San Francisco has so much history, it’s no surprise it’s believed that ghosts, spirits, and the paranormal can be found here. Since San Francisco’s founding there have been stories of death, tales of tragedy, and spiritual happenings that need to be told. This means there’s a range of ghost tours to check out – that is if you are feeling brave enough? Whether you’re a believer in the paranormal or just looking for a fun time with the kids, take a night-time stroll through some of San Francisco’s most haunted places and sites.
San Francisco Chinatown Ghost Walking Tour
The Chinatown Ghost Tour isn’t one you’ll want to miss. It stands out among many other ghost tours because of the incredibly rich history of Chinatown. Chinese lore and legends differ from what we know as Western lore. This walking tour takes place after dark and is led by an incredibly knowledgeable guide with plenty of stories, chilling anecdotes, and even some humour. You’ll see many of San Francisco’s famously creepy landmarks as well as a number of lesser-known local haunted sites that’ll be fun for the family.
Haunted SF: Murder, Mystery and Ghosts
This walking tour is more for those for those who don’t scare as easy, so leave the kids at home for this one! Haunted SF focuses on the very dark side of San Francisco’s history. The tour highlights the many ghosts and restless spirits of San Francisco’s murders, assassins, and mysterious deaths. The tour meets near Union Square and visits murder sites of the infamous Zodiac Killings, the notorious Red Light District, and even the Glide Memorial Church, where cult leader and mass murderer Jim Jones first began to rise to power. Thankfully, after the tour has surely sent chills down your spine, you’ll end up in a local bar to nurse yourself before trying to sleep.
San Francisco Ghosts, Gold and Ghouls Tour
The San Francisco Ghosts, Gold and Ghouls Tour has been running a long time, and always delivers a great night’s entertainment. The guides of these ghostly tours are excellent, knowledgeable, and know how tell a great spooky story. This San Francisco Ghost tour is a quality tour that is planned out beautifully. Sometimes tourists even catch something unexpected. Get ready to walk through San Francisco’s most notorious and haunted spots. Bring good shoes though, you’ll be walking a while.
The Haunt SF: Ghost Hunting Tour
Discover San Francisco’s darker side on this ghost-hunting tour, using a provided, personal EMF detector to scan haunted alleys, neighbourhoods, dark avenues and street corners. It’s not just ghosts either. Exploring with a ghost-hunter guide means you’ll learn the city’s scariest secrets and stories too. Are you brave enough to continue? As you walk through its night time streets, hear about everything from Gold Rush cemeteries to paranormal activity and unexplained deaths in the heart of scary San Francisco.
Vampire Tour of San Francisco
As the name suggests, the Vampire Tour of San Francisco encompasses more than just ghosts. This family-friendly tour focuses on vampires and how they’ve tied into the city’s history.
Brush up on your vampire lore and local history on this 1.5-hour walking tour of San Francisco’s Nob Hill District. Suitable for all ages, a vampire guide will lead the way as you stop at Grace Cathedral, the Nob Hill Café, the Fairmont Hotel and the Mark Hopkins. Learn the neighbourhood’s hidden secrets and some favourite vampire tales as you go along your merry way. This walk is also wheelchair friendly too and even includes snacks to keep you fuelled up for the night terrors that await.
Walk with Spirits: A Haunted Pub Crawl in San Francisco
If you want to hear all about the ghosts that haunt old San Francisco, then join this small group tour and try not to get too scared. Your guide will tell you tales about the Goldrush era and more while you walk by historic places like Jackson Square, The Old Ship Saloon, and more. This one is for adults because it isn’t just your average pub tour – this one is haunted, and combats the spirits with… well spirits. And beer.
About the author
Deanna Morgado, a Bay Area native, is a self-taught writer and all-around art enthusiast. She’s willing to try anything at least once as long as she can write about it after.
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