Free Salem Walking Tour by Turner Street Walking Tours - Salem, Massachusetts

Leonardo M.

Meet Jay! And his Astonishing knowledge about Salem history. The tour works just as European free tours style. We are not charged and tip whatever we want até the end.
We met at Salem Common, walked through the city passing by all wellknown sightseeing spots (Witch museum, city hall, the mall, the wharfs, the seven gables house and more) and some lesser known jewels as well. Throughout the tour Jay, who is very charismatic, explained the history of the city itself. The first settlers, the Salem port gold times and its decline. Learnt a lot about architecture in different centuries as well! And after all, as expected, a complete masterclass about Salem witch trials. I certainly recommend him instead of those big enterprise tour. He deserves it all!

Duellyn P.

The Guide is a teacher and knows a lot about history. He doesn’t cover only witch related information but a lot more about the lengthy history of Salem. He covers historical figures that had an impact on the development of Salem. He also emphasized a lot about the architecture of various buildings in the town. The tour is about two hours and covers a lot of Salem so be sure you wear walking shoes.

James P.

Wonderful tour. Jay is very knowledgeable about Salem and gives great perspective to the history of Salem. Easy walking tour with beautiful views of Salem. Really enjoyed our tour and highly recommend Jay!

Morgan K.

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 corporation.

Allison H.

Loved this tour! Enjoyed the variety of history surrounding Salem that Jay provided, from the witch trials to the revolution to the golden age and everything in between. Jay was so sweet and knowledgeable about Salem history. It drizzled for about half the walking tour and Jay even gave us his own umbrella! Definitely recommend if visiting Salem and able to do a longer but more in depth walking tour.

Steven C.

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. Book it now!

Cindy D.

Jay was a great tour guide! Very detailed and attentive to every question we had. We got to see all of the very important staples in Salem. Don’t think twice, just book a tour with Jay!

Diane P.

My husband and I took a tour with Jay in October, and we had a great experience! Jay has spent a great deal of time conducting first-hand historical research on the Salem area, which gives him a unique perspective. He is intentional about sharing facts and anecdotes that give a well-rounded view of Salem that you would not find on a commercial ghost or witch tour. We left the tour with a solid understanding of the history, architecture, and contemporary makeup of Salem. I could not recommend this tour enough!