The honor of best historical Ghost Tour in San Diego hands down goes to Ghosts and Gravestones of Old Town Trolley Tours..
History, Mystery, and Legends
I mean, it’s some of our favorite things! Just add a cup of coffee and (she breaks out into song) ‘These are a few of my favorite things…’
San Diego was built by notorious characters all but forgotten in today’s fast paced world. Our tour guide was none other than Wyatt Earp who had a very interesting story in San Diego. I consider myself pretty knowledgable about famous cowboys but I admit I didn’t know how deep his roots went in that town. (OK truth… I was totally geeking out about Wyatt being our tour guide and we did swap stories about his life and his notorious buddy, (and my fave outlaw) Doc Holliday)
San Diego History: Mexican Era
San Diego has always been a destination city. It began with the Kumeyaay tribes who lived there. When the Spaniards arrived they pressed the tribe into forced labor. Boo. The 1820’s saw Old San Diego in its Spanish Mexican heyday with many Spanish residences and a lively economy.
Americans and many others traveled to the area to see open plaza fiestas, bullfights, and other ways to gamble and amuse oneself. (Remember Wyatt? He and his wife did extremely well here in activities that are not legal today!)
Old Town San Diego is alive and well and well worth checking out! There is dining, shopping, and even a kids history hunt (which we totally did!) It’s also, very appropriately, where Ghosts and Gravestones departs from.
San Diego History: American Era
In 1846 the first US flag was officially raised and there is a giant rock and plaque commemorating this event.
Well, as most things American, when we arrived, and it was memorable. Let’s see there was the Gold Rush, fires, major storms that brought super fun things like extraordinarily high tides and flooding, a severe earthquake (1862) smallpox epidemic, and then the drought.
The history of San Diego is not boring.
Old Town San Diego what towns did…pulled together as a tight knit community and survived.
The New Town of San Diego eclipsed the ‘Old Town’ and for a long time Old town stood separate, alone, and stuck in time. Almost a ….ghost town…
The Famous Whaley House
In Old Town stands The Famous Whaley House and it is where our Ghosts and Graveyards tour really began.
According to The Travel Channel’s America’s Most Haunted, it’s the most haunted house in the United States. And for good reason. There are a great amount of paranormal occurrences that have been documented there over the years.
It is the oldest brick building in San Diego (1856) and I must say that anyone who chooses to build a house on the site of known hangings is is probably tempting fate a bit and should not be surprised if said house becomes ‘haunted’.
This Family in the Whaley House
There is a very heavy feeling in the house, almost sad. Both my husband and I felt there was one room in the house that felt particularly heavy and foreboding. I asked about the room and was told they weren’t sure what went on in there but there was indeed a mysterious death upstairs (they didn’t know which room) and we weren’t the first ones to feel that way about that particular room. My money is on that room and it wasn’t a peaceful death.
We took about a million photos in the hopes of catching a ghost on film. Alas, despite me wandering around whispering invites to the ghosties to photobomb, nothing…
BUT
On our final stop in the Whaley House Tour two things of note happened. The first is that I took three photos in a row of Sage. We were all standing in a dark hallway listening to the last bits of the Whaley House story and I snapped a couple parting shots for good measure. Two of them had a blue orb in them on Sage. Here they are in the order of me taking them. You be the judge… refracting light? or spirit orb?
The second thing that happened is that my purse was suddenly ridiculously heavy. I mean like so heavy I tried switching shoulders and then took it off because it was so heavy. The feeling left immediately when we left the premises. It felt like someone was hanging on it…and maybe someone was…
El Campo Santo Cemetery
So ghosts. Check. On to Graveyards…I mean Can’t be the best historical Ghost Tour in San Diego if you don’t cover both, right?
We toured this 1800s cemetery and between the stories and the ambiance it did not disappoint. Josh and I both felt kind of sad walking on the sidewalk up to the cemetery. Turns out the babies were buried there, outside the cemetery walls which we learned as we left. Sad.
Once again I invited all ghosties to photobomb. And once again, they decided not to. None the less, a great stop on the tour with lots of legendary stories!
On to the Trolly
OK the trolly was just cool!
Pioneer Park
This stop required us to get on a trolly and what an awesome trolly it was!!! We learned more about notorious characters of early San Diego and a ghostly secret about the park…but you’ll need to take the tour to learn that.
READ 52 WAYS TO HAVE AN ALL AMERICAN AUTUMN
Know Before You Go
This tour involves both walking and trolly ride so wear comfortable shoes.
Parts are wheelchair accessible but there are pieces of the tour that will be missed (like the upstairs of the Whaley House and the El Campo Santo Cemetery) Call them for details. They do try their best to accommodate.
There are no jump scares. (Thank God)
Bring your camera… they really encourage you to take photos. Any time someone captures a ghostly moment, the Ghosts and Graveyards folks love it!
Use the washroom before you go. It’s a fast paced tour and there isn’t really a place to stop.
Kids: I think it’s appropriate for kids. There was no foul language and nothing so grisley that would terrify them. There are colorful stories though so be prepared to explain a little and help them understand.
Reservations are required.
READ THE 400 YEAR HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN IN AMERICA
Final Notes
Are you DYING to go?
I want to thank Ghosts and Graveyards for partnering with us on this. Between the history and family fun, it was a perfect match and I cannot wait to experience their other tours!
Yes! They have other tours! Boston, Washington, Key West, Nashville, Savannah and St. Augustine to be exact!!!
I think they are the best historical Ghost Tour in San Diego and I can’t wait to check out their other destinations!
BOOK YOUR SAN DIEGO GHOST TOUR HERE
READ THE BEST GHOST TOURS IN AMERICA
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This is so fun! I need to go check these locations out. I love getting spooked. Halloween is my favorite holiday!!
That is kind of creepy that your purse was so heavy like someone was pulling on it!
Love the history that is wrapped into all of this! What a neat experience!
That’s my favorite part too!
Love it! Being an intuitive who finally conquered fear, I now participate in ghost tours in most of the cities I visit. I usually pick up on quite a lot and get some freaky photos. This looks like a great blend of history and spookiness. I’d love to your the Whaley House.
OOO I’d be interested to hear your experience!
Love it!!! We have a few ghost tours nearby and they never disappoint. I enjoyed this different perspective of these places. I think the blue light might be something!
I’ve had a few people say that! You’re right, they never disappoint…always fun!
Oh, my family would love this! Putting it on our list for our next trip to San Diego.
You will not be disappointed!
So fun! We are in San Diego. I went to the Whaley house as a child with school and I swear I saw eyes move in the paintings on the wall!
hahahah I shouldn’t laugh but I love that. It reminds me of Scooby Doo!
I would absolutely love this tour and find it so interesting! I have heard of heavy, sad, and dark energies that remain in places where non-peaceful deaths have taken place. I’ve never experienced it but would certainly not shy away from it. I think there’s so much we can’t see and don’t understand. I think I’d love San Diego. If I ever get there, I’ll definitely look this place up!
Excellent! It really was an insightful tour. Seated in Old Town is pretty cool too!
This looks like so much fun. May need another trip to San Diego with the family this time.
DO it!!! You won’t be disappointed!
I love ghost tours mainly because they involve so much history! I need to put Old Town on my list of places to go! Thanks for putting it on my radar!
My Pleasure!!! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!
I love San Diego. I had no idea they had a ghost tour.
I am glad you know it now! It is an insightful and different look at the city… a lot of forgotten stories.
I am so excited! I am going to have to go and check this place out! Thanks for the heads up.
I’m excited for you!!!!! Let us now how you like it!!
This ghostly tour looked like a fun time! May have to look into Boston’s!
oh I hear that one is absolutely amazing!!
I love ghost tours and this one looks like so much fun!
Its a riot! I loved our tour guide, Wyatt!
OH this is something my family would really love – will try and remember to drive a bit more south next time we do Disneyland for Halloween. Thanks for sharing that there are other cities too that do this so almost anyone can find one to visit at some point.
It’s a pretty great company! I’ve been on a couple and they do disappoint!
I go to San Diego so much but I have never done this…cant wait to go! Thanks for sharing this awesome place!
Excellent! Mission accomplished!