Staunton Ghost Tour

Staunton's ghost tour takes visitors through the darker side of one of Virginia's most elegant small cities, with stories of hauntings, accidents, wartime hardships and the long history of the institutions that once stood on its hills. Evening tours begin as the light fades and the historic buildings take on a different character, and a guide leads a group through alleys, past churches and old hotels, telling stories that mix documented history with local legend. It is entertaining without being gory, and suits a mixed group of adults and older children.

The stories vary with the guide and the season, but typical themes include the Civil War hospitals and refugees, the fires and epidemics that shaped the city, and the former hospital for the mentally ill that sat on the edge of town. Guides usually take care to separate verified history from folklore, and good ones leave room for questions. The route is walkable, usually around ninety minutes, with stairs and slopes, so comfortable shoes are essential. Bring a flashlight if you want to look at details, although the streetlights are usually enough.

The tour fits into a longer day. A common plan is a late-afternoon arrival, an early dinner in the Wharf district, the ghost tour as darkness falls and a late drive back to Luray. If you prefer not to drive the valley roads at night, consider staying in Staunton for a night, since the city has inns and historic hotels, or choose a daytime visit and skip the evening. Combining the ghost tour with the daytime walking tour gives you two views of the same streets, one architectural and one atmospheric.

Whether or not you believe in ghosts, the tour is a good way to learn about a city's past. It brings out the human stories behind the architecture, which makes the town's buildings more memorable the next day. For visitors who have spent their time in the caverns and on the mountain, it offers a different mood, human rather than geological, and a reason to see a handsome valley city after dark.

To make an evening of it, arrive in the afternoon, check in somewhere for the night if you can, and treat the ghost walk as the final course of a longer day in town. Plan a relaxed dinner beforehand, since groups meet at a set time and lateness is hard to fix.

Dress in layers, carry a small flashlight and phone charger, and bring a sense of curiosity, because the best part of such tours is the questions that follow the stories. Ask your guide which stories are documented and which are legend, and you will leave knowing more about the town than most day visitors do.