8 Best Ghost Tours In Chicago For A Spooky Time In 2023

Looking for the best ghost tours in Chicago? Well, you’ve come to the right place!

Well, according to Travel + Leisure Magazine, the Windy City is the second most haunted city.

As the sun sets and the city lights flicker on, a different side of Chicago emerges. The echoes of the past come alive in the form of ghostly apparitions and eerie tales.

If you’re a thrill-seeker, history buff, or simply a fan of the supernatural, you’re in for a treat.

We’ve curated a list of the eight best ghost tours in Chicago that will take you on a journey through the city’s haunted past.

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1. Windy City Ghosts: Hauntings of Chicago By US Ghost Adventures

Chicago’s haunted history is not just about the great fire, crimes, and corruption. Sometimes famous jazz performers have stirred up the city’s untold history too.

When the sun beams down, head out to Julia Porter Park where the guide is waiting on you for a once-in-a-lifetime journey to unveil Chicago’s spookiest stories.

Within no more than an hour, you’ll pass by some of the most infamous locations. Meander through colorful neon lights, you’ll slowly reveal the disturbing past of the Alphawood Foundation building that sits on the floor of a former asylum.

Not far from there, the phantoms of the past are waiting behind the grand door of Red Lion Pub, a Tudor-style social place to tell you secrets they’ve been buried for long.

2. Gangsters and Ghosts Tour in Chicago

Take on a two-hour adventure to the once-bloodiest streets of Chicago.

This package targets a very specific niche in Chicago’s unsavory past – the gangster history, where names like Al “Scarface” Capone, George “Bugs” Moran, and Earl “Hymie” Weiss threatened lives.

That being said, dress warmly and fetch yourself to the 20s, beating the lively streets to lesser-known tourist attractions yet once heavily roamed by bootleggers, speakeasies, and gangsters.

But that’s not all – this tour also delves into the city’s haunted history, visiting locations known for their paranormal activity. There are seven different stops throughout the tour for you to tick off the bullet list.

Each of them beholds crazy events that have been slowly smothered up by the dazzling neon lights.

🍕 Foodie? Check out these top-rated Chicago food tours!

3. Lincoln Park Hauntings Ghost Investigation Tour

With the experienced and dedicated guide from Lincoln Park Hauntings Ghost Investigation Tour, you’re not just checking in heritage attractions, you’re turning into a paranormal investigator yourself.

Two hours and 15 minutes, starting out of the Chicago History Museum at roughly 7:45 after dark.

The adventure officially begins! Now, the professional ghost hunter will hand you special equipment. You’ll learn how to use and try to peel off as many secrets and phantoms as you can.

Chasing down the haunted history of Lincoln Park, followed by some of the most eerie locations in the area, including the site of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, the original City Cemetery, and a zoo that’s cursed.

4. Haunted Chicago Ghost and Pub Walking Tour

Getting spooked out but more fun!

This time, sign up for the Haunted Chicago Ghost and Pub Walking Tour on their two-hour-and-a-half tour, dress as a real diva (or gangster of your choice), and conquer this mile-long spirit-hunting journey.

Wondering what’s hidden behind these spine-chilling stories of Chicago’s past?

Brace up as you traverse the darkened streets meandering through the back alleys of Lincoln Station and Biograph Theatre, where the ghost of John Dillinger refuses to leave visitors alone.

Now if your heart can’t keep up with these spooky hidden corners, it’s time to jazz up with a drink at your own expense.

There are three different drinking holes stationed down the road to give you courage with some booze if you ever get intimidated.

5. The Devil in the White City: A Haunting History Tour

If you ask us how to make the most of your day as a history buff, this Devil in the White City tour would be our best answer.

Around the time when the World’s Columbian Exposition took place in 1893, Dr. Henry Howard Holmes built a small hotel just a few blocks away from the fairgrounds, tricking young women working at the nearby fair to keep them hostage for his notorious murder.

Inspired by this very specific case, the guides of this haunting history tour take you into the life and crimes of America’s first serial killer, H.H. Holmes, against the backdrop of the 1893 World’s Fair.

However, his infamous “Murder Hotel” is not the only place to keep you hooked during this walking tour. Prairie Avenue Historic District, Jackson Park, and Midway Plaisance Park are not far away, creating a whole loop that’s easily covered by bus.

While other ghost tours in Chicago take place after the sun is out, this one starts around 2 pm at the Congress Lounge bar at the Congress Plaza Hotel.

6. Prairie Avenue Haunted History Tour and Ghost Hunt

No part of Chicago is left behind on the hunt for eerie tales. This time, meander through the South Side of Chicago, dubbed as one of the three major sections of the Windy City and where the Gilded Age mansions make a statement.

Once again, the tour sets out at 8 pm in front of the Glessner House and comes back at the meeting point two hours and 20 minutes later.

There are five stops along the way, with scandalous events at the Marshall Field Jr Mansion blazing the trail.

And when it comes to ghostly scenes, churches are the most common place to spot phantoms.

This tour will take you to the marvelous holy shrine of the Second Presbyterian Church of Chicago, a landmark Gothic Revival church beholding spine-tingling history that makes you feel glad you’re not part of it.

The tour also includes a ghost hunt, where you’ll get to use professional ghost-hunting equipment to try and detect any paranormal activity.

7. Chicago: Medieval Torture Museum Ticket with Ghost Hunting

If there’s one museum that gives us the strongest impression, that would surely be the Medieval Torture Museum.

Step outside Chicago’s border and sneak into the darkest side of the world’s history with the help of a lively audio guide.

Each terrifying side of medieval times is revealed in front of your eyes. This is the largest interactive historical museum in all of the US, with hundreds of examples of torture, interrogation, restraint, and execution devices.

The museum spans a whopping 6000 square feet, so there’s plenty to explore.

But that’s not all! You can also join a ghost-hunting experience, all can be done with a handy app.

Well, that being said– there’s no human guide with you to these darkest alleys on the gruesome ground so if you have the guts to venture out on your own (or perhaps some friends), look no other!

8. 2-Hour Haunted Segway Tour of Chicago

If walking far is too tiring while riding tour buses is not flexible at all, that’s when we know you’re in need of a segway tour!

Once again, two spine-tingling hours are optimized to the fullest, supported by a licensed guide on his curated segway orientation. Helmets are fully equipped so even if the ghosts spook you out of nowhere, running away from the chills and thrills is not a hassle at all.

As you glide through the city streets, your guide will share eerie tales of Chicago’s past.

Setting out from the corner of Monroe Street and Columbus Drive at 8:30 pm, you’ll slowly dive into a secret hotel ballroom on Michigan Avenue where illusory piano rhythms resonate without the help of human hands.

But that’s not all, stay balanced on your two wheels as you glide down the Chicago River. Right here in 1915, 800 people breathed their last in the city’s worst maritime disaster.

These are our eight favorite and selective ghost tours in Chicago and hopefully, you’ll feel the same.

Whether you’re exploring haunted neighborhoods, delving into a medieval torture museum, or gliding through the city on a Segway, these tours promise an unforgettable experience.

Having more than a day to spare? Pick one out of these ten best rooftop bars in Chicago to dine with the grand skyline views!