Boston kept its burial grounds right downtown, so its ghost stories sit unusually close to the surface. This guide compares seven ghost tours in the city, a trolley ride, guided walks, a pub crawl and self-guided audio routes, with what each covers and who it suits, so you can match the tour to your evening instead of the other way around.
Why is Boston haunted in the first place?
Age, mostly. Boston's burial grounds, Copp's Hill and the Granary among them, hold centuries of residents, and the streets around them saw revolution, epidemics and darker chapters, from the old hanging tree near the Common to the Boston Strangler. Guides here have real, documented history to build on, which is what separates the good tours from a costume with a script.
1. Boston Ghosts & Gravestones Night-Time Trolley Tour
The big-production option. You ride the Trolley of the Doomed through Boston's haunted streets while a costumed host runs theatrical, informative commentary on the city's darker history, including a stop at Copp's Hill Burying Ground. A good fit if you want the stories without the miles on foot.
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2. The Ghosts of Boston's Past Haunted Self-Guided Tour
A go-at-your-own-pace route through Boston's haunted past, delivered through a mobile app with historical narratives and ghost stories at each stop. Sites include a hotel with a claim to being New England's most haunted, the old hanging tree, haunted theaters and several burial grounds.
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3. Self-Guided Smartphone Ghost Walking Tour in Boston
Your phone plays guide on this one. Start at 10 1/2 Beacon St and follow turn-by-turn navigation between the city's storied sites while immersive audio handles the ghost stories. No group, no schedule, and you will not miss a stop.
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4. Haunted Boston's Historic Streets Walking Guided Tour
A classic guided walk through the historic streets, framed around the history, heroism and horror that shaped Boston. A knowledgeable guide leads the route past some of the strangest and most storied sites downtown, saving the endings for the sidewalks where they happened.
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5. Ghosts of Boston Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour
Most ghost tours run at night with a crowd. This one hands you more than 60 recorded stories and narrations and lets you walk whenever you like, past landmarks including the Granary Burying Ground and the Boston Opera House. The quiet, daylight-friendly alternative.
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6. Haunted Boston Ghost and Pub Walking Tour
A 2.5-hour ghost tour and pub crawl in one, led by a costumed guide through the historic streets with stops at pubs said to be haunted along the way. History with a pint in hand, and the easiest sell for a group that cannot agree on plans.
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7. Boston Ghosts Haunted Walking Tour
A nighttime walk that strings together the city's most storied landmarks, including the Granary Burying Ground and the Massachusetts State House, with an experienced guide handling the city's paranormal reputation site by site.
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Questions people ask
Is Boston really haunted?
It has the ingredients: some of the oldest burial grounds in the country, dense centuries of city history, and buildings that watched revolution and tragedy up close. Whether the reported apparitions at places like Copp's Hill hold up is yours to decide, which is half the reason to go.
Are ghost tours in Boston worth it?
If you choose by guide rather than by gimmick, yes. The better Boston ghost tours are history tours with the lights turned down, and even skeptics come away with stories about the city they did not know going in.
What is the most haunted place in Boston?
Ask three guides and you will get three answers, but the burial grounds turn up on nearly every route. Copp's Hill and the Granary anchor most itineraries, with the Common's old hanging tree close behind.
Should I take a walking tour or the trolley?
Walking puts you on the pavement where the stories happened, and Boston's fall evenings favor layers and comfortable shoes either way. The trolley covers more ground with less effort, which makes it the better pick for mixed groups or tired feet. Book ahead in October; the good departures fill first.
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Planning a Southwest trip after New England? Freaky Foot Tours runs walking tours in three Arizona towns; find them on our locations page.
