Salem Witch Trials Memorial
Quiet granite benches for the victims.
Salem
Site of the 1692 witch trials, now America's Halloween capital, with a superb maritime art museum.
Twenty people were executed here in the hysteria of 1692. Today the town mixes serious memorials with October crowds, plus the House of the Seven Gables and the Peabody Essex Museum.
- Best Time
- May to October
- Time Needed
- 1 day
- Cost Level
- $$$$
- Open
- Year-round
- Getting There
- 30 minutes by train or summer ferry from Boston.
What to See
1 of 3 are freePeabody Essex Museum
World art, with a real Chinese house moved here from Anhui.
House of the Seven Gables
The 1668 mansion that inspired Hawthorne.
Know Before You Go
- October is extremely busy: book everything early.
- Many 'witch' attractions are commercial; choose carefully.
Where to Stay
Base yourself in Boston or Salem.
Where to Eat
Our picks are on the way.
Editor's picks. Nobody paid to be on this list.
Something wrong or out of date?
Traveler Reviews
Sign in and mark Salem as visited to write a review.
Go Next
Must-SeeBoston
Massachusetts
Walkable, historic and full of firsts, from the Freedom Trail to Harvard.
Full Guide
Must-SeeNew England Fall Foliage
New England
Late September to late October, north to south
Whole hillsides of red and gold in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Drive the back roads and stay in a small-town inn.
Full Guide
Worth a DetourCape Cod
Massachusetts
Dune-backed Atlantic beaches, lighthouses and lobster rolls, the classic New England summer.
Full Guide
Last checked 2026-11-01. Part of the Northeast list.