7 Historic Ghost Tours in Ohio to Take This Fall

As temperatures drop, days grow cooler and the leaves begin to turn, Ohioans become eager to embrace the spooky side of our state’s history. As the Halloween season arrives, we have a wealth of haunted tours to choose from across the Buckeye State. From treks in cities like Cleveland and Cincinnati to experiences in smaller towns that are brimming with history, such as Marietta and Chillicothe, here are seven tours to help you get in the spirit of the season.

Historic Zoar Village Ghost Tours | Zoar
Oct. 9–10, 16–17 and 30–31
Explore Historic Zoar Village on an hour-long ghost tour during which locals, paranormal investigators and historical interpreters share the haunted history of the town, which was founded in 1817. Germans fleeing religious persecution created Zoar as a Utopian community, and the communal society operated here until 1898. The annual ghost tours offer a fun and spooky way to experience the village after dark and has traditionally been a popular offering. Tickets can be purchased in advance online, and there is a choice to upgrade to a package that includes dinner. historiczoarvillage.com

Putnam Street Ghost Trek | Marietta
Fri & Sat nights, June–October
Explore the history of the Northwest Territory’s first permanent settlement with Hidden Marietta’s Putnam Street Ghost Trek. During this one-mile, flat-pavement tour, attendees will learn about the city’s haunted tales, from a church explosion that killed several children to a theater with a dark history to a potential connection between Marietta and the Manson Murders of 1969. The tour, which is among Hidden Marietta’s most popular offerings, begins at the Washington County Courthouse and lasts roughly 90 minutes. Tickets can be purchased in advance online. hiddenmarietta.com

Phantom’s Parade on Prospect | Cleveland
Year-round
During the mid-20th century, Cleveland was the nation’s seventh-largest city, which gives it plenty of haunted history that can be explored during US Ghost Adventures’ Phantom’s Parade on Prospect. The hour-long tours begin at Public Square in the heart of Downtown Cleveland and takes participants through some of the city’s purportedly haunted sites, including the Terminal Tower Observation Deck, Hanna Theatre and Cleveland Grays Armory Museum. Tickets are purchased in advance online and there is a chance to expand the experience by adding more ghostly stops. usghostadventures.com

Ultimate Queen City is Haunted Tour | Cincinnati
Year-round, select times
Packed with 19th-century architecture like the historic Music Hall and originally settled by German immigrants, Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood is said to be the most haunted part of the city. Much of the neighborhood was built atop old cemeteries, creating decades of local legends and superstitions. Hosted by American Legacy Tours, this two-hour trek led by a guide explores those legends while sharing the spine-chilling history behind some of the city’s most well-known buildings. Afterward tour takers can explore the historic neighborhood, which is known for its variety of restaurants. americanlegacytours.com

Booze and Boos Tour | Cincinnati
Year-round, Thursday through Saturday
This 2.5-hour tour, mile-long bar crawl hosted by Nightly Spirits treats tour takers through Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Attendees begin their tour at Queen City Radio, a beer garden that opened inside a former service station in 2016, then venture to Washington Park, which was built on top of several cemeteries, then on to up to three historic bars, all while learning about the city’s hauntings and local legends. All participants must be 21 years old or older, although alcohol is not required to be purchased. nightlyspirits.com/cincinnati

Haunted Waterville Tours | Waterville
Sept. 12, 17, 24 & Oct. 1, 8, 17, 22, 31
The Waterville Historical Society offers an interesting blend of history and paranormal activity with its yearly ghost tours. Launched in 2022, the tours take attendees through the pre-Civil War Robbins House Museum with a medium before embarking on a tour of old Waterville in a horse-drawn trolley. The experience lasts roughly 90 minutes and brings attendees to multiple haunted buildings in downtown Waterville, a small community in Lucas County. Tours leave every 45 minutes between 6:15 and 8:15 p.m. on select dates and buying tickets in advance is recommended. watervillehistory.org

Columbus Ghost Tours | Columbus
Year-round
Locally owned and operated, Columbus Ghost Tours offers several different eerie adventures for those interested in discovering our capital city’s ghostly past. Guides are prepared to share ghostly tales tied to Ohio’s capital city, from Green Lawn Cemetery to the campus of The Ohio State University. Tour choices include a Ghost of German Village Walking Tour and a Creepy Downtown Columbus Walking Tour. Most tours range from 90 minutes to 2 1/2 hours, and tickets can be purchased in advance online. columbusghosttours.com

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