I found Hocus Pocus Tours while seeking things to do in Salem on Yelp and TripAdvisor. Fellow Yelpers' rave reviews did not disappoint! In messaging Hocus Pocus Tours with a couple questions about the tour and travel to and from Salem, the owner Susan replied immediately and suggested that I call her. This led to a one hour phone conversation where Susan was so gracious with her time, knowledge, and suggestions, not just about how to make the most of the tour, but how to appreciate a day in Salem. I can see why those who had the opportunity to take the in-person tour with Susan really enjoyed it. Covid changed the business model and Hocus Pocus now offers a self-guided tour by purchasing one of two tour apps. I opted for the $19.99 grand tour and it was well worth it. It has 37 points of interest. The app is user friendly and well designed. It provides a map of all stops, tracks where you are, and guides you to the next stop that you select on the tour. When you get to your stop, you can confirm you're at the right spot by comparing a photo of the site with what you see. Then you click on a 2-3 minute audio recording that provides a great snapshot of the significance of the site. As Susan had pointed out to me, there is much more to Salem than the historic witchcraft trials. It includes author Nathaniel Hawthorne's The House of Seven Gables, America's oldest candy company, and other interesting sites. Of everything I visited, I experienced a very deep emotional connection with the 1692 Witchcraft Memorial with 20 stones dedicated to each of the victims of the witchcraft trial. The tour includes brief descriptions of some of the victims including those written about in Arthur Miller's The Crucible. If you plan to visit Salem, I highly recommend this tour. All sites can be visited on the outside and some on the inside at no charge. Some sites, such as The House of Seven Gables, charge separate admission fees. If you want to travel to Salem and don't have a car, the ferry from Boston offers a nice, scenic, and entertaining 50 minute ride. The commuter trains run more frequently and can come in handy if the ferry schedule coming or going doesn't meet your needs. There are plenty of good places to dine at to break up the tour. We had lunch at FINZ and really enjoyed it (I'll post separately about that). read more

This was legit SO much fun! The name Hocus Pocus kinda throws you off because you may be thinking about the movie, but this tour really is amazing. Start off with the tour guides, extremely friendly and beyond knowledgeable. They really know their history for Salem. The tour itself was a few hours and you walk to all of the sites in Salem with historical significance. There is so much to learn from Salem. So much history and heartbreak. It really is eye opening to hear the stories oof the witch trials and how the witch trials began and who all was wrongly persecuted. The tour guides were so nice and explained everything with such great details. This tour was definitely the highlight of our trip in Salem. I highly highly recommend Hocus Pocus Tours, I learned so much regarding Salem, the witch trials, the history behind the two, and a little bit of Hocus Pocus and Bewitched. So much fun! read more

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So we were making our way back from Maine... and running a little late. Rich was kind enough to meet me as I was wayz challenged to find their exact location. Susan had already began the tour. Being Bostonian I was raised on many tours of our historic city and it's suburbs. Salem was never a place I was interested in visiting again (beyond the field trips of my elementary school days) Virg is married to a descendant of Susannah Martin, a victim of the witch trials, so we had a purpose to attend. Susan was a marvel at describing the hysteria of the time period often paralleling it to our current times. We learned so much and the tour at dusk/twilight adds to the atmosphere they also comment on the connection to the movie "Hocus Pocus" we passed by so many delightful restaurants and discovered their historic prominence to the Salem Trials. If you are looking for tours of Salem I highly recommend this one. Respectfully Reviewed read more

Hocus Pocus Tours - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Could of said it was a couple miles walk to pioneer village/max's house. The kids on our group could not finish the walk. Then had to find a ride back. Thank goodness for Salem Skipper which also would have been nice to mention as an option. read more

My hubby and I took a one day trip to Salem this past week. We picked the Hocus Pocus tour based on the reviews and they did not disappoint! Some of the other tours we passed had many more people and the guides were using microphones. This tour was personable. The guides called people by their name, didn't rush us to take photos, and answered questions. We loved how personable this tour was. Susan and Rich mixed in the right amount of humor and history. We were really happy with the interesting nuggets of information we learned. We'll be back with our family to tour again. read more

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Susan and Rich did a wonderful job. I am an event planner and have done plenty of tours with corny guides that come accross rehearsed. While you can tell Susan has been giving this tour for years, (in a good way!!) she comes accross very genuine, authentic and tailored the tour to our group. We were a group of 30-60 year olds, primarily males, in town for meetings and this tour was perfect for us. It is NOT a ghost tour. Very historical based and really well done. Don't let the name Hocus Pocus fool you, they focus more on the real history than the hollywood renditions of Salem. Fantastic tour and will recommend to anyone visiting Salem! read more

Hocus Pocus Tours - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I had read the great reviews of this tour...and it really did live up to them! Susan and Rich were so nice and they told the entire tour as a story that drew you in, with some good laughs. You could hear the passion in Susan's voice, she really does love the history of Salem and is happy to answer any questions you have along the way. Be sure to wear your walking shoes and you can grab dinner at the Lobster Shanty close by. At the end, they handed out broomstick pens to us - hilarious and great for kids! Thank you for a great tour, I'd recommend it to anyone! read more

My boyfriend and I took a vacation to Boston in August and we decided to spend one day in Salem. We saw a ton of different tours but this one had really great reviews so we decided to give it a shot. We did not have a person guide us throughout the tour due to COVID and had to download an app to do a self guided tour. We were kind of skeptical about it at first, but the app is so well put together! It gives you a map of where to go and at each location there's audio provided to explain the details and history. It was nice that we could go at our own pace. We were about 2hrs into the tour and we actually didn't get to finish it all because we were on a time crunch, but it was so amazing! I love Hocus Pocus but it was also neat getting to learn about the history of the houses and buildings we saw. It truly was an amazing experience. We learned so much and highly recommend this tour! read more

This was such a great tour. Rich and Susan were the nicest tour guides! We had the best time with them! We booked knowing it wasn't really about Hocus Pocus but the rich history of Salem and all the tragedies that occurred here. We had a small group, no more than 10, which was great because we saw other tours with 50 people walking around. This was much more intimate. Not only was the tour informative, fun and quirky but we learned a lot! It's important to know how our country started and what people went through and this tour reminded us of that. I can't recommend this tour enough! Pass up all the silly magic tours and go for this one. Thanks Rich and Susan! You truly made our trip! read more

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I took the tour with Richard and Susan on 10/30/2019. This tour was amazing. Despite the rain, Susan kept the tour engaging and informative. While she did highlight the Hocus Pocus locations she also informed us about more of the history of Salem. She did an amazing job at explaining what we were seeing. Further, we really appreciated her touching on the victims of the Salem Witch Trials and not making light of the events. I appreciated the small group size. We did feel like there could have been clearer directions about where to meet for the tour. read more

Even though it was freezing in February, we had a great time. The husband and wife duo are so stinking cute and informative. They were so considerate with giving us handwarmers that I have never tried before. It's more of a history tour than a creepy witch tour but I still liked it. It's a really cute town so I recommend making it a day trip! read more

This tour was very informative and the tour guides were very passionate about their city and the beautiful memorial to the victims of the Salem witch trials. The only reason I can't give them 5 stars is because we thought the tour would include locations from the movie "Hocus Pocus", given they are called "Hocus Pocus Tours". While they mentioned the movie a couple times, and pointed out where you could go see the places on your own, there's only one location that you actually stop by (city hall) from the movie. It seemed at times that we were very close to a few other locations, and I would have appreciated being able to go by there on the tour. That was a little disappointing to us, but still worth the ticket! I would just make sure you go see the Hocus Pocus sites on your own during the day, and think of this as more of a history lesson tour about Salem. read more

Hocus Pocus Tours - Here's the City Hall from Hocus Pocus! - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Susan and Rich are amazing! I went with my friend from another country so it was an amazing opportunity for him to learn in-depth about Salem! It was so informative and they knew how to keep you interested the entire time! I went once back in 2014, it's still just as good as I can remember! Susan is phenomenal with remembering names, she makes you feel so welcomed and included! HIGHLY recommend to anyone going to Salem to add this trip to your "must-do's". It's beautiful to walk around Salem and learn about the history that's not always shared with regular tours! We had a great time! Wear comfy shoes and bring a jacket if you're going around this time! read more

My experience bears out the claims of the other five-star reviews here, but I wanted to add something else: I went with a very mixed group, inclusive of two seniors and a teenager; a disabled person; two ghost-hunting conservative-leaning sensationalism-seekers and one post-religious feminist who was ready to go off at any moment if the tour was insensitive, evil or stupid (that one was me). And we were ALL THRILLED with Susan and Rich's tour. Everyone had a good time and learned stuff -- these two are consummate pros, and the experience was efficient, friendly and fun from start to finish. The sensationalists got their ghost-stories (which the rest of us enjoyed too, due to their deftly-simple and historically-accurate presentation), the feminists got their vindication (Susan is super knowledegable and balances pulling no punches with keeping everyone on the comfortable side brilliantly), and we all experienced some thoughtfulness and reflection on how important this particular city's history is, to America's and everyone's past and future -- all while never feeling bored, preached-at or pandered to. And when you can fail to sound preachy to *any* side of a group like mine, that is a skill worth pointing out! These folks are welcoming and professional, sure, but also, IMO there's a good reason for their overall-stellar reviews (here and elsewhere) that goes beyond the basics of being a good (local, family) business: They care, they have passion, and they do an amazing job at the delicate kung fu of sharing what they know with a really broad cross-section of people. It was a pleasure to pay for their tour, and a gift I'm super proud of having shared with my whole, crazy family. Thanks, Hocus Pocus!! read more

I absolutely loved this tour! Not only was it fun, Susan and her husband were so amazing to just be around. They take you threw salem, they take you to some pretty awesome graves. Give you a little history as you walk threw salem and they take you to where they have the memorial by the graveside. we got to walk threw salem at night, and while you cant go inside the cemetery after dark where they have the memorial you can walk along the wall and it takes you into the middle without being inside it. it was a hour and a half tour, we got to see the bewitched statue. Only thing was with it being the hocus pocus tour i kinda anticipated it being more about the movie. BUT i loved it and def will be coming back to this when i come back. read more

We went on Susan's tour our second day in Salem. I was a little worried that we would just see things that we had already seen on our own and we kind of did but we got more details. For example the memorial...Susan dove into the details of the memorial. There is so much symbolism in the memorial from the trees to the stones to the way the walls are placed. I would have never figured that out on my own! I also liked the smaller group size and I enjoyed that we saw some sites I would not have found on my own. I will say that this is not a haunted tour or a history tour or a hocus pocus tour. Instead you will get just a sample of all three. For me that was kind of fun. read more

Hocus Pocus Tours - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Absolutely amazing tour given by Suzan. She was so personable, and knowledgable about Salem history, even being able to answer questions that people taking the tour had. 10/10 would recomend. $17 well spent! read more

Informative and interesting. Learned a lot about Salem the other tourist attractions won't tell about.

This is more of a 3.5 star experience. I definitely liked the tour. Susan was extremely upbeat and entertaining. I thought, however, that it was going to be a bit more spooky, but I guess that was my misunderstanding. I did learn a lot of interesting facts and tidbits of information. I sort of wish I had had a similar tour earlier, because I was introduced to many places that I would have liked to have visited in the daytime. Unfortunately, we were leaving directly after the tour, so this was impossible. My mom and aunt were cold and tired, and I dragged them on this tour. Although it wouldn't have been an "end-all" if we had decided to skip it, I'm glad that I got to experience what I did. Again, this would have been much more worthwhile if I had been given the ability to revisit some of the sites later on, but that's a scheduling issue. read more

One of the best tours ever! You won't be disappointed! Get your tickets and go. The tour guides were amazing( husband and wife). Salem is a great town. read more

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We just got home from our Tour with Susan & Rich and I could wait to leave my review. They made my boyfriend and I fall in love with Salem and it's rich history. The tour group was full of other visitors but still felt small enough to hear everything and stick together. Susan's storytelling is a gift. It felt like we were transported back in time, walking the streets of Salem in the late 1600s. We ended the tour paying our respects at the Salem Witch Trial Memorial. I think Susan and Rich do an amazing job at honoring the history and unfortunate stories of the victims of the trials. We're already planning our next trip back to Salem! read more

Hocus Pocus Tours - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I would recommend this tour to anyone! At first I was a bit nervous about the tour being at night but the temperature was great and it really made all the stories come to life. Susan was our tour guide and she goes into the true history of the Salem witch trials and other interesting historical stories; although she does mention things from Hocus Pocus and other witchy related pop culture. Thank you to Susan, and her husband for being awesome storytellers and making my night in Salem extra special. If you decide to travel to Salem go for a few days! There is so much to see that I missed out on. Can't wait to go back. read more

SUSAN! I tell you, this woman is incredible. Her tour was so much fun, extremely historic and she was just a gem. We learned so much and she really told you little bits to make you feel special. I would love to visit Salem and her and Rich again! read more

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This tour was amazing, Susan and Richard helped us understand the cities history. They are very passionate about what they do and it shows. The tour includes often missed site and unheard stories. They also keep it very relevant with Hocus Pocus and movie information. You should take the tour as soon as you arrive to Salem since they provide plenty of recommendations to visit after, such as the top places to eat, sites to see, and things to do. read more

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Susan and Rich provided one of the best tours I've experienced. The duet pair were on point and were warm hearted. You could tell they put a lot of effort into making their tour from the hand & toe warmers in the beginning to the broom shaped pens at the end. We did walk a lot, however, we enjoy walking and it's the best way to see the town and get the experience. read more

I highly recommend the Hocus Pocus tour with Susan and Rich. This tour is more Salem history than sites from the movie, but she does cover some scenes and locations. I found this tour informative and entertaining. Susan is an absolute gem, and I loved her style and humor. We attended another walking tour through a different company, but we enjoyed Hocus Pocus far more! This is a must-do in Salem. I don't know if they have tours during the day, but I recommend the night tour (ours was at 7:30). It gave the tour an air of mystery. Happy Haunting in Witch City! read more

Hocus Pocus Tours - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I recently did a mother-daughter day trip with my mom to Salem. We had planned on just spending the day but soon realized that all the good tours took place in the evening and this was the most well-reviewed so we tried it out. It was GREAT! Susan was amazing, such a great storyteller. She made it fun and threw in a little adventure, humor, and suspense! I loved that it featured elements of Salem's history that didn't have to do with the witch trials. It made it feel much more well rounded. I also LOVED the references to scenes from the actual Hocus Pocus movie :) We finished the tour at the memorial to those lost in the Salem Witch Trials and I was so glad because we'd walked by earlier and missed it. It was so worth it to hear the story and the significance of how it was designed and how it was built beside the cemetery of the puritans who accused and hanged them. Very powerful and we literally walked right past it before the tour, so I was so glad to hear the story and truly appreciate this memorial. Worth it for sure! :) read more

Susan was great! Her pacing was perfect, she was open to answer any questions we had for her and most importantly she is an amazing story teller. You can definitely tell she has a passion for her city and keeping the history and magic alive. The tour wasn't too short or too long and she was engaged with our group throughout. Booking was easily done online, and we we're so happy to see that they were giving tours even during the off season in January. Thank you Susan and Hocus Pocus Tours for the great experience! read more

Susan and Rich on the 7:30pm tour of September 4th were delightful. They went well above the norm. Not only was Susan's story-telling engaging but the focus and detail of what we covered was excellent. Further, they provided me, on the side, with additional tidbits of where things were located to give dimension to the historical research I'd conducted for my writing and speaking engagements. Days before, I spoke at an international astrological conference on the patterns of witch hunts and other xenophobia events in the USA History. Susan and Rich's presentation dove-tailed well into what I had uncovered for the Salem events. I highly recommend them for your visit to Salem. read more

I cannot praise Hocus Pocus Tours enough! This was by far the best part of my vacation. Susan and Rich are such wonderfully-kind and informative people. I honestly could have taken the tour twice. Susan is so brilliant at what she does-- and you can really feel her passion for Salem's historic roots during her storytelling. I strongly urge you to take their tour! You will not be disappointed! Much love from California! read more

This tour was informative, entertaining, and not too fast or impersonal. They limit the tour to a relatively small group, which is nice. The guides were clearly passionate about the topics, which made it more interesting. We bought tickets online in advance, which is recommended. We were there in September (9/2/18), so it was not as crowded as I think it would have been in October. read more

We took this tour on 1/10/20 and because it was off season we we were the only ones so we got a personal tour. It was amazing. Susan and Richard were really fantastic and great storytellers. They really kept us intrigued the entire tour. I would definitely recommend this tour. read more

We used the self guided mobile tour and it was great! We had no issues with the app and it was easy to use. I also recommend this tour for social distancing. Thanks hocus pocus tours! read more

What a wonderful tour! The Hocus Pocus tour (HPT) is run by a lovely couple, Susan and Richard. They're wonderful guides and I cannot recommend them highly enough. They take a smaller, more manageable group out for a 90 minute tour. You'll see larger groups out, with dozens and dozens of people. Not with HPT. The smaller group was really wonderful. Questions were asked and answered, their storytelling was wonderful, and it felt like a personal tour. As an able bodied person, they did a great job at ensuring scooter users were able to see everything. As a fat person, I was worried I wouldn't be able to keep up, but I could and I did. It really seemed that they adjusted the tour to the needs of the group in front of them which was unexpected and lovely. If you're looking for a tour of historic Salem, I'd 100% recommend this tour. Don't forget to tip your hosts! They really deserve it. read more

This tour was absolutely wonderful! Rich and Susan are so passionate about Salem and the history of this city. 10/10 recommend.

This was one of the best tours I have been on. The tour guides were very knowledgeable on the city and history of the town. They were enthusiastic when talking and were very willing to answer any questions we had. We did the tour in mid-February so it was a bit chilly, and they provided us with hand-warmers at no cost. At the end of the tour they also gave us a little gift to remember Salem by. read more

Tour guides were very insightful and friendly. It was $17 per adult. We checked in 15 minutes prior to the start time of 730pm. We ended the tour at around 9pm ish. Wear comfortable shoes because you'll be walking a lot. read more

Awesome! Seriously take pics. You will be shocked when u go back over them! Susan did a great job bringing things to life! read more

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When searching for tours of Salem, I wanted the real thing -- I didn't want anyone dressed up in a Halloween costume telling me ghost stories. I wanted facts, stories about the real witch trials, nothing sugar coated and preferably no pointy hats -- a tour guide who knew what they were talking about. Being from Oregon, I wanted to learn as much as possible in the short time I'd be there. After research, I figured the Hocus Pocus tour would be my best bet. I went with my boyfriend and we both really enjoyed it. The tour guide is kind and friendly and very knowledgeable! It was a very fun and interesting historical tour with just the right amount of humor and ghost stories thrown in. I also noticed we were the only tour walking around not jam-packed with people, so that was nice. There's no fancy costumes or anything, but with a past as interesting as Salem's, you really don't need it. Definitely worth the $32 for the both of us! read more

This tour was fantastic. My daughter and I were in Salem for a few days and wanted to do a walking tour of the town. Hocus Pocus has deservedly fabulous reviews. What a great story teller Susan is. She and her husband Rich were so engaging and friendly, and their knowledge is truly remarkable. I'm so glad we took an evening for this tour. It was an evening well spent. read more