Historical Ghost Lantern Tour Downtown Traverse City
Overview
Available languages
1 hour 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Wander through downtown Traverse City by lantern-light, tracing the city’s origins, history, architecture and the ghost stories. This 100% outdoor walking tour weaves authentic stories of hauntings and spirits with compelling historical narratives.
This is a 100% outdoor walking tour, rich in storytelling — part history, part local hauntings & lore. At the end, we visit the grounds of what was once Traverse City’s first cemetery. Though the graves were relocated long ago, the land still holds its memory… & some say, more than memory.
️Please note no public restrooms at meet-up location. Humor is found on this tour. The intro to ghost hunting is the last 5 minutes of the tour.
Best For: History lovers, ghost-story enthusiasts, families seeking a spooky-yet-informative evening.
Heads-Up: Not ideal for those wanting a cemetery tour, a pure paranormal or “ghost-hunting” adventure or those allergic to history.
Seeking a cemetery tour? Check out our Oakwood Cemetery Tour
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
E Front Street
Experience a walking tour that brings the ghosts of Traverse City back to life. The Historical Ghost Lantern Tour starts in the heart of downtown Traverse City & explores the hauntings occurring on Front Street before heading south to 6th ST to share the ghostly tales of the Perry Hannah House and Carnegie Library. The tour will come to a climactic conclusion with a ghost-hunting experience at Traverse City's first official cemetery with actual ghost-hunting equipment where we conclude at the Perry Hannah Circle statue on the corner of Union and 6th street. Your adventure begins at 313 E Front Street, Traverse City. Please meet your tour guide, holding a lantern, OUTSIDE the Higher Self Bookstore. Parking can be a challenge. Please allow yourself an extra 30 minutes to park & use the restroom before your tour begins. The Hardy Parking Garage is located on Front Street very close to where your tour meets. This tour always starts on time. Please call if running late.
Options
Historical Ghost Lantern Tour Downtown Traverse City
What‘s Included
Haunted Traverse Tour Co.'s Tours are hosted by experienced local guides
100% Outdoor Walking Tour
History of Traverse City
Ghost Hunting Equipment for OPTIONAL intro to ghost hunting
Ghost Stories at reported haunted locations in downtown Traverse City
No restroom stops that are organized but you can pop into local biz' restrooms we walk past.
Bug Spray-The last 5 minutes of the tour walk through a wooded park with flying insects
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
130 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great TC Ghost Tour!
O7148VPkatherinev,Jun 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Des was very knowledgeable, well-read, entertaining, and kind. She knew a lot of history of the town as well as the ghost stories, and she made sure to cater to both the believers and the skeptics in the audience. The rain made the tour less than ideal, but Des made sure we still had the best experience possible!
Ghost hunt
Tara F,Jun 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The tour was exciting, adventurous and gave us some insight and knowledge of different places and the history. Des was super funny and very entertaining.
Nice but would not do again
Linda F,Jun 5, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00It is all outdoors. They mention places and we thought that we would be inside for a bit to get out of the cold, nope. And it was cold in May, dress accordingly.
Great tour guide
KarenA4630,May 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very knowledgeable and entertaining tour guide. Perfect mix of history and humor.
Awesome Ghost Tour
283suzien,May 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Just a great time and host is fantastic!!! So much knowledge but also so much fun!!!
Good times and Ghosts!
Y6864FGamyh,May 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Dez is FABULOUS! So knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions. It was COLD the day of our tour, but she took her time and put on a great tour for us. It was a great time.
Interesting and fun
erichC863SR,Apr 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a great time. Our tour guide did a wonderful job being informative and entertaining.
So much fun!
R2038ZAkellya,Oct 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I highly recommend doing this tour! It was so much fun, and really learned a lot. Dez is a blast, she truly makes this the best experience. One of our favorite things we did on our trip to TC!
Tour guide was very...
Cindy A,Oct 15, 2025
- Review from Viator
4.00Tour guide was very knowledgeable but she talked too fast. A bit hard to keep up. Would recommend this tour to anybody.
Dez is the best! Great fun ghost tour
kprimm,Sep 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Dez was awesome! She was very fun, friendly, knowledgable and a great scary story teller. The tour was a lot of fun and explained a lot of the history haunted and otherwise of the Traverse city area. Dez showed us sights that we would have never seen if not for her wonderful Ghost tour. If you come to Traverse city I think her tour is a must do event.
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Operated by Haunted Traverse