Ghost Tours
Halloween season and beyond brings out the supernatural side of the San Francisco Bay Area. Ghost tours offer a unique way to delve into these tales. Whether you’re a skeptic seeking entertainment or a believer hunting for paranormal encounters, these experiences provide an unforgettable night out.
What Are Ghost Tours?
Ghost tours are organized excursions that guide participants through allegedly haunted locations. Guides share narratives about ghosts, spirits & unexplained phenomena tied to the site’s past. Typically led by expert guides (often historians, paranormal investigators, or storytellers) these tours recount real historical events like murders, disasters or tragic deaths that are believed to have left lingering energies. Participants might visit graveyards, old buildings, historic districts or infamous landmarks, hearing firsthand accounts or folklore.
Types of Ghost Tours
Walking Tours: The most common, involving strolls through neighborhoods with stops at haunted spots.
Pub Crawls: Combine ghost stories with visits to bars, adding a social, boozy element (21+ only).
Interactive Hunts: Equip guests with tools like EMF meters, dowsing rods, or spirit boxes to “detect” activity.
Self-Guided or Audio Tours: Use apps on your phone to guide you to different locations.
Duration usually ranges from 1-3 hours and they are often held after dark for atmosphere. They’re designed to be thrilling but not overly scary, with many suitable for teens and adults. While some claim genuine paranormal evidence, most emphasize entertainment and education over proof of the afterlife.
Beyond the chills, ghost tours tell stories of a place’s history that standard sightseeing misses. In the Bay Area, you’ll learn about the 1906 earthquake’s devastation, Gold Rush greed, infamous crimes and cultural legends from different communities. They’re great Halloween activities for date nights, group outings, or solo adventures. Plus, in a tech-savvy region like the Bay, they offer a low-tech escape into the mysterious. Safety is prioritized, with guides ensuring groups stay together and respect private property.
Best Ghost Tours in the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Ghost Hunt Walking Tour
This 90-minute to 2-hour walking tour explores Pacific Heights, visiting sites like the Atherton Mansion and Chambers Mansion. Led by a guide sharing tales of Victorian-era hauntings and unsolved mysteries, it’s interactive with optional ghost-hunting gear. Perfect for history buffs.
Location: Pacific Heights in San Francisco
Duration: 1-2 hours
Price: start at $35
Rated 5/5 on TripAdvisor
Tickets
Ghost Hunt in SF Chinatown with a Professional Investigator
Dive into Chinatown’s dark alleys near the Transamerica Pyramid for stories of Gold Rush gangs, massacres, and opium dens. This 90-minute tour, run by paranormal pros, includes EMF meters and spirit boxes for active ghost hunting.
Location: Chinatown, San Francisco
Duration: 90 minute tour
Price: Tickets are $55
Highly rated at 4.9/5
Tickets
Haunted Haight Walking Tour
Explore the Haight-Ashbury district’s supernatural side, including homes tied to figures like Charles Manson and cult leaders. This 2-hour tour, led by a paranormal investigator, focuses on the Summer of Love’s darker underbelly with ghost-hunting tools.
Location: Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco.
Duration: 2 hours
Price: around $35-45
Suitable for ages 13+
Tickets
San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl
A fun twist for adults: This 2-hour pub crawl visits four haunted bars in historic districts like the Barbary Coast, sharing ghost stories over drinks (not included). Highlights include the Old Ship Saloon and tales of shipwrecks.
Location: Jackson Square and nearby, San Francisco
Duration: 2 hours
Price: from $36
Rated 4.6/5
Tickets
Berkeley Haunted Hike
A 3-hour guided hike across UC Berkeley’s campus and grounds, venturing down dark paths to haunted buildings. Run by actual paranormal investigators, it shares ghost stories and true crime from the area’s history.
Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley
Duration: 3 hours
Price: around $40-50
Tickets
San Jose Ghost Tour
Uncover Silicon Valley’s spooky secrets on this walking tour through downtown San Jose, visiting haunted hotels, theaters & sites from the Spanish colonial era to modern hauntings.
Location: Downtown San Jose
Duration: 1-2 hours
Price: from $30
Tickets
Oakland Ghost Tour
This 90-minute walking tour in the Piedmont area highlights Oakland’s historic cemeteries and hidden gems, including resting places of Bay Area notables. It blends history with ghostly lore.
Location: Piedmont/Oakland
Duration: 90 minutes
Price: $25-35
Beyond the Veil at Meek Mansion
An guided tour of the historic Victorian Meek Mansion, focusing on documented ghost sightings and stories. Less jump-scare heavy, with group sizes limited for intimacy.
Location: Hayward
Duration: Varies
Price: $30
Ages 14+