Whether you’re a pumpkin spice person or not, spooky season is upon us. As we turn the corner toward Halloween, let’s see who’s lurking in the shadows of some of the South’s most haunted towns. A ghost tour is an entertaining and interactive way to learn about a place’s tumultuous history, whether you’re a paranormal believer or a skeptic. You may even meet some spirits (we mean drinks, too) along the way! Check out these 11 Southern ghost tours that are totally worth a drive.
Haunted Walking Tour
McDonough, GA
This small Georgia town was the site of a deadly train crash in 1900. Many restaurants and shops in the town square served as branches of the city morgue after the historic Camp Creek Train Wreck, and some people say they can still hear phantom trains. Explore McDonough’s haunted buildings, which have been featured on several history shows, as you take a lantern-led walk through historic downtown McDonough and soak in the stories of the souls who are said to still patronize the town. You’ll also hear first-hand accounts of recent sightings and interactions from townspeople. Adults can opt for the more extended Haunted Pub Crawl to enjoy some spirits of the cocktail kind while learning even more fascinating history.
Tours happen year-round on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. They are $25 for adults and $17 for kids under 12 and seniors over 60. Book your tickets here.
Savannah Ghostwalker Tour & Ghost Hunt Experience
Savannah, GA
Savannah, GA, has long been home to ghost sightings, spooky folklore, haunted homes, creepy cemeteries, and bloody battlefields. Deemed the most haunted town in America by some, Savannah has nearly 50 ghost tour options. But this one has a twist. It’s the smallest ghost tour offered, no alcohol or kids are allowed, and guests get to use a real K2 electromagnetic field meter to look for spirits with expert guides. Visit Colonial Park Cemetery, the “Hanging Tree,” and the most haunted squares, homes, and businesses — all with a dose of true Savannah history and legends.
Year-round tours start at 9 p.m. and last two hours. They’re $30 and can be booked here.
Waverly Hills Sanatorium
Louisville, KY
Now Louisville’s most visited haunted house, Waverly opened in 1910 to treat tuberculosis, but tragedy after tragedy befell the isolated hospital and its patients. After it reopened in 2001, the building was purchased and restored, but the souls of its tortured past still remain. You can take a paranormal ghost tour, experience their all-out Halloween season, or stay overnight … if you dare.
Two-hour Paranormal Tours run three times per night and are $39. There are other daytime tours, private investigations, stay-the-night options, and themed tours available here. Waverly is open year-round.
The Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington
Wilmington, NC
An original Southern port on the Cape Fear River, Wilmington was settled in the early 1700s. Many of its historic homes, buildings, and structures survive today — along with, some say, the souls of previous two- and four-legged residents. Wilmington’s history is peppered with acts of brutality, devastating epidemics, raging infernos, wartime occupations, and slavery. This unsavory history has made it one of the most haunted cities in America. This expert-led walking tour explores some of Wilmington’s most actively haunted homes and burial grounds, plus creepy alleyways and nooks with stories you won’t hear anywhere else.
Tours vary nightly and happen year-round at 6:30 p.m. There is also a second 8:30 p.m. tour from March through October. It’s $17 for adults and $15 for kids. Read more and plan your tour here.
The Death & Depravity Tour
Charleston, SC
Beneath the beautiful mossy oak trees and cobblestone streets of idyllic Charleston is a history that’s endured wars, slavery, and natural disasters of all kinds. Despite Charleston’s blossoming prosperity and culture, ghosts, haunted places, and folklore are everywhere. There’s no shortage of spooky tour options in Charleston, but this particular adults-only tour uncovers the seedier side of Charleston’s history that is often ignored — from brothels to gruesome true crime to just-plain-bizarre encounters. It’s not for the faint of heart!
Year-round tours begin at 10 p.m. nightly and are $35. Book yours here.
French Quarter Ghost, Voodoo, Vampire Tour
New Orleans, Louisiana
Hauntings, spirits, and paranormal activity have been documented in New Orleans for over 400 years, often at some of the city’s oldest and most famous buildings. As you meander the beautiful streets of the French Quarter, you’ll learn the truth about voodoo and the infamous Voodoo Priestess Marie Laveau; get to know the world’s oldest vampires who hung around New Orleans in the roaring 20s; and hear the real story behind Kathy Bates’ character in American Horror Story: Coven, the infamous Madame Delphine LaLaurie. The tours are packed with tips, tales, and little-known facts about New Orleans’ music, food, architecture, culture, famous neighborhoods, and more.
Year-round tours run throughout the evening and are 90 minutes long. It’s $28 for adults, and $25 for children, seniors, students, and military. Witches Brew Tours offers many themed tours, and you can see them all here.
Sherriff’s Ghost Walk
St. Augustine, Florida
Founded by Spanish settlers in 1585, St. Augustine claims the title of the oldest city in the United States. It’s also one of the most haunted. Meander the dark streets, stopping at haunted houses, bed and breakfasts, and old cemeteries for creepy, detail-rich stories sure to send a tingle up your spine. The Sheriff has been leading ghost tours in St. Augustine for over 25 years, and it’s largely reputed as the city’s most original and historically correct tour.
Year-round, the sheriff leads one tour a night at 8 p.m. Adult tickets are $20, and kids 12 and older are $10. Get more information and book your tour here.
Haunted Canoe Trip
Silver Point, Tennessee
This spine-tingling, after-dark ghost tour happens in and out of the water. You’ll explore a haunted former military base and hear some disturbing tales of supernatural sightings. The bravest of the brave will then paddle out into the dark waters of “cemetery cove,” where restless spirits lurk below the surface.
Trips run from the end of September to the beginning of November and are $40 for adults and $25 for children 12 and under. Book your canoe trip here.
Sisters Grim Ghost Bus Tour
San Antonio, TX
From its beginnings as a Spanish settlement in 1691 to the bloody battle at The Alamo, San Antonio’s history is fraught with haunting tales. This tour — the first bus ghost tour in the city — is the only one allowed inside Menger Hotel (deemed Texas’ most haunted hotel). You’ll also see the Emily Morgan Hotel, one of San Antonio’s first hospitals, where many lost their lives; the San Fernando Cathedral, where visitors claim to see mysterious faces; and the Bexar County Jail filled with sinister legends. This tour has two leaders — the driver and the guide — who work in tandem for a truly entertaining and disturbing experience.
Year-round bus tours are $50 “per soul” and depart multiple times after 6 p.m. Book your bus tour here.
Haunted Vicksburg Ghost Walk
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Take a walk on the dark side in small-town Mississippi. A twelve-block stroll through Vicksburg’s oldest and most haunted neighborhood will uncover unsettled tails of the Trail of Tears, antebellum battles, yellow fever epidemics, and a 47-day siege that left Vicksburg with restless spirits and unfinished business. Ghost tour reviews rave about Historian and Guide Morgan’s storytelling performance. He’s also written a book that he will sign for you if you purchase it at the end of the tour.
The tour runs from March through October at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings. It’s $18 for adults and $13 for children 12 and under. Book your ghost walk here.
Crescent Hotel Ghost Tour
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Only the bravest should embark on the Crescent Hotel Ghost Tour. Built in 1886 and known as the most haunted hotel in America, Crescent Hotel was once a “cancer hospital” led by a fraudulent doctor who caused many deaths. This terrifying tour has garnered some disturbing stories from guests who experience paranormal activity during their visit. The hotel calls their ghosts “guests who checked out but never left.” You can even book a room in the hotel.
The 75-minute tours begin around 7 p.m. seven days a week and cost $27.50 for adults and $13 for kids. You can book your trip to America’s most haunted hotel here.
Cheers to spooky season!
**********
For more of the best of the South, follow us on Instagram @StyleBlueprint!
