When you take a ghost tour in New York City, you’ll visit some of the city’s oldest neighborhoods and hear tales of people who met their untimely end in tragic fashions.
According to ghost lore, many of these unlucky individuals insist on sticking around in spirit form. They stay because they’ve got unfinished business, or don’t know where else to go, or simply because they want to remain among the living, reminding us of their presence with unexplained noises, visions, and even smells that send chills up our spines.
The most intriguing thing about NYC ghost tours are these stories about the long-dead and how they continue to make their presence known. What took place in a life–or a death–that makes these spirits hang on?
Even better, ghost stories are typically rooted in historical facts, and they’re told by local guides who are knowledgeable about the people and places they’re describing. So even if you’re a non-believer in the supernatural, you’ll still have a great time.
And if you want to visit a haunted house, NYC is the place to do that, too. Go on a ghost hunt at Manhattan’s oldest house or hear about eerie encounters in a home that still contains its original 19th century decor.
Ghost tours are understandably popular in NYC in the fall, the season of Halloween, haunted houses, and spooky stories. It’s also a great nighttime activity. But anytime is a good time to hear creepy tales and explore they city’s underbelly. While New York City is famous for its bright lights, there’s a certain dark side to it.
Read on about tours that will take you to haunted attractions in NYC, where you’ll hear stories that are sometimes grim and disturbing, but always fascinating.
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The Ghostlight Tour-Haunted Broadway
People may not think of Broadway plays and ghost tours in New York City at the same time, but it makes perfect sense that Broadway theaters would be haunted. After all, actors who enjoy the limelight have performed on their stages for generations. And just because an actor dies doesn’t mean she is ready to give up the spotlight.
On our Haunted Broadway tour, we learned that so many Broadway theaters are haunted that it led to the tradition of the ghostlight, a light on stage that remains lit throughout the night, long after the performance ends and every actor, spectator, and crew member have gone home. In the hopes the it will ward off ghosts, the ghostlight is kept lit in theaters on Broadway and in fact, all across America.
I love ghost tours for the history they reveal and this one, rich in Broadway legends, did not disappoint.
At the New Amsterdam Theatre, we learned about a ghost who has appeared to witnesses in a glittering emerald dress after her accidental death at the age of 25. Rituals to appease her are still performed regularly at the New Amsterdam.
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We also heard intriguing stories of a mysterious bone that was discovered at the Imperial Theatre when preparations were being made for the debut of Billy Elliott. And then there’s the Belasco Theatre, named for the prominent actor and theatrical producer. David Belasco earned the nickname, the Bishop of Broadway for his habit of wearing a long black clerical gown. Dressed in this outfit, the Bishop has often been spotted watching performances from the balcony, long after his death in 1931.
The Ghostlight Tour is perfect for Broadway theater lovers. The stories are rooted in historical facts but, true to the spirit of Broadway, include a dramatic flare, too. And though the tour discusses several true-life deaths, the details aren’t grim enough to exclude children. If you didn’t expect Broadway theaters to be among the most haunted places in New York City, you’ll love learning this history.
All tour guides, as well as the founder of the tour company, are local actors and if our guide was any indication, they’re also excellent storytellers.
- Tour company: Broadway Up Close
- Length: 1 hour, 45 minutes.
- Cost: $41. Children 12 and under: $36.
East Village Haunted Manhattan Tour
I loved this ghost tour for few different reasons. The haunted attractions included several well-known landmarks balanced with other, more secret spots in the East Village and the Bowery. And our tour guide Frankie was a talented storyteller who kept us engaged throughout the 90-minute tour, despite the fact that it took place on a rainy, chilly evening.
Frankie described the story of a ghost train at Astor Place, retold by passengers who believed they were stepping onto an uptown subway, only to find themselves inexplicably riding a plush passenger train instead.
The tour took us to well-known spots like McSorley’s Old Ale House, where Harry Houdini was known to drink, as well as to lesser-known locations like an 1800s cemetery whose residents are buried in marble vaults far below ground. And without giving too much away, Houdini wasn’t the only celebrity we heard about.
In addition to ghost encounters, you’ll also hear true stories of murder, suicides, and accidental deaths at a scattering of neighborhood locations.
The tour concludes at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, an imposing structure built in the late 18th century, and final resting place of a major historical figure. If you’re idea of a good ghost tour in New York City is one balanced with historical facts and paranormal occurrences, relayed in an engaging manner by a knowledgeable tour guide, this tour is an excellent choice.
- Tour company: Haunted Manhattan
- Length: 90 minutes
- Cost: $30. Children 16 and under: $25.
NYC Gangsters & Ghosts Tour
Hear a combination of gangster lore and ghost stories on this engaging tour that spans Chinatown, Little Italy, Washington Square Park, and more.
The anecdotes begin on Doyers Street in Chinatown, a curved alleyway where a gang battle so bloody once took place that it became known as the Bloody Angle. It most likely won’t escape your notice that this narrow pedestrian passage is now one of the most charming streets in New York and home to a popular dim sum restaurant that dates back to 1920.
In Little Italy, our tour guide Nate described the details of an cold-blooded 1972 murder at Umberto’s Clam House. He also pointed out various places in the neighborhood where infamous mobsters hung out, as well as a bar where famous film and television scenes have been filmed. The Little Italy portion of the tour makes this a great choice for fans of mobster movies.
As we walked north through SoHo and Greenwich Village, we heard about the haunting of an NYC dorm, how residents still hear the shuffling of feet overhead. Our guide also talked about the 1911 fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, a tragedy that killed nearly 150 people, most of whom were young immigrant women and girls.
The tour concludes in Washington Square Park, a lively public space with a surprisingly dark past.
- Tour company: NYC Gangsters and Ghosts
- Length: 2 hours
- Cost: Adults (18-64): $34. Senior (65+): $33. Youth (7-17): $25. Child (6 and under): FREE.
Dark Side of the High Line
When you take a ghost tour in New York City, you’ll not only learn some fascinating history you’ll be able to check some major landmarks off your itinerary.
And if you’ve walked on the popular elevated park known as the High Line during the day, wait until see it at night! The views stretch across the Hudson River to the west, to the twinkling lights of New York City streets to the east, and the new skyscrapers at Hudson Yards to the north.
The High Line runs on the far west side of Manhattan, along Tenth Avenue, a street once nicknamed Death Avenue. And you know with a name like that, it must have some stories suitable for a haunted walking tour in New York City.
The story begins in the 19th century, when a street level freight train barreled down Tenth Avenue, delivering products to the warehouses of the Meatpacking District. The trains hit and killed so many pedestrians that the avenue was assigned its grim nickname.
In the 1930s, the railroad was finally elevated 30 feet above street level, which saved the lives of countless civilians, though conditions remained dangerous for railroad workers. One man in particular, Ezekiel Marcus, died on the job.
As our tour guide Meredith told us, Marcus’ ghost appeared 75 years later to express his disapproval of the High Line’s transformation from abandoned freight line to public park.
Throughout the tour, your guide will also point out places of historical interest and not to give too much away, several points were related to the 1912 tragedy of the Titanic, which was headed for New York City when it sunk in the North Atlantic, killing 1,500 people.
- Tour company: Free Tours by Foot
- Length: Approximately 2 hours.
- Cost: Pay what you wish. Optional booking fee (to guarantee spot): $3.
Paranormal Historical Investigation at Morris-Jumel Mansion
If you’d love to tour Manhattan’s oldest house after hours, this paranormal investigation is for you! Morris-Jumel Mansion was built in 1765 and has served as, among other things, a country estate, a tavern, and a Revolutionary War headquarters.
It’s not only Manhattan’s oldest house, it’s also a well known haunted house in New York City, appearing on programs like Ghost Adventures and The Holzer Files.
Morris-Jumel Mansion, located in Washington Heights, is now a museum open to the public. They offer a variety of tours, including periodic Paranormal Historical Investigations. The investigations take place after the museum closes. You’ll join your tour guides as they take you to period rooms throughout the house, discussing the artifacts within them, telling stories about past residents, and describing evidence that shows some of those residents have lingered as ghosts.
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You’ll hear stories about the life and death of Eliza Jumel, the longest resident of the house and one-time wealthiest woman in New York City. She died in her bed in 1865 and more than one witness has seen evidence that she remains.
You’ll also hear about other residents and visitors, including servants, enslaved people, and troops who camped outside during the days of the Revolutionary War.
Tour guides provide participants with devices meant to detect paranormal activity, making you feel like you’re truly on a ghost hunt. You’re also allowed to fully enter the period rooms, which are roped off at the entrance during regular museum hours. Must be age 18 or older.
Candlelight Ghost Tours are also available at Morris-Jumel Mansion. They’re a somewhat condensed version of the full paranormal investigations. Must be age 13 or older.
- Location: Morris-Jumel Mansion, 65 Jumel Terrace, New York, NY
- Length: 2.5 hours.
- Cost: $60.
- Masks and proof of COVID-19 vaccination are required.
Candlelight Ghost Tour at Merchant’s House Museum
While Morris-Jumel Mansion is Manhattan’s oldest house, the Merchant’s House Museum stands out because it was continuously occupied by the same family for almost a century. Similar to Morris-Jumel, it is also known to harbor ghosts, making it one more Manhattan haunted house to add to your list.
The home was built on Fourth Street in 1832, in the neighborhood now known as the East Village. In 1835, a wealthy merchant named Seabury Tredwell purchased the home and lived there with his wife Eliza and their eight children.
On a Candlelight Ghost Tour at the Merchant’s House Museum, visitors will hear how at least eight people died in the home, among them Seabury, who passed away in 1865 just weeks before the Civil War ended.
Gertrude, the Trewell’s youngest child, died in the house 1933 at the ago of 93. She was penniless at the time of her death, but she left the home furnished and decorated as it was throughout her lifetime.
Tour participants will have the chance to tour the home’s Greek Revival rooms, which still largely contain original Tredwell family furniture, paintings, and personal possessions. Throughout the tour, you’ll also hear about the odd events that lead many to believe some members of the Tredwell family, especially Gertrude, never fully left.
- Location: Merchant’s House Museum, 29 E. Fourth Street, New York, NY
- Length: 50 minutes.
- Cost: $45. Members: $35.
- Ghost tours are typically offered in the month of October.
- Masks and proof of COVID-19 vaccination are required.
As a final note, haunted tours in New York City, whether in a particular neighborhood or a haunted house, are a fun, engaging (though sometimes disturbing) way to discover a side of the Big Apple you many not otherwise see. Stay safe and happy ghost hunting!