Reviews for American Ghost Walks
132 reviews
VERY disappointing and haunting had very little to do with it.
This tour represented my 4th haunted history tour, the last three having been in other cities. This was by FAR the worst. First of all, the advertising implies that the focus is on the supernatural and on hauntings. They are incidental at best. This is a HISTORY tour. Period. Most of it is seen from a moving bus. Or, more accurately, pointed out from the bus, rather than seen. There is a bit of interesting history along the way, but the tour is uninspired, monotonous and expensive for what you get. My son AND my adult brother fell asleep at different points during the tour. Every other ghost tour that I have been on allied you to get up close and personal with the haunted places and often allowed you access inside the sites. Not so here. This was like a field trip led by my high school history teacher.
Amazing tour with thrilling historical content and ghost lore; a Chicago must see!
I have been on several of the tours over the years; the signature tour as well as some of the special tours. I have been delighted, captivated and intrigued during all of them. The delivery of the content coupled with the style of the various guides has kept me as a return patron. The historical knowledge of Chicago is unparalleled-I left with a richly deep understanding of the city and her trials. And much to my delight on more than one tour I had an experience that was unusual!
Best historical and ghost info on the area
I lived in Chicago for many years and was in fact a tour guide with another major tour company in the down town area. There were no ghost tours in the area when I was giving tours or I would have recommended this tour. The tour guides are very knowledgeable, dedicated, friendly and can answer many questions about both the history of an area and the activity or lack of activity. This is a VERY well researched tour and the owner is in fact an author on the paranormal, and the history of the area. Any information given in this tour is fact and not some fable based on nothing. This tour is well worth the time and money spent on it. It also is a Chicago Original and the best info you can find anywhere. Bear in mind when reading any negative review....... Speaking from the point of view of an ex tour guide.....Tour guides will have bouts of stage fright and not have a good tour or illness strikes but they go on. It doesn't mean the tour itself isn't good. The guide could just be having an off day. Mechanical issues crop up out of nowhere, and are regrettable, but that's life. Wouldn't you hate to be spoken ill of because you weren't the life of the party or your car broke down? If you would like REAL information take this tour.
Fun, intriguing, most-experienced, real deal, best ghost tours in the city!!
Our bus tour group did a haunted pub crawl and we had an amazing time!! We hit several popular spooky bars in the city! And even though I was born and raised in Chicago, I learned a lot of history and folklore about the city that I didn't know about as the owner of the company has written several books on the history and hauntings of the Chicagoland area. Everyone was very friendly and I even made some new friends!! I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting, or living (or dead!) here!!
This is great fun!
I had first heard of Ursula Bielski years ago when I worked at Navy Pier, and I would see her books in the bookstore there. I was beginning my own little education into both Chicago and Illinois histories, and the paranormal. How exciting it was to finally meet her about a year ago! For me, these tours are flexible enough to be what you want of them. If you don't believe and just want a spooky afternoon or evening out, this will be a delight! If you like the history of Chicago, this will also be up your alley. For me, I get the double-whammy of the historical aspects, and the definite paranormal aspects! I have taken the 7 hour tours around town, and have loved the historical background to the neighborhoods. I have also experiences the actual energies present at many of the locations, as have my friends who have joined me. I have been gaining experience in paranormal investigations, and have had, for many years, my own experiences in channeling and energy work. The locations I have been taken to during Chicago Hauntings tours have provided experience in the energies present therein. So this part of the reason I go is satisfied as well. Let's not forget the beauty of the places we go as well, whether they be outdoors or fantastic historical buildings, they are gorgeous. So far, all the tour guides are good and well informed....but I have to admit my favorite is Ursula. She provides loads of information about the city, and the lore....and adds just enough of her own experiences to make it a little more intriguing! And then, in between, she allows time for the guests to chat amongst themselves about the stories they are hearing, their own experiences, and the lore they have been told. I love the variety of tours that Chicago has to offer visitors, providing architecture and history information. But this particular focus, I like sticking with groups like this...and it's great for both visitors to Chicago and residents like me. Treat yourself to some time with these folks....and take away from it what you will. But you will have a good time! Very affordable as well.
Historic, eerie, and fun!
I've been on 'haunted' tours all over the US, and this is THE best tour I've ever been on. The guides are informative, and fun! I liked because they combine true Chicago history with folk lore, ghost stories and legend!
Give this one a miss - pretty bad all around.
I took this same tour a few years ago and liked it quite a bit, so it was a shame to see how far downhill they'd gone. And I was emarrassed that I had recommended it to my family and they all signed up for it at $28.00 per person. The bus was horrible - it was a very hot night and the air conditioner barely worked. It rattled so loudly when it was idling that we could barely hear the tour guide. Not that we missed much, mind you. The guy was not a good speaker at all, and not very knowledgeable, either. The sights and stories should have been very interesting, but he made them dull and boring, and we all couldn't wait for it to be over. Just a very poor experience all around, and made us end our otherwise wonderful family weekend in Chicago on a very sour note.
Lame
I thought the history of the place there had been instances of mass death were interesting historical facts. A recurrent theme throughout the tour seemed to be excuse after excuse to questions regarding the "pictures" that had been taken on previous tours and why they didn't have anything substantial as far as photographic proof of what they were claiming or why nobody really wants to "attest" to these ghost stories because everyone is trying to keep it under wraps making it a big conspiracy to withhold legitimate paranormal activities from the public because it wouldn't be good "PR" Give me a break. I was under the impression that the tour guide was citing a lot of non-credible information as a justification of "paranoral activity" For example, a "psychic" that had taken their tour had claimed they instantly felt an evil presence as soon as they arrived at the Hull House....without the tour guide even having said anything about it yet...I mean, come on, this information is readily available on the internet and other places and just because the tourguide "said" isn't a good enough arguement for me. It was also things like "people would claim they hear forks and knives scraping on plates when there's no one there.....and that would make sense because it was a place where people used to eat breakfast." What a joke...maybe for grade schoolers, but anyone with any level of post grade school education realizes that none of this is credible, whatsoever. I think it would be fun on one of their pub crawls on Halloween for entertainment purposes only...but as a serious "ghost tour" no way.
A few good moments but in general disappointing
My 14 year old daughter and I went on the Chicago Hauntings tour and while she loved it, I was disappointed for a few reasons. First, I didn't find the guide to be particularly a good story teller and that I have found after going on some ghost tours in other towns is really the key to the experience. Secondly, we did not go in any buildings, staying outside which was a bit of a disappointment. Finally, there were only 3 stops on a 2 hour tour. All in all, there were some interesting stories and we got some interesting pictures but I was disappointed especially in comparison with another similarly advertised tour I had taken in Charelston, SC a few weeks before.
fun, interesting, but nothing special
My wife and I have made it a hobby over the years to take ghost tours where ever we vacation. This year was Chicago. Compared to other is was average. We truly enjoyed the ones we took in New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Saint Augustine. It was definitely better than the one we took in Savannah among a few other places. The small bus is a bit uncomfortable, but the tour has plenty of stops where you can get out and stretch your legs. The tour had some interesting stories in relation to the fire at the Iroquois Theater in relation to ghosts, but other stops got a bit extreme. Stories about the devil baby at Hull House are a bit out there. They have had similar stories elsewhere in history and legend including New Orleans. Jane Addams even dedicated around 40 pages in her book denying this story. Real history doesn't support this one, but the tour guide sure seemed believe it. Overall, the guide was very good, but it did not seem to be that many ghost stories. We did enjoy the history stories though about gangster, the fire, and political figures though. I don't know if I would call this a true ghost tour, but it was an overall entertaining one. Even you have never been on a ghost tour, I believe you would truly enjoy this. If you have, please be prepared that this might not be the best you have ever had, but it is still a fun evening with a friendly and professional staff.
Something different to do!
I took this tour last weekend with my fiance. The tour only stops for adult beverages if you rent them for a private tour. I took the public tour and there are no adult drinks allowed on the bus during these tours. All of this is stated on their web site. I enjoyed the tour! The guides were very funny - 1 drove the bus, the other stood at the front and told tales. We had a full house on our bus. We called to make reservations and were told to just meet them at the meeting spot and if we could pay in cash they would most appreciated it. We stopped at 4-5 stops and actually got off the bus to walk around and take pics. Every place we stopped at had an interesting story. There are no ghost men running around behind you to scare you on this tour - it's all educational for the most part. I do recommend it. It was a great way for us to see Chicago in a different light. We went to places we wouldn't have gone to or had time to drive around too on our own. I don't think I'd do the tour again but for a first timer, it's a must-do if you're looking for something different to do! It was fun playing ghost hunter for a couple of hours! Tour lasts approx 2 hrs, we took the 10pm one and was done a little after midnight. Oh, people not on the tour but who saw the bus or drove past us honked their horns at us and waved to us throughout the tour. It was pretty funny. You don't go unnoticed in Chicago driving around in a black bus with ghosts painted on it!!
So Much Fun!!
This tour was so much fun! From the kitschy school bus with "Ghost Tours" painted on the side to the little skulls hanging from the ceiling. These people really know their ghost stories and Chicago history! It was great to be able to not have to worry about driving and just look out the windows and listen to the stories. We stopped and got out several times to get close up looks at the sites. It seems that the tours are different every time, so you never know what you're going to see. We had a great time! Thanks to David, our guide, especially for not letting anything "latch on" to us. ;-)