Seeing Salem: Audio Tour from the Common to Pickering Wharf

Salem, USA
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Duration30m - 1h
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

Salem is one of America’s most storied cities. On this relaxing self-guided audio tour through the city’s historical heart, you’ll discover its enchanting past. You’ll weave past colonial architecture to see the city’s maritime heritage, and hear about its literary giants. The tour starts at the Washington Arch in Salem Common, the birthplace of the National Guard. You'll explore the city’s charming streets and waterfront before circling back to where the beloved movie Hocus Pocus was filmed. Along the way, you’ll hear fascinating stories about the characters who shaped Salem’s history – from Englishman Roger Conant, who established the settlement in 1626, to novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, whose legacy lives on in the city’s streets and buildings. As you walk, I’ll tell you all about Samuel McIntire, our most famous architect who was active in the late 1700s and early 1800s. I’ll also point out several examples of his work along the route.

What's included

  • Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
  • Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
  • Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
  • App for Android and iOS
  • Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start
  • Smartphone and headphones
  • Transportation
  • Food and drink
  • Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour

What to expect

  1. Salem Common
    Pass by
    Stroll into this sprawling green park, one of Salem's most beloved public spaces, where history has unfolded for nearly 400 years. This was the training ground of the first muster of the American National Guard, making it the very birthplace of a national institution.
  2. Pass by
    Pass beneath this modest but meaningful arch, erected to commemorate President George Washington's visit to Salem in 1789. It marks the starting point of the tour and sets the stage for the stories that follow.
  3. Roger Conant Statue
    Pass by
    Marvel at this striking nine-foot bronze figure of Salem's founder, standing watch near the edge of the Common. Erected in 1913, the statue depicts Conant in a broad-rimmed hat and flowing cape, grasping an oak tree Salempl, a symbol of the resilience that shaped this city from its earliest days.
  4. Nathanial Hawthorne Statue
    Pass by
    Enjoy this thoughtful bronze tribute to Salem's most celebrated author, seated on a moss-covered rock along the boulevard that bears his name. Hawthorne's connection to Salem runs deep, from his childhood here to his time working at the Custom House just down the road.
  5. Pass by
    Pass this marble statue of the Irish priest and temperance advocate, now amusingly surrounded by some of Salem's liveliest bars. It is a reminder of the waves of Irish immigration that shaped the city's social and religious fabric in the 19th century.
  6. Pickering Wharf
    Pass by
    Walk along this lively waterfront area where Salem's proud maritime heritage meets modern harbour life. It is the perfect place to pause, take in the sea air, and picture the merchant ships that once made this city one of America's wealthiest ports.
  7. Salem Maritime National Historic Site
    Pass by
    Explore this national park site right on the waterfront, preserving the wharves and buildings that drove Salem's extraordinary maritime trade. Derby Wharf stretches out into the harbour here, offering one of the most atmospheric views on the entire tour.
  8. The Custom House
    Pass by
    Pass this handsome Federal-style building where Nathaniel Hawthorne once worked as a surveyor, an experience that directly inspired the introduction to The Scarlet Letter. The building still stands largely as Hawthorne would have known it, making it one of the most tangible literary landmarks in America.
  9. The Derby House
    Pass by
    Marvel at this elegant brick mansion built for Elias Hasket Derby, the country's first recorded millionaire, whose fortune was built entirely on maritime trade. It is one of the oldest surviving brick buildings in Salem and a quiet testament to the extraordinary wealth the sea once brought to this city.
  10. Narbonne House
    Pass by
    Stroll past this weathered timber-framed house, one of the most quietly remarkable on the tour. A single family occupied it for over 200 years, making it a rare and intimate window into everyday colonial life in Salem.
  11. Pass by
    Pass this striking Federal-period merchant's house, part of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site complex along Derby Street. It stands as one of the finest examples of the architectural style that defined Salem's prosperous merchant class in the late 18th century.
  12. Pass by
    Enjoy a stop at this award-winning craft brewery, a fitting landmark in a city with deep traditions of local craftsmanship. It makes for an ideal post-tour destination, where Salem's history and hospitality come together in a glass.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

This tour starts at Salem Common / Washington Arch. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.

End point

This tour ends at the National Guard Monument.

Additional information

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts
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  • You'll choose your date and travelers and pay on viator.com. Prices vary by date, group size and option.
Operated by VoiceMap Audio Tours · Booked through Viator
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