Hauntingly Good Time in the South: People and Places that Go Bump in the Night, Part Two of Two
Looking for more thrills and chills in the region? Well, you won’t be disappointed with these options that definitely can help you “scare” up a good time.
FLORIDA
It is said that Pensacola’s historic Seville District has more hauntings per capita than any other area in American. So where else but here can you enjoy lunch at a possibly haunted restaurant. Want more? The Pensacola History Society is offering three different tours. Choose for the North, the South, or the adults-only Redlight. The tours are offered on October 24-25, 31 and November 1.
Join the Heritage Park & Cultural Center as they guide you through a haunted tour of downtown Fort Walton Beach (PDF file) on October 24-25, 31.
Learn about the darker side of Amelia Island on the Ghost Walking Tour hosted by the Amelia Island Museum of History. The walking tour, held every Friday evening, is led by guides, who spin tales about the spirits on the island.
Feel the chills during the any of the tours offered by the Big Bend Ghost Trackers in Monticello. See such haunting sights as the Hanging Tree, located in the middle of the city’s square, where numerous hangings took place from pre Civil War to the mid 1930s; the Oakland Cemetery to meet some of the towns famous and infamous residents of the past; and the Opera House, said to be haunted by the spirits of actors.
Halloween would not be complete without a visit to the oldest city in America. With almost 450 years of history, St. Augustine is the place to be during October. Here’s a sampling of some of the tours:
- Take the journey to the “other world” either by a carriage, trolley or foot through the darkest, oldest, and narrowest streets in the city with Ancient City Tours. Learn all about the spirits that just don’t want to leave.
- How about being on your own looking for ghosts? Well, let’s say you have some help with GPS. The SA GPS Adventure Tours is offering a “Shiver and Awe” GPS guided walking tour of the city.
- The St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum is offering a “Dark of the Moon” tour on October 24 and three tours on October 31.
Don’t you know that ghosts like to congregate at the beach? It’s true in Daytona. Learn exactly who still haunts this area on the Original Daytona Ghost Walk.
Choose from three different Orlando/Orlando area tours that includes downtown to discover some Central Florida ghosts.
Don’t let the sunshine fool you, because there are some dark stories within Florida. The Ghost Tour of St. Petersburg highlights a few of these on their 90-minute candlelit walking tour of downtown.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Through story telling and folklore, guides on the Ghosts & Legends of Carolina tour will take you through Columbia’s and South Carolina’s fascinating and sometimes menacing past.
Don’t let its beauty fool you, because Charleston, like many other southern port cities, has quite a storied past. It’s also another city claiming the title of American’s Most Haunted. There are a variety of tours depending on your interest. Here are a few to get you started:
- Bulldog Tours offers four different tours, such as the Charleston Ghost & Dungeon walking tour. The Dark Side of Charleston Walking Tour introduces you to the seedier side of the city as tour guides details Charleston’s more colorful past. The Charleston Ghost & Graveyard Walking Tour take you to the city’s oldest graveyard. Learn more about the Old City Jail during the Haunted Jail Tour.
- Anna’s Ghost Walk, the longest running ghost tour in the city, will lead you to the answer of what happened to Theodosia. You will also learn about new ghost sightings and visit cemeteries. The tour last 90-minutes.
- The spirits aren’t just limited to land. Aboard the Haunted Harbor Tour (offered by Sandlapper Tours), listen to stories of pirates, seamen and others that haunt Charleston’s harbor.
- Here’s a twist on ghostly tours. Cypress Gardens’ Halloween in the Swamp on October 24-25 is offering a haunted boat ride and a haunted walking trail. Warning! This really isn’t for the very young or the faint at heart.
There are ghosts aplenty “walking” around in Beaufort. Find out more about them and their stories during the 45 minute to an hour guided Beaufort Ghost Tours. The evening tours are scheduled from October 24-25, October 28-30 and November 1.
NORTH CAROLINA
The 90-minute Asheville Ghost & Haunt Tour introduces you some of the haunted places in the town, including haunted buildings and the old county jail. The walking tour covers less than a mile. Hurry, this tours ends on October 31.
From the Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington to the Haunted Pub Crawl to the Pirate & Unusual Tales Walk, Haunted Wilmington has you covered when it comes to having a “hauntingly” good time.
And of course, don’t forget about the all of the spookiness you can find along North Carolina’s coast.
KENTUCKY
Discover the Clay family during the Ghost Walk at the While Hall Sate Historic Site in Richmond is scheduled for October 23-25, 31. Guides take you through room to room as Clay family “spirits” appear to talk about their life and experiences.
The Bardstown Ghost Trek is much more than a typical ghost walk. It’s also a ghost hunt and history tour. With the last tour given through October 25, the two-hour guided walking adventure include stops at the Chapeze House, the Pioneer cemetery and the Jailer’s Inn.
Find out who(or what) continues to haunt such places as the Seelbach Hotel and the Brennan House during the Ghost Walking Tour of Louisville. The tour takes place on Friday and Saturday nights until November 15.
The Ghosts of Frankfort Tour is a joint project of the Liberty Hall Historic Site and the City of Frankfort’s Department of Parks and Recreation. Scheduled for October 31 and November 1, the tour allows you to meet colorful ghosts of the capital city’s past. Catch a glimpse of the famous Gray Lady at Liberty Hall or “meet” ladies grieving for lost Confederate soldiers.
VIRGINIA
Who says ghost-ing can’t have an element of elegance? The James River Plantation Progressive Ghost Feast Tour & Dinner includes graveside readings, a tour of Piney Grove’s historic buildings and a four-course candelight dinner. The event is scheduled for October 24-25.
Take a ghostly tour of Williamsburg by lantern on the Williamsburg Ghost - Lantern Tours. A guide will walk you through the sites and stories of the colonial capitol.
In Alexandria, you can take a one-hour, lantern led tour, Ghost & Graveyard Tour, to learn about the many legends of the Old Town. This particular tour is being conducted through October 31. Their Special Halloween Tour on October 24-25, 31 and November , is a little different. It involves visiting spooky places such as one of the most haunted buildings in the Old Town.
Being the home of four major Civil War battles, you know Fredricksburg has some good ghost stories. Find out about them and more on the 90-minute walking tour with the Ghosts of Fredricksburg.
Join the Virginia Scientific Research Association on a two-hour walk through downtown Leesburg as they discuss not only the town’s ghosts, but also how they go about doing their research. On Halloween night, they offer two different times for the tour.
October 27 is your last chance to be a part of the Ghost and More Tour, offered by the Franklin County Historical Society, in Rocky Mount. Learn more about the town’s dark and mysterious (perhaps even mischievous) side during this hour-long tour.
WEST VIRGINIA
On the two-hour stroll with the Haunted Parkersburg Ghost Tours, you’ll learn about the East End Ghoul and the Banshee of Marrtown. Tours are conducted October 24-25, 30-31 and November 1.
Learn about the spirits that still occupy the town of Harper’s Ferry. The tour, which lasts a little over an hour, is scheduled for October 25, 30 and 31.
What exactly is a mothman? Well, you can find out on the tour - next one scheduled for October 25. Learn about its story and where is has been seen.
Being spooked is better by candleight, don’t you agree? The Ghost Tours of Lewisburg takes you on a two-hour walking tour of haunted homes and sites along the historic district. Tours are scheduled for every Friday and Saturday night through October 30.
MARYLAND
The “spirits” are “alive” in Baltimore. Hey, it’s seaport city, so you know the stories behind them have got to be good. Hear them and learn more on the Baltimore Ghost Tours.
With only the glow of your candlelight to light your way, listen to the stories of the ghosts of Fredrick. This 90-minute walking tour takes your through the streets and alleys of the downtown area.
To say that Annapolis has had its share of characters doesn’t even begin to describe some of the city’s former residents. Let’s just say that some have loved Annapolis so much, well they still haven’t left. Learn more about them during the Walking Ghost Tour of Historic Annapolis.
Photo credits: (page one) Full Moon Through the Clouds, flickr, creative commons by WintrHawk; Gravestones, flickr, creative commons by Neil101; Haunted Cemetery in Charleston, S.C., flickr, creative commons by Lucid Nightmare. (page two) Scary Night, flickr, creative commons by chris coyier; A Shot in the Dark, flickr, creative commons by Nathan McCoy; Spooky Moon, flickr, creative commons by evilnick
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Festivals, Fairs, and Events, Haunted Places, Southern Byways, Things to See in Florida, Things to See in Kentucky, Things to See in Maryland, Things to See in North Carolina, Things to See in South Carolina, Things to See in Virginia, Things to See in West Virginia
0 opinions for Hauntingly Good Time in the South: People and Places that Go Bump in the Night, Part Two of Two
No one has left a comment yet. You know what this means, right? You could be first!
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: