Salem Witch Trials Self-Guided Audio Tour

Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app, which will function as your personal tour guide, audio tour, and map all in one. Once downloaded, this harrowing tour begins at 1 New Liberty St, Salem, MA. From there, you walk to the 1692 Memorial, where the victims of the witch panic are memorialized. Here, you’ll get to know many of the key figures who were swept up by the plague of fear and paid the ultimate price. Next, you’ll see the Old Burying Point, where many of the trials’ victims and aggressors were laid to rest. As you walk through the gravestones, listen to the tragically heroic tale of Giles Corey, a man who refused to bow to the nightmare overtaking his town and was immortalized in The Crucible. After that, you’ll pass by some of Salem’s spookiest architecture, including the Joshua Ward House and the Old Town Hall. You’ll also hear of the secret tunnels that run beneath some of these buildings, many of which still exist today! Continue past the old jailhouse, where innocent people were subjected to cruelty so terrible that some suggest their spirits never really left. By this point, you’re bound to think some of these things look familiar, so it’s time to hear about Hollywood’s many forays into Salem, including hits like Hocus Pocus and Bewitched. On your way back, you’ll pass by the Witch Museum and hear about how all the madness finally ended. The final stop is Salem Common, where you’ll discover some things you probably didn’t know about the aftermath of the trials. But your tour doesn’t have to end there! If you want to keep the adventure going, you can continue toward the House of Green Gables. Along the way, you’ll hear all about author Nathaniel Hawthorne and his family's connection to the witch trials, plus a few extra stories about some 18th-century kidnappings! The tour also features an additional optional detour to a few more landmarks, like the Witch House, the Ropes Mansion, and Hamilton Hall. There’s no shortage of things to see on this walking tour of Salem, so buckle up your boots (and your Pilgrim hat) and get to walking!