Hauntings and Events
Web Designer’s Personal Note: “I have been on 5 tours as of this writing. On 2 of the tours, something happened. Once, a chair started rocking when no one was around. Another time, there was this deep sound that lasted 30 seconds or so. The weird thing about it was that you couldn’t locate its source; it was like surround sound, coming from everywhere. On both occasions, I asked the host if they did that. They replied, ‘No, this is what happens’.”

“Not every host who has been with the company was a believer when they joined. They all are now.”

“Bottomline – We can not guarantee that something will happen on your Haunted San Diego tour, and we can not produce or employ ghosts. Things do happen we just don’t know when, they are rare. But as I said, twice for me personally – so far!”

Scary?
Our tour is an engaging adventure with spooky stories. It’s a dark history tour with a haunted twist. It is not a haunted house with staged effects, or stooges popping out of corners unexpectedly. No jump scares! We don’t use the word, scary, we call it spooky though it could scare some. Even so, some reviewers have called the tour scary. Everyone may expect some eerie, if subtle, moments. Please join us with that in mind.

Your tour combines guided sightseeing with a haunted bus tour and some walking. We get off the bus at each location, but the most you’ll walk is four city blocks (not including the walk to the meeting location from your parking spot).

You and your party will need to be able to handle the 4 steep steps of the ghost bus. You will also have to be able to go up and down about 16 steps at two of the locations.

Expect to stand at each stop to enjoy our tales for about 20 minutes per stop – some a bit more, some less. We can fit a walker, but a wheelchair won’t fit. If you have ambulatory concerns, please call us 619.255.6170, for a personal answer.

Please note you need to be able to keep up with the pace. If you cannot, we may have to cut parts of the tour, which affects everyone. If you’re concerned about this, please call me to discuss.

Here’s how it breaks down – About 33% of the bus tour is on the bus, with a host to entertain and inform, plus a driver to keep everyone safe. You’ll be walking 10-15% of the time, and standing for the rest.

Basics
The tour contains mildly racy content, and some disturbing stories. It is geared toward an adult audience (PG-13). Children under the age of 10 are discouraged. Children under the age of 6 are not allowed to attend due to the lack of child-restraint seats in the bus. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult – no exceptions.

Scariness
Yes, many kids see scary movies and enjoy them. However, going to these actual locations is heavier than “just a movie”. The eerie energy of these locations is real, and you may be surprised how many kids are not as grown up as they think they are.

If your child becomes frightened, we ask that you as the parent to please comfort him. You may step away from the tour so your child may regain her composure. When the moment passes, then rejoin the tour.

Ultimately, it is up to the parent to decide. If you have doubts, please call/text us 619.255.6170, and we can talk about it.

Racy
The haunted downtown/Gaslamp district of San Diego used to be called the Stingaree. It was a dangerous place. Once, it was packed with rough bars, brothels, cutthroats, cardsharps, and vice of every description. We do discuss some of these things, including prostitution. This is done lightly, not graphically, but be advised.

Do you have to book in advance with a credit card or Debit Card?
Yes. There are a limited number of seats for each of our tours and we often sell out well in advance. To ensure that you are able to join us, reservations and payment are required ahead of time. You can book online or over the phone with one of our reservation specialists. If you prefer to pay cash, your only option is to show up at the Old Town Old Town Corral Plaza at least 30 min prior to the tour departure. If we have seats available, you can pay cash at that time. PLEASE NOTE: Reservations are highly recommended as empty seats are rare as the tour time approaches.

Process
When you book online, you will get an email saying your spot(s) have been reserved. If the tour minimum has been met, your card will be charged and you will get another email with details about the tour, where to meet and so on. We operate out of the Old Town Old Town Corral Plaza, please make sure to be there 20 minutes before departure time. Enjoy the tour and happy hauntings!

Waitlist
We do not have a waitlist. If you are trying to book a full tour, your best bet is to show up at the Old Town Old Town Corral Plaza at least 30 min prior to the tour departure. If there has been a cancellation, we will know by the time the tour starts and will get you in. Cancellations are extremely rare; only a couple a month, so this is a long shot option. Don’t miss out – order now!

Our Haunted Guided Tour is small to ensure personal attention to you, our guests. 

We keep our groups intimate so you feel like a participant, not lost in a crowd. Choose the top-rated, authentic local tour for a truly personal adventure.

When you reserve a spot you will get an email confirming that your spot has been reserved. Once 8 people are confirmed on the tour, we’ll send another email so you know that the tour is on.

Your credit card is not charged until we hit the 8 minimum.

If the tour already has 8 people you will get the email immediately, and your card will be charged immediately.

It is rare, but occasionally if it appears that the tour will not go on. We will personally call and/or text you with a tour update 3-5 hours before your tour departure time. Please give us a legit working phone number you’ll have on you for calls/texts. You will not be charged. Your credit card is not processed if the tour does not meet the 8 person minimum.

If you book well in advance, bless you. Most people will book the day of their tour, so please be patient and remember: 90% of the time the tour fills the day of. Your confirmation will likely come sometime that day.

Please call or text us 619.255.6170 if you have questions.

Why the 8-Person Minimum?

We’ve found that a group size of around 8 creates the perfect dynamic for our tours! It allows for comfortable interaction between guests, helps everyone relax and connect, and truly lets our guides shine with the engaging, personal performance we’re known for. This minimum also helps ensure our small, local tour can continue sharing San Diego’s amazing stories.

We’re a small local business, not a soulless national chain. Our policies are designed to be fair to you while protecting our guides, our drivers, and the limited spots on our tours.

Cancellations (The Fine Print)

• If We Cancel the Tour: On the rare occasion that we must cancel a tour (due to a rogue flood, ghostly interference, or not enough brave souls meeting the tour minimum), you will be fully and promptly refunded. If you booked via a third-party (like Viator or Expedia), we’ll contact them immediately to get your refund processed.

• If You Cancel (24+ Hours Notice): If you cancel 24 hours or more before your tour, you will receive a full refund. No hard feelings.

• If You Cancel (Under 24 Hours) or No-Show: All sales are final within 24 hours of the tour. Just like a concert or theater performance, your tickets are for a specific time and date. Once purchased, those seats are considered sold, and we cannot refund or exchange them if you miss the tour.

…But We’re Still Human: We know things happen. If you have an emergency within the 24-hour window, you must call or text us immediately (619.255.6170). This is at our discretion, but if we can resell your plot… er, spot… before the tour, we will happily issue a refund. The sooner you contact us, the better your chances.

 Our “Satisfaction Guaranteed” Pact

We are local historians and performers who take immense pride in our work. We’re confident we offer the most authentic, entertaining, and haunted experience in San Diego.

However, we know our unique blend of dark history, theater, and grim jokes isn’t for everyone. If your experience fell short (it’s rare, but it happens), we genuinely want to hear about it.

We offer refunds (for up to 3 guests in your group) only under the following conditions:

• You Must Contact Us First: To be eligible, you must contact us directly with your concerns before posting a public review (Yelp, Google, TripAdvisor, etc.). This gives us a good-faith opportunity to address your issues and improve.

• Provide Constructive Feedback: We require specific, constructive feedback. Vague complaints (“it wasn’t fun,” “boring”) don’t help us. Please tell us what went wrong. Did we fail to deliver something we promised? Was there a specific issue with the tour?

• Be Timely: Refund requests must be made within 72 hours of the tour, while the… evidence… is still fresh.

The Final Word (Please Read): Once a negative review is posted to a public platform, all refund eligibility is void. At that point, we consider the matter closed. This policy allows us to maintain the integrity of our feedback process, both public and private.

Do you offer discounts for Seniors, Military or anything else?
Our bus is smaller, we like to keep it intimate. The downside of keeping it intimate is that our profit margins are super thin. Plus we pay to enter locations, have a driver and host.

Occasionally, we will set up a discount code on our site because we do want to get people a discount for asking. If you don’t see it, call or text us 619.255.6170, and we will set something custom up for you. Discounts are not available during September and October.

Group Discounts
If you have a group of more than 12 individuals, please call our reservation line to discuss potential discounted options – 619.255.6170.

Pricing Transparancy
We keep our tour groups small at 14 people maximum, to ensure a personal touch. Pricing wise it is hard for us to compete with a walking tour (which has no bus insurance or overhead associated in that way and takes as many as possible since they don’t have “seats”), and a larger bus tour that adds another 14 people but loses the intimacy.

We must pay for you to see and enter some of the locations we visit. Unlike many tours, we have a driver and a host, which ensures your tour is safe and top quality, and this costs us more as well. Basically we pay to enter locations and run a bus and a driver which no other tour in town does so yea our cost on the bus tour is higher.

If you are looking for a more affordable option please check our Gaslamp walking tour or Old Town Walking tour.

Should I tip?

If you enjoy the performance of your host, yes! It is customary to thank them however you see fit. Your host is a trained, experienced, and knowledgeable professional who puts a lot of effort and energy into your experience.

Your generosity is always appreciated. It is how the host makes much of their income. Remember the driver, too, if you are pleased with your evening. If you tip the driver remember the host is tipped seperately so don’t forget them.

No Driving Host?
Consider the important reasons for this: 1. Safety and performance first – That’s why we have a dedicated driver and a seperate host.

Anyone telling stories while driving may become distracted. This means they might forget and skip over important stories on the tour as they deal with traffic. Worse, they may get into an accident. We provide you get a driver and a host on your tour. The driver concentrates on the road and your safety, while the host focuses on the performance, stories, and your good time.

Our competition skips on having a separate driver to cut costs / quality by having one person perform both jobs, and they don’t pass the savings on to you. It also makes for easier scheduling.

2. Entertainment. Your ghost host will be standing at the front of the bus, enthralling you with San Diego ghost stories the entire time you are on the tour. There is no storytelling break while you ride. They are directly involved with you at all times. This keeps them on top of their performance – not distracted by traffic.

3. We keep an eye on the bus and your valuables. You’ll be getting off at every haunted location with the host guiding you. The driver will stay with the bus so your valuables are watched over, and kept safe.

Parking
You should arrive in Old Town at least 35 minutes prior to the tour departure (more during busy season). There is parking available, but it can be competitive. You may have to walk some blocks. Below is a map of the free parking locations in town. You may also used the paid parking beneath the meeting location (Old Town Corral Plaza).

Click here to download the Haunted Old Town free parking spots map!

Consider using Lyft, Uber, or a taxi, and forget parking.

Arrival
Our tour leaves from the Old Town Corral Plaza | 2415 San Diego Ave, San Diego, CA 92110

Please make sure to be at the plaza 20 minutes before your tour embarks. When you get there you will see our ghost host dressed in Victorian attire. You will also see our purple shuttle bus, you can’t miss it. Please introduce yourself to the host, have the ticket buyer give their name, and you are good to go. There is no ticket or phone app needed just your name. We go by a roster.

There are rare cases where the earlier tour may have gone over. In that case please be patient, they will materialize.

Unlike the “drive-by” tours that just point from the street, we unbolt the doors. On a typical night, we take you inside four chilling locations: the Villa Montezuma, Horton Grand Hotel, Davis-Horton House, and the El Campo Santo Graveyard.

No other tour in San Diego gets you this level of exclusive, after-dark access.

A Friendly Warning from the Other Side: Our locations are authentically haunted… and also authentic, active buildings. While we have pacts for exclusive access, the mortal world can be unpredictable. On very rare occasions, a location may be closed for a private event, sudden construction, or a… vigorous spiritual cleansing we weren’t warned about. We get our guests inside over 95% of the time, but access is not 100% guaranteed. Because we still honor our commitments to these historic sites, we cannot offer refunds or discounts in the rare event a location is unavailable.

“But what about the Whaley House?”

We know you’re asking. And yes, we’ll take you onto the grounds. You’ll stand on the very land where Yankee Jim was hanged, and we’ll tell you the real, dark history of the Whaley family.

But do we go inside? No. And that’s a deliberate choice.

The Whaley House has become… well, let’s just say it’s busy. It now runs its own separate, self-guided tour (think ‘haunted history theme park’), which just isn’t our style. Worse, new management has (in our local, expert opinion) altered the historical narrative and layout.

Because of the constant crowds and changes, our paranormal teams have noted a serious decline in activity. It’s lost its edge. While its history is fascinating, we’d rather spend our time (and your money) taking you somewhere the spirits are still talking.

So, where do we take you instead? We focus our energy on a location with proven, current activity: the Davis-Horton House. Don’t just take our word for it. As the “SD Ghost Hunters” team (who investigate all over San Diego) recently stated:

“The Horton Davis house is currently the most active location in San Diego proper.”

You don’t just see it from the street. You go inside it with us. We prioritize genuine haunts over crowded tourist traps.