Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote the 1851 novel that inspired the name of this attraction (and if you haven’t read the book since high school or haven’t read it at all, keep in mind that it’s scary). Visits to the rambling 1668 house are by guided tour. Hawthorne visited his cousin at this home as a young man and tours show off some of the details he included in the book—there’s a secret staircase!—and stories of what life in the 1700s was like. The modest home where Hawthorne was born has been moved to the grounds, and visitors are invited to poke around the period gardens that overlook the harbor. The house celebrated its 350th birthday in 2018.