Halloween is celebrated with great excitement by both young and old alike. Check out our recommendations for the best ghost tours in the D.C. area!
Halloween is right around the corner. That means changing leaves, candy displayed throughout grocery stores, haunted movies on TV ... and of course, ghost tours! Check out our recommendations for haunted events around the area:
The White House Ghost Tour Pub Crawl
WHO: Ages 21 & older — $25
WHEN: Thursday – Saturday | 8:30 p.m. | Sept. – Nov.
WHERE: 1475 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.
The White House Ghost Tour Pub Crawl is a very popular tour for ghouls and ghoulettes aged 21 and over. It’s a 2.5-hour walking route which explores the history and haunted past of some of the most historic and haunted pubs and buildings in Washington, D.C. How scary is it, exactly? The tour company says, "Overall, our tours offer a scare factor between a Labrador puppy and you losing your phone."
The group meets for the tour downtown and follows a costumed guide toward the White House. Walk around the grounds and hear creepy stories of ghosts, history, and mysterious occurrences that happened in the area. Listen to stories about the Cuban Missile Crisis as well as the burning of the U.S. capital by British redcoats. Tourists may visit Rum Row, where you can hear back-alley stories about the Prohibition. Stop by up to four different historic pubs and grab a glass of wine or beer (at your own expense). Book your White House Ghost Tour Pub Crawl here.
Twilight Strolling at the Congressional Cemetery
Courtesy of Yelp
WHO: Adults — $20, Kids — $10
WHEN: October 16, 17, 18, 23, 24
WHERE: 237 Pennsylvania Ave. SE (Starbucks)
Until the mid-1830s, practically every congressman who died in the nation’s capital was buried on the grounds of the Congressional Cemetery. Founded in 1807 as the first national cemetery, the sacred grounds hold the remains of over 65,000 people, including of a long list of D.C. celebrity who’s-whos. Some well-known corpses found in the Congressional Cemetery are FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, American composer and conductor John Phillip Sousa, John Wilkes Booth’s accomplice David Herald (strange but true), and many more.
Strolls take place over five nights with hour-long tours departing every 15 minutes between 7 and 10 p.m. (6 and 10 p.m. on Saturdays). Beer, wine, and cider are available for sale at the cash bar in the chapel, and the Public Vault will be transformed into a Prohibition-era speakeasy. For more information, click here.
Meet the Ghosts of Lafayette Square
Courtesy of Wikipedia
WHO: Adults — $20, Under 16 — $10, Government ID — $15, Student ID — $10, Miltary ID — $8
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. throughout October
WHERE: 16th and H Streets NW (next to St. John's Church)
This tour will take you to the historic Lafayette Square to learn more about the city's history, including its more haunted aspects. The square was a notorious slave market years ago, and former slave pens were built in the surrounding area. Perhaps unsurprisingly, former President Andrew Jackson is said to haunt the area. Philip Barton Key II, son of Francis Scott Key, was even shot in the square, later succumbing to his injuries. Lafayette Square is said to be one of the most haunted city squares, so this tour is sure to impress.
Learn more about the Meets the Ghosts of Lafayette Square tour here.
What do you think? Will you be joining any of these ghost tours? Let us know in the comments below!
