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The best things to do in Salem, Massachusetts fit into one self-guided day on foot: the Salem Witch Museum, the Witch House and the Salem Witch Trials Memorial for the story of 1692, then the Peabody Essex Museum, the House of the Seven Gables and Salem Maritime National Historical Park for the city's seafaring history, with Salem Willows if you want the shore. The Commuter Rail from Boston's North Station takes about 30 to 35 minutes, and most of these sights are within walking distance of each other downtown.
This guide is for visitors planning Salem on their own, without a tour. If you would rather join a trolley or a guided walk, see the Boston to Salem tour guide; for train and ferry details, see how to get to Salem from Boston. Guided Salem day trips from Boston are also bookable on Viator.
Salem's main sights at a glance
| Place | What it is | Hours and admission |
|---|---|---|
| Salem Witch Museum | Presentation on the 1692 trials, 19 1/2 Washington Square North | Presentations every half hour, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., longer in July, August and October; adults $19 |
| The Witch House | Home of trial judge Jonathan Corwin, 310 1/2 Essex Street | Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April 15 to November 15; $17, under 4 free |
| Salem Witch Trials Memorial | Granite benches for the 20 people executed, 24 Liberty Street | Outdoors and free |
| Peabody Essex Museum | Art and culture museum, 161 Essex Street | Thursday to Monday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; adults $25, under 16 free |
| The House of the Seven Gables | 1668 house linked to Hawthorne's novel, 115 Derby Street | Daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Salem Maritime National Historical Park | Wharves, Custom House and a tall ship, 160 Derby Street | National Park Service site |
| Salem Willows | Seaside public park, 167 Fort Avenue | Public park |
Where to see the history of the 1692 witch trials
Start at the Salem Witch Museum on Washington Square North. Its main presentation tells the story of the trials and runs every half hour; the museum suggests allowing at least an hour, and tickets go on sale at 10 p.m. the night before your visit. It closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, and for several weeks in January for maintenance.
The Witch House on Essex Street is the one stop with a direct link to a trial judge. Jonathan Corwin bought the house in 1675, and in 1692 he was appointed to the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which tried the accused. It is one of the few buildings in Salem tied directly to the trials. From November 16 to April 14 it opens only Thursday to Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
The Salem Witch Trials Memorial, on Liberty Street just off Charter Street, is quiet and free. Granite walls enclose three sides, with a bench for each of the 20 victims carrying their name and the date and means of execution. Elie Wiesel dedicated it on August 5, 1992. Charter Street Cemetery is next door.
Salem's seafaring side: museums, houses and wharves
Salem was a port long before it was the Witch City, and three sights tell that story. The Peabody Essex Museum on Essex Street is the largest; its campus includes Yin Yu Tang, a Chinese house, and historic houses spanning four centuries. It closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The House of the Seven Gables on Derby Street was built in 1668 by the merchant and ship owner John Turner and inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1851 novel. Caroline Emmerton restored it and opened it as a museum in 1910, and it was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 2007.
Along Derby Street, Salem Maritime National Historical Park covers the old waterfront: the U.S. Custom House and Derby Wharf, the 1762 Derby House, the 1670s Narbonne House, the three-masted ship Friendship, and the Derby Wharf Light Station, first lit in 1871. Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie, at 122 Derby Street, is on the same street; it calls itself America's oldest candy company and has sold its Gibralters and Blackjacks since 1806.
Salem Willows and the shore
For open air after the museums, Salem Willows at 167 Fort Avenue is a seaside public park on the harbor, northeast of downtown. It is further out than the other sights, so treat it as a separate stop rather than part of the downtown walk.
Visiting Salem in October
October is Haunted Happenings, and Salem expects more than a million visitors for its parties, parades, tours and attractions. Plan around it. The Witch House sells October tickets online only, released at 8 a.m. each morning for that day. On October weekends in 2026 the MBTA runs a special event schedule on the Newburyport/Rockport Line, with more trains between Beverly and North Station, and bikes are not allowed on weekend trains that month. A weekday visit is calmer. For Halloween ideas without leaving the city, see spooky things to do in Boston.
How to get to Salem from Boston without a car
Take the Newburyport/Rockport Line from North Station; weekday trains reach Salem in about 30 to 35 minutes. In season, the Salem Ferry runs from Long Wharf to the Salem Wharf on Blaney Street in 50 to 60 minutes, from spring through the Halloween season, and the terminal is within walking distance of the House of the Seven Gables and downtown. Fares and the season are in the Boston to Salem ferry guide.
Sources: Salem Witch Museum; Salem Witch Museum prices; Witch House history; Witch House visit; Witch House in October; Witch Trials Memorial; Peabody Essex Museum; House of the Seven Gables; Salem Maritime National Historical Park; Salem Willows; Ye Olde Pepper Candy Companie; Haunted Happenings; MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line; Salem Ferry. Checked October 1, 2026.