Welcome To Cleveland's #1 Rated Ghost Tour

Centuries of tragedy and sadness created a cursed piece of land that’s home to the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame, a robust theater scene, and a barrage of entities from bygone eras that refuse to let go of their former homes.

The Roadway to Malevolent Mishaps

In its earliest beginnings, Cleveland quickly rose to become one of the largest cities in the nation via its burgeoning transportation system and job opportunities that were hard to find anywhere else. However, it wouldn’t take long for this rapid growth to bring an onset of crime and devastation that would reverberate throughout the city for decades to come. 

Public Square, the oldest place in Cleveland, serves as the heart of the city, with monuments erected in honor of some of America’s most historic events. Amongst them is the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, depicting the unnecessary evils that were the Civil War. As poignant a message the monument conveys, it’s the tunnels below it that harbor the real horror of this deadly time.

Both the monument and tunnels are haunted but the spirits of the Civil War soldiers that perished in this merciless affair. Ghostly figures have been known to photobomb pictures, and visitors of the monument have reported the sounds of strange voices. The tunnels, however, are where the true terror takes over.

Tours of the tunnels are held a couple of times a year, and nobody leaves unscathed. Disembodied voices and the feeling of something crawling around them are not uncommon. Lights have been known to go out with the eerie sound of crackling electric wires accompanying it. Creepy, ghostly orbs of blue and white color will appear in photos, at least in the cameras that have not been drained of their power source.

Two creepy encounters include that of a woman who actually spoke to one of the apparitions without realizing that it was, in fact, a ghost. The other includes a worker who ventured into the tunnels to check the lights only to discover that he’d been scratched by a malevolent force. Get your cameras ready, as these spirits are not shy about making an appearance.

What Will I See?

The Lasting Perils of War

The Cleveland Grays Armory Museum is one of the city’s most revered buildings, standing tall and honoring the Cleveland Grays, soldiers who protected the city at both a local and national level. Built in 1893, it continues to house the Cleveland Grays, who welcome all that want to help support the women and men of the armed forces and preserve the integrity of the Armory. It also houses the souls of those who came before them.

Join Cleveland Ghosts and discover the Civil War-era spirits that continue to dutifully stand by, ready to protect their city. Visitors and members have reported sounds of disembodied footsteps marching up and down the grand staircase. Some have even been spooked by the sight of ghostly apparitions dressed in dated military attire. As if the creepy sounds of unexplained voices weren’t enough to send chills down your spine, there are more spirits that haunt the Armory.

The ghost of a construction worker who died in this building continues to carry on his duties, working on the site that claimed his life. You’ll also be introduced to “The Lady in White,” an apparition cloaked in a white evening gown whose presence can raise the hair on your neck. Keep an eye on the piano; that’s where she’ll be keeping an eye on you.

The Rise and Collapse of A New World

Walk with Cleveland Ghosts into a dark time for the nation and visit The Arcade, where you’ll hear the devastating history of a once thriving mega-shopping center that suffered financially during The Great Depression, right alongside the Federal Reserve Bank. 

Witness firsthand the site of a tumultuous time that robbed people of their hard-earned money and, in some cases, their lives. One such victim was that of a woman named Matilda, who is said to have killed herself right in the lobby of the bank. She continues to be spotted in the bank wearing 1920s clothing, creepily following employees around while appearing ominous, as though warning others they could meet her same fate. 

The Torso Murders Legacy

Lovers of True Crime are all too familiar with the horror that was The Cleveland Torso Murders, also known as the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run. In the 1930s, Kingsbury Run, an industrial piece of Cleveland that catered to the railroad, became overrun with transients. It was nicknamed “Hobo Jungle” and included makeshift bars, brothels, and gambling dens.

The washing up of human torsos began in 1934 and continued for the next four years. Though famed detective Eliot Ness would round up suspects, none would officially be named the killer, and, to date, the Torso Murders have yet to be solved. The aftermath, however, lingers and continues to torment the cursed area that is Kingsbury Run.

Walk with Cleveland Ghosts as we take you to the Cleveland Police Museum, the final resting place for the original artifacts of the Torso Murders. Hear the full details of these gruesome murders and the ghostly legacy the victims have left behind. Headless apparitions are often seen around Sideway Bridge, while disembodied horrifying screams can be heard. At the Cleveland Museum, you’re just a few miles from where the terror took place. Keep an open ear as the sounds of agony begin when the sun goes down.

Why Is Cleveland So Haunted?

Curtain Call For The Dead

Home to the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland’s musical history includes a thriving theater scene. Since the early 1800s, over 30 theaters have kept locals and visitors entertained, with several of the long-dead actors and patrons remaining at their beloved place of song and dance.

One such space is the beloved century’s-old Hanna Theater. Uncover a heinous act committed against all those involved with the controversial-for-its-time production of Hair. Midway through the play’s run, a fire was intentionally set at the hotel the cast was staying at, killing four people who had no part in the play. Today, the theater is alive and active, just like the spirits that inhabit it.

Learn about the hauntings that regularly terrify both employees and patrons. Cold spots are constantly felt throughout the building. Apparitions of former actors are spotted on the balcony while ghostly patrons have been captured on camera. Lights will eerily go on and off, and one security guard even claimed he was grabbed by an unseen force. 

A Tower of Terror

What began as a railway station soon became an icon, standing tall as Cleveland’s most notable skyscrapers. Of course, the road to notoriety did not go without its fair share of destruction. Multiple buildings had to be demolished in order for the tower to be constructed, and a number of accidents were an added expense to the building.

Discover the Terminal Tower Observation Deck and hear the disturbing story of Patrick Toolis and Patrick Cleary, two workers who lost their lives, literally, to the building. While working in a pit below the tower, the sand holding the cement collapsed, filling the pit that contained Toolis and Cleary. The two were horrifically buried alive, and while their bodies were eventually extracted, the souls of the former workers remain.

Today, no one is safe from the remnants of that horrendous day. Sounds of their muffled screams can be heard, and spine-chilling cold spots can be felt inside the tower. Creepier than that, the apparition of a man smoking a cigar has periodically been seen, scaring witnesses with his mere presence. Don’t be alarmed if the hair on your arms raise when you visit this tower of terror with Cleveland Ghosts.

Why Clevland’s Past Continues to Be Resurrected

In the most historic of places, there’s bound to be a cemetery that dates back to the city’s inception – and Cleveland is no different. Cleveland Ghosts takes you to the oldest surviving cemetery in the city, the Erie Street Cemetery, where many of the city’s pioneers are buried. It’s also where one of the largest burials took place, when around 250 victims of the tragedy of Griffith Steamship were buried. 

As the town grew, the need for space became more prevalent, with the cemetery being considered prime real estate. New cemeteries were developed, and without the consent of the families, bodies began being transferred to both. Eventually, the excavation stopped, but not before disturbing the dead. Today, the cemetery is as memorable as the chills it gives those who venture to it.

Keep your eyes peeled as we stroll past Erie Street Cemetery, as the spirits that wander these hallowed grounds are not shy. Amongst the apparitions are two Natives, one of whom is angered at the fact that Progressive Field is built over an ancient burial ground and that his likeness was used as the MLB team’s mascot. Creepy sightings of the roaming souls have been caught on camera, while a woman in white is often spotted hovering amongst the tombstones.

What’s So Special About The Cleveland Ghosts Tour?

See a Different Side

Every year, thousands of tourists journey to Cleveland to explore its thriving theater scene. In the heart of the city sits Playhouse Square, the theater district in downtown Cleveland that houses several of the area’s most prominent theaters. Playhouse Square has seen its fair share of famous faces, including John Wilkes Booth, Tim Conway, Bob Hope, Paul Newman, and Dorothy Dandridge, to name a few. It’s also seen its fair share of spirits.

Join Cleveland Ghosts to explore this historic area of Cleveland, where you’ll hear the history of the theater scene and uncover its undeniable dark side. It’s said that more than 20 spirits haunt several of the theaters here. At the Variety Theater alone, there are at least 19 spirits causing spine-tingling scares, spooking staff and patrons via their disembodied voices and the terrifying sight of doors opening and closing on their own.

A Once-in-a-Lifetime Adventure

Cleveland is a city that deserves the full experience. Of course, this includes a side of the city that isn’t for the faint of heart. When you take a tour with Cleveland Ghosts, you’ll get to visit some of the city’s most notorious locations that have made the area a sinister playground for the dead. The Renaissance Cleveland Hotel is one such place. Walk with our expert tour guide to learn about the hotel’s devastating beginnings, burning to the ground and eventually being rebuilt and evolving into the juggernaut it is today. 

What has remained the same are the spirits of the hotel. Some are seemingly harmless, turning lights and water faucets on and off and flushing toilets. The dark shadow figures are said to be the ones that cause hearts to race as they appear in rooms, menacingly breathe down the necks of patrons, and have caused guests disturbing nightmares. You won’t experience this side of Cleveland anywhere else.

Be A Part of A Ghostly Community

The ghostly community is a special one. Swapping stories and sharing creepy proof of hauntings is something that has brought millions of people that all share a common interest in the afterlife together. Whether you’re a believer or just looking for something fun to do on a gorgeous Cleveland night, this tour is for you.

Take in a side of the Rock N’ Roll Capital of The World that gets livelier at night while offering a glimpse into its macabre past. Best of all, discover this sinister side with a group of people as ready for a night of entertainment as you are. And maybe it’ll be the ghosts that are doing the entertaining. 

* This is a walking tour and we do not enter privately-owned buildings or private property *