Midwest Ghost Tours
Springfield, Illinois [1]
Phantom carriages, Abraham Lincoln's premonition of his death and the attempted grave robbery at Lincoln's tomb are among the haunted stories told during "Lincoln's Ghost Walk: Legends and Lore," a 90-minute, 10-block evening tour held early March through October. Other spooky tours from Springfield Walks include "The Haunted Dead Walk," offered Fridays and Saturdays in September and October. (217) 502-8687; springfieldwalks.com [2]
Saint Paul [5]
History, ghostly stories and humor come together in the Wabasha Street Caves bus and walking tours. The "Caves & Graves" tour and "Ghosts & Graves" tour, led by costumed improv actors, take visitors by bus to sites such as a cemetery and caves; the "Lost Souls" walking tour focuses on reported ghost sightings in the caves. Ghostly tours are offered in October; the Wabasha Street Caves also has year-round historic cave tours and Saint Paul Gangster Tours, as well as seasonal themed tours. (651) 292-1220; wabashastreetcaves.com [6]
Bayfield, Wisconsin [9]
Costumed guides with Bayfield Heritage Tours take visitors on lantern-lit walks, sharing tales of ice monsters, shipwrecks, mysterious footsteps and other spooky town lore. Two ghost tours -- "Ghosts and Legends of Old Bayfield" and "More Ghosts and Legends of Old Bayfield" -- are offered late May through mid-October. Bayfield Heritage Tours also has nonghostly architectural and historical walking tours. (715) 779-0299; bayfieldheritagetours.com [10]
Jefferson City, Missouri [13]
Whether you take the Ghost Tour or the History Tour, the Missouri State Penitentiary — which served as a prison from 1836 to 2004 — is a pretty spooky place. See dungeon cells, the gas chamber, cells of famous inmates and more. Ghost Hunts and Ghost Hunt Classes also are offered. (866) 998-6998; missouripentours.com [14]
Atchison, Kansas [17]
Home to 11,000 people and an unknown number of ghosts, Atchison claims to be one of the most haunted towns in Kansas. The Victorian mansions crowning Missouri River bluffs lend themselves to scary settings for documented paranormal activity. Learn more on Haunted Atchison Trolley Tours and a variety of other ghostly-themed tours, classes and events. (800) 234-1854; atchisonkansas.net/ [18]
Naperville and Elgin, Illinois [21]
Walking and bus tours in these Chicago suburbs highlight obscure tragedies, paranormal encounters, ghost stories and more. Check the website for latest time and date information on tours by Historic Ghost Tours of Naperville. (630) 978-7033; historic-ghost-tours-naperville.com [22]
Indianapolis and more [25]
Hear about ghosts, gangsters and other figures from the past with Historic Indiana Ghost Walks & Tours, which holds walking tours in Indianapolis, Westfield and Noblesville, as well as bus tours of Indianapolis, Hamilton County and Madison County. Among the most popular: the "Haunted Underground Railroad Walking Tour" in Westfield, with stories of escaped slaves and the people who helped them. Tours are offered year-round. (317) 840-6456; unseenpress.com [26]
Door County, Wisconsin [29]
Visitors board a trolley for a two-hour "Ghosts Tours of Door County" ride, stopping to hear tales of haunted lighthouses, sunken ships and other mysterious happenings. Door County Trolley also offers a "Haunted Olde Sturgeon Bay" tour and a "Haunted Trolley Pub Crawl," as well as several nonghostly trips. Most tours run from early June through the end of October. (920) 868-1100; doorcountytrolley.com [30]
Fairport Harbor, Ohio [33]
Gather at a lighthouse in Fairport Harbor (23 miles east of Cleveland) to begin the Lake Eerie Walking Ghost Tour. The tour visits several houses, a graveyard and a school -- all said to be haunted. Tours run weekends in September and October. (440) 269-0449; meetthespirits.com [34]
Milwaukee [37]
Milwaukee Ghosts' walks in Milwaukee's trendy Third Ward take visitors back to the years when the area was known as the "Bloody Third." (414) 807-7862; milwaukeeghosts.com [38]
For those hungry for more, Milwaukee Food Tours offers a family-friendly, three-hour "Trick-or-Treat Chocolate Halloween Bus Tour," mixing stories and treats. (800) 979-3370; milwaukeefoodtours.com/ghosts.php [39]
Wichita, Kansas [42]
Old Cowtown Museum partners with the Wichita Paranormal Research Society for "Historic Hauntings at Cowtown" an evening event in late September. Hear reports of the society's investigations into paranormal activities and tour historic Cowtown buildings. (316) 219-1871; oldcowtown.org [43]
Zoar, Ohio [46]
Visitors to this small town can explore its history and hauntings on several tours. Costumed guides lead visitors by lantern through the historic houses of Zoar in Ghost of Eras Past (Oct. 26 and 27, 2012; reservations required). In Behind the Scenes of Zoar Village (Oct. 20, 2012; reservations recommended), visitors can explore the cellars and attics of Zoar, going where most guests never get to explore and visiting with costumed guides. Both tours are organized by Historic Zoar Village. (330) 874-2646; h [47]istoriczoarvillage.org [47]
Separately, NTR Canoe LIvery operates Lantern Tours of the Ghosts of Zoar from May through October (reservations required). You'll hear ghost stories on the lantern-lit one-hour walking tour. (330) 874-2002; canoe-ohio.com/lantern.html [48]
Madison, Wisconsin [51]
For eerie stories of Madison history, ghost tales, and rumblings of the paranormal, join Capitol Square Ghost Walks. Tours are scheduled by appointment in the summer; walk-up hours start in fall. (608) 448-6453; madisonghostwalks.com [52]
More haunted walks and tours [55]
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Galena, Illinois: Annie Wiggins Guest House Ghost Tours anniewiggins.com [56]
Chicago: Ghosts, Gangsters and Ghouls of the Windy City weirdchicago.com [57]
Alton, Illinois: Haunted Alton altonhauntings.com [58]
Mackinac Island, Michigan: Haunts of Mackinac hauntsofmackinac.com [59]
Dearborn, Michigan: Hallowe’en in Greenfield Village thehenryford.org [60]
Detroit: The Haunted Tours at Historic Fort Wayne hauntedfortwaynedetroit.com [61]
Racine, Wisconsin: Walking Ghost Tour of Downtown Racine hauntedwisconsin.com [62]
Wausau, Wisconsin: Fall Haunted Walking Tours pat-wausau.org [63]
Pipestone, Minnesota: Historic Downtown Ghost Walk pipestoneminnesota.com [64]