to your group. The 90-minute walk starts in Derby Square on the Front Street side, in front of Old Town Hall, and the listing asks you to arrive 15 minutes early. It has the highest rating in this list, 4.99, from 1,755 reviews. Only 13 of the 60 window days are open, so choose your date first. Free cancellation applies, with a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure.
- Licensed and certified guide
- No ghost stories or supernatural elements, per the listing
- Discounted admission to the Salem Art Gallery
3. 2.5-Hour History and Sightseeing Walk
This is the longest walk in this list, 2 hours 30 minutes at a fixed length, with one named guide. The listing says Kenneth Glover has guided for this operator for ten years. The route covers the town’s history and sights on foot, but it does not enter the historic homes it interprets, and entry to those homes is not included, so plan on the outside view. Meet in front of the Coven’s Cottage at 190 Essex Street, where Central and Essex Streets meet on the pedestrian way. Look for Kenneth in a black broad-brimmed hat and arrive up to 15 minutes early. The tour is open on 48 of the 60 window days, and free cancellation applies until 24 hours before departure. With 852 reviews, its base is smaller than the first tour’s, so read the most recent reviews before you choose between them.
- Guided by Kenneth Glover, per the listing
- Route does not enter the historic homes
- Entry to the historic homes not included
4. Voodoo, Vampires and Ghosts Walk
This is the ghost walk for a group that wants folklore alongside the history. The 90-minute walk pairs the 1692 witch trials with the voodoo, vampire and ghost stories of the town, past sites the listing calls storied and haunted, so expect legend as well as fact. The listing says the guide is English-speaking. The meeting point is the Revere Bell in front of the Salem Visitor Center at 2 New Liberty Street. With 2,064 reviews, it has the second-largest base in this list. Only 15 of the 60 window days are open, so choose your date before anything else. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure. Fees are listed as not included, without an amount, so ask before you pay.
- English-speaking guide
- 1692 trials with voodoo, vampire and ghost stories
- Fees not included, not itemised
5. Night Walk: Murders and Mysteries
This is the evening option: a night walk of 100 to 120 minutes through murder, mystery and true-crime stories, starting outside Old Town Hall at 32 Derby Square. The listing says it is for ages 13 and up and that younger children will be refused, so keep them for the kids tour. The walk ends a five-minute walk from the start, so you do not need a separate trip back. Gratuities are excluded, so plan a tip for the guide. The catch is the refund rule: all sales are final, and only 22 of the 60 window days are open. Pick your date first, then book. Arrive 5 to 10 minutes early, on the side of Old Town Hall with the three staircases.
- Ages 13 and up only
- Ends a five-minute walk from the start
- Gratuities excluded
6. Broom-Making Workshop: Take Your Broom Home
This is the hands-on pick, and the highest price per adult in this list at $127.50 for two travelers. You choose your broomcorn, handle and adornments, then craft a souvenir broom to take home in a 90-minute class. Three details matter on the day. Latecomers are not accepted, the instructor meets you 10 minutes before the class, and the workshop is not at the Essex Street retail store. Look for the side of Old Town Hall with three sets of stairs, and the back door of Whimsy’s. Gratuity is excluded. Shipping is not offered, but guests can ship the broom by UPS at their own cost. All sales are final, and 57 of the 60 window days are open. It suits a group that wants an activity rather than another walk.
- You choose the broomcorn, handle and adornments
- You take home your own souvenir broom
- Gratuity excluded; no latecomers
7. Costume Photo Session at the Pequot House
This is not a walking tour. It is a 45-minute costume photo session in the candlelit Velvet Parlor inside the Pequot House, at 29 Congress Street. A personal stylist dresses each guest in one costume, a dress or robe with a cape and a hat, and an experienced photographer takes the pictures. Hair styling, make-up, wigs and footwear are not included, and gratuities are excluded, so plan those before you arrive. At $95 to $107.50 per adult, it is the second-highest price per person in this list. Of its 199 reviews, 55 are on Viator. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before the session, and it is open on 38 of the 60 window days. Choose it if the setting matters more to your group than a walk.
- Personal stylist and experienced photographer
- One costume per guest: dress or robe, cape and hat
- Hair, make-up, wigs and footwear not included
8. Kids Slightly Spooky Tour, Ages 6 to 14
Choose this one for children aged 6 to 14. The tour lasts 60 minutes, takes place entirely outdoors and enters no buildings. The listing says the guides are certified teachers with Master’s degrees in education, and that the stories mix true events from Salem’s past with mild spooky tales. It is not recommended for children under 6. Meet at the Pickering House driveway, 18 Broad Street. At $21 per adult it is the lowest price in this list, but our check used two adults, so confirm the fare for your children on the listing. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure. Of its 146 reviews, 62 are on Viator. It is open on 13 of the 60 window days, so check your date first.
- All outdoors, no buildings entered
- Guides are certified teachers, per the listing
- Not recommended for children under 6
9. Morning Food and History Walk
This is the only food-led tour in this list, and it starts in the morning. The 105-minute walk covers Salem’s history and its food culture. You get a breakfast treat at the start, which the listing describes as a chocolate croissant or similar, plus bottled water and a spice tasting at the end, with the spice trade as the thread. The operator sends the meeting point within 48 hours of booking, so use the contact tour operator button on Viator if you need it sooner. The walk ends near or at Pickering Wharf. Its 100 reviews sit exactly at our floor, 50 on Viator and 50 on TripAdvisor. All sales are final, so book it if a morning walk with food suits your group, and check the 31 open days before you commit.
- Breakfast treat, bottled water and a spice tasting
- Meeting point sent within 48 hours of booking
- Ends near or at Pickering Wharf
Prepare Your Trip
Read the refund rule before you pay. Four tours are all sales final, with no refund for cancellations: tours 1, 5, 6 and 9. Five tours allow free cancellation, with a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time: tours 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8. The listing’s own terms decide the outcome, so read them before you enter payment details.
Pick the date first. Tours 2, 4 and 8 are open on only 13 to 15 of the 60 window days. Confirm your date on the listing before you plan the rest of the day, and check availability again before you pay, because open days change.
Plan for cobblestones. The listing for tour 1 mentions cobblestones on its McIntire District route. Most of the walks in this list are 90 to 150 minutes on foot, so wear shoes you can stand in for that long, and check the meeting point and route in your confirmation.
Ask about private tours. Viator marks all nine as not private. If a private guide matters to your party, ask the operator before you book.
Travel Tips for Salem
Leave time for the trip out and back. Allow time for the commuter-rail ride and the walk to your meeting point, and check the train schedule for the return before you book a late walk.
Find the right side of Old Town Hall. Four tours start at or near Old Town Hall on Derby Square: tours 1, 2, 5 and 6. The listings name different sides of the building: the side with three staircases facing Front Street for the walks, and the back door of Whimsy’s for the workshop. The workshop is not at the Essex Street retail store. Check the meeting point in your confirmation before you walk over.
Budget for tips. Tipping is customary in US tour culture (Upon Arriving). The listings for tours 5, 6 and 7 exclude gratuities by name. The short exclusion lists for the other six do not mention gratuities, so ask the operator if a tip is included before you assume it is.
Ask about fees. Tours 1 and 4 list fees as not included, without an amount. Ask the operator before you book if the total matters to your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a day trip to Salem from Boston take?
A travel guide puts the commuter-rail ride from Boston at about 30 minutes, but the MBTA line page we checked did not confirm a travel time, so check the schedule for your date. The tours in this list run from 45 minutes (the costume photo session, tour 7) to 2 hours 30 minutes (tour 3). A morning or afternoon tour, plus the train back, fits into one day.
What is the best time of year to visit Salem?
October is the busiest month, when Salem holds its Haunted Happenings festival, according to the Islands travel guide. Our prices cover October 25 to December 23, 2026, and not October 1 to 24, so the festival weeks are the part we did not check. Every tour in the table has at least 13 open days in that window. Check the festival’s own site for its dates, and confirm your tour date on the listing before you plan the day.
What is the easiest way from Boston to Salem?
A day trip works: each tour lasts 45 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes, so one tour fits a morning or an afternoon. Take the MBTA commuter rail on the Newburyport/Rockport line, which travel guides put at about 30 minutes from Boston, then walk to your meeting point. Check the MBTA schedule before you travel, because the line page we checked did not confirm a travel time. The food walk sends its meeting point within 48 hours of booking, so wait for that address before you plan the arrival.
What is so special about Salem, Massachusetts?
Salem is where the 1692 witch trials took place, and the people executed that year are remembered at Proctor’s Ledge, a memorial to the 1692 executions. The Salem Witch Museum is another place to learn the trial story. Most tours in this list build on that history, but they differ in format: daytime walks, ghost and night walks, a family tour, a food walk, a workshop and a photo session.
Which Salem tour is best for kids?
Tour 8, the Salem Kids Slightly Spooky Tour, is for children aged 6 to 14. It lasts 60 minutes, takes place entirely outdoors and enters no buildings. The listing says the guides are certified teachers, and it does not recommend the tour for children under 6. The night walk, tour 5, is for ages 13 and up only, so it suits older children.
Is there a Salem tour that is not a walk?
Yes. The costume photo session (tour 7) and the broom workshop (tour 6) are the two that are not walks: a 45-minute photo session in the candlelit Velvet Parlor inside the Pequot House. The broom workshop is a 90-minute class at a workshop space, not the retail store. The other seven describe guided walks or tours, so check each listing for the meeting point and the route before you go.
How current are the prices in this article?
Prices were checked on the Viator partner API on October 11, 2026, for departures from October 25 to December 23, 2026, for two adults. Prices for October 1 to 24 were not checked. Each figure is per adult, in US dollars. Prices and open days can change, so the price shown at checkout is the one that counts.
Sources
- Destination Salem: Haunted Happenings returns this October, accessed October 11, 2026
- Destination Salem: Proctor’s Ledge Memorial, accessed October 11, 2026
- Wikipedia: Salem Witch Museum, accessed October 11, 2026
- Upon Arriving: How to tip tour guides, accessed October 11, 2026
- Islands: Best time to visit Salem, Massachusetts, accessed October 11, 2026
- Wanderu: Boston day trips, accessed October 11, 2026
- MBTA: Newburyport/Rockport line schedules, accessed October 11, 2026
- Viator partner API: product details, prices, ratings, cancellation terms and availability for nine Salem tours, checked October 11, 2026
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