History Picks: 7 Ghost Tours That Bring America's Haunted History to Life

People often like to ask authors of haunted histories, “What’s the most haunted place you’ve ever been?”

Ursula Bielski, author, folklorist and founder of Chicago Hauntings Tours, says she doesn’t even have to think twice. To her, it’s Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, site of the infamous Civil War battle. 

“I’ve been all over the world but it’s Gettysburg, hands-down. There’s an electricity in the air,” she says. “You can feel it. You can feel there’s something there: literally, physically.” 

In her view, there isn't a tour that encapsulates that feeling better than Ghosts of Gettysburg. Mark Nesbitt, author of the nine Ghosts of Gettysburg books, structured the candlelit walks around stories he unearthed in his book research. The Ghosts of Gettysburg has been sharing stories of undead soldiers and ghostly hitchhikers since 1994. 

Over more than 400 years, St. Augustine, Florida, has amassed thousands of spooky stories. Founded by the Spanish in 1565, St. Augustine has a long history that today draws visitors to its Spanish moss-draped cemeteries and supposedly haunted sites.

GhoSt Augustine has been operating for more than 25 years, first as a ghost-hunting supply store and now as a tour company taking visitors on a wide variety of walks and rides. On the Para4ce tours, ghost hunters can even explore with K2 electromagnetic field (EMF) meters, or “ghost detectors,” to dive deeper into the area's haunted sites.

“The ghost stories and the history let you form a much deeper connection to the place,” says Mike Huberty, founder of American Ghost Walks, a ghost tour company. “You realize every city is cool, even if it’s not a media center, because it has these cool legends and stories.” 

American Ghost Walks offers tours in 10 states and U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Most recently, Huberty says, they added a tour based in Juno, Alaska. Huberty adds that sometimes the most unexpected places—he shouts out his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin—can deliver some of the most interesting ghost tours.

“If we can shine a light on the incredible characters that have lived in these places, it’s keeping the past alive and keeping the legends alive,” he says. “It’s helping people connect with the place in a special way.” 

A city like New Orleans is brimming with ghost stories—that means it’s also overrun with ghost tours of varying quality, says Troy Taylor, founder of American Hauntings Ink and author of more than 150 books on haunted history. He points out how even a single block in New Orleans—the corner of Royal Street on which the LaLaurie Mansion stands—can be a magnet for ghost seekers. 

“You could stand there in an evening and there will be maybe 10 or more tour groups, all at the same time, all telling a different version of the story,” he says.

But Bielski says serious tourists should look for a ghost tour that’s been around the longest. “That remains the difference: people who are doing original research versus people who are just piggybacking,” she adds. For her, that tried-and-true tour is Haunted History Tours, which has been in business since 1995.

Tour guide Peter Sinclaire has been leading visitors on The Original Santa Fe Ghost Tour since 1993. The city presents a valuable opportunity to hear stories of Santa Fe, New Mexico’s diverse haunted history. The tour includes ghost stories from the Mexican and European settlers, as well as legends heard from the Tewa-speaking Pueblo and other local Native American cultures. Ghosts featured in the tour include Julia Staab and La Llorona.

“So many different cultures have come through,” Bielski says. “These places where it’s all melded together, I have noticed there’s a very haunted history and culture. Santa Fe is another one of those histories and places.”

Bisbee, Arizona, may not be at the top of your destination bucket list, but Taylor says if you love ghost stories, bump this mining town-turned-artists’ colony to the top. “It’s got a great atmosphere,” Taylor adds. “It stuck with me.” 

In the late 19th century, Bisbee locals grew rich on copper mining, and the town’s Victorian architecture still remains as a symbol of Bisbee’s extravagant past. Today, sites like the Copper Queen Hotel and Oliver House are known as hotbeds of paranormal activity.

The Old Bisbee Ghost Tour, founded by longtime resident Renee Harper, brings to light local legends and stories gleaned from Harper’s own extensive research.

Paranormal enthusiasts are often drawn to Los Angeles for the Hollywood history. In this city famous for its car culture, Taylor recommends something a little different: taking a ride in a hearse with Grave Line Tours. The unconventional wheels make seeing the sprawling city much easier, of course, but the limited number of seats also creates a more intimate, “personal vibe,” he says.

“It was just one of those things where you got to see things that maybe you heard about but maybe didn't get to see firsthand,” Taylor adds. “And for me, personally, I knew a lot of the stories on it but I hadn’t actually seen some of the places firsthand and that, for me, made it stick out.” 

Different tours take riders up close to the sites of starlet mysteries, gangster shootouts and the Manson Family murders. The Grave Line website also invites visitors to join the Elizabeth Short Society, established in memory of the woman at the heart of the Black Dahlia murder case.