Travel

A cultural and historical tour in Mass. just ranked No. 1 in the U.S. — again

It meets at Salem's Old Town Hall.

History & Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour is the best cultural and historical tour in America, according to Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor

By Kristi Palma

July 29, 2025

2 minutes to read

A Salem walking tour full of history and architecture has done it again.

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Tripadvisor recently revealed its best travel experiences for 2025, and Salem’s History & Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour by Witch City Walking Tours ranked No. 1 in the U.S. and No. 8 in the world for best cultural and historical tours. The tour has ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for three years in a row.

Salem is famous for the 1692 Salem Witch Trials and welcomes more than half a million visitors every October for its monthlong Haunted Happenings festival, billed as the largest celebration of Halloween in the world.

The History & Hauntings of Salem Guided Walking Tour, which was also named the No. 2 top experience in the U.S. by the Needham-based travel site, is offered year round, and participants meet daily 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,” Beth Crowley, owner and guide, told Boston.com. “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.”

Boston’s Freedom Trail. – David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Also on the list is Boston: Freedom Trail History Small Group Walking Tour, which ranked No. 6 (and No. 13 on the list of top family-friendly things to do in the U.S. and No. 15 for top experiences in the U.S.), and the Harvard University Campus Guided Walking Tour, which ranked No. 9.

Check out Tripadvisor’s list of best cultural and historical tours in the U.S.

While in Salem, travelers can also experience another top-rated tour on the water: Schooner Fame Sailing Tour in Salem ranked No. 18 on Tripadvisor’s list of America’s best sailing and day cruises.

Two other New England tours also made that list: Sightseeing Day Tour around Boston Harbor ranked No. 19, and Afternoon Grand Tour in Newport ranked No. 20. The No. 1 sailing and day cruise tour is the Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard First Lady.

Kristi Palma

Culture writer

Kristi Palma is a culture writer for Boston.com, focusing on New England travel. She covers airlines, hotels, and things to do across Boston and New England. She is the author of Scenic Six, a weekly travel newsletter.