With Halloween quickly approaching, many people are excitedly embracing the scare culture surrounding the month of October. Therefore, now is the perfect time to go on some spooky ghost tours and test the limits of your fears. Because of the rich, and often times unsavory, colonial history and culture of Williamsburg, VA, it is the perfect place to go to do some good old-fashioned ghost hunting, and maybe learn a thing or two on the way. Here are the top six ghost tours in Williamsburg, guaranteed to scare the pants off you!
1. Colonial ghosts (from USD 30.0)
Unlike most of the other tours, this tour ditches costumes and candlelight for a bigger focus on history. Using interviews with Colonial Williamsburg staff, documented hauntings, and assistance from real psychics and investigators, tour organizers pride themselves on accuracy. Though not guaranteed, it is common for guests to see ghosts and hauntings.
This tour has been featured in Southern Living and Huffington Post. Choose the hour-long tour for 15.40 USD, or the extended 90-minute tour for 19 USD, which includes the College of William and Mary and additional sites. Tours start daily at 8 pm, with additional tours given, depending on the season. Children are welcome, but if they scare easy, you may want to leave them at home.
Colonial Ghosts Tour By US Ghost Adventures
Duration: 1 hour
2. Williamsburg cemetery tour (from USD 35.0)
Unique from the rest of the tours on this list, this tour occurs during the day, with a focus on history and personal reflection instead of spooks. The first and only cemetery tour in Williamsburg, you will visit three different cemeteries, each distinctly relating to the city’s culture.
Learn about how each cemetery reflects the community and history around it, both historically and religiously. This tour is family-friendly, leaving at both 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm. The duration is 90 minutes and costs 16.50 USD.
Williamsburg Cemetery Guided Tour
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
3. The Dead of Night Ghost Tour (from USD 15.0)
Join this spooky, candlelit ghost tour, led by a costumed colonial Williamsburg tour guide. Start the night learning about bodies buried behind stores and houses, then follow your guide to the cemetery and church, where you’ll learn about secret vaults and hidden bodies. Next, visit the house of George Wythe, a teacher of Thomas Jefferson, and learn about conspiracy theories of Jefferson’s visits, and maybe catch a glimpse of Wythe’s ghost, through the window.
Hear legends of Dr. Mckenzie, an apothecary, who was thought to have committed horrific amputations. Visit the Governor’s Palace, where people claim they can hear the screams from the burial grounds located underneath. From here, gaze upon Peyton Randolph house, rumored to be the most haunted house in Virginia.
Lastly, finish the tour at the town pillory, where you can put your arms into the stocks and feel like a true colonial prisoner. The tour duration is one hour and tickets are 12 USD. Departure times vary by season.
Colonial Williamsburg Ghost Guided Night Tour by Candlelight
Duration: 1 hour
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4. Ghosts, Witches, and Pirates Tour by Spooks and Legends Haunted Ghost Tours
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Learn about Williamsburg’s witch trials, ghosts, and captured pirates when you book the Ghosts, Witches, and Pirates Tour hosted by Spooks and Legends Haunted Ghost Tours. Aspiring ghost hunters will be taken to all the best haunted spots in Williamsburg, and you’ll get to learn all about the dark events that took place in the city. The tour costs 20 USD for adults, but brave children aged 6 and under can tag along for free! From stories about Blackbeard to spooky tales, this 5-star tour is a worthy addition to your itinerary.
Ghosts, Witches, and Pirates Tour by Spooks and Legends Haunted Ghost Tours
Address: E Duke of Gloucester St, Williamsburg, VA 23185, United States
Website: Ghosts, Witches, and Pirates Tour by Spooks and Legends Haunted Ghost Tours
Opening hours: 10am - 5am (daily)
Price: 20 USD
5. Haunted Williamsburg ghost tour
This ghost tour combines history with hauntings, which touches on Native Americans, the Colonial period, and the Civil War. Learn about historic events while exploring Williamsburg and the College of William and Mary. If you’re hoping to see some ghosts, opt for the later Ultimate Ghost Tour, where you will tour Native American burial grounds, insane asylums, and learn about witches.
Regular ghost tours, which are one hour, leave at 8 pm and 9 pm daily and cost 13 USD. The Ultimate Ghost Tour leaves at 10 pm, lasts 90 minutes and is 21.99 USD.
Haunted Williamsburg ghost tour
Price: from 13 USD
Website: Haunted Williamsburg Ghost Tour
6. The original ghosts of Williamsburg
The Original Ghost Tour is guided by candlelight, with spooky stories and folklore of the city being told along the way. This tour is great for families. For those who want to amp up the horror, Extreme Ghost Tours are also available, involving ghost hunting equipment to up your chances of seeing a ghost. This tour also features darker history and more graphic and mature elements, so think twice before bringing the kids.
The Original Ghost Tour is available every night, except Independence Day, and meets at 8 pm. Additional tours are available Fridays and Saturdays at 8:45 pm during September and October. The meeting point is in front of the William and Mary Barnes and Noble at 345 Duke of Gloucester Street. Tickets are 12 USD.
The Extreme Ghost Tour starts at 9:15 pm on Fridays and Saturdays during September and October, as well as October 29th, 30th, and 31st. The meeting point is in front of Bruton Parish Church at 201 Duke of Gloucester Street. Tickets are 16 USD. Both tours run rain or shine. No actors or special effects are involved in either tour and ghost sightings are not guaranteed.
The original ghosts of Williamsburg
Price: from 12 USD
Website: The Original Ghosts of Williamsburg
A spooky adventure
For those getting into the Halloween spirit, these ghost tours in Williamsburg, VA, are perfect for a good spook. While some focus on costumes and some focus on history, no doubt you will have a screaming good time on all of them.
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