Seeing Salem: Audio Tour from the Common to Pickering Wharf

30 min – one hour Free cancellation Private tour

Seeing Salem: Audio Tour from the Common to Pickering Wharf, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

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.

Private and Luxury Private Sightseeing Tours Audio Guides Cultural Tours Historical Tours Walking Tours Short term availability Weather Dependent - Low

At a glance

Duration: 30 min – one hour
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Audio guide: English
Written guide: English
Operated by: VoiceMap Audio Tours

Ages: Adults (6–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
Included: Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
Included: Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
Included: App for Android and iOS
Included: Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start

Not included

Not included: Smartphone and headphones
Not included: Transportation
Not included: Food and drink
Not included: Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour

Itinerary

Salem Common

Passing 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.
Stop 2

Passing 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.
Roger Conant Statue

Passing 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.
Nathanial Hawthorne Statue

Passing 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.
Stop 5

Passing 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.
Pickering Wharf

Passing 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.
Salem Maritime National Historic Site

Passing 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.
The Custom House

Passing 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.
The Derby House

Passing 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.
Narbonne House

Passing 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.
Stop 11

Passing 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.
Stop 12

Passing 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 point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

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.

Using your ticket

VOICEMAP CODE

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Please check your email at the address you provided when you made this booking. You've been sent an eight character code you'll need to redeem your tour.

This code can be used by every member of your party. If you've booked for three people, for example, three people can download this tour using the same code.

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS

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Once you've received your code, please follow these steps:

Install the VoiceMap Audio Tours mobile app

Create an account

Select Tour Codes from the menu, then select Enter Codes

Enter your code then select Download Now

PLEASE NOTE

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You can download the tour at any time, before or after your booking date. It’s best to download the tour before you set off for the starting point.

This tour follows a set route and includes turn-by-turn directions. It works best if you start it in the right place and follow the directions from one location to the next.

When the download completes, you’ll see a screen with a photo of the starting point and directions to it. The red start button will become active when you are at the starting point.

Remember to bring your own headphones, unless you have booked a driving tour.

SUPPORT

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For technical support and other queries, please email [email protected]