Well, before you do anything, make sure you have a good map. Not just any map, but a good one. Because a lot of the maps built into all the brochures are grossly inaccurate and confusing. In fact, if you can’t find something, ask someone—the people of Salem are actually very friendly.

The wax museum is a waste of time, but there’s a second leg of that tour you can take on its own I think, in the building directly across the street from the wax museum. It’s not a terribly long tour, and the props are kind of cheesy-looking, but the tour guides are all practicing witches and we learned a lot of stuff on that tour that we really never knew before about the origins of witchcraft and such.

The Salem Witch Museum (by the big statue) has an audio/visual exhibit which is a lot like watching a version of “The Crucible” with paper-mache actors. However, afterward there is a walking tour (brief, but very interesting) of how witchcraft started out and why the witch on a broom has over the years become most people’s idea of witchcraft… and what modern witchcraft is all about.

I’m sure there’s non-witch related stuff to do in Salem as well, but my mom and I focused only on that stuff so anything else I can’t really help you with.

Have fun, whenever you go!

Hello ,
Well I’ll tell you visiting all of the museums and the waterfront near Derby Wharf with some shopping and eating sums it all up mostly…and don’t forget to visit “Samantha” in the Center of Town the statue from Bewitched TV show .Many great resturants in and around the City and also some Historical Landmarks and Graveyards…There is also the Salem Willows Park but that is only operational in Spring & Summer Months April thru Oct.The camping at Winter Island Park via tent or Camper or RV is wonderful if you have the equipment.I have lived here all my life and still have not done all the things there are to do so in a nut shell just do what you can and like and leave the rest til another day…Don’t worry Be Happy and enjoy a stupendous day in Salem , Mass
Home of the Witches and Wonderful People..Go to the Visitors Center on the Essex St Mall to find your way around the City and take the Trolly Ride too. Enjoy !

There is a lot to see for just one day. But I supposed it can be broken out into three sections: witches, seaport, art.

First, I would start at the National Park Service’s Visitor Center on New Liberty Street. From there, you can get information, directions, advice. It is not affiliated with any business group or with the city, so don’t worry about “go here, I get a kick-back”.

Salem, Mass has long been linked with the infamous witch trials. In fact, its nickname is “Witch City”. Of course that means there are a large number of attractions for visitors. There are two stops that I would suggest: The Salem Witch Museum across from Salem Common, and one of the shops owned by witches such as on Essex St or in Pickering Wharf.

Shipping is what made Salem really famous. For a time, foreign ports thought Salem was its own country because of the number of ships coming from there, more than all the other seaports in early U.S. combined. The Salem Maritime National Site on the waterfront has buildings and wharfs from the era. And a full sized reconstruction of a 1797 cargo ship named Friendship. Learn about the first millionare in America (still one of the richest men in history, adjusted for inflation), Nathanial Bowditch the father of modern navigation, and about Nathanial Hawthorne’s job that inspired the Scarlet Letter.

And speaking of Salem’s favorite author, his book “House of Seven Gables” is based on an actual house owned by his cousin that he would frequently visit. You can visit the house, get the history of this 300+ year old home. The Peabody-Essex Museum has a lot to offer of art and artifacts brought back on the merchant ships from the East Orient. One remarkable part of this museum has been the addition of Yin Yu Tang, a brick-by-brick reerection of a south-eastern Chinese merchant’s home. A home that was in Huang family for over 200 years.

I hope that you enjoy Salem, Massachusetts.

1) Peabody Essex Museum
2) House of the Seven Gables
3) Old Burying Point
4) Essex street in October