It’s the time of year when ghosts and ghouls are everywhere you look. October isn’t the only month to experience some seriously spooky stuff around the Tampa Bay area, though. The spirits of old Tampa are here year-round and have been for decades, especially in haunted places like Ybor City. Ghost hunters and psychics are often found diving deep into some of Tampa’s most notorious hot spots, hoping to connect with the past. Want to be part of the action? These ghost tours in Tampa Bay are your ticket to a spooky date night.
Tampa’s Most Haunted Places
- Casa Ybor
- The Cuban Club
- Tampa Theatre
- University of Tampa’s Plant Hall
- Florida Brewing Company (now home to Swope Rodante Law Firm)
Ybor City’s rich history includes historical events like the largest fire in Tampa’s history in 1914, which consumed 17 city blocks and tragically took many lives along the way. And with buildings dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, it’s no wonder numerous hauntings and apparitions have been reported throughout town.
The Don Vincente Hotel, built in 1895, is supposedly one of the most haunted buildings in the entire country. It is known today as Casa Ybor, but was once a hotel, meeting house and hospital. Plenty of ghostly happenings have been reported, and an episode of Travel Channel’s The Dead Files was filmed on site.
Another hotspot for hauntings is The Cuban Club, built in 1917, where several ghosts are rumored to eternally roam.
Tampa Theatre, University of Tampa’s Plant Hall (formerly the old Tampa Bay Hotel), and the original Florida Brewing Company (now home to Swope Rodante Law Firm) are also notorious for paranormal activity.
Ghost Tours and Haunted Experiences
Tampa’s haunted history has captured the attention of national TV shows including Discovery Channel’s “Ghost Hunters” and Travel Channel’s “The Dead Files.” Now, local paranormal enthusiasts have the chance to encounter these spirits as well. Here are a few local ghost tours where you can get a glimpse of the supernatural side of Tampa.
Ghost Files Live at The Bilheimer
Dates: October 28, 2023 at 8pm
Cost: $35 and up
Join Ghost Files hosts Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej as they share behind the scenes stories, discuss memorable investigations, and maybe even talk to a ghost or two. You can also screen a never before seen episode of Ghost Files followed by an exclusive Q&A session.
The Official Ybor City Ghost Tour
Dates: Nightly at 8pm
Cost: $30 ages 10 and up, $10 ages 6-12 (not recommended for young children)
This entertaining, informative, and scary walk through Ybor City’s past gives visitors the chance to discover the ghost stories and legends of one of the most haunted towns in the U.S. Voted one of the top 10 ghost tours by USA Today, the tour features guides who are experts in Ybor’s history and are fascinated by the paranormal. This is the only tour in Ybor that offers access inside the infamous Cuban Club.
Silent Slayer Ghost Tours
Dates: Thurs & Fri, 7pm
Cost: $25-$79
Ybor isn’t the only part of Tampa Bay with scary stories to tell. Explore some of the area’s most haunted places while using paranormal equipment and listening to spooky ghost stories. Take a Safety Harbor walking history tour starting at Gigglewaters, explore the Arcadia Opera House, or go on the World’s Largest Ghost Hunt at the Clearwater Historical Society Museum. Tour routes vary, so feel free to go more than once.
Ghosts of Tampa Theatre Tour
Dates: Select days and times October 13-31, 2023
Cost: $15 non-members, free for members
Ever wonder why Tampa Theatre is known as one of the city’s most haunted buildings? Who was the man in seat 308? Why did Robert Lanier tear his final ticket? Find the answers you seek during this 90-minute seasonal backstage tour focused on the ghosts of Tampa’s most historic movie palace.
Ghost Tours of St. Petersburg & Tampa
Dates: Thurs-Sun, 7:30pm
Cost: $22 ages 13 and up, $15 ages 4-12
On these walking tours in Tampa and St. Pete, costumed tour guides lead the way to haunted locales by candlelight. You’ll listen to true ghost stories, learn about wandering spirits, supernatural oddities, discover local haunted houses, and more.
Tampa Terrors
Dates: Nightly at 8pm
Cost: $25 ages 13 and up, $16 children under 13
Take a haunted tour through the history of the Lightning City. The guides of Tampa Terrors will take you on an adventure through 8-12 locations in Downtown Tampa. Though Tampa Terrors brings you face to face with the inexplicable, this tour is suited for all ages.
Phantom History House
Dates: Year-round
Cost: $175-$800
Located in the suburbs of Westchase, Phantom History House is a brand-new concept deemed “creepy but comfortable and eerie yet elegant.” This bed and breakfast located in Westchase is owned and operated by innkeepers Steve Blanchard and Tim Hinton who run the popular podcast Phantom History, which is devoted to historical locations and the spirits that reside within. It’s the perfect place for those who are fond of the paranormal, the strange, and the odd.
Visitors can stay overnight in one of the four rooms – the Ouija Room, the Cemetery Room, the Portrait Room, or the Castle Room. You can make your stay even spookier by booking a psychic medium to summon lost souls.
The house is available to book per room or as a whole for events and group stays. Each stay includes continental breakfast. Prices range from $175-$800. Make sure to check out their events calendar for spooktacular events throughout the year.
Haunted Pub Crawls
Nightly Spirits Ghost Tour Pub Crawl
Dates: Thurs-Sun at 7:30pm
Cost $29.95 (drinks not included)
Need liquid courage to brave ghostly apparitions? This 21+ haunted pub tour combines adult beverages with Ybor’s most famous haunted stories. Follow in the footsteps of deceased rum runners while stopping at some of the city’s haunted bars and buildings with plenty of time for spirits of the liquid variety. Drinks are not included in the ticket price and must be purchased separately.
Ghost Party Spirited Ghost Adventure Pub Crawl
Dates: Fri-Sat 8pm-10pm
Cost: Starting at $39
Another spooky pub crawl, this one-house tour includes visits to a secret haunted pub/restaurant and a speakeasy tavern. You’ll also learn about Tampa’s haunted history and have the chance to purchase adult beverages and food. You can also upgrade your experience to include a VIP tour, where you’ll have an extended time to visit spots that were investigated on some of the most well-known ghost hunting shows. Haunted dinners, family-friendly tours, and weekly paranormal lockdowns are also available.
Ybor City Mafia Tours
Ybor was once a notorious hangout for gangsters. This fall, you can experience a one-of-a-kind walking tour of Tampa’s most storied neighborhood with Tampa Mafia Tours.
Tampa Mafia Tour
Dates: September 23, 30, October 7, 14, 21, November 4, 11, 18, 25, December 9, 16, 2023
Cost: $30
The walking tour includes stops at old gambling palaces, street corners and alleys, and restaurants that were part of Tampa’s mobster history. Learn about bolita, the rumored tunnels of Ybor, and the Era of Blood. Your tour will be led by a knowledgeable Tampa historian or author.
Tampa Mafia Happy Hour Tour
Dates: September 14, 21, October 12, 16, November 2, 16, December 7, 14
Cost: $30
Enjoy a walking tour with mobster history and stops for drinks along the way. The tour begins at King Corona Cigars and Cafe and stops midway at Rock Brothers Brewing. Drinks are not included in the tour price but may be discounted at some stops, including a 20% discount on drinks at Rock Brothers. This is a slightly longer tour experience than the regular walking tour.
Feature image credit: The Official Ybor City Ghost Tour
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