A ghost tour is an organized event that allows participants to learn more about the haunted history of a particular location.
There are different types of tours, ranging from family-friendly haunted tours to terrifying paranormal investigation tours.
If you are a beginner ghost hunter (who doesn’t want to get too spooky just yet) or have young children in your group, the former is going to be a better choice for you.
However, if you’re ready for a hands-on ghost hunting experience, look for a tour with a paranormal investigation component.
Reasons to go a Ghost Tour
You don’t have to believe in ghosts to take a ghost tour. In fact, they can be extremely informative and a lot of fun whether you feel the presence of other world spirits or not. Here are some reasons why you should take a ghost tour when you next get the chance:
- Not all of them will scare your pants off.
Many people don’t realize that ghost tours can be incredibly versatile. Some of these tours are actually fairly family-friendly – especially ones that focus on exploring history and lore rather than purposefully stirring up restless spirits.
If you are wondering if a particular tour is suitable for you and your group, don’t hesitate to contact the tour company and ask.
- It’s a chance to see hidden parts of a city
It doesn’t matter if you’re visiting a city or have lived there all your life, there will still be parts of the city that you don’t know about. This can seem surprising, but it’s true. After all, you’ll spend most of your time in the same area of the city, that’s where you live, work, and shop. Going on a ghost tour will give you the opportunity to discover hidden parts of the city that you never knew existed. That makes it a thrilling opportunity to increase your knowledge of the local area and gain some great new places to show friends.
- Tours are informative
A well-run ghost tour will give you a history of the area you’re touring. That means you’re going to find out facts about people in the past and the buildings you’re seeing. Of course, you can find these facts on the internet but, you probably won’t have the inclination to do so! If you’re visiting, or living, in a city it’s nice to know as much as you can about it. You never know when the information will be useful.
- An unforgettable hands-on experience.
If you want a more interactive experience, look for a tour that incorporates paranormal investigation elements. Instead of walking around the city listening to spooky stories, you will actually get to do some exploring and investigating yourself! During these tours, a paranormal expert will teach you about the fundamentals of paranormal investigation, as well as show you how to operate authentic ghost hunting tools like EMF meters.
- A chance to be a tourist in your own backyard.
You don’t have to go traveling to go on a ghost tour. Chances are, your town or city has a few dark secrets you don’t know about. Taking a local tour will let you experience your city in a completely different way. (It might also scare you away from your favorite bar or park. Consider yourself warned.)
- A wide range of choices – no matter where you are.
You don’t have to be in a large metropolis like San Francisco or New Orleans to go on a hunt for restless spirits. You can find paranormal investigation tours in cities and towns all across the country. Local historical societies often run these tours in small towns. Check out their websites if you’re unsure if your town has one!
- An insider look at the local culture.
The best-haunted tours are led by experienced local guides who know the ins and outs of their city. Their stories can give you a glimpse behind the curtain to provide unique insights into the history and culture of a particular city.
- Meeting new people
There is no doubt that ghost tours have become popular. Going on a tour doesn’t mean you’re going to make a new best friend. But, it does give you the opportunity to meet people and share stories
Types of Ghost tours
Ghost City Tours offers an array of haunted tours to fit anyone’s realm of sensitivities. But the tours vary according to the age and the taste of the tourist-
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Kid-Friendly Tours
Guided tours are a great way to learn more about the history and culture of a city. For kids, guided tours expose them to new places and personalities while also educating them about the history of an area and its people. This kind of historical learning expands a child’s understanding of the world and their place in it. Ghost tours can span the spectrum from terrifying to amusing. For families, an emphasis on the quirky and odd history of a place makes ghost tours fun and appropriate for little ones.
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Adult Only Tours
The adults-only tours are definitely not just limited to Pub Crawls, which allow for sharing in spirits of both the paranormal kind and the liquid kind. Sometimes sharing authentic and true tales involve notorious crimes, macabre and shady history, demented hauntings and demons, sinister tales, not-so-friendly spirits, as well as the darker side of human nature and the ghosts it leaves behind. The tour guides believe these topics are too much for imaginative young minds, so they save these tales for the more experienced. If you are sensitive to the aspects of murder and gritty stories of the past, then stick with one of the family-friendly tours, because this stop isn’t for you. But if you enjoy the likes of True Detective, Bones, CSI, FBI Files, and Paranormal Lockdown, you will enjoy the ride!
What to expect from a ghost tour?
Most ghost tours take place after sunset, so prepare for 1-2 hours of walking through the city after nightfall. During the tour, you’ll visit some of the most mysterious locations in the city, as well as get a haunted history lesson of a lifetime. Haunted tours have been known to stir up restless spirits, so you might experience strange sensations or hear inexplicable sounds during the tour. A haunted tour that’s focused on investigating paranormal activity will provide a more immersive, hands-on experience. Instead of simply taking a stroll through the city, you’ll learn the fundamentals of ghost hunting and explore some of the most haunted places using authentic paranormal investigation equipment.
What is the age limit for a ghost tour?
There is no age limit for a ghost tour. However, due to the intensity, some places don’t allow children under 13 to walk alone. Senior citizens are always welcome to enjoy the tour. But it is advisable if the person is having a chronic disease not to visit the scariest tours.
Scariest Ghost Tours in the US
On any ordinary day, the idea for a haunted ghost tour might seem silly. But when October rolls around, the daunting atmosphere takes a universal hold, and people can’t help but get into the spooky spirit. Thankfully, there are plenty of ghost tours in America for horror fans and paranormal lovers-
- New Orleans Haunted History Ghost Tour
New Orleans decimating paranormal history should have travelers running for cover, but instead, they are asking the town for more. And they get what they ask for in the form of the New Orleans Haunted History Ghost Tour.
There are over ten different terrifying options to choose from, but thankfully, you’re with a group. Each tour highlights New Orlean’s spooky history, including the tales of chilling cries from criminal Delphine LaLaurie’s tortured victims.
Cost – $24.49 per person
For booking click here.
- Ybor City Ghost Tour
Ybor City near Tampa, Florida might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of haunted ghost tours, but theirs is definitely one of the most terrifying. These historic streets are reputed with apparitional sightings, and visitors get to feel it for themselves during these tours. For anyone feeling particularly courageous, you can take your electromagnetic energy detector and venture off to find some ghosts of your own.
Cost- $20 per person
For booking- https://www.yborghosttour.com/.
- Ghost Walk Of Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg has treacherous tales of murder and loss from the past 100 years. Their ghost tours dig into the old folklore, with the guides even dressing the part of the historic tales. It takes hikers over an hour to get through this venture, so there is sure to be a sighting or two within your group. Attendees get their own EMF detector as well, which you can use if you think you can handle walking around Gatlinburg’s decrepit graveyards by yourself… at night.
Cost- $15 for adult
For booking- https://www.ghostwalkofgatlinburg.com/.
- Ghosts Of Charleston Tour
Charleston, South Carolina’s ghost tour is teeming with five-star reviews. Whether this means that guests were able to feel the essence of horror or they actually saw a spirit remains to be discovered. What is sure, however, is that the Ghosts of Charleston Tour is sure to raise up your goosebumps. The guides take their group on careful walks throughout the city, making sure to stop by those places most known for their ghostly sightings. The Unitarian Church Graveyard will be your final stop, where you can edge your way through the mass of 18th-century gravestones. The resting place is normally closed to the public, but this ghost tour gives you one-night-only exclusive access.
Cost- $35 adult and $23 children
For booking click here.
- Salem Witch Walk
The Salem Witch Walk offers a unique experience as you are taken on a ghost tour with actual paranormal investigators. This small town by the sea is famous for its tragic 17th-century witch trials that ended in the murder of innocent people.
It is said that many of these poor women still haunt the town of Salem to this day. See for yourself as you explore the original witch dungeon. There are even still tombstones of those fallen and of a trial judge at the Old Burying Point Cemetery.
Cost- $15 for children, $20 for adult
For booking click here.
- Gettysburg Ghost Tours
The Gettysburg Ghost Tours in Pennsylvania are so popular that the city decided to keep the attraction year-round. Named one of America’s top haunted tours, this exploration takes attendees to the site of the United States Civil War’s bloodiest battle. Lost soldiers have been sighted on these grounds for decades and this ghost tour helps to draw them out. You can take part in the less torturous wine walk where you will just learn the history of the Battle of Gettysburg. For the braver souls in your group, however, there is an interactive ghost hunt led by a paranormal professional who will help you communicate with the undead.
Cost- $20 per person
For booking- https://www.gettysburgbattlefieldtours.com/ghost-tours/.
- Haunted Haight Walking Tour
San Francisco’s Haunted Haight Ghost Tours are known to be one of the top rates and scariest excursions in California. Guests must be prepared to listen to the city’s most morbid stories for the entirety of the two-hour journey. Not only will you hear about mass murderers and paranormal sightings, but you will be taken to the bay’s most excruciatingly terrifying locations.
Cost- $15 for children, $20 for adult
For booking- https://hauntedhaight.ticketspice.com/hauntedhaightwalkingtour.
- Sheriff’s Ghost Walk Tours
St. Augustine’s historical significance has graced it with popularity when it comes to haunted beings. This seaside town in Florida hosts the famously spooky Sheriff’s Ghost Walk Tours. The tour explores the streets and cemeteries of Old Saint Augustine while trying to dissolve the mystery of whatever happened to Sheriff Guy White. This trail has paranormal sightings on almost every tour, with pictures on their website to prove it!
Cost- $20 per person
For booking- http://sheriffsghostwalktours.com/.
- Haunted Savanah Tours
Savannah, Georgia has earned its name as America’s most haunted city. The Haunted Savanah Tours explores haunted mansions and lost cemeteries, but they won’t start until after dark. Hell Hounds are said to guard the cemetery and professional ghost hunters have been able to obtain unexplained voices with their equipment. There are statues throughout the cemetery that are said to move around or completely disappear altogether, too!
Cost- $25 per ticket
For booking click here.
- Haunted Heartland Tours
Owned and operated by paranormal researcher Sherri Brake, the Haunted Heartland Tours provide an experience that you might not want to return for. There’s a reason why people find this to be one of the scariest ghost tours in America. The West Virginia ghost hunt is probably the most popular, as it takes place inside the West Virginia Penitentiary. As if staying inside an old jail cell weren’t enough, attendees will actually stay the night here. The 1886-built prison used to be called “Bloody Alley” after over 90 executions were held here by hanging or the electric chair. This ghost tour allows fifty people to join Sherri on the massive paranormal research and hunt to get in touch with the edifice’s former prisoners.
Cost- $15 per adult
For booking click here.
Kids friendly ghost tours in the USA
Here is the list of top 5 kids friendly ghost tour if you are planning to visit next with your family-
- Hocus Pocus Tours — Salem, MA
Reviewers agree that guide Susan at Hocus Pocus Tours is a captivating storyteller and her tours are engaging for the whole family. Tour highlights include Salem’s Old Jail along with the Witch Trial Memorial. Attendees will learn about the Salem Witch Trials and visit filming locations from the 1993 movie Hocus Pocus. As long as your kids are up for a 90 minute stroll around historic Salem and a little witch trial history, this tour is family friendly and educational.
Cost: Adults $17, Children 5–12 $10
- Ghost Talk Ghost Walk — Savannah, GA
On Ghost Talk Ghost Walk you’ll be treated to stunningly strange tales and beautiful antebellum architecture in Savannah’s historic district. Guides weave local legends with investigations from Duke University and recent interviews with Savannahians. Billed as light-hearted and educational, this tour is fun for the whole family.
Cost: Adults $10, Children under 12 $5
- Wateriders Ghosts and Gangsters Tour — Chicago, IL
You’ll see Chicago from an entirely different angle on this guided kayak tour. While navigating the Chicago River, paddlers will learn about the city’s rich and often infamous history. It’s a family-friendly tour that we think would be suitable for little ones three and older. But parental discretion is always advised. Preschool-aged kids will need to be content riding in a kayak with you and taking in the city lights at night. The tour includes life jackets and a quick kayaking tutorial.
Cost- Adults $65, Children under 16 $45
- Spooky French Quartour Kids Tours — New Orleans, LA
French Quartour Kids is the passion project of owner/operator Jill Dresser. With a Masters Degree in Education, Dresser’s tours are designed for kids 5–10 years old. Kids will learn about New Orleanian history, Voodoo spells, ectoplasm, and ghost detectors. But don’t worry, “This kid-friendly NOLA tour is not designed to keep kids up at night but just to make them wonder, ‘What if…’
Cost- Adults $17, Children 4–18 $20
- Beyond Bizarre Ghost Tour — Portland, OR
Beyond Bizarre Ghost Tour is operated by certified members of the International Ghost Hunters Society and is not a theatrical performance. Guides will demonstrate how paranormal investigations work using real equipment and techniques. Attendees will learn about the seven different types of hauntings and how to use an electromagnetic field meter. The 6 p.m. all-ages tour is family friendly.
Cost – Adults $23, Children 5–10 $9
