"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.

We almost didn't make it see the Ropes Mansion before heading back home last week, but we decided…read moreour trip wouldn't be complete if we didn't see it. Do you remember in the movie when Dani and Max are outside the mansion just staring up at it in awe? That was me. The infamous mansion where Allison lives is a sight that can't be missed! It is located in a residential neighborhood at the very end of the street, but it is worth the quick detour away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist area. We came later in the evening so were only able to get a couple of night time shots - we wanted to get one of us in front of it, but a tour group was coming through at the same time and we didn't want to be too distracting. I'm not sure if they ever do tours inside, I believe the Ropes Mansion is owned by the Essex Museum, but the outside was definitely enough for me. If you're a fan of Hocus Pocus, this is a must stop!

As a fan of Hocus Pocus (it's one of my favorite Halloween movies!), I was very much looking…read moreforward to visiting Allison's house. While I didn't enter the house, it was great to see the exterior and take photos from outside. The Ropes Mansion garden is free to enter, and is accessible through an arched pathway at the side of the mansion. The garden, while small, is beautiful and tranquil to walk through, complete with plenty of roses and a small pond. It's a great spot to take tourist photos as well. A must-visit for Hocus Pocus fans!

One of if not the best walking tour my husband and I have done…read more Our guide Jobie(?) was engaging, enthusiastic, clear, and personable. He brought history alive, and he supplemented the witch trials history with some modern day Salem history which we really enjoyed. To top it all off, he was very grateful for our time and attention. I don't think I've seen a speaker show appreciation for their crowd like he did. Tour guide was well organized. Even though we crossed streets, Jobie and another helper made sure we did so safely while also allowing others to access the roads. The tour was not overbooked like some other tours are. This helped us to listen more closely and get close enough to Jobie to ask questions if we wanted to. Price was fair for what we got. 10/10 would recommend to others!

Great tour guide. She controlled the chatty Cathy in our group asking off the wall questions with…read morekindness and d a firm redirect. The tour was a tad long because of this but the guide was knowledgeable and I learned more about Salem than just the witch stuff. It seems like you walk around town all Over but then after the tour I realized we were actually in a pretty small area and everything was actually pretty close together

A great memorial--the victims' name engravings were treated with respect and remembrance…read more I loved how people left stones/flowers/trinkets/coins/etc. I recommend coming to the memorial after you've been to one of the museums that spoke about the history of witches/witch trials in Salem

In a town that seems to now embrace what was once a dark spot on its history, this Memorial is…read morepoignant and non commercial. Feels like a place to reflect and remember in a quiet way. There are lots of "stories" but the history reveals a movement that took Women and Men, young and old, mostly by hanging (not burned at the stake as sometimes is portrayed) though there was the one older gentleman who was pressed. A docent told us a bit about him and his refusal to plead which resulted in the "pressing", a legal process at the time. It occurred in a relatively short window of time with several individuals being hung on the same days. Each person is memorialized with a stone ledge and I took the opportunity to speak each one's name. Looked like folks were also leaving flowers and other tokens. If your time is limited, I would make this a priority.

Excellent site to visit! Beautiful views! We had a great docent lead tour. Our guide shared lots…read moreof details and did a great job trying to answer our group's many questions! Learning about the different architectural phases of this property was very interesting. The Secret Staircase is special! Gift Shop was a fun stop! Friendly staff. They have their own parking lot with ample and FREE parking while you visit. Now that's a plus. Everywhere else in Salem is paid parking, including the Peabody Essex Museum (park and hike!) Highly recommend visiting The House of Seven Gables if you are in the area.

What a great experience!…read more We had the tour to ourselves. The snow turned everyone away. The house is super interesting and our guide was great! If you are in the area, highly recommend a tour. Side note: we used our library card and received 50% off of admission.

Home to the Marblehead Arts Association, stop in & see some displays…read more Built by Greenfield Hooper, a candle maker, in 1728, & his son, Robert, a wealthy shipping merchant, added the front section in 1745. There is always an art gallery display, art show or some other cultural event taking place, so stop in when walking around Marblehead Center.

My friends and I really enjoyed our tour with Mikayla! She was the absolute best at storytelling…read moreand history. We learned so much and appreciated her enthusiasm on what was a bitter cold, rainy day! Thank you!

I had a great time on my ghost tour with Sam. It was a little awkward as I was the only one on the…read moretour. In a way, I'm thankful they still ran the tour, but on the other hand, I wouldn't have minded if they had re-scheduled. Being the only one on it made it a little awkward. That said, Sam was great and theatric and was a blast, you can tell he really likes what he does. I didn't seem to catch any ghosts in the pictures I took, but overall, I still enjoyed myself and had a better time on this tour than I did on another I took with a different company earlier in the year.

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.

A must see, got up early just to see the sunrise and it was 100% worth it! Just park in parking…read moregarage and be prepared to walk.

This tour was great tour! Very informative . Our tour guide was great, he was very knowledgeable…read moreand made the tour very enjoyable! I would definitely recommend this tour

There was a puff of smoke and then our guide, Justin, magically appeared. He then led us on the…read moregreatest adventure of our lives. Would recommend this adventure...however request Justin. Although we aren't sure if he was a ghost or the actual tour guide.