"Built a fort out of sheets I finally found you…read moreMy missing puzzle piece I'm complete" (Katy Perry) Overlooking Marblehead Harbor, this coastal fort dates way back to 1644, and was one of the oldest English sites of seaside defenses in North America. It came under American control during the Revolution, was rebuilt in the early 1800's when a battery of big guns were added to defend the harbor from enemy attacks. It served an important defensive role in the War of 1812, transitioned into a town park in 1892, and even returned to military duty during the Spanish American War in 1898. Today, it's a public park and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975. The park offers you stunning views of the harbor and the hundreds of boats crossing the waters. The Fort Sewall grounds are loaded with historical sights - maps and markers and plaques and remnants of the old fort including underground prison cells are everywhere. Some of those big guns that defended the harbor from enemy attack are still there, others are gone but there are ghostly markers on the stone walkway showing where they once proudly stood. It's a glorious place to walk around, enjoy the scenery and imagine those big guns blasting away to defend the harbor two centuries ago.

Nice little historic park. You will need to find parking down the street with a short walk up a…read moresmall hill. The park is well maintained with a path that wraps around the fort. Beautiful views and the fort has been maintained with replica living quarters.

One of few areas on Marblehead with public parking - and restrooms - available…read more We were more thankful for public parking than I can say after attempting to visit several nearby sites (a beach and reserve) requiring seasonal recreational/residential permits to park! As non-locals parking permit requirements in the area gave a very exclusive vibe that was very off-putting. What a joy and relief to find this chunk of land where all are welcome! This park offers two shaded seating areas, benches facing all directions, a historic lighthouse, commemorative plaque, restrooms, drinking fountain and bottle-fill station. Bring sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, and/or layers and enjoy! We had a much-needed restroom break, a little bit of rock scrambling, lots of picture-taking and water-bottle-filling session and were on our way. Not a bad park to stop for just 10-20 min or stay for a while!

It's a great little park with views of Marblehead Harbor, Salem, Gloucester, Fort Sewell and just…read moregreat walking around. Sit on one of the park benches; enjoy the views; bring your dog; use the restrooms and free parking. Definitely worth a trip to this great little piece of Marblehead.

Ambiance- 5 stars I…read morevisited the Ropes Mansion while I was in Salem last month and loved every minute I spent walking around. I got all the feels I experienced as a little girl watching Hocus Pocus and can't believe they filmed part of the movie outside of the Ropes Mansion. I didn't do the actual tour but I highly recommend you book tickets for it to support the Peabody Essex Museum.

Beautiful house and garden area. Wish i had tickets for a tour. However, when taking pics and a…read moretour group comes, please keep i mind they will come in through the front and block your photos. They should come in through the garden in my option. Still great to come to and see.

This was a great walking tour of Salem!! I went in knowing basically nothing about the witch trials…read moreand left knowing a lot more about- and with some local restaurant recommendations. We got plenty of steps and saw a lot of Salem. I carried my baby around, and he got a great nap!!

This was an excellent tour! Sarah is the host and she is terrific! She is very knowledgeable and…read moregreat in telling the stories and historical facts and events.

The Salem Witch Trials Memorial is just beautiful, but also incredibly heavy and moving. It's a…read morewonderful tribute to those who were wrongfully accused and executed. As you make your through the memorial, you'll see that people leave flowers, coins and other small trinkets just atop the stones with the engravings of each persons name & date of execution. Just steps away next to the memorial is a very old small house that is free enter. The home belonged to Samuel Pickman and serves as the welcome center for the burial grounds. It dates back to 1664 making it one of the oldest surviving houses. The simplicity and thoughtfulness of the tribute make it even more meaningful. It's a place that deserves to be visited to reflect on the history & tragedy that took place.

What: beautiful, thoughtful memorial dedicated to the 20 innocent people that were executed during…read morethe 1692 witchcraft hysteria. Each bench has the name, date of execution and how they were executed on the bench. It really makes you feel so sad to walk past and read each one and know they were unfairly prosecuted. There is a lot of kitschy witch stuff around Salem, but this is a truly beautiful memorial.

So happy we decided to do the guided tour, the guided tour was Amazing and I learned so much…read morethroughout the tour about Salem during the witch trials and those that immigrated there , along with so much history of the house. There is no way the amount of information we gained could've been acquired if we did the tour ourselves. Our tour guide was very informative , knowledgeable , courteous, pleasant and professional. The house is very well-kept.

Came on a Friday morning. They were sold out of all the mansion tours through Sunday,…read moreunfortunately. If you know you definitely want to do the mansion tour, go online and book it in advance. Paid for the self guided walking tour through the grounds. I enjoyed hearing about the history and touring Nathaniel Hawthornes old home. The garden is beautiful and the ground were nice

Went on a ghost tour with Sam and was blown away with all the history behind the foreboding feeling…read moreand the famous witch trials. The tour lasted about one hour and thirty minutes which included a few stops in front of some iconic landmarks and monuments such as the first membership Library, the Witch House, Ropes Mansion, Salem Inn, Old Town Hall and Chestnut Street. To say it was nostalgic visiting some staples I have marveled in the movie Hocus Pocus is an understatement. Seeing Max and Dani's house, Allison's house and the Old Town Hall up close brought me back to my 5 year old self. If you have not learned about the Witch Trials or don't care to, no problem! However, if you find that Salem, MA is on your bucket list of places to go to, I would maybe listen to a podcast or read up on the trials beforehand because it's a lot of history to take in. I couldn't leave Salem without buying my own witch hat of course. Some things I recommend on a tour: 1) Dress comfortably and warm (if in the fall) it is cold and windy at this time and you will be walking over cobblestone most of the time 2) Wear a festive hat! I wore my witch hat 3) Make sure you use the restroom before you go on the tour. They don't stop for restroom breaks and there are only portable potties available which I would avoid as much as you can because - ugh!

i feel as though you are playing a cruel joke by asking this question, but if you aren't allow me…read moreto lay it out for you Our guide was a disheveled mess of epic proportions. She was distracted, odd, off and not engaged. she had friends join her that were an additional distraction. her stories were rushed, discombobulated and made us scratch our heads to why we stayed on the tour. At the end I did feel bad for hating it as much as we did so left her $7, which is far beyond what she deserved. on a plus she did inform us that on a past tour someone got hit by a car so she was sure to scream out at the group several times to stay safe. in case you don't know our guide was Carla.

Spooky, cute, and so worth the damn walk! Just kidding... mostly! ‍ It was such a beautiful sight,…read morewith a skeleton perched at the top, gazing out over the sea. Talk about witchy vibes! I didn't make it to the big lighthouse a couple of blocks away, but this little spooky gem definitely satisfied my lighthouse obsession.

Let light be your guide to safe travels and coming home!…read more Here in the Salem Harbor stands a light house only about twenty feet high. The light house is not open to the public from the outside. Guests to the water front can walk around the light house. Pose for a picture. Pick up seashells. In a great year, 1977; the national park service actually acquired this property. The light house is at the end of the derby wharf. It allows ships to come home and into the harbor safely . Wave your hands high as we soak up the water and all that salty air. As I watch individuals play along the water front it's hard not to smile and laugh. The twins make fun noises of joy. It's a sort of dance with life that makes me feel alive. Life is this beautiful gift, all the circumstances that has transformed us to this moment were worthy of wonder and joy. Close your eyes, imagine that salty air . The smells of the sea, your breath in rhythms of happy as your heart beats. The waves crash against the shore . If only the smiles were mine. I live in the moment with the children. For it is their happiness that is mine. If life seized right now, I would be happy that we shared this happiness.

Hilary; with one L, at Witch City Tours is hands down the best tour guide in Salem. I know because…read moreI listened in on a few other tour groups, and no one else compared. She spoke with the authority of a historian and the presence of an actress onstage, drawing us into each story through carefully crafted imagery and tone. She was approachable and engaging, and she projected her voice so clearly that I could hear her no matter where I stood and I am hearing impaired. The tour beautifully blended history with well crafted ghost stories that made the historical details even more memorable. Wear comfortable, supportive shoes because you will be walking and standing quite a bit--your feet and lower back will thank you! This was an excellent tour, and I would absolutely take it again. Bring cash, she earns her tip!

Dawn was awesome very kind, professional and knowledgeable. I would highly recommend. She took the…read moretime to answer questions with confidence.