We did two walking tours in our one day we had at Salem. Crazy I know, but stay with me, I don't regret a single thing about it. Our first tour was the hocus pocus walking tour with Hilary. Amazing. Hilary was funny, knowledgable, and just a true joy to be around. That two hour walk went by faster than I thought it would. She has so many behind the scenes knowledge of the movie, I was thoroughly impressed. Oh, she also had a candy bucket! Cant ever go wrong with candy. Thank you Hilary for opening our day in such a positive way. My second walking tour was the history and hauntings of Salem. Our tour guide was Claire and she was great. She was able to keep the attention of our 13 yo son, no small feat these days. However, her story telling and live of history kept him into the walk and he didn't complain once. Thank you Claire for giving us a great tour of Salem and completing our night out! read more

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We chose Witch City Walking Tours to introduce us to Salem. Aurelia was our guide and she was a wealth of information. Unfortunately we started the tour in Derby Square and it was very loud. It was very hard to hear Aurelia and the noise was very distracting. Aurelia was a lifelong resident of the Salem area and clearly very invested in the city. Before arriving in Salem I thought it was a small town. Salem is a much larger town located just north of Boston. The tour covered about 1 1/2 miles and the walk was easy. Much of the focus was on the witch trials and the mark it left on the city of Salem. The tour ended at the memorial for the victims of the witch trials and it was very solemn. This tour gave me a new perspective on Salem and its history. read more

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Such an amazing tour!! We had a wonderful tour guide who not only taught us a lot but he made it fun as well! He kept us laughing and made sure everyone was having fun. Highly recommend this tour! read more

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Our tour guide Michael (and Clarence, the adorable cat) provided the best walking tour we've ever experienced. We travel the world frequently to experience different cultures and learn about history. What made this tour special was Michael's enthusiasm, passion, and humor! We felt like we were watching stand up comedy, history version! Great job, Michael! read more

Dawn was such an amazing tour guide! She was so friendly, knowledgeable, and welcoming. We learned so much about both the history and haunting of Salem, and the tour was the perfect amount of time and pace. I would definitely recommend them! read more

Hilary; with one L, at Witch City Tours is hands down the best tour guide in Salem. I know because I 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! read more

This was my first time in Salem, and I booked this tour with 8 of my coworkers--we had an absolute blast. From the moment it started, it was spooky, fun, and incredibly entertaining. Our tour guide was great: super knowledgeable, hilarious, and very interactive. They kept everyone engaged while sharing tons of fascinating and spooky history. The Hocus Pocus and Bewitched references were a huge bonus and added such a fun, nostalgic vibe. Seeing the Witch House in person was especially cool and definitely a highlight. For the price, this tour was 100% worth it. $37 for a 2.5-hour tour felt like a steal for how much you see. The only downside was the other group that was paired with ours. They were loud and kept interrupting the guide, which took away from the experience at time but that had nothing to do with how great the tour itself was. Overall, we still had an amazing time and would absolutely recommend this tour, especially for first-time visitors who want a spooky, fun, and memorable Salem experience read more

Witch City Walking Tours - Walking Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

It was a lovely evening for a tour. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the city and it's history. The pace was good and everyone seemed to have a good time. The guide had a binder of photos/drawings to add to the history of his talks. He took the time to ensure everyone saw the images. Personally I think this was a mistake as there are always people who just are not that interested. It would probably be better if people were allowed to come forward to see the images, it would save time. read more

Anne's tour was excellent and the perfect way to start our day in Salem! My guest and I aren't huge on ghosts, so we were looking for a more history-focused tour, and the History and Hauntings of Salem tour was the perfect balance. The two hours truly flew by. Would recommend to anyone visiting! PS - we went the first weekend AFTER Halloween. It was pleasant weather and not crowded at all. Anne showed us a picture of the crowds during peak Halloween season...that was the spookiest part!!! People packed in like sardines, a la Disney world in summer. Consider going in November if that's not your style. read more

Witch City Walking Tours - Walking Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Really enjoyed this walking tour! Educational and informative with a good mix of entertaining and fun - some paranormal info and lots of history. Tour guide was very fun! read more

Sean was Amazing! Very informative, fun, educational, and he shared some great stories. It didn't even feel like we walked much even with a little bit of snow and rain, but the 2 hour tour is a must! This is something I fully recommend if you want to go on a ghost/history tour. Everyone had a blast! read more

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This company has won a lot of awards and gotten great reviews, so we took the 2 hour "History & Hauntings of Salem" which had a sale discount for July. The website helpfully mentioned it at the top, no hidden coupon code. We met at the Old Town Hall, and Rebecca, our guide checked our name off our list. We waited a little bit for the last group to join us and someone to come back from the bathroom, but we were going to leave close to on time so there is none of the waiting half an hour for latecomers like on cruise shore excursions. Rebecca was a wealth of upbeat, interesting, history and facts with humor and smiles sprinkled throughout. Her photo book added to her presentation and her walks and stops were at a comfortable pace. I felt like she gave us the truth and real facts as opposed to making up sensational stories to entertain the audience. She covered a wealth of locations and topics from events surrounding the Salem witch trials and attitudes changed afterwards, the Witch Memorial to the Bewitched statue and how they were created and attitudes around them, some "Hocus Pocus" movie landmarks, historic houses, Federal architecture, the one million tourists who visit Salem in October, hauntings, and more. Our tour lasted the entire two hours, and it was well worth the time and money. read more

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We did the walking tour on 7/2 with My'Kayla (i think that is how she spelled it). We really enjoyed it. She kept us interested, talked over the traffic, and she linked everything so well. I loved her jokes and you can tell how much she loves Salem. read more

Witch City Walking Tours - Town Hall ! One site of Hocus Pocus - Walking Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

This review is more of a 4.5, but alas no half stars are not allowed so I'm going with a solid, respectable 4. I will say, this is definitely a case of your mileage may vary, as what you experience is going to depend heavily on your tour guide and personal preferences. All that said, I'll go through my experience, with Diane as our tour guide. We also had a small group of 5 which was great and made the tour a little more enjoyable I think, rather than having to wait for a group of people to catch up and gather around. Firstly, they tell you to meet by the 3 staircases. But they are doing construction on the building and there is a gate around the building blocking the 3 staircases. I had google-mapped it before I went there so I knew where I was going, but for someone that didn't/doesn't it may be an issue. And something they should've mentioned in one of the emails that went out. Secondly, the tour was a little short. I had the 'historic tour' It was advertised as a 2-hour tour, but it was only an hour and 45 minutes. I'm not going to throw a fit over 15 minutes, but at the same time something closer to an hour and 55 minutes or even an hour and 50 minutes would've been more acceptable. Hell, even doing the full 2 hours would have been nice. 15 minutes may not seem like much, but its 12.5% of the tour and what we paid for. Again, not something I'm going to throw a fit over, but you're not going to get a 5 from me if you don't do what you promised/promoted/advertised. Thirdly, we only stopped at about 6-7 places. I was expecting to do more than that. I didn't expect to hit everything, but we didn't seem to stray more than half a mile away from the meeting point. I understand we were walking, and couldn't do the entire town, but I expected and was willing to do a moderate amount of walking, and it said we would be. I almost do more walking to and from my car at work. Lastly, Diane herself. And this is where the mileage varying part really comes in. She was great and personable. Fun and joy to be around. She also was extremely knowledgeable and seemed to genuinely have fun doing the tour. At the same time, she was also extremely long-winded. And maybe that's why we only hit 6-7 spots. I certainly enjoyed learning about the various people and places, but I don't think I need 10-20 minutes at each spot. I would've been more in favor of a bullet point summary of maybe 5 minutes to be able to hit more places. But again, this more of a personal preference. So overall, a couple hiccups with the shorter tour and starting point issue. And to lesser extent the tour guide not doing what I would've liked. But again, that being personal preference I'm not going to hold that against her, or the company itself especially since she was still great overall. read more

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Meaghan was a wonderful tour guide, I appreciated the pace at which she spoke and the depth with which she went into her stories! Some tours are more about comedy than history, and this was not one of those situations. Meaghan is clearly an expert on Salem's history, and told us about the history and hauntings in a captivating and reverent way. It would've been nice to stop for pictures at the witch house, or to have gone into the Ropes Gardens, since we did end up with about 15 extra minutes at the end of the tour. But we still enjoyed our time greatly! read more

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My friends and I were in town for a girl's weekend and thoroughly enjoyed our walking tour with Mykaela! She was so knowledgeable and witty - she would make a fantastic history teacher! A definite must do in Salem!! read more

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The only thing Salem might have more of than little downtown Halloween/witch-related tourist trap shops is guided walking tours of the city. If you search online, there always appear to be new tours popping up. I have been told that there is no regulation regarding who can start their own walking tour, meaning every year more people offer you to pay them so they can walk you around town and tell you the history of Salem. My family booked with Witch City Walking Tours due to their stellar reputation. We booked the "History & Hauntings Of Salem" 2 hour tour. No wonder this tour is ranked so highly on TripAdvisor and has won awards -- it was so educational and fun! Our tour guide was knowledgeable and told the history in a way that kept us engrossed and hanging on her every word. The length of the tour itself wasn't too long, making it accessible for just about everyone. They offer at least two other walking tours of Salem and I wouldn't hesitate to book with Witch City Walking Tours again. read more

I really enjoy taking walking tours especially at a new place. I took the History & Hauntings tour at 10:00AM. It was easy to book the tour online. Adult tickets were $31 each prior to tax. The confirmation email I received after had lots of great information including where to park and where the restrooms are. Our group of 10 met at Old Town Hall located at 32 Derby Square, on the side of Old Town Hall with three staircases facing Front Street. Aurelia was our tour guide and warmly welcomed us. Aurelia took us all over Salem and talked about the history, hauntings, the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, architecture and hidden gems. She had pictures and infographics to share with us as well. Aurelia also offered to help take pictures of us. The walking tour was extremely informative and I learnt so much. Aurelia kept us engaged by telling us anecdotes and jokes. The walking tour lasted 2 hours and she stayed a little after at the end to give us additional recommendations if we needed. Witch City Walking Tours is definitely worth it and should be included on your itinerary while visiting Salem! read more

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The tour lead by Mykaela was rich with history providing a deeper appreciation of Salem then and now. We started the tour earlier in the August day before it got too hot and finished in time for lunch. read more

Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and informative and extremely enthusiastic. My only critique is that he often took us "away" from a few of the spots before talking about them. It takes away from the experience when you are in an ally around the corner behind some vans hearing the info instead of in front of the spot. read more

A Night to Remember in Salem - Thanks to Ryan! If you're heading to Salem and thinking about doing a night tour, do yourself a favor and book it with Ryan! He was hands-down one of the best tour guides we've ever had. From the moment the tour started, Ryan brought the history of Salem to life with a perfect mix of storytelling, humor, and deep knowledge. He made learning about the past genuinely enjoyable--not dry or boring like some tours can be. Ryan is a natural entertainer. He kept us engaged the entire time with fascinating facts, spooky tales, and a passion for Salem that's truly contagious. His energy and charisma made the experience unforgettable. We also want to give a big thank you to Ryan for his awesome local recommendations--he told us to check out The Derby and grab some tacos, and WOW, he did not disappoint. Both were absolutely delicious! If Ryan is leading the tour, we'd 100% book again. He made our Salem visit extra special. Highly, highly recommend! read more

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sorry but our history and haunting of salem walking tour was so boring. it was a 2 hour tour but we left the tour after 1 hour because it was so boring. read more

Michael was a wonderful guide. Knowledgeable and funny, even with his delivery of the cheesy jokes. This was a well-balanced walking tour around Salem, with lots of historical anecdotes and great stops along the way. The proper deference is shown to the victims of the trials and there's nothing over-the-top about the tour. It's less about theatrics and more about the solemn history of the town. Think of this one as less of a ghost tour and more of a history tour, with the authentic spookiness being just a fun little cherry on top. read more

Witch City Walking Tours - Walking Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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Amazing tour experience. Our tour guide, Henry, was great. I was obsessed by the Salem Witch Trials when I was a kid, so I thought I knew everything. I learned so much more! I highly recommend it! read more

We had the pleasure of having Dawn as our guide Friday afternoon. From the beginning of the tour she set a wonderful tone. I lean towards introversion, but her welcoming energy made me more inclined to engage with and enjoy group. I was worried two hours was too long for a tour, but I was shocked by how quickly it flew by and it felt like the perfect amount of time. I felt there was a good balance of trivia, facts and local lore. Dawn left plenty of room for questions, which she readily answered. My partner and I had a fantastic time. Would definitely recommend read more

Absolutely recommend! Went for the morning history and haunting walking tour. It was wonderful. So much knowledge from the tour guide. Will definitely recommend and possibly try to get in on one more tour before leaving. read more

Witch City Walking Tours - Walking Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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The tour guide had not the experience he said he had. Too much talking about things that could've been suumed up quicker

Diane was absolutely fantastic. She was knowledgeable, charismatic, and kept me interested throughout the entire 2 hour experience. I highly recommend this tour! read more

Heidi, was an excellent tour guide! She was very knowledgeable and easy to follow. Oh and if I may add, funny as well. She took us around the city and explained the history and witch trials of Salem. What a beautiful city. Everything is so close and with full of rich history. Heidi, and the company provided us with hand warmers for the cold. That was very nice of them. Thank you! We had a great time! read more

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I took the History & Hauntings tour at night with Justin as our guide. Justin was a fabulous guide, he honestly made this one of the highlights of my Salem trip. He was informative, entertaining, and he had great vocal projection. He also did a great job of adjusting the pace for people and making sure the group was able to safely cross streets. I thought the tour was a perfect balance of history and ghost stories. The tour did include stops related to the witch trials, but it did not solely focus on the trials, which I enjoyed. Justin was prepared with a few photos to share at some stops so the group could see items or pictures that he was referencing. Another touch that I appreciated was that the company texted locations for restrooms near the meeting point before the tour began. read more

This was our first time in Salem and we thought we would start off our time with a walking tour - History and Haunts which came highly recommended - in fact it's the #1 cultural and historical tours in the US and #2 globally (on trip advisor 2024)! I cannot speak highly enough about our tour guide Henry, from the start he was friendly, approachable, professional and funny. As someone who has done tours and keynotes before I can confidently say he was one of the best speakers I've seen, he built rapport with the group and was super knowledgeable. On top of knowing countless information about the city of Salem, he also threw in some anecdotes, fun stories and answered a plethora of questions on various topics from lunch spots, to signs around town, to anything and everything else. The tour is two hours and by the end of it we could have happily walked with Henry for two more! We got plenty of great photos and spots around town. There were so many key points hit on our tour and it explored much more than just the witch trials, although that section was certainly interesting. If you want a great overview of the city of Salem while having a lot of fun, ask for Henry. Next time we are back we will definitely try one of the other tours that he does. Thank you Witch City Walking Tours, we will certainly be back!! And we will recommend you to anyone who visits. read more

Witch City Walking Tours - Henry our Tour Guide (Right) - Walking Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

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This is a must do tour .... We did the Hocus Pocus tour ... our tour guide was Micheal, he was ahhh-mazing!!! He made us feel like we'd know. Him for years ... he gave us a lot of great facts not only for hocus pocus but for the history of Salem too . This is a must read more

Witch City Walking Tours - Max house - Walking Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

We did the Murders and Mysteries of Salem with Samantha. It was fantastic. We loved hearing about the more unknown parts of Salem history while also touching on the witch trials. Samantha was so well spoken and hilarious. The time went by so fast. She went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and answered every question we had! read more

Henry was our guide. He did a fabulous job all the way around! Great storyteller and everything was well organized and well presented.

We had an amazing time on our tour! Ryan was a wonderful tour guide- he combined the perfect amount of history and humor for each location we visited. We did several other tours in Salem at some of the sites we visited, and I felt he gave us more in depth information than the actual facilities did! Overall, we had a wonderful experience. read more

Witch City Walking Tours - Walking Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

is five stars don't give the tour justice Garrett was an amazing amazing tour guide knew his information knew his history showed us pictures of the apparitions that are connected to some of the places that we went. I had a lot of paranormal experiences while on the tour. It's amazing amazing very amazing I somehow wanna be a part of this which city walking tour I would love to be a tour guide. read more

Witch City Walking Tours - These two witches are ready to go to which city walking toward the spirit apparition, ghost hunting tour. - Walking Tours Near Me - Salem, Massachusetts

We did the 10:15 History and Hauntings tour with tour guide David, on a Sunday (10/12/25). It wasn't overly crowded like a Saturday or later in the month probably is. My whole family enjoyed this tour and it didn't feel like it took 2 hours. Lots of interesting stories and stops. My 7 and 9 year olds even paid attention and told us facts later in the day! It was great, and I loved that it encompasses more than just the gimmicky side of Salem. I'd absolutely recommend this tour to anyone. You still see 2 filming locations from Hocus Pocus, so if you're debating between the tours don't worry you'll get some in this one too. read more

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Michael is amazing! He is very knowledgeable about all Salem history and he also cracks a few jokes to ease up the vibe. Definitely worth to take this tour! read more

This is a great beginning tour. The guide John met us in 32 degree weather at 6:30 pm. He patiently told us stuff and even went overtime because of his enthusiasm. I hope the company offers a part 2, about architecture, literary figures. I personally don't care for pop culture references but 99 percent probably are in Salem for pop culture reasons. read more

Rebecca was very informative about the sites and history of Salem! Highly recommend to history buffs, young and old, and anyone interested in the downtown Salem area. read more