The trolley experience is a must if you want to know more about this city. The local ghost walking tours are also nice, but you get more out of the trolley. I did both. The trolley takes you further out. The staff was knowledgeable. They made the experience nice. It was nice to just sit and enjoy a nice historical ride. This was perfect. It is too hot to be walking around. The experience was nice. Tips are welcome by the staff. read more

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Get on the first tours of the day if possible. You get a whole overview of the city, and it will be easy to decide what place you want to visit later. Most of salem is walkable; within 10-20 minutes. They take you up to the waterfront parks which are further away, too. read more

Salem Trolley - Salem Trolley - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

I highly recommend a trolley tour, simply because you learn a lot more about Salem than if you just walk around solo. It's also great if walking the entire town isn't workable for you or members of your party. Our guide was very funny and personal but with that being said, the volume of the audio projection system was not great. He was muffled a lot and the volume was not consistent. Additionally, the trolley bus itself needs attention...The suspension was terrible, so you felt every bit of every impurity of the road while sitting on those wood seats. The lows of the experience stack up comparably against the knowledge and insight gained along the tour. read more

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We took a trolley tour with guide Mark Scalia Jr and driver Ramon... what can I say - everyone was laughing from the minute we got on!! Mark was a treasure trove of information!!! Ramon was a skilled and precise driver!! The history we learned was AMAZING!! If you visit Salem definitely take the Salem Trolley Tours & ask for Mark as your guide!!! read more

Decent experience overall. I didn't have any problems with James, like others mentioned. I enjoyed going to the outer parts of Salem that the other tours don't/can't do. The trolley slows down/stops at the points of interest to give you time to look at them. I could've done without the 5-minute stop to see "what the rattle was", as that seemed like something you should've done on your own time after the tour. Maybe a little overpriced, as I felt it was more like an $18-20 tour, and not $25. But overall, I'd recommend them. read more

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Every time I visit Salem, I always do this tour. The one thing I don't like, which has changed is the fact that they do not do stops anymore. I understand them not doing this during the fall season but any other time throughout the year that they are open they really need to bring this back for us. I remember when you could pay for the All day pass and basically get dropped off anywhere they had the stops. Please bring this back for us. We really appreciated it then. Other than that, this is a very wonderful scenic guided tour. It goes through downtown Salem and also beside the ocean. I always learn something new throughout all the years I've done this tour, which is amazing. You get to wear in all sorts of things about Salem the movie Hocus Pocus interesting facts about the Navy and other historical buildings. Definitely a lot of fun and I highly recommend it! read more

Terrific host and driver. Really learned a lot. Great way to see a bunch of sites. I wish I could remember our hosts name because he was super funny. read more

This is very overpriced. At least in our experience today. It was north shore pride. They should have suspended the tour. Instead they took our money and gave Us a sub par tour. We missed so much stuff and the guide repeated herself several times. Same stories over and over. It is not a hop on/off situation either. Some people on our trolley were confused. read more

Salem Trolley - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Very good tour of the city. It was nice to get some history about the town other than witch trials, obviously it was talked about and of course that's why anyone even visits there but the different points of interest and history were definitely a plus. The tour guide, an Irish man, and driver were funny and informative. read more

Of course I visit Boston and my first thought is Salem. Now knowing that I know next to nothing about Salem except for its witchy history, we signed up do a trolley tour with Salem Trolley. The trolley had Neil as our narrator and Karen as our driver. They took us round and round all over Salem and they were so engaging. Got to see many sights, plus hear epic tales about the witch trials, pop culture, and the like. Neil definitely knows his stuff. It made our ride around town fantastic. read more

I know they have a lot of people to move but giving people a clue for where you get on the trolley would be helpful. Also a bench for people to sit on who cannot stand in line for hours. read more

Wonderful way to see Salem while giving your feet a break! The tour guide was knowledgeable and made it a great overall experience read more

Salem Trolley - Sights from the tour - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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It was December 1st and it was time to meet with the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future to remind us of the importance of Christmas. The Salem Trolley's Ebenezer did not disappoint! He was quick on his toes and extremely witty! The interactive play was down right hysterical! My 12 year old was a member of Bob's family, I danced at Feziwig's Holiday party, my mother was a crying child on the ghost of Christmas present and my best friends mom was the apple of Scrooge's eye. There is something here for everyone! Some parts happened on the trolley some at local locations. If you can't take a joke, don't buy tickets. It's light hearted and a slight edge to a classic tale. I would highly recommend this event. Merry Christmas to all! read more

Salem Trolley - Christmas Carol - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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We always try and get on the first trolley of the day and its always fun always very information and some great stories to listen too. you get to see all the famous places in and around salem. read more

We enjoyed this tour. It was sort of spur of the moment on our first day in Salem with our luggage in tow. We purchased tickets, got in line, it was a short line and we got on the trolley with no problem. One of the employees carried my luggage onto the trolley. We stopped in multiple places and were able to take pictures. The tour guide seem to really love his job. He was giving us a history lesson and making jokes. Very engaging. It's worth going if you've never been. They also helped retrieve my luggage from the trolley thanks guys. read more

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I was really looking forward to the trolley in Salem. Unfortunately, the first person that I encountered as a representative for the trolley was James. He was rude, sarcastic and condescending. He told me wife that she asked a stupid question and was so snarky. If I had not already paid for the tickets I would have left. I also witnessed that he lied to people and told them that he would be selling tickets in 30 minutes and to come back. After the family left he returned to selling tickets. I couldn't believe that this man was representing a company. He should not be serving the public. What a disgrace!! I would beware of this company if you come across this man selling tickets. Please look at the photo, and stay away!! Please hire someone with integrity. There has to be someone else who could sit there and take people's money without being a jerk! read more

Salem Trolley - James, the jerk!! He should not be serving the public!! - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

This was an excellent tour!! Our tour guide Mark was funny and informative. He's a local and lived here all his life, and wanted to share Salem as he sees it. We were on the ferry trolley so we got to do things a little different than the regular tour. We stopped at the wharf and got to get off and take pictures. We had so much fun on this tour and got to learn some different things than we would have otherwise. It wasn't witch-themed at all, and I'm thankful for that. Salem has a rich history aside from the 9 months there were witch trials, and we got to see so much of it. This was so much fun and well worth the money. read more

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If I could give NEGATIVE stars I most definitely would!!! My experience at Salem Trolley began trying to purchase a ticket with this employee named James. HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!! I asked James a question regarding boarding the empty trolley present and he said in front of a line full of people, " what about it, that is a stupid question?" He continued his deplorable behavior with disparaging commentary, cursing and yelling. Gasps abounded in the long line of patrons. In today's day and age, who spews language so blatantly ignorant, rude, and nasty to a paying customer? Especially being the first person you encounter representing this business. This guy James is a DISASTER and should be fired IMMEDIATELY!! HE SUCKS!! Salem Trolley needs to get its act together and hire competent, professional, and kind individuals. Until they do, AVOID at all costs!! read more

Salem Trolley - SALEM TROLLEY JAMES, IGNORANT AND RUDE EMPLOYEE SALEM, MA. - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

Mark was a great tour guide and Jennifer was our driver- both fantastic. I would give 5 stars but they need to change how they do tickets. We had to wait in line for the next available trolley and they should sell a number of tickets for each time slot so you can walk around and come back. read more

Informative 1-hour trolley tour takes you around to many of the sites around Salem. The trolley slowed down and sometimes stopped at many of the sites, including historic homes, the waterfront, and other buildings. Tickets were $20 and sold outside the visitor center at 2 New Liberty Street. The trolley leaves at multiple times throughout the hour, and you can hop on/off at many locations throughout the city until 4PM (if there's room - the day we went was busy). read more

Salem Trolley - Old town hall, snapped from the trolley - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

What an amazing offer! This is the best bang for your buck and the best way to see and understand the city. This trolley will introduce you to not just the witch history but also Salem's history regarding pirates, the revolutionary war, and much more. The trolley driver and tour guide were the best of both worlds. Where one was inclined to distribute knowledge comically, the other was very factual and serious. Although we were caught in incredible traffic that no local had ever experienced, the tour remained wonderful and worth every penny, nevertheless. If you are able to, you need (seriously you have to) to take this trolley for a ride before you do anything else in Salem. This is literally the best way to see and understand Salem to where you enrich your journey more than just walking around. (BTW, they provide a military discount) read more

Salem Trolley - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

We went to Salem(on our Boston trip) on a Friday in October thinking it wouldn't be as crowded as a weekend. It was SUPER CROWDED! We got in line for the trolly right away and bender up being in line behind about 100 people. There was los of traffic balling things up for the trolly. We ended up waiting almost 3 HOURS! We sat in the first row behind the driver. That was the worst seat. I could see our guide but not out the windows. Our guide told us tons of info about Salem which was very interesting. It was fun to visit Salem but super crowded! read more

I think taking the Trolley around Salem is an absolute must. For $20 a person, you get an all day pass on the Trolley. I recommend first time, take the whole trolley without getting off. Then you see all of Salem and then if you want to go back to something the same day, get on the trolley and get off at the stop you want to be in. Definitely recommend it. The trolley is first come first serve. Yeah, you pay, but if you ain't in line when it comes..come again. I believe it runs every 45 minutes. On the tour we went on, it takes you to the wharf, the house of gables, the willows, hear about the dead horses and the christmas trees, by the bewitched statue and the little downtown area, the witch museum, witch dungeon, and witch house. Hear about the history and not just the witch history of Salem. Recommend. read more

Salem Trolley - A stop on the trolley tour - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

The specific tour guide you get seems to make this experience a hit or miss. I was happy with my tour guide, he was funny, open, and shared some great info. I recommend taking this tour towards the end of your trip when you're exhausted from walking and need a break or if you want to check out Winter Island or The Willows but don't want to commit to the walk. Its like the train at Disney, gives you a break and is a great review of the town. read more

I was hesitant to write this review as I love Salem and want to support their local businesses but I think this feedback is important to the company. We were on a tour last Sunday and could not understand our guide at all. It was such a waste of money, we got no history. He was far too hard to understand. If we had a different guide I think the experience could have been lovely, but this was a waste of time and money for everyone on that bus. The staff selling the tickets were very sweet. Hopefully they can make adjustments for a better experience. read more

I had the best time and saw things I couldn't walk to. Not only informational but fun too

Neil Roger was a great tour guide. He knows the history of Salem. We went around the town and when we asked questions he had the answers. I would so recommend this tour. read more

Salem Trolley - The trolley. - Historical Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

We had a party of 4, 1 person with a leg injury, arrived around 3 and were still able to complete a full trolley tour! Their last trolley trolley the day leaves at 4 as they close at 5. We were lucky and parked at the garage right by the trolley tour table in front of the visitor office. Highly recommend the garage it had plenty of space only about a dollar per hour and a short distance away. The tour guide and driver were a funny pair, truly making the tour a fun experience. They do not give tours in October due to the sheer amount of people in the narrow streets so keep this in mind! If you have limited mobility, a day to spend hopping on and off and be aware you may not get the very first trolley coming to stops as they were busy - this is a great way to view the main must see locations at Salem! The price is about 20 per person not too bad about average for other walking tours in the area for reference. I recommend bringing cash for tip if you'd like to show appreciation for the tour guide and driver. We competed a full tour in about an hour for reference. Most things close at 5 to 8 on weekdays so keep this in mind for coordinating stops and touring around. read more

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We went to Salem specifically to go to the NPS Maritime museum but the first thing they suggested we do was take this trolley tour. So, we did. We got a great overview of the town and its history. A couple of things to know..... The tour starts and stops only at the NPS Visitor Center on the corner of Essex and New Liberty. This is NOT a hop on - hop off tour. The tour is narrated by a live person. The lady we had was quite knowledgeable and entertaining. There are 2 loops of the tour. It doesn't matter which loop you do first. Just know that when you return to the visitor center the first time you just stay on the trolley for the second loop. read more

The best way to start your visit to the "Witch City" Their one-hour tour will provide a solid overview of Salem's history and allow to see where of the major attractions are located - many are within reasonable walking distance of the Visitor Center, where the trolley tours begin. read more

This was an awesome trolley ride with a super entertaining host. Very informative and I highly recommend it.

My mom and I traveled to Salem this year for a Christmas holiday, and we had heard great things specifically about the Christmas Carol Trolley; we were excited to try it. This ended up being the highlight of our trip. Such a clever collaboration with the Gallows Hill Theater company; you're basically traveling with Scrooge on that most fateful night. The actors lead you on and off the trolley on your journey and you're led through side passageways in buildings to small sets to watch the story unfold. Loved the audience participation and the wry humor written into the script. The whole thing was really creative and fun, and honestly I think if I lived in Salem, this would become an annual tradition. Maybe it still will be; I hope to be back next year. Thank you!! read more

Tour not worth time. The trolley drove by historic sites so fast they were in rear view before one could even get a good look. Guide seemed more focused on being clever and getting laughs than providing historical information. We also waited in line for over an hour. read more

We took the trolley to check out town with a tour guide, but also planned on using this to help us get around town. The problem is that there is only 1 trolley going at one time, so it could be an hour before we get picked up for the next location. That was frustrating. The tour guide was good and knew her stuff, but she was very dry. I would do the tour again, but not plan on using it as a hop on and off. We were never instructed, either, how to get the driver's attention to get off. read more

Meh, I'm not sold on it. I only did this because my partner already bought the tickets for our visiting guests. The tour guides were friendly enough but the pricing and then the expectation of tips after was honestly ridiculous. I honestly stopped listening after all the bad jokes and irregular history telling that was being given. I was more interested in seeing the sites and mapping out Salem in my head. I would NOT do this again but hey if this is something that gets you going, by all means. read more

Had a wonderful experience! Betty was a great driver and I can't remember our guides name, but he was incredibly entertaining! Great Salem activity! read more

tl;dr - nice tour, Ron was a horribly offensive tour guide. Our biggest problem was the sexist, racist, fatphobic, transphobic and unnecessarily rude comments from Ron the tour guide. He had a depth of knowledge about Salem, particularly the history. However, his commentary and attempt at humor tarnished the otherwise interesting and entertaining information. Ron made horrible "jokes" about -- trans people (Caitlyn Jenner in particular), fat/race (Oprah wanting candy), misogynistic comments. I told him his comments were offensive, and he didn't seem bothered at all. You can't buy tickets at their office. However, the man in the office was very friendly and kind. We got tickets outside of visitors center. We researched this tour ahead of time and thought it would be a great way to see the wide ranging sites in Salem to determine where we might want to go back and spend more time. They didn't run on a time table, which is understand because they run multiple trolleys. We got tickets outside visitor center and waited about 10 minutes to board. We do wish we could have seen Max and Danis house. Overall, good tour but the outdated and unnecessary comments from Ron made this a must never do again. read more

Had an excellent tour. The guide was knowledgeable and funny. Good way to see the main sites and then either return to them on foot or take the next trolley and ask to get off at a stop as the ticket is good for the full day. read more

Wonderful and very knowledgeable. Learned much of salem and its history without having to be in the freezing cold. It was $40 for 2 adults, our children were free to ride. Made some stops by some of the most exclusive as well as most talked about sites known to Salem. We were sadly on the last one of the day so didn't get to do the drop off/pick up thing. But it was great the kids enjoyed. It was all my son would talk about and wanted to do. The tour guide was great, very well informed and funny. Made it a great tour for all of us. V read more

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A good overview of Salem and an easy way to get see all the highlights while someone else drives. The trolley is allowed to go where regular traffic cannot, which is nice for getting around. It does fill up quickly where you buy tickets at the start and I imagine that line stays long all day. So something to keep in mind. read more