Explore the Windy City After Dark on a Ghost Tour
Chicago is a city with layers of history—some celebrated, others tragic, and many that linger in the shadows. If you’re looking for a unique way to experience the Windy City after dark, a ghost tour is the perfect mix of storytelling, history, and spine-tingling adventure.
While attending a work conference in Chicago, it was my responsibility to organize a group activity. The challenge I run into is finding a nighttime activity, since we’re all working during the day. Well, a ghost tour in Chicago made a great group activity – even on a somewhat chilly November night in the Windy City.
Here’s what you should know before booking your Chicago ghost tour.
How to Book Your Tour
Booking a ghost tour is simple and convenient. American Ghost Walks offers several options, from walking tours through Lincoln Park to bus tours that cover infamous sites like the “Murder Castle” of H.H. Holmes. Our group booked the Original Chicago Hauntings Ghost Tour Bus. That allowed us to ride a bus to some of the sites and get out of the cold.
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Regardless of which tour you select, here are a few tips:
- Reserve online: Visit American Ghost Walks – Chicago to see the calendar of available tours.
- Choose your style: Walking tours are more intimate and atmospheric, while bus tours allow you to cover more ground and explore multiple haunted sites. Choose your own adventure.
- Plan ahead: Popular nights (especially around Halloween) sell out quickly, so booking early is recommended.
Stories You’ll Hear Along the Way
Chicago’s ghost tours aren’t just about jump scares. Which is good, because it could be a little embarrassing to jump scare and scream in front of my work colleagues. Yikes! The tours are rooted in real history and the city’s most infamous events. Here are a few highlights you might encounter, depending on which tour you select:
- The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1929) – The site where seven men were gunned down during Prohibition, said to still echo with restless spirits.
- Lincoln Park’s unmarked graves – Once the city cemetery, Lincoln Park is believed to hold more than 10,000 burials beneath its green lawns.
- The Congress Plaza Hotel – Often called the most haunted hotel in Chicago, with tales of shadowy figures and unexplained noises.
- H.H. Holmes’ “Murder Castle” – The notorious serial killer’s labyrinthine hotel built during the 1893 World’s Fair.
- Resurrection Mary – Chicago’s most famous hitchhiking ghost, often spotted along Archer Avenue.
- The Iroquois Theatre Fire (1903) – The deadliest theater fire in U.S. history, with reports of lingering spirits in what’s now known as “Death Alley.”
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What to Bring on the Tour
Ghost tours are part history lesson, part paranormal investigation. To make the most of your experience, here are a few essentials:
- Comfortable walking shoes – Many tours cover several city blocks.
- Weather-appropriate clothing – Chicago evenings can be chilly, even in the summer.
- Curiosity and an open mind – Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, the stories are best enjoyed when you lean into the atmosphere.
- Ghost-hunting tools – Some tours provide equipment like magnetic field detectors (used to measure energy shifts) and spirit boxes or dowsing rods to attempt communication with the other side. Guests are often invited to try them out during the tour.
Why Take a Ghost Tour in Chicago?
A ghost tour is more than just a spooky night out. It’s a chance to connect with Chicago’s past in a way that’s both entertaining and educational. You’ll walk the same streets where gangsters once ruled, stand in places tied to tragedy, and maybe even feel a chill that can’t be explained by the evening breeze. Spooky!
Whether you’re a history buff, a paranormal enthusiast, or just looking for a memorable night in the city, a Chicago ghost tour offers an experience you won’t soon forget.
The Details
Address: Starting locations vary by tour.
How long to spend: Tour length varies by tour, but the Original Chicago Hauntings Ghost Tour Bus is a three-hour tour.
Cost: Tour prices vary, but the Original Chicago Hauntings Ghost Tour Bus is $49 per person.
Website: https://www.americanghostwalks.com/chicago#Tours
Hours: The Original Chicago Hauntings Ghost Tour Bus is every Saturday night at 7 p.m. Other tour start times vary.
Phone: 1-833-Ghost13 (446-7813)
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