10 Ghost Tours That Will Give Gays Goosebumps
Ghost tours offer an exhilarating and entertaining journey into the world of the mysterious and supernatural. Each location is steeped in its unique lore and legends such as the rich tapestry of ghostly tales in Honolulu, the eerie history of Newport, and the paranormal activity in cities with ties to Al Capone’s legacy, like Milwaukee and Philadelphia.
Vacationer Magazine pulled together this roster of spooktacular ghost tours that beckon the adventurous and the curious to immerse themselves in the spectral realms of each city. Whether you’re a skeptic or a true believer, these tours promise to leave you with a newfound appreciation for the supernatural and the rich history intertwined with it, too!
Mysteries of Hawaii Tours
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is steeped in supernatural lore, merging Hawaiian animism with European ghostly traditions to create the island’s mysterious charm. Eerie sites like Iolani Palace, Morgan’s Corner, Pali Lookout, Pearl Harbor, and more beckon the curious. Native Hawaiian storyteller Lopaka Kapanui leads the Mysteries of Hawaii Tours that invite participants to explore the island’s inexplicable narratives. For over two decades, Kapanui has shared stories passed down by neighborhood elders. for over two decades. His popular Ghosts of Old Honolulu tour is one of his popular tours, hailed as the best ghost tour in the nation by USA Today readers in 2021.
These ghost tours blend historical facts, urban myths, and eerie encounters, providing an informative and enjoyable journey. As a Native Hawaiian-owned and -operated business, Mysteries of Hawaii Tours provides an insider’s perspective on the island’s legends with unforgettable “experiences” that often promise ghostly encounters.
Haunted Encounters
Long Beach, California
The Queen Mary is a vessel with origins dating back to the Great Depression. In 1936, the ship embarked on her maiden voyage, symbolizing luxury and elegance. During World War II, the Queen Mary played a pivotal role as a troopship, earning her the moniker “Grey Ghost.” After retiring from active service in 1967, she found her new home in Long Beach, California, where she became a renowned attraction and event space known for paranormal activity.
Dive into the ship’s supernatural history with the Haunted Encounters Tour, a one-hour exploration into the ship’s paranormal residents and history, which includes infamous stories and well-known legends. For a more spine-tingling experience, take part in the Paranormal Ship Walk, an after-hours journey through rarely seen rooms and compartments, bringing the stories of past passengers to life.
The Grey Ghost Project, a scientific, evidence-based paranormal investigation, takes you on a three-hour exploration of the ship’s most active and restricted areas, allowing you to participate in interactive experiments and learn the legends of each site. Investigations are documented with video and audio recordings, and participants receive a digital copy of their investigation.
Visitors can also immerse themselves in a theatrical séance aboard the RMS Queen Mary called “57 Ghosts.” Seating for this supernatural connection is limited. Reservations are recommended to ensure an unforgettable experience with the Queen Mary’s supernatural inhabitants.
Shakers Original Ghost Tour
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Discover the dark and storied past of Shakers Cigar Bar, considered one of the most haunted bars in the nation. Located in Milwaukee’s Walker’s Point neighborhood, this building has seen a multitude of grim events. Dating back to 1894, the space has served as a Schlitz Brewery cooperage house, a bottling line for the ABC Soda company, a speakeasy owned by Capone himself during the Prohibition era, and even a brothel.
Join the Shakers Ghost Tour for a historically accurate journey through this haunted bar, where walls whisper the secrets of its history and the sordid stories of sailors, call girls, and corrupt politicians who once walked its halls. Sip on the signature Shakers Ghost Ale, Shadow People Lager, or Absinthe, while hearing spooky tales of the building’s unsettling past as you wait for the tour to begin.
You can even spend a night in the haunted penthouse and sleep in the infamous dead sex worker’s bed – a feat few dare to attempt. With a legacy including ties to notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and a location sitting atop what was once a cemetery, Shakers Cigar Bar offers a unique and unforgettable experience. The Shakers Original Ghost Tour is a 60-minute indoor tour. Check out the teaser video for their Shaker’s Virtual Ghost Tour Experience above.
Witches Brew Tours
New Orleans, Louisiana
Often celebrated as the most haunted city in the United States, New Orleans boasts a mystical history that keeps the spirits of the departed far from rest. In this enchanting place, Voodoo queens, self-proclaimed vampires, and Wiccan practitioners left their mark. It serves as the cinematic backdrop for occult-themed films and television shows like True Blood, Interview with a Vampire, and American Horror Story: Coven, giving rise to an abundance of walking tours that shed light on the city’s eeriest haunted sites.
Witches Brew Tours is a well-regarded name in the realm of supernatural exploration that specializes in captivating cemetery and haunted tours. With a decade of experience, they provide meticulously researched and expertly guided excursions that breathe life into the tales of ghosts, vampires, Voodoo, and the history of the French Quarter. Their 3-in-1 tour delves deep into the architecture and the life of the Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveau.
For those seeking more shivers and gruesome tales, the 4-in-1 or Adults Only tour unveils chilling stories of history and horror within the famous French Quarter. These tours promise an unforgettable adventure and a profound appreciation for New Orleans’ mysterious and macabre history. After your tour, be sure to pop into Café Lafitte in Exile for a nightcap. The ghosts of Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote have been reported as haunting the bar.
The Stanley Hotel Spirited Night Tour
Estes Park, Colorado
Nestled in the Rocky Mountain National Park, The Stanley Hotel offers an ideal Colorado retreat just over an hour from Denver. With 68 acres and 14 unique structures, the 110-year-old icon is a stunning year-round destination, especially after dark. Guided by an expert storyteller, The Stanley Hotel Spirited Night Tour uncovers the hotel’s enigmatic depths during a 60-minute walking odyssey. At $30 per person, each tour covers about a mile to a mile and a half, including indoor and outdoor spaces but excluding guest rooms. While the Stanley Hotel was not the filming location for The Shining, it inspired the novel and subsequent miniseries adaptation, adding to its captivating history.
Ghosts of Newport Tour
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, with its stunning coastline and Gilded Age architecture, harbors a concealed layer of ghostly tales within its 384-year-old history. Six eerie sites in and around Newport are rumored to be haunted, including the White Horse Tavern (America’s oldest pub), Purgatory Chasm, Belcourt of Newport, the Carey Mansion, Colt State Park in Bristol, and the Artillery Company of Newport, the nation’s oldest continuously operating militia, famous for its numerous paranormal phenomena.
Revisit the eerie past of Newport, Rhode Island, and embark on the Ghosts of Newport Tour. Guided by the soft glow of lantern light, these evening tours transport you to Newport’s oldest and most haunted sites, unveiling supernatural stories in this enchanting coastal town. As you wander through dimly lit streets, knowledgeable guides illuminate bone-chilling tales from locations like the Jailhouse Inn and Washington Square. Uncover ghost ships, crypts in graveyards, and more during this 90-minute journey, which operates rain or shine from May through October. Gather at the Newport Marriott’s Mainsail Restaurant and Skiff Bar to commence this spooky adventure to discover the city’s haunted secrets.
Philadelphia Ghost Tour
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Visit Historic Philadelphia to uncover the supernatural tales of those who walked the old streets before us. Explore eerie locales like Washington Square and Fort Mifflin, where lingering spirits evoke the past. Delve into ghostly legends at the Betsy Ross House and Eastern State Penitentiary, said to be home to the lingering spirits of former inmates. Whether you wander through eerie alleyways or visit museums with intriguing historical (and sometimes even haunted) exhibits, the city abounds with ghostly lore.
Embark on a 90-minute candlelight walking tour through one of America’s most historically and supernaturally rich cities with the Philadelphia Ghost Tour. Knowledgeable guides lead you on an intriguing journey through Independence Hall, Society Hill, and Washington Square, unveiling the spookiest spots in Philadelphia. This year-round tour, available nightly, is a must-do, so be sure to make your reservations. Wander through the back streets and concealed gardens where ghostly spirits, haunted houses, and eerie graveyards await after nightfall. The tour departs from Signers’ Garden at 5th & Chestnut.
Richmond Ghosts
Richmond, Virginia
Discover Richmond’s dark and intriguing past with Richmond Ghosts, a chilling tour that unveils the city’s most compelling hauntings. The tour delves into the tumultuous history of River City, offering captivating tales of murder, mayhem, and tragedy from Richmond’s past, leading to unexplained hauntings in the present. Explore some of Richmond’s most haunted sites, connected to historical figures like Patrick Henry, Benedict Arnold, Thomas Jefferson, and the legendary Ben Franklin, rumored to still wander the streets.
Focusing on Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom area, renowned for some of America’s oldest and most haunted locations, the tour immerses you in the rich paranormal activity of the city. The stories shared at each stop are rooted in historical events, local folklore, and eyewitness accounts. Many of which have been documented in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Richmond’s supernatural allure does not end with the ghost tours. Richmond offers a wealth of haunting tales, including the eerie Byrd Theatre and Hollywood Cemetery, guarded by a Newfoundland dog; the Byrd Park Pump House teeming with apparitions; and the Waverly House harboring the spirit of Benjamin Green. Richmond’s haunted history continues to intrigue and captivate those who dare to explore its eerie past. Tickets are $21 for adults and $12 for children under 13.
Savannah History & Haunts
Savannah, Georgia
Unveil the mysterious allure of Savannah, a famed haven for ghost hunters and supernatural aficionados. The city’s historic sites and cemeteries teem with ghostly phenomena. The Hamilton-Turner Inn, linked to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, hosts eerie happenings from unexplained laughter to moving billiard balls. The Marshall House, lauded by USA Today as a premier haunted hotel, harbors its dark past as a Civil War hospital and Yellow Fever treatment center, where apparitions wander, and faucets mysteriously turn on.
17 Hundred 90 Inn and Restaurant echoes with spirits, including a scorned woman. The Pirates’ House conceals a myriad of basement secrets, while The Kehoe House once haunted by stories of ghostly children, now stands as a charming bed and breakfast. Finally, Moon River Brewing Co. is the epicenter of Savannah’s otherworldly encounters, featuring a lady in white and mischievous spirits known for bottle-throwing and pranks.
Savannah History & Haunts offers a year-round, 90-minute outdoor historical ghost tour, guided by the eerie glow of candlelight. As a city that has witnessed war, executions, murders, diseases, and death, Savannah’s streets conceal the secrets and ghosts of its past. Accompanied by professional guides, get ready to explore the historic squares and cobblestone streets that bear the footprints of generations past.
A Ghostly Encounter
St. Augustine, Florida
The oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine is renowned for its ghost sightings, haunted houses, and eerie ambiance that persists throughout the year. If you are seeking ghostly experiences in this historic city, consider adding A Ghostly Encounter’s St. Augustine Ghost Tour to your itinerary. This 90-minute walking tour is an unscripted exploration of St. Augustine’s dark history, guided by licensed professionals who share generations-old tales of the city’s mysteries. Visit historical sites, including the Castillo de San Marcos, the City Gate, and the Tolomato and Huguenot Cemeteries, which are associated with paranormal phenomena. The tour accommodates all ages, offers wheelchair and stroller accessibility, and even welcomes well-behaved, leashed pets. Tours depart nightly from 12 Saint George Street, rain or shine, and reservations are strongly recommended.
Are you looking for more spooky content? Check out our Most Haunted Places in the World article here!
