Ghost Adventures
October is such a fun month! The cooler temps and changing leaves encourage us to get outside, snap some fall photos and visit the pumpkin patch. But what about an activity of a different nature — ghost tour, anyone? Even if you aren’t a paranormal enthusiast, these tours include fascinating history that even locals may not know. You can find a tour in several Arizona cities, including Jerome, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Tucson, and Mesa.
She Said: I’ve been on a ghost tour before, but I was especially excited to learn about the history of this city that I wasn’t too familiar with. Every tour is different! Am I a paranormal enthusiast? Well, you could say I’m in the “Mulder” camp when it comes to ghosts. I want to believe. I could tell that others on the tour felt the same — including our host — which created a fun vibe. Most people were from out of town, and it was interesting to hear where they were visiting from. Our host did a great job getting everyone acquainted before we spent the next two hours together.
The time flew by as we listened to fascinating stories at a hotel, pub, music venue, apartments, restaurant, and even a parking lot. Surprisingly, the parking lot was the creepiest. Our EMF (electromagnetic field) detectors flashed red — the max level — the whole time we were there. Sure, it could have been interference, but they hadn’t gone off like that at any other stop. I also felt a tingling in my legs while standing in the lot itself, where the host said he had felt the same — but much stronger — on previous tours. He stays on the sidewalk now.
My favorite stop was an elegant 1912 hotel, complete with Italian marble floors, Austrian crystal chandeliers, and black walnut banisters, and fireplace. It was gorgeous — like stepping back in time! Oh, and of course, the builder supposedly haunts the bar, though he didn’t make an appearance (boooo!).
Our guide wrapped up the tour with lighthearted comments, encouraging us not to fear the inevitable (aka kicking the bucket). He even shared his “ghost plan” to haunt the local bookstore — and told us to say “hi” if we ever see a comic book floating through the air. Will do!
He Said: our eyes beheld an eerie sight. A ghost appeared and began to rise, and gave us all a big surprise. I’m kidding, of course. We didn’t see any ghosts on our ghost tour (I want my money back!). Please pardon my sarcasm. Full disclosure: I am a ghost skeptic. Unlike the kid from The Sixth Sense, I have never seen — nor do I expect to see — dead people.
That said, I enjoyed this tour more than I thought I would. I liked the spooky stories and the history lessons, and our guide was great at spinning tales that kept things interesting. If he’d been a terrible storyteller, we basically would have just paid someone to walk us around parts of town we usually avoid.
We learned about several downtown buildings — which ones were speakeasies with tragic stories, haunted hotels with guests who never left, and parking lots that were once Indian burial grounds. I’ll be street parking next time I’m in the area, thanks.
Overall, we had a great night. We met some new friends, shared some laughs, got our steps in, learned a lot about our city — and nobody got slimed.
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