Chicago’s history is filled with mobsters, speakeasies, fires and the horror house owned by H.H. Holmes. But, with so much darkness comes the tales of the supernatural entities that stay behind.
If you are planning on visiting Chicago and want to learn about the spooky history of the “Windy City,” be sure to see some of the city’s iconic and historical locations by going on one of the best ghost tours in Chicago.
Whether you are into a walking or a bus tour and want to stop at each location and learn the history, or if you want to dive deeper and do some paranormal investigations, there is a tour for everyone.
If you prefer a haunted tour in Chicago or a ghost and gangster tour in Chicago – here is a list of the best ghost tours in Chicago.
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The 9 Best Haunted Tours in Chicago
Chicago Hauntings Original Ghost Bus Tour
Spend a few hours on a spooky ghost bus as it takes you to Chicago’s scariest and most haunted locations. The Chicago Hauntings Original Ghost Bus Tour is perfect for families and is one of the best ghost tours in Chicago, as it is the city’s only ghost tour that takes you around the city by bus.
Listen to spine-tingling stories by incredibly knowledgeable guides about Chicago’s dark history. First, the tour visits the abandoned Chicago City Cemetery, which has over 13000 unmarked graves. Then, visit legendary haunted sites like the location of the Eastside River Disaster of 1915 to Hull House.
Other sites include the Levee Vice district, Death Valley, Prairie Avenue, the location of the St. Valentine’s Day massacre, and you may see some ghost ships that float along Lake Michigan.
The Chicago Hauntings Original Ghost Bus Tour is perfect for history lovers as it is informative and fun.
Book here: Chicago Hauntings Original Ghost Bus Tour
Windy City Ghosts: Hauntings of Chicago
Step back in time to when gangsters ruled over Chicago on the terrifying Windy City Ghosts: Hauntings of Chicago ghost tour.
If you prefer a small group walking tour, this is the ghost tour for you.
The nighttime tour visits areas once home to bootleggers, jazz performers, and gangsters. Sites include Lincoln Park, haunted pubs, theatres, and haunted burial grounds, and you may see the ghost of a Victorian woman in white at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
At each site, you will learn about the spooky and unexplained things that have happened at these sites over the years. You can upgrade the tour for even more bizarre stories.
The Hauntings of Chicago tour passes Julia Porter Park, built atop a former burial ground from the civil war times. Other locations include the Alphawood Foundation, the Red Lion Pub, Biograph Theatre and Oz Park.
The guides are lively and fun, and the Golden Dagger Tavern story makes the tour incredible! I highly recommend this tour as it is the best haunted tour in Chicago.
If you don’t want the tour to end, you can book the extended tour for even more spooky stories and haunted locations around Chicago. The extended tour visits 12 sites but the regular visits 8.
Book here: Windy City Ghosts: Hauntings of Chicago
2-Hour Haunted Segway Tour of Chicago
What sounds better than riding a Segway through Chicago? Riding a Segway through the city, listening to stories about Chicago’s most haunted locations! If you are looking for unique things to do in Chicago, I highly recommend going on a 2-Hour Haunted Segway Tour of Chicago.
Ride through the streets with the wind blowing through your hair as you hear about the most gruesome horror stories and dark history in Chicago’s past. The 2-hour tour heads down creepy alleyways, hotel lobbies and the Chicago River. You will hear tales about gangsters, disasters, and paranormal sightings in between.
Will you hear the faint sound of an unmanned piano playing in the Michigan Avenue Hotel on this haunted tour in Chicago? I hope so.
Don’t worry if you are a bit nervous about riding a Segway, as you will get a bit of training and be fitted with a helmet before you start your ghost tour.
Book here: 2-Hour Haunted Segway Tour of Chicago
Lincoln Park Hauntings Ghost Investigation Tour
If you want to go on a ghost tour in Chicago with a paranormal investigation, you must take the Lincoln Park Hauntings Ghost Investigation Tour.
The tour is led by a paranormal investigator who knows their stuff, and you will feel like you are fully immersed in the haunting experience. Plus, you will get to use your own paranormal equipment on the tour to try reaching out to the spirits yourself.
This tour visits Lincoln Park, where you will visit the haunted Lincoln Park Zoo, the abandoned City Cemetery, and the very haunted Couch Mausoleum. The tour is spooky and fun, and you will learn loads of historical facts as you hear chilling tales of Chicago’s ghosts.
Book here: Lincoln Park Hauntings Ghost Investigation Tour
Haunted Chicago Ghost and Pub Walking Tour
Ghosts tours and drinking alcohol always makes for the perfect night. So why not combine them by taking one of the best ghost tours in Chicago? Head to Chicago’s most haunted pubs, where you can drink with the spirits on the Haunted Chicago Ghost and Pub Walking Tour.
Your guide? Straight out of Chicago’s history, your tour guide will be dressed up (or possibly a time traveller?) as a gangster or a flapper. The tour guides are fun and knowledgeable, making the evening unforgettable.
On this tour, you will visit forgotten cemeteries where lingering spirits still roam. You will also see three different pubs, including Lilly’s, where you will hear about the ghosts often felt by patrons and staff.
Other locations you will visit include Lincoln Station and the Biograph Theatre, where the ghost of gangster John Dillinger haunts the alley located next to the theatre.
Drinks are not included in the price, so bring money to drink at each pub!
Book here: Haunted Chicago Ghost and Pub Walking Tour
Prairie Avenue Haunted History Tour and Ghost Hunt
Do you want to explore the scandals surrounding Chicago’s Millionaire’s Row? Head on a haunted history tour with the Prairie Avenue Haunted History Tour and Ghost Hunt.
The tour visits the Marshall Field Jr Mansion and the Clarke House Museum, where you will hear the history of Chicago’s oldest building. Several of the homes from the Gilded Age are still standing, as are the ghosts that still haunt the mansions that Chicago’s most iconic millionaires once owned.
The tour guide, Tony, is fantastic and knows about all of Chicago’s seedy history. You will hear the haunted history of the Second Presbyterian Church of Chicago and visit the Prairie Avenue Historic District, where you will listen to scandals of Victorian characters.
Book here: Prairie Avenue Haunted History Tour and Ghost Hunt
Fright Hike: Chicago Halloween Bike Tour
I highly recommend taking the Fright Hike: Chicago Halloween Bike Tour if you visit Chicago at Halloween. The three-hour bike tour visits Chicago’s creepiest locations, including the very cursed John Hancock Centre.
The tour guide is a professional actor and will bring the ghosts to you in a lively manner. You will learn about H.H. Homes and hear the tale of Resurrection Mary and the very haunted Levee District.
You will also visit the Chicago River, home of the SS Eastland Shipwreck. The tour also stops at the James M. Nederlander Theatre, which burned down with hundreds of patrons inside. Other sides include the Navy Pier, Lake Michigan and Grant Park.
I cannot recommend the tour enough, and it’s the best way to spend Halloween in Chicago.
This tour is only available in October and is already starting to sell out, so book as soon as possible!
Book here: Fright Hike: Chicago Halloween Bike Tour
Medieval Torture Museum Ticket with Audio Guide and Ghost Hunting
Alright, I know this is a list of the best ghost tours in Chicago, but I had to include the Medieval Torture Museum ticket to the list.
It’s the perfect spooky destination, and not only do you learn about all the devices they used to capture spirits, but you will also get an audio tour and ghost hunting app so you can go on your own ghost hunt touring the museum at your own pace.
The museum is home to old creepy torture devices, unnerving wax figurines and all things from Chicago’s dark history. Honestly, an afternoon wandering around the museum is the perfect way to spend Halloween in Chicago.
Book here: Medieval Torture Museum Ticket with Audio Guide and Ghost Hunting
Chicago’s Dark Side Smartphone Self-Guided Walking Tour
Explore Chicago’s most haunted locations at your own pace by booking Chicago’s Dark Side Smartphone Walking Tour. This tour is perfect for people who want to take one without the stress of being in a crowd.
This is self-guided audio, so the only patrons on this tour are you and your phone (but you can go with several friends, too!)
The tour is really well narrated and immersive. Plus, you won’t struggle trying to hear the tour guide talk over a bunch of other people like on the other tours. Make sure you bring headphones with you, too, though!
The sites visited will be the S.S. Eastland Memorial, Chicago Riverwalk, and West Couch Place. Marshall Field’s Wholesale Store, the Congress Plaza Hotel, and several other locations.
Book here: Chicago’s Dark Side Smartphone Self-Guided Walking Tour
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