Massachusetts
Salem
A harbour city with a dark chapter: the 1692 witch trials, remembered at a quiet memorial, plus a seafaring history at Salem Maritime, the Peabody Essex Museum and the House of the Seven Gables.
Photo: House of the Seven Gables - Salem, Massachusetts, Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0
In 1692, twenty people were executed after the Salem witch trials. The Salem Witch Trials Memorial remembers them with stone benches inscribed with their words.
Salem was also one of America's richest ports. Salem Maritime National Historical Park keeps its wharves, and the Peabody Essex Museum grew from the collections of its sea captains. Come curious; there's more here than witches.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Derby Wharf and lighthouse
A long wharf with a small lighthouse at the end.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
Salem Witch Trials Memorial
Stone benches remembering the twenty people executed in 1692.
Free
Salem Maritime National Historical Park
Wharves, warehouses and the Custom House.
Free
Old Burying Point
One of the oldest cemeteries in the country, beside the memorial.
Paid
House of the Seven Gables
The 1668 house that inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Salem Trolley
Narrated trolley tours of Salem.
Part of our Salem and Cape Ann guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- October is huge, so book far ahead.
- The museum takes a full day.
- Evening walks on Chestnut Street and by the harbour.
Nearby and worth the drive
Gloucester and Rockportabout 30 min · Guide ↗
Cape Ann's working harbours, Halibut Point and Good Harbor Beach, about 30 minutes up the shore.
Cape Codabout 2 h 30 · Guide ↗Provincetown and Chatham.
Bostonabout 40 min
The Freedom Trail.
Ready-made trips with Salem
Good to know
- Tourism: Destination Salem.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: House of the Seven Gables - Salem, Massachusetts, Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Salem Common Fall, Fletcher6, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Derby Wharf Light, Jesse Lee Tucker, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Peabody Essex Museum, Fletcher6, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Salem, Massachusetts, Rizka, CC BY-SA 3.0