Salem 1630: Pioneer Village
Salem 1630: Pioneer Village
3.5
About
Established in 1930, this recreated fishing village was one of America's first living history museums.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Top ways to experience Salem 1630: Pioneer Village and nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
331 within 3 miles
Attractions
229 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
3.5
139 reviews
Excellent
52
Very good
30
Average
18
Poor
12
Terrible
27
Jen
Mount Eden, KY10 contributions
Sep 2020
From the pictures I have seen from various places to check out in Salem such as the witch house/museum and the gable house for short, I was overall a bit disappointed. I liked it in the fact that there are numerous restaurants and witch stores to really give the visiting folks the witchy vibe but the town does the opposite. There is trash everywhere going into and out of the town. The roads are awful. Full of potholes. They are horribly uneven with horribly marked lane markers for driving. Also the very overwhelming amount of modernization that has come to the town has ruined the actual mystery and the ambience that the town probably once had, but now it overshadowed by enormous modern hotels and parking garages. The houses that are on the trip as a must see are overshadowed by the ugliness of the town and to me, it ruined the trip so much so that I probably won't go back. If you like shopping and eating, you would like it. If your a history buff trying to get the experience of going to a location rich with the history your trying to connect to, you'll be disappointed as it feels bulldozed and destroyed over by modernization. Sad part about it is, I heard other folks who were visiting saying the same thing, as we were waiting in line to get into one of the stores. The pictures of the town are misleading. Sure there is a spooky looking house but next to it is a trash pit or a busted up parking lot. Gallows hill is now underneath a Walgreens, if that gives you any insight.
Written September 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ae1389
39 contributions
Jul 2021
On my fourth trip to Salem, I figured I'd try again to gain entry to the elusive Pioneer Village. No such luck. On Friday, the were open but hosting a kid's summer camp. They are only open on Saturdays and Sundays. Opening time was around 12-ish. Eager to finally visit, we're disappointed to learn that they're only taking cash admission that day due to their website "acting funny." After driving 14 hours and spending five days in town already, we were tired of driving around and weren't about to go out and find an ATM on a blazing hot day with plenty of mid-day traffic already piling up. Admission was $5, for those who dare *try* to enter.
Written August 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SkateGirl314
Cumberland, RI492 contributions
Oct 2020
It is only a $5 entry fee and it is interesting however there is no signage explaining anything of what you are looking at. We just went to see the opening of Hocus Pocus and Zachary Binks 'house' from the movie. I am not sure if there are usually tours but because of COVID you basically just entered the area and walked around and could go into some of the houses.
Written November 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lovefood
Dallas, TX193 contributions
Oct 2022
Everyone should come here on their visit to Salem.
I appreciated the distance as we had no crowds on a October weekend afternoon. The fall foliage around the village and surrounding houses are also gorgeous so highly recommend a walk and sit to take it all in!
The village is fascinating. I loved visiting "Binx's home", but also learning about the pioneers and more importantly, the Naumkeag tribe. This indigenous tribe was way more progressive than the pioneers, letting their women vote and own property. I'm glad the village focused on the tribe as well as I would NOT have wanted to live as a pioneer woman.
Learning about indigenous history is so important and I am glad this village is contributing to that as well as letting you learn about pioneer history as well.
I appreciated the distance as we had no crowds on a October weekend afternoon. The fall foliage around the village and surrounding houses are also gorgeous so highly recommend a walk and sit to take it all in!
The village is fascinating. I loved visiting "Binx's home", but also learning about the pioneers and more importantly, the Naumkeag tribe. This indigenous tribe was way more progressive than the pioneers, letting their women vote and own property. I'm glad the village focused on the tribe as well as I would NOT have wanted to live as a pioneer woman.
Learning about indigenous history is so important and I am glad this village is contributing to that as well as letting you learn about pioneer history as well.
Written October 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beth F
3 contributions
Jul 2022
This "heritage village" in Salem, with buildings dating back to its earliest days, could be so much more! Please go and see it. What they do have is incredibly interesting. For only $5, which I pray is being put towards building the place up, you can see what little they have. There are 4-5 buildings, with only 2 open for viewing. One incredible lady was working, and answering everyone's questions.
If they city/state were to invest in this it could be so much more! Also, I know the indians played an important role, but the village is about the pioneers and how they survived. Maybe make a separate section for the Indians. I kind of felt that they were pushing the Indian theme over the pioneer piece. Just my thoughts.
If they city/state were to invest in this it could be so much more! Also, I know the indians played an important role, but the village is about the pioneers and how they survived. Maybe make a separate section for the Indians. I kind of felt that they were pushing the Indian theme over the pioneer piece. Just my thoughts.
Written August 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JessMDob
Perkasie, PA42 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
The location is far away from main Salem so the crowds aren't as bad but it's only open on the weekends. The tickets are $5 a person without any fees when you buy online and you could purchase them there as well. As one of the cheaper attractions in Salem brace yourself. Its nestled in a park and seems to share the grounds with a YMCA camp so half of the town is historic homes while the other is kids camping stuff. You can go into about 3 of the houses there. They are not very well preserved or kept. The info signs around were sparse and need to be updated. The hocus pocus house was the reason that we stopped. There was a line to take a picture in front of it as you could not go in the actual house. There were no actors or any person giving any information in addition to the signage, the only employees were the ones checking tickets. If seeing the hocus pocus house is worth the entry fee then go for it because there isn't really much else to see. I had more fun going to the beach of the park and picking shells.
Written October 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jaclyn S
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Family
This was the worst place I have ever been sheep-herded into. After waiting behind 900 people to get in, we walked at a snails pace, single file, because there is only one path through. Good news if you like mud, the path is sopping sliding mud with some hay thrown on top. You can barely get into the houses because again, 900 people deep lines. And once you've kind of sort of glanced in the general direction of a building, you dead-end, then fight your way against incoming masses because good news again, you exit on the same mud path. Why they don't think to make a loop is beyond me. We stepped across the path into the hillside and weeds just to get 3 incges of space to exit where a ticket taker with his crack showing helped by yelling at us. We promptly left. God forbid things operate sensibly and efficiently when you can just trap a bunch of strangers in 6 square feet of space together for the low price of $5/head. It might be the cheapest thing to do in Salem, buy it's also the worst. I'd give negative stars if I could.
Written October 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex
Danbury10 contributions
Oct 2022 • Solo
It was cute, short but cute. It really gives that hocus pocus feel specially during fall season. Its very very small so it took me 10 min to see it.
TIP #1 : if you come before it opens, you don’t have to stand in line for that long. So you don’t need to be standing in line for 40 min before they open. The line goes so fast that you will get in under 10 min.
TIP #2: Bring CASH! Just in case. I came in the morning and their online ticket purchase link wasn’t working and I didn’t bring cash. I had to come back later with cash and by the time i got there, their link was working again. I wasted time.
TIP #1 : if you come before it opens, you don’t have to stand in line for that long. So you don’t need to be standing in line for 40 min before they open. The line goes so fast that you will get in under 10 min.
TIP #2: Bring CASH! Just in case. I came in the morning and their online ticket purchase link wasn’t working and I didn’t bring cash. I had to come back later with cash and by the time i got there, their link was working again. I wasted time.
Written October 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eileen C
43 contributions
Jul 2023 • Friends
Let me start with I am a Hocus Pocus fan so right from the start I was excited. Some scenes were filmed on the location.
I love being able to see replicas of where/how people lived back in the late 1600s. They had little bits of history/information around the sites. It's definitely worth the $5.00
I love being able to see replicas of where/how people lived back in the late 1600s. They had little bits of history/information around the sites. It's definitely worth the $5.00
Written July 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tessa M
Hunlock Creek, PA241 contributions
Oct 2023 • Friends
Nice place to go especially if you’re a Hocus Pocus fan! It’s $5 per person admission (easier to pay in cash). Line to get in went quick. You can’t go in Binx’s house, but you can get a picture outside of it. You can go into other houses. The village is a work in progress, but it was interesting to see the way of life many years ago. We walked from the town of Salem and it was only about 30-40 minutes. We stopped at Max and Dani’s house on the way, which is only five minutes from Pioneer Village. We’re happy we made the trip!
Written October 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Will be visiting Salem in May. I know that the Pioneer village doesn't open until June. I'm wondering if even though tours aren't operating in May, is it still possible to walk around the grounds?
Written April 22, 2024
We are planning a day trip to Salem next week. Friday, Aug 9. I've been on the site and read some reviews. I noticed there are tours for Saturday and Sunday. Will Pioneer Village be open Friday any chance? I'm a huge Salem/ hocus pocus fanatic and would like to experience some of the historical/ filming sites. Any information is helpful. Thank you
Written July 30, 2019
They are only open Saturday and Sunday. That's according to the website, but the day I went there, I waited for almost two hours and nobody showed up to unlock the gate. I called the number on the website and it rang into the Witch House, but all I got was a recording. Nobody answered to explain why it wasn't open.
Good luck.
Written July 31, 2019
Danforth Art
Framingham, Massachusetts
Are dogs allowed in the village events?
Written October 15, 2018
I used to go there as a child, growing up in Peabody. Wondering if the giant rock slide and or stone pool were still around?
Written October 8, 2018
l0ul0u40
Longueuil, Canada
Bonjour,
je vais visiter Salem ce week-end et je voudrais savoir si les petits chiens sont acceptés pour visiter le village des pionniers?
Written August 15, 2017
Showing results 1-6 of 6
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing