Free Salem Walking Tour by Turner Street Walking Tours — Local services in Salem

I chose this tour because I wanted the full history of Salem, from an actual history teacher, and Jay delivered! If you want spooky stories or details about the trials, there are plenty of tourist trap museums - but this tour has facts you won’t learn anywhere else. It’s a much more holistic look at Salem’s past. You’ll learn a lot about its golden era as a seaport that became fabulously wealthy by whaling, privateering, and trading with Asia. He also sprinkles in other American history like the Revolutionary War, and how it all connects to random bits of pop culture (like the Old Spice logo and a Steven Spielberg movie). And he has a binder full of old photos, documents, and maps to bring the history to life. The cherry on top is that Jay points out his recommendations for local restaurants and bars along the way.

More thorough recap of the route:

To me the most unique part (compared to other tours) was a quiet residential neighborhood outside the tourist zone with so many gorgeous old houses. Jay explains a few old architectural styles (which is fun because then you can point them out when you spot them) (fun for nerds like me anyway). And he knows the history of a ton of individual houses, too, because he actually does the historical research necessary for the owner to get one of those plaques. (Note: this part would probably be boring for kids.)

You’ll also see the marina (including the Customs House that inspired the first chapter of the Scarlet Letter), the outside of the House of the Seven Gables, the Peabody Essex Museum (and its origin story), the Hocus Pocus house, the oldest candy shop in the US, and the Lyceum - which is now a seafood restaurant, so you wouldn’t even know it’s a significant building, but it’s actually where Alexander Graham Bell made the first long distance phone call, and a lot of other famous people lectured there. Jay does touch on the witch trials for a bit, but it’s pretty high level. He’s not as concerned with the minutia of who got accused of what and what happened to them - but he does cover 6 different potential reasons for what caused the panic, and he points out the places where notable witch related stuff happened.

All in all, you can tell Jay has put a ton of work into researching this tour. I know it’s free, but please tip! This level of service deserves it! And it’s just him, not a...

This is a tour operated by a local history teacher, which my family appreciated because he focused on telling the history of Salem. We have been on other tours in the past that looked for stories that were meant solely to entertain, but their credibility was questionable. Jay's tour is not like that. He draws on Salem's true stories as well as the architectural importance of the town itself.

Jay talks about prominent people of Salem's past, he discusses the true witchy history and theories about why it happened, he shares info on piracy and the maritime importance of the town, and as you walk around the area, he shows you the homes and buildings of Salem as you learn how old they are and what is special about them. And, as others stated, he also gives great tips about which restaurants in town are good as well as which museums might interest you the most, based on your interests.

I highly recommend this tour!! ay is fabulous and very willing to answer questions. Another bonus is that his tour groups are not too large, so you can actually hear everything he says and follow along easily.

I would go on his tour fairly early in your trip to Salem because he includes so much info, and from there you can decide what you want to see...

Salem's hidden gem! Jay's tour is a MUST for any visitor.

Forget everything you think you know about Salem tours. Jay's Free Salem Walking Tour goes far beyond the witch trials, weaving a captivating story of the city's rich history, prominent families', colonial maritime events, historical architecture, and so much more. His energy and knowledge are infectious, making every step a fascinating discovery.

This isn't just another tour – it's an experience. Our family of five (including three kids!) were completely captivated the entire time. We all left with a newfound appreciation for Salem and its colonial past. While the tour is technically free, Jay's expertise is priceless. Don't hesitate to tip generously via Venmo – he more than earns it!

Trust me, this is one tour you won't regret....