Posted on 9/15/2025

Galveston Ghost Tours You Won't Want to Miss

Galveston is well-known as a fantastic place for a beach vacation, but most people don't realize it's also a popular destination for ghost hunters, too!

Ghost tours in Galveston are available nightly and range from history-filled walks (how much walking depends on the tour) along  The Strand to hunting ghosts to haunted bar hopping. When you're done wandering with the spirits, you'll be glad to have a cozy  Galveston vacation rental to return to — just make sure that no ghosts follow you home!

We've rounded up a few of Galveston's best "frightseeing" excursions geared toward skeptics and believers alike. When you visit Galveston, these tours are full of spooky stories and cemetery visits, leaving no gravestone unturned and offering a seriously scary good time.


History of Ghost Hunting in Galveston

Ever since Discovery Channel's Ghost Lab and Travel Channel Ghost Stories came to Galveston Island with their professional ghost hunters to the Grand Galvez Hotel in search of a young girl known as the Ghost Bride, people have been flocking to these shores for more than beaches. Add a dose of spooky to your time in Galveston by embracing this lesser-known side of our beloved island. It's becoming the Ghost capital of Texas!

Dwayne Jones, executive director of the  Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF), explains why so many people come to the island for ghost hunting: "Many, many people have lived and died by these waters, and perhaps some of the dead still reside here."


Ghost Hunting Tour Guides

After you've toured the  island's incredible museums by day, it's time to dig into its haunted sites with a Galveston ghost tour after the sun goes down. Most ghost tours run all year-round but the most popular time for these is certainly October, right around Halloween. 

This is your guide to who to go with and the ghosts that are part of the local lore!

1. Historic Galveston Ghost Tours

Historic Galveston Ghost Tours leads brave souls on a night full of paranormal activity and history. Guided by Johnny Zombie, this ghost walking tour covers spots like the 1800s Sealy Mansion, where the head of the house is said to wander the haunted halls still. The tour is offered three times each evening, allowing you to go early with kiddos or later at night for an extra spooky experience.

2. Spooky Strand Ghost Tours

Sordid tales of pirates, wars, and epidemics set the scene on a Spooky Strand Ghost Tour, where your tour guide will introduce Galveston's history and haunted characters. The 90-minute walk traverses about a mile of downtown sites, with stops at the Railroad Museum, the Tremont House, and the Sealy-Hutchings building.

Tours are for all ages and are offered a few times nightly. Adult beverages are welcome!

3. Ghost City Tours: Ghosts of Galveston

Ghost City Tours offers a few different scare-filled outings on the island, sure to add some fright to your night. The Ghosts of Galveston is the original spooky sightseeing tour. Geared toward all ages, it introduces mortals to the island's haunted history and paranormal history. You'll make stops to meet the ghosts of St. Mary's Orphanage, Moody Mansion, and more.

4. Ghost City Tours: Galveston Haunted Cemetery Tour

Dark graves, whispering voices, disappearing shadows — it's all in store on the Galveston Haunted Cemetery Tour. Presented by Ghost City Tours, the 90-minute exploration of Galveston's historic gravestones blends fright and intrigue as you learn about the former residents laid to rest eternally by the beach. The tour welcomes all ages, but you will be in a cemetery after dark!

5. Ghost City Tours: Shadows of Revelry Ghost Tour

The Shadows of Revelry Ghost Tour of Galveston offers a chilling glimpse into the seedy history of the town. Geared toward adults, the outing includes tales of Galveston's old Red Light District and other dark and haunted spots. You can bring your own alcohol on this one, too.

6. Ghost City Tours: Galveston Haunted Pub Crawl

Ever dreamed of drinking with the dead? The Galveston Haunted Pub Crawl walking tour combines bar hopping with ghost hunting, offering insights into local spots to imbibe with immortal spirits. The 2-hour tour is the perfect group activity for bachelor and bachelorette parties or nights out with friends on a Galveston vacation.

7. Ghost Tours of Galveston

Ghost Tours of Galveston invites you to "discover the dark side" of the island city on a couple of different haunted jaunts. On the Original Ghost Tour on The Strand, you'll hear the haunted history of Galveston, like the tale of the "headless railroad engineer" and the "deceased school marm."

On the Galveston Cemetery Ghost Tour, you'll go straight into the final resting place of Civil War soldiers and victims of the Great Storm of 1900. Both tours pay acute attention to detail and are for the more serious ghost hunters in your group.

8. Dash Beardsley Restless Spirits Tour

Presented by Ghost Tours of Galveston, The Dash Beardsley Restless Spirits Tour is only for ages 13 and up and has a darker, more spooky vibe than some of the other tours on our list.

On the slow stroll through Downtown Galveston, you'll hear ghost stories of scandal and modern tales of paranormal activity, including the lore of a little girl whose spirit lingers in an old bar.

9. Storm on the Strand Ghost Tour

Focused on the Downtown Historic Strand Seaport Area, the Storm on the Strand Ghost Tour introduces guests to the 19th-century buildings of this area and the spirits that haunt them.

On the ghost walking tour, you'll see the Grand Opera House and hear the tale of a famous visiting actor who died on the island and floated out to sea in his coffin during a storm before he could be buried. The tour is offered three times a night, with an extra outing on weekends.

10. Old City Cemetery Tour

Ghouls, ghosts, and gravestones combine on the Old City Cemetery Tour in Galveston. Led by the Lady in Black, the group tour goes to the Old City Cemetery, a nearly 200-year-old burial site full of haunted tales. Among the stories of the dead, you'll hear of the "most verbal ghost" in the cemetery, who curses his executioners aloud each year on the anniversary of his death.

Cemetery tours take place nightly, or you can schedule private tours during the day for a less frightening look at the headstones.

11. Al's Authentic Paranormal Tours

Exploring beyond the haunted, Al's Authentic Paranormal Tours cover weird happenings around the island that can't be explained by science or reason. Led by a local, the tour traverses the haunted streets of Galveston in search of apparitions and authentic spooky moments. Tours take place in small groups, or you can book a private experience for your vacation crew.

12. Ghost on the Strand Tour

The Ghost on the Strand Tour covers one of the most haunted places in Galveston — the Strand Historic District. Full of haunted history, the tour includes stories like the tale of the railroad worker who lost his head entertaining a crowd and the guests of the Tremont House who checked into the hotel but never checked out. Tours are for all ages but full of fright, so they may not be appropriate for the easily spooked.

13. SegCity's Haunted Legends Tour

  • Book a tour:  segwaygalveston.com
  • Tour Length: 1 to 2 hours
  • Restrictions: Participants must weigh 75 to 300 lb to ride.

Combining island history with a fun ride, SegCity Tours offers a few different outings around the island. If you're looking for a spooky Segway experience, the Haunted Legends Tour rolls past cemeteries and haunted houses, while the Pirates Tale Tour digs into the tales of the notorious Jean Lafitte and Pierre Lafayette, a pair of pirates who sailed the Gulf of Mexico in the early 1800s.

14. Authentic Galveston Ghost City Tours

Both spine-chilling and informative, Authentic Galveston Ghost City Tours take you to haunted locations in search of spirits. Led by a "ghost medium," the 90-minute walking tour includes stops at Ashton Villa to meet the ghost of former lady of the house Bettie Brown and the Normandy Inn, known as a hub for voodoo and witchcraft.

15. Dark of the Moon Tour

History, ghosts, and brothels combine on the Dark of the Moon Tour, an adults-only outing in the Strand Historic District. The walking tour starts with the Post Office area, where dozens of brothels once formed the island's Red Light District, before heading over to The Strand for gory tales and paranormal sightings.

16. Haunted Harbor Tour

Set sail from Pier 21 for this hour-long sea-faring adventure through the harbor while you learn about the island's harrowing pirate history. From the sudden death of sailors to spooky mysteries, our professional guides and captain will make sure you don't join the former sailors and Galveston Ghosts in the depths.

Enjoy all the fun of a boat tour while listening to our tour guides speak on the sea-faring tragedies this sun-soaked paradise tries to forget.

17. Lizzie Borden Ghost Tours

While the actual Lizze Borden house is in Massachusetts, not Texas, the written and oral histories of many mansions and historic sites in Galveston are equally harrowing. Once the city had one of the largest red light districts in the world, and on this frightseeing tour, true history buffs can explore the most haunted places in Galveston at a very comfortable pace.

Expect to visit spooky destinations like Hendley Market, Tremont House Hotel, and the Butterowe Building. The latter was used as an open-air morgue after the massive loss incurred during one of Texas's largest natural disasters. Thanks to the meticulously researched ghost stories on Galveston Island, this entire tour is sure to be an exciting and memorable experience.


A Few Tips for Your Spooky Ghost Tour

Before you set out to explore Galveston’s haunted past, keep these tips in mind to make the most of your experience:

  • Dress for the tour: Wear comfortable walking shoes and tour-appropriate attire to stay at ease while strolling through paranormal sites.
  • Choose the right tour: Explore all your options to find the ghost tour that best fits your group’s interests and comfort level.
    Don’t leave with “unfinished business”: Make sure you see everything you came for before the night ends. Ask your guide to elaborate on the history of the area or the specific ghosts that call the area home.
  • Know the extras: Some companies offer perks such as golf cart–friendly tours, free lighted parking, pet-friendly policies, and discounts for active military.


Stay Near the Best Spooky Spots in Galveston

One of the most haunted cities in Texas, Galveston is the perfect place for a scary good time. The historic city has witnessed wars, pirates, and tragic storms, and the lingering ghosts are said to roam the 1800s buildings and streets still. Whether you're a skeptic or a pro ghost hunter, the spooky stories on these Galveston ghost tours are sure to add some fright to your Sand 'N Sea vacation home getaway.

Come be our favored guest and sleep in peace without any risk of ghostly visits in our locally owned vacation rentals.

Category:   Local Activity Guide
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