If you have never attended a California Ghost Walk, you may want to consider adding one to your list of events to schedule for this year. Ghost Walks are not just for Halloween time anymore, as many cities and towns across the country have now integrated their local Ghost Walk into their Summer agendas and beyond. Ghost Walks are not just a great way to have fun listening to stories of local legend and lore, but often are also a way to learn about the history of local buildings and families. Ghost Walks generally take an hour or two, and will require quite a bit of walking, so be sure to bring along a sweatshirt just in case the weather turns chilly, and wear comfortable walking shoes. Ghost Walks are often conducted after dark, so you may also want to bring along a flashlight.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
San Diego is considered by many to be the most haunted city in America, so it is only fitting that they would offer a Ghost Walk. And actually, the Ghost Walk in San Diego isn’t only a walk, but a tour, during which participants ride around in the “Ghost Coach”, traveling to reportedly haunted locations throughout the city, disembarking the bus at times to get a closer look at these ghostly historic locations. Tours are conducted at 7pm and 8:45pm, although days and months vary, so call toll free at 1-877-6-HAUNTED, for more information and reservations. Cost is $25 per seat.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
The Ghost Walk in San Francisco is a spooky tour through the famous Haight-Ashbury historic district. Learn about the spooky history of the Haight-Ashbury area, as well as local legend and lore of this district. The tour will not go into any private residences, but does end in a haunted pub! This Ghost Walk tour begins on January 5th, 2207 and runs through September 2nd, 2007. Tours occur nightly at 7:00pm, and each Ghost Walk lasts for two hours. Tickets are $20 each, and although the Ghost Walk is open to all ages, the staff recommends this tour for those aged 13 and older, due to some frightening and violent content of the stories shared during the Ghost Walk. The Ghost Walk begins at Coffee To The People, located at 1206 Masonic Avenue in San Francisco. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit their website listed at the end of this article in the “Sources” section.
SANTA PAULA, CALIFORNIA
Santa Paula offers an immensely entertaining Ghost Walk every year during October. This is a walking tour, which meets and then makes it’s way around the historic district of Santa Paula. The Santa Paula Ghost Walk differs from most in that your guide isn’t simply one individual relaying stories of local ghost stories and history. The Santa Paula theater group actually acts out many of these local legends, making this Ghost Walk more like theater in the streets! If you will be in the area during October, the Santa Paul Ghost Walk is one not to be missed. The ghost walks are limited to groups of 25, although new tours leave every 15 minutes. Ghost Walks are offered on Friday and Saturday nights during mid to late October, and ticket prices are $12-$15 per adult (prices rise as Halloween approaches), and $8 per child aged 7 and older. The Santa Paula Ghost Walk staff resolutely discourage the attendance of children under 7 years old. Flashlights are mandatory on this tour. For more information, visit their website listed at the end of this article in the “Sources” section.
OLD MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA
Monterey offers a Haunted Tour by trolley, which winds in and out of the historic and most interesting parts of this beautiful community. If less than six people arrive for any given tour, the tour is conducted as a Ghost Walk. This tour meets at Stokes Adobe, Monterey’s most reportedly haunted location. Ticket prices are $28 for adults, and $9 for children aged 12 and under. Dates vary, but tours typically meet at 7:45 in order to begin by 8pm. For more details, visit their website listed at the end of this article in the “Sources” section.
VENTURA, CALIFORNIA
The Ghost Walks of Ventura are led by Richard Senate, local haunted historian, ghost hunter, and author of several books focusing on the haunted history of Ventura County. Mr. Senate is informed and passionate about Ventura’s ghosts and hauntings, and even maintains a website dedicated to them. Dates and times vary, so for more information on Mr. Senate and the Ghost Walks he is holding in the area, visit his website, listed at the end of this article in the “Sources” section.
SOURCES (Richard Senate www.ghost-stalker.com , Monterey Trolley Tours www.montereyghostwalk.com/home.htm ,
Santa Paula Ghost Walk http://www.ghostwalk.faststores.com/home.html , San Francisco Ghost Walk www.sfghosthunt.com ,
San Diego Ghost Walk http://www.hauntedsandiegotours.com/ )
