The Rise of Ghost Tours and Haunted History. A historic haunted house illuminated by eerie lights on a dark night.
Ghost tours have become a travel channel staple. Shows on networks like Travel Channel (and countless YouTube channels) regularly feature ghost hunts and haunted locales, fueling the public’s fascination.
On spooky evenings across the country, curious travelers join ghost tours to walk in the footsteps of legends and hear ghost stories that send shivers down the spine. These tours blend folklore, paranormal investigation, and local history into chilling tales told right where the events unfolded.
With lanterns in hand, tour guides lead groups down moonlit lanes and through old cemeteries, sharing tales of spirits and unexplained mysteries. It’s an entertaining and informative way to discover a city’s past – from tragic events to eerie legends – all told under the veil of night.
In recent years, almost every historic town now offers some form of haunted history walk or ghost hunt experience. Many guides are passionate locals who weave in facts and firsthand accounts, making the experience not only spooky but also amazing in its breadth of history.
You might find yourself exploring an abandoned hotel corridor or a moss-draped graveyard while listening to stories of ghostly apparitions and strange supernatural events.
Families, skeptics, and thrill-seekers alike come together on these haunted walks – often surprised by how informative and entertaining they are. On some tours, participants even get to use EMF detectors or other ghost-hunting gadgets, blurring the line between a casual evening walk and a paranormal investigation.
As night falls, America’s most haunted locations truly come alive. From the cobblestone streets of New Orleans to the battle-scarred fields of Gettysburg, each city’s haunted history is unique, yet all share one thing: ghost stories that refuse to die. Below, we journey through a few of the country’s most mystery-laden destinations – places where spirits roam historic buildings and every street corner has a spooky story to tell.
Join us for a travelogue of America’s premier ghost tour cities, and get a glimpse of the eerie, the inexplicable, and the downright chilling.
Types of Paranormal Experiences
Paranormal experiences can take many forms, and our ghost tours offer a unique opportunity to explore the most haunted locations in the US. From ghost sightings and unexplained noises to inexplicable cold spots and eerie feelings, our tours will take you on a journey through the world of the paranormal. Some of the types of paranormal experiences you may encounter on our tours include:
Ghost Sightings: Imagine walking through a dimly lit corridor of an old mansion and catching a glimpse of a shadowy figure out of the corner of your eye. Our tour guides have reported numerous ghost sightings, ranging from fleeting shadows to full-bodied apparitions that seem almost lifelike. These encounters are often the highlight of our ghost tours, leaving visitors both thrilled and spooked.
Unexplained Noises: The creak of a floorboard, the distant sound of footsteps, or a whisper that seems to come from nowhere – these are just some of the unexplained noises you might hear on our tours. Such sounds can be attributed to a variety of paranormal causes, adding an extra layer of mystery to the haunted locations we explore.
Inexplicable Cold Spots: Have you ever walked through a warm room and suddenly felt a chill that made your hair stand on end? Many of our tour locations are known for their inexplicable cold spots, which are often considered a sign of paranormal activity. These sudden drops in temperature can be both unsettling and fascinating, making you wonder if a spirit is passing by.
Eerie Feelings: Our tours often take place in locations with a dark history, and many visitors have reported feeling an eerie or unsettling atmosphere. Whether it’s a sense of being watched or a sudden feeling of dread, these experiences can make the stories of haunted history come alive in a very personal way.
New Orleans: Ghosts in the French Quarter
A dimly lit antique parlor in New Orleans, where a ghostly presence seems to linger by the fireplace.
New Orleans wears its haunted history proudly. With above-ground tombs, voodoo legends, and centuries of tragedies, it’s little wonder New Orleans is known as one of the most haunted cities in America. As the sun sets over the French Quarter,tour guides in period costumes beckon visitors into narrow, gaslamp-lit streets.
On a typical ghost tour here, you’ll hear chilling tales of the infamous LaLaurie Mansion – where a socialite’s horrific crimes gave birth to restless spirits – and the legend of vampires said to stalk the night alongside ghosts (after all, New Orleans has long blurred the line between fact and folklore).
One popular stop is St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, the resting place of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. Guides recount how visitors still leave offerings at her tomb, hoping to appease her spirit. In the heart of the Quarter, a guide might pause outside a Creole townhouse and lower their voice to a whisper.
You’ll lean in to catch a ghost story about a grieving phantom that plays piano in a deserted bar, or the mystery of unexplained cold spots in a ballroom where a past tragedy occurred. The atmosphere is thick with humidity and mystery, and even skeptics feel a tingle when the guide points out a second-floor balcony where a ghostly figure in a white dress is rumored to appear.
What makes New Orleans’ ghost tours especially memorable is the mix of history and spectacle. The city’s historichorrors – fires, floods, epidemics – provide plenty of factual backbone for the tales. But the tour guides, often lifelong locals with a flair for drama, ensure the spooky stories come alive.
They share personal anecdotes of strange occurrences: a guide might describe the night they heard disembodied jazz music playing in an empty courtyard, or saw the faint outline of a Confederate soldier’s spirit marching down Bourbon Street. These chilling tales are delivered with theatrical panache, equal parts informative and spine-tingling.
Visitors often find the tours amazing and fun, despite (or because of) the scares.
“It was an awesome experience – equal parts history lesson and goosebumps,” one traveler remarked after a late-night ghost walk through the French Quarter. Indeed, the blend of entertaining storytelling and real haunted locations – like the old Ursuline Convent rumored to hold dark secrets – leaves a lasting impression. By the end of a New Orleans ghost tour, you’ll have a deeper appreciation for the city’s haunted legacy and maybe a few sleepless nights ahead.
Savannah: Shadows of the South
The eerily beautiful streets of Savannah at night, where historic houses hide ghostly secrets.
Savannah, Georgia has a reputation as America’s most haunted city visitsavannah.com, and it doesn’t take long to see why. Beneath the Spanish moss draped on ancient oak trees, this Southern city’s genteel charm hides countless ghost stories.
An evening in Savannah might start innocently in one of its elegant squares, but as darkness creeps in, ghost tours set out to explore the city’s darker side. You’ll hear about the haunted history of the Sorrel-Weed House, where phantom soldiers and a tragic widow reportedly still lurk, and the Marshall House hotel, where guests have awakened to the sight of Civil War apparitions at their bedside.
From the historic Colonial Park Cemetery – where victims of yellow fever lie in mass graves – to the tunnels beneath the old Candler Hospital (home to tales of shadow figures), every stop on the tour has its own spooky story.
Tour guides here are often costumed in old-fashioned attire, spinning yarns of pirates, duels, plagues, and voodoo rituals that left spirits wandering the cobblestone streets. With each tale of betrayal or heartbreak, they build suspense before revealing the ghostly mystery that remains. It’s easy to get goosebumps when a guide points to an attic window and recounts how a ghostly child’s face has been seen peering out, waiting for her long-dead father to return.
One of Savannah’s most unique offerings is its Hearse Ghost Ride Tour, where visitors climb into a converted funeral hearse for a drive around the most haunted locations. Rolling through the darkened streets in this unusual ride, you might catch yourself glancing over your shoulder, half-expecting a spectral hitchhiker to join.
On walking tours, groups often end up at spots like Wright Square, listening for the faint cries of spirits said to linger after a famous wrongful execution. Some tours even venture into eerie mansions by candlelight. At the Sorrel-Weed House, for instance, late-night tours invite guests into the basement where people claim to feel sudden cold drafts or see flickers of light with no obvious source.
Despite the fright factor, Savannah’s tours are also fun and surprisingly educational. You’ll discover that many local legends stem from real historical events. The guides ensure you hear the factual background – murders, epidemics, war – behind these legends, revealing the amazing true stories that explain why these ghost stories endure. It’s this blend of truth and terror that makes Savannah’s ghost tours so compelling.
You’re not just getting jump scares; you’re gaining insight into how the past literally haunts the present. By tour’s end, as you stroll back to your hotel under the ancient oaks, you might agree that this city earns its title as “America’s Most Haunted.” And if you feel a sudden chill or see a fleeting shape in the shadows, well, that’s all part of Savannah’s haunting charm.
Salem: Witches and Restless Spirits in New England
A ghostly silhouette in Salem’s old burial ground, reminding visitors of the town’s tragic past.
Salem, Massachusetts is known worldwide for its 1692 witch trials, and the haunted history of those events still permeates the town. By day, Salem is a quaint New England community, but by night it transforms as tour guides lead lantern-lit walks through its narrow streets.
Many say Salem is one of the most haunted places in the country, thanks to its dark history of hysteria and injustice. On a ghost tour here, you’ll tread the same ground where innocents were accused and executed for witchcraft, and you’ll hear stories of the lingering spirits desperate to have their tales told.
A typical Salem ghost tour stops at the Old Burying Point Cemetery, where some of the witch trial judges are buried. Guides often ask the group to stand quietly among the crooked headstones and listen – some visitors swear they’ve heard the faint sobbing of Giles Corey (the man pressed to death for refusing to confess).
Down the street at the Samuel Pickman House or the Witch House (home of trial judge Jonathan Corwin), guides narrate chilling tales of unexplained knocks in the night and spectral figures roaming the halls. One spooky story recounts how every October, around the trials’ anniversary, candles in old homes flicker wildly as if unseen hands were passing by. The town’s very nickname, “Witch City,” promises plenty of mystery and supernatural intrigue.
What sets Salem’s tours apart is the blend of witch lore with classic ghost storytelling. You’ll delve into legends of curses and learn about sites like the Hawthorne Hotel, where a woman in period clothing is often spotted gliding through the corridors. Locals claim even modern shops along Essex Street have their resident ghosts – a colonial-era child who plays in a bookstore, a woman in a powdery wig browsing a boutique after closing time, and more.
Tour guides, many of whom are local historians, make sure the tales stay respectful to the real people who suffered during the trials. The result is an informative yet eerie journey that feels part history lesson, part supernatural sleuthing. Salem also offers some inventive ways to get your scare on, from haunted harbor cruises under the full moon to interactive ghost hunts where you can try using EMF meters in centuries-old buildings. Whether you join a private tour for a more intimate experience or a larger group walk, the guides ensure everyone experiences the thrills. They might even show you old newspaper clippings or photos as evidence of past paranormal encounters, adding credibility to the ghost stories.
By the end of a Salem night, as you pass under flickering gas lamps and the evening fog rolls in, you can’t help but feel that the spirits of 1692 – and many others – still roam these historic streets.
Gettysburg: Ghosts of the Civil War Battlefield
A foggy dawn at Gettysburg battlefield, where the ghosts of Civil War soldiers are said to appear among the gravestones.Few places in the United States have seen as much carnage in so short a time as Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
The three-day Civil War battle in July 1863 left an indelible imprint, and many believe the spirits of fallen soldiers never left. Gettysburg’s haunted history is palpable; visitors frequently report uncanny experiences on the battlefield, from phantom cries of wounded soldiers to life-like apparitions of uniformed figures fading into the mist. In a place with so much death and sorrow, it’s no surprise that many locations in Gettysburg are now believed to be haunted americanhauntingsink.com.
An evening ghost tour in Gettysburg typically begins in town, perhaps at the historic Farnsworth House Inn, which served as a Confederate sniper’s lair and later a field hospital. The inn’s attic is said to be haunted by the ghost of a sharpshooter, and guests have felt taps on their shoulders or seen a figure at the window. As you follow your tour guide through Gettysburg’s dark streets, you’ll hear about other notorious haunted locations: the orphanage where cruel Civil War-era deeds supposedly left restless souls, or the Gettysburg College dormitory that served as a makeshift hospital and where people have stepped into an elevator only to find it “opens” onto a scene from 1863. Each story ties back to the Battle of Gettysburg, painting a picture of a community so traumatized that its spirits cannot rest.
The battlefield itself is the centerpiece of Gettysburg’s ghost lore. Many tours take you to spots like Devil’s Den, a boulder-strewn area where soldiers clashed brutally among the rocks. Visitors here often feel uneasy, and cameras malfunction or capture strange mists.
Guides recount soldiers’ ghosts guiding lost tourists back to safety, or phantom drumbeats echoing at dusk. It’s the kind of chilling moment you might expect to see on a Travel Channel show – except you’re experiencing it in person under the open sky. Near the field where Pickett’s Charge took place, some have claimed to see the wispy figures of an entire line of troops appearing briefly before fading away. At Little Round Top, others describe encountering men in Union uniforms who vanish when approached. Gettysburg’s fields feel like one vast outdoor museum of the supernatural, where history and mystery intermingle on hallowed ground.
What’s striking is how informative Gettysburg’s ghost tours are – they double as history lessons. As you stand on Cemetery Ridge under a starry sky, your guide might recount how the battle unfolded, then segue into the mystery of why a particular farmhouse is always cold in July or why an old cannon sometimes seems to fire by itself.
You come away understanding the strategies and sacrifices of the battle, even as you keep an eye out for a flicker of movement in the distance that might be a lingering soldier. In fact, Gettysburg’s haunted battlefield is said to house “thousands of lost souls civilwarghosts.com, making it one of the most haunted locations in America by sheer volume of ghostly lore. By the end of the tour, as you walk back through the quiet town, you may find yourself looking at the land with new respect – and a touch of unease – knowing that if any place is truly haunted, Gettysburg might be it.
What to Expect on a Ghost Tour
Our ghost tours are designed to provide a unique and thrilling experience for visitors. Here’s what you can expect on one of our tours:
Expert Tour Guides: Our tour guides are not only knowledgeable but also passionate about the paranormal. They bring a wealth of information about the haunted locations we visit, sharing both historical facts and personal anecdotes that make the experience truly immersive.
Haunted Locations: We take you to some of the most haunted locations in the US, including abandoned asylums, haunted mansions, and creepy cemeteries. Each site has its own unique history and set of ghost stories, making every tour a new adventure.
Paranormal Activity: Our tours often feature real paranormal activity. From ghost sightings and unexplained noises to inexplicable cold spots, you’ll have the chance to experience the supernatural firsthand. These encounters add an element of excitement and unpredictability to the tour.
Spooky Stories: Our tour guides are master storytellers who will regale you with spooky stories and legends about the locations we visit. These tales, often based on historical events and local folklore, add to the atmosphere and excitement of the tour, making it both entertaining and educational.
Private Tour: For those seeking a more personalized experience, we offer private tours. This allows you to explore haunted locations with just your group and our expert guide, ensuring a more intimate and tailored experience. Whether you’re a seasoned ghost hunter or a curious skeptic, our private tours offer a unique way to delve into the paranormal.
By joining one of our ghost tours, you’ll not only explore some of the most haunted locations in the country but also gain a deeper understanding of the history and stories that make these places so intriguing. So, grab your flashlight and prepare for a journey into the unknown – you never know what you might encounter after dark.
Haunted America Coast-to-Coast
Even beyond the famous cities above, ghost tours thrive in nearly every corner of the country. Here are a few more haunted destinations where ghost tours and haunted history walks offer plenty of spooky fun:
St. Augustine, Florida – The nation’s oldest city, where nightly ghost tours guide you through the 17th-century Castillo de San Marcos fortress and down narrow streets teeming with colonial-era spirits. From the old city gates to historic inns, St. Augustine’s past is very much alive with ghostly sightings.
Charleston, South Carolina – Haunted by pirates, patriots, and tragic poets, Charleston offers ghost walks through its cobblestone alleys and creaky mansions. Don’t miss the Old City Jail tour, which delves into the mystery of prisoners from the Revolutionary War and Civil War whose spirits are said to still roam its dark cells.
New York City – Manhattan’s historic neighborhoods, from Greenwich Village to the Broadway theater district, have their share of ghosts. Ghost tours in NYC delve into chilling tales of lost actors lingering in old playhouses, Gilded Age mansions with spectral residents, and even the catacombs beneath the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral where spirits are said to roam.
Chicago, Illinois – From the site of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre to the halls of the Congress Plaza Hotel, Chicago’s ghost tours unveil gangland lore and Gilded Age hauntings. One of the Windy City’s most famous specters, ‘Resurrection Mary’, is often reportedly seen along Archer Avenue – and some tours even swing by the cemetery where this ghostly hitchhiker wanders. Visitors hear tales of Al Capone’s ghost, eerie events at Lincoln Park (once a city cemetery), and other haunted locations tied to the city’s tumultuous history.
San Francisco, California – Gold Rush-era ghost stories and Victorian mysteries abound. Popular tours explore the haunted streets of Chinatown and Nob Hill, including stops at the Queen Anne Hotel (rumored to have a resident ghostly headmistress) and the USS Hornet naval ship across the bay, known for its paranormal activity.
Tombstone, Arizona – In this legendary Wild West town, tour guides lead you through dusty saloons and the Bird Cage Theatre, where the ghosts of gunslingers and saloon girls remain. Tombstone’s violent past – gunfights, mining accidents, and lawless brawls – means the town is packed with legends and lingering souls from the 1880s.
Conclusion: Embracing the Spirits and Stories
From the mystery-filled bayous of New Orleans to the colonial graveyards of New England, the United States is home to an abundance of haunted locations and spooky stories. These ghost tours and haunted history walks offer a unique way to explore the nation’s past – through the eyes of the spirits and the voices of passionate tour guides. Each chilling tale shared on a tour is more than just a scare; it’s a piece of folklore and history being kept alive. The next time you travel, consider adding a ghost tour to your itinerary.
You’ll explore the destination in a whole new light (or rather, darkness), discover incredible stories that don’t make it into standard guidebooks, and maybe even have a paranormal encounter of your own.
If you crave more ghost stories, real-life paranormal investigations, and travel adventures with a supernatural twist, be sure to check out The Exorcista. Visit The Exorcista’s YouTube channel for videos of creepy stories and chilling supernatural investigations, and head to theexorcista.com for even more chilling content. Whether you’re a believer in spirits or just love a good spooky mystery, The Exorcista will fuel your fascination with the unknown.
Join us in keeping these haunted tales alive – after all, the next terrifying, amazing story might be your own. So, dare to take that next haunted tour, and remember to keep an open mind – you never know what you might encounter after dark.
