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The No. 1 cultural and historical tour in the U.S. is based in Salem, according to Tripadvisor users
The experience earned numerous accolades from the website.
A Salem experience has bewitched Tripadvisor users, ranking the best in the nation for cultural and historical tours.
The Needham-based travel site revealed its best travel experiences in the world for 2023 on Tuesday, and Salem’s History & Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour by Witch City Walking Tours ranked No. 1 in the U.S., No. 6 in the world for cultural and historical tours, and No. 3 in the U.S. and No. 23 in the world for top overall experiences.
“I’m so honestly excited and honored and humbled as well,” said Beth Crowley, owner and guide. “It’s absolutely amazing news.”
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Salem, famous for the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, welcomes more than half a million visitors in October for its monthlong Haunted Happenings.
The History & Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour, the company’s most offered tour, happens year-round and takes place several times a day, Crowley said. Participants meet at Salem’s Old Town Hall.
“What we love about this tour is that it’s a little bit of everything of Salem’s history and the Salem experience,” Crowley said. “A lot of tours will focus on just the witch trials or just ghost stories. We combine so our travelers will learn about our maritime history. They’ll also do a deep dive into the Salem witch trials of 1692. We’ll also expose them to three centuries of beautiful architecture as well. And ,of course, we throw in the spooky ghost stories.”
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Participants are also exposed to some “hidden gems,” Crowley said, or “little side streets that you would never find on your own.”
Throughout the tour, guests will likely learn previously unknown facts about Salem, she said.
“People walk away saying, ‘Wow, I didn’t realize the witch trials lasted a year, and I didn’t realize Salem was the richest seaport in the United States,” she said.
The two-hour tour costs between $25 and $31, and folks should book ahead on witchcitywalkingtours.com because the tour does sell out, Crowley said.
The tours include a maximum of 40 people and take place daily between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Two other New England tours made the list of top cultural and historical tours in the U.S: Hidden Histories Walking Tour in Portland, Maine by Portland by the Foot and Freedom Trail, Small Group Tour of Revolutionary Boston by Hub Town Tours ranked No. 12 and No. 16 in the U.S., respectively.
Check out Tripadvisor’s best travel experiences in the world for 2023.
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