This San Fran Ghost Tour is not another boring walking tour

San Francisco is full of history, but why not spice it up a little bit?  This San Fran ghost tour combines the history of the city at some of its famous locations with eerie tales of the past. 

Some of the links in this post contain affiliate links. What does that mean you ask? I may earn a small commission, but you won’t pay any extra. These links also help fund and support my page.

Why take a San Fran Ghost Tour?

I really enjoy taking walking tours when exploring a new city, or revisiting one, but I’ll be honest… sometimes they get a little boring if you don’t have the right guide.  What better way to make a walking tour more interesting than to add in some ghost stories along the way? 

This is a relatively short San Francisco walking tour at right around 90 minutes. It’s just enough time to get some interesting and possibly creepy city history and burn a few calories, without feeling like it’s dragging on forever.

Highlights of the San Francisco Ghost Tours Gold and Ghouls Tour

During our tour, we had Shumit as our guide, who was not only knowledgeable but also an extremely engaged storyteller. 

We were able to see some truly beautiful architecture and interior spaces around Union Square and Nob Hill while getting our spooky history, like at the Sutter Building. You’ll also hear about some famous haunted San Francisco hotels along the way, including the Fairmont San Francisco and Beacon Grand Hotel.  

Not everything you’ll learn is supernatural, one of the stories that stuck with me the most was learning about Alma Spreckels, local diva and legend who coined the phrase “sugar daddy”. 

What should you know before signing up?

This should be obvious, but as it is a ghost tour, there will be tales of death related to the spirits at each location. If you are sensitive to these types of stories, this is not the tour for you. 

This is an outdoor walking tour that takes place rain or shine (as we experienced firsthand).  What does that mean for you?  Weather in San Francisco can be fickle and change dramatically in an hour or two.  Check the forecast and come prepared with layers and/or rain gear just in case. 

Wear appropriate footwear for this tour.  The majority of this San Fran ghost tour is on Nob Hill, which means you will be climbing Nob Hill.  There are a couple stops and breaks as you climb the hill, but know that this is fairly steep if you aren’t used to walking up hills. I live in Seattle, so it wasn’t really any different than walking around here, but if you’re coming from a flat area you may find it challenging. 

The tour is roughly 90 minutes and will start and end in Union Square which is very accessible via public transportation and walkable from many popular tourist hotels.

San Francisco Ghost Tours Gold and Ghouls Tour Review

This tour will definitely get your heart rate elevated, but that has more to do with climbing Nob Hill than any sense of the occult.  Some of the stories and tales are truly fascinating, but I didn’t have any encounters with rogue spirits on this journey. If you’re looking for a ghost hunting adventure, you’re not very likely to catch any on this tour. 

My friend and I had a great time on this SF ghost tour.  Beyond some of the San Francisco ghost stories of potentially haunted spaces, we learned so much about the 1906 earthquake and how it decimated most of Nob Hill. There was also some unique history related to the fires like the water cisterns that were built under the streets for any future large scale fires and disasters. I also learned more about the world famous cable car system and how they run. 

There wasn’t a moment during this tour that I was bored or waiting for it to be over, except maybe at the end when the rain started again. If you’re looking for haunted tours in San Francisco, this is a great choice. 

Find other San Fran Ghost Tours

In a city as large as this, there are other ghost tours in San Francisco available.  Below are ones that walk through Pacific Heights, Chinatown, and North Beach.

​​

Other popular San Francisco tours