My Experience of the Best Ghost Tour in DC (What I Actually Thought for Locals and Tourists Alike)
If you’re looking for something new and unique to do in town, this might just be the best ghost tour in DC to plan for a fun night with friends, family, or even a date night.
I went on the Extended Dreaded Dead Descent of the District tour with US Ghost Adventures, where I learned about fun and interesting ghost stories that have taken place in the heart of the nation’s capitol.
The tour is described as a way to uncover the hidden truths and spirits of presidents, assassins, and heroes that haunt the capital’s historic streets taking you to places you’d normally just walk past without thinking twice…
This blog was written on behalf of The Scribs and Nibs by my sister, Sitara, who is based in DC.
This post contains affiliate links.
What to know to book the Ghost Tour
- Book the tour directly here.
- Tours run at 7 pm, 8 pm, and 9 pm and are held daily, rain or shine, year-round. You should arrive at least 15 minutes earlier.
- Meet at the U.S. Treasury Building.
- The tour takes about 1 hour (extended tour is ~1.5 hours with 4 additional stops), so definitely wear comfortable shoes.
- Check the weather and dress appropriately.
Who is this tour for?
Literally anyone. Whether you’re a DC local, a visitor, student, or a longtime resident (like me) then this is something totally different to do, and easily one of the best ghost tours in DC for all types of travelers.
I loved hearing new historical facts and learning about people I had never even heard of before. It’s always fun discovering something new about a city you already live in.
And, even if you hate scary movies like me, this was actually really fun. It’s storytelling and history rather than jump scares. Don’t expect to be terrified… but you might still get a few chills, hehe.
My Experience of the Best Ghost Tour in DC
We started off the tour by meeting at the steps of the Treasury Building. Be sure to arrive 15 minutes before the tour as we started promptly at 7 pm. The regular tour lasted for about an hour and consisted of about 5 stops. My friend and I had the extended tour, which went on to four more stops for 30 minutes.
When I arrived I was given a ghost detector to use throughout the tour, which was fun to use at each stop. We were checking if we encountered any ghosts along the way and surprise, surprise… we did! You can add this feature as an add-on to your experience when you book the tour.
Our tour guide, Doug, was informative and made sure we had a fun time hearing about the ghosts that haunt downtown. It definitely felt like we were on the best ghost tour in DC.
There were about 11 people in our group, which felt like the perfect number. It wasn’t crowded and we had a good vibe.
Part of the adventure is not knowing what to expect beforehand so I’m not giving away too much detail. Some of the tour stops include the White House, St. John’s, Lafayette Square, and The Occidental. I enjoyed the spooky stories of each location.
Besides the ghost stories themselves, the tour was a really cool way to see the city at night.
Even though I’ve been living in DC for a while, this was something I had never done before and it made me look at the city in a completely different way. Now, whenever I walk in downtown DC, I’ll think about the ghosts who haunt the area.
Was It Worth It?
Short answer: YES!
It’s only about an hour (or a bit longer if you do the extended version), and I really liked the 7 pm timing because you can go out for happy hour before the tour and still have time to go out for dinner after. If you want to do all the wining and dining first, then the 9 pm tour is probably the better option (especially in the summer when it stays light out longer). Check out my DC bar recommendations here.
Two of my favorite downtown spots for drinks are right next door to the Treasury Building meet-up spot: Old Ebbitt Grill (go for oysters and bubbles) and the VUE Rooftop (fun cocktails).
Drinks at VUE
Other Ghost Tours to Try in DC
If you want to mix things up, there are a few other options from US Ghost Adventures that you can try:
- Want to make it boozy? Try the Ghosts & Booze Pub Crawl
- Visiting in winter? The Capital Christmas Ghosts Tour or a haunted pub crawl is a fun seasonal option
- For something a bit spookier, try the Ultimate Dead of Night Haunted Ghost Tour near the White House
- Prefer more history? Look into tours like Hidden Halls of Power or Secrets, Spies & Symbols DC
Check out all the options!
I partnered with US Ghost Adventures for this experience, but all opinions are my own.