San Francisco is a city with a long history. It has seen more than its share of colorful characters. It is no surprise then that some residents claim that the supernatural spirits of S.F.’s most legendary long-gone citizens still inhabit the dark corners of the Golden Gate City.
Several walking tour companies offer guests a chance to experience the actual locations where the city’s many ghost stories take place. Even skeptics might enjoy the insight into the colorful past of San Francisco.
A Three Hour (Ghost) Tour
San Francisco Ghost Hunt is a three hour walking tour that leaves at 7pm nightly (except Tuesdays) from the Queen Anne Hotel on Sutter Street. The tour passes through the old Victorian mansions of the Pacific Heights area.
The cost for this three-hour storytelling stroll is $20 for adults and $10 for kids. No reservations are required. The tour leaves regardless of weather conditions and includes some indoor time, though most of the time is spent outdoors.
Chinatown’s Vampires & Ghosts
The narrow lanes and mysterious corners of San Fran’s Chinatown are also purportedly home to many spirits. The Chinatown Ghost Tours begin at Four Seas Restaurant on Grant and Commercial Streets in Chinatown. The prices are $24 for adults and $16 for kids. Unlike the Ghost Hunt tour, reservations are required. The tours wind through Chinatown’s old streets and narrow alleys and run for about 90 minutes. The tour guides relay some of the history of the U.S.’s oldest Chinatown and tell spooky stories about the ghosts and vampires that haunt the district.
The Haunted Haight
For a hippie/hipster take on San Francisco’s supernatural scene, there is the Haunted Haight Walking Tour, which passes through the famous Haight Ashbury district. The tour costs $20 and begins at the Coffee to the People Café on Masonic and Haight Streets. It includes a bit of history about some of the more notorious people in Haight’s history. For more information, check the event’s web site.
