Hocus Pocus Tours

Susan started conducting tours of Salem Massachusetts in the late 1990s, since then she has taken thousands of visitors on tour. She is a leading local contributor to an all important effort to preserve and protect Salem's history. Her earliest preservation effort can be traced back to 2002 when she co-created a spectacular tour of Salem's waterfront district. Her leadership in the preservation movement continued in 2003 when she co-created the original Hocus Pocus Tours walking tour, which she envisioned as a fun and whimsical way to experience Salem's most heroic and harrowing moments. Since then, she has regularly redeveloped the tour, which is now in its sixth version.

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Nightly, she brings Salem alive with her storytelling expertise. Visitors have been enchanted with her depth of knowledge, passion for the city, and limitless patience in explaining all of Salem’s intricacies and nuances. She particularly enjoys highlighting the historical significance of the Lapin Park area (the intersection of Washington and Essex Streets) where today the Bewitched statue of Samantha Stevens (Elizabeth Montgomery) stands. S he was instrumental in developing a new analysis of her favorite and final stop Salem's Witch Trials Memorial. This new interpretation has inspired and touched countless visitors since its debut, as it is a powerful and moving addition, leaving her guests with a deeper understanding of the Witchcraft Hysteria.

 

Susan's love for the history of Salem encompasses more than just the hysteria itself, she will share with you her expansive knowledge of Salem's maritime industry, stories about Salem's most famous son Nathaniel Hawthorne, show you the city's beautiful architecture, as well as Salem’s darker side, which still casts deep shadows across the city's three hundred plus years of history.

 

Susan is happily married to Richard Metzger, who has more than 35-years experience in the travel and tourism industry. Rich provides his knowledge of the city nightly as well as helps Susan and their guests navigate Salem’s historical streets. They are most proud of their son, Michael, who holds a B.A. in history with an early America focus, a M.A. in education administration, and is working towards a Ph.D. in educational leadership. Michael regularly supports Susan and Richard in conducting research and guiding tours.