What Happens When a Ghost Tour Becomes a Ghost Hunt?
There is a big difference between hearing a ghost story and trying to find out if something is actually there.
On a traditional ghost tour, you might stand outside a centuries-old building while a guide tells you about the people who once lived there—and the strange experiences associated with the property.
A paranormal investigation asks you to do something different.
Listen. Watch. Ask questions.
And sometimes, wait in the darkness to see if anything answers.
That's the idea behind Spooks & Legends' Dead of Night Tour, a two-hour outdoor ghost-hunting experience through the historic streets of Williamsburg.
From Ghost Stories to Ghost Hunting
Dead of Night takes those stories one step further.
Instead of simply hearing about reported encounters, guests become part of the investigation, using equipment commonly associated with paranormal research.
Guests can experiment with a PSB7 Spirit Box, EMF meters, REM Pods and dowsing rods while investigating Williamsburg's haunted history.
Each works differently. EMF meters detect changes in electromagnetic fields. Spirit Boxes rapidly scan radio frequencies. REM Pods react to disturbances in the field surrounding the device, while dowsing rods have a much older history and are sometimes used by paranormal investigators when asking questions.
None can scientifically prove that a ghost is present.
What they can produce are readings, sounds and movements that leave you with another question:
What caused that?
When the Location Has a Story of Its Own
Of course, equipment is only part of a ghost hunt.
Location matters.
Dead of Night visits places associated with some of Williamsburg's best-known history and paranormal lore, including the Peyton Randolph House and the Public Gaol.
The Peyton Randolph House dates to the early 1700s and has become one of Williamsburg's most talked-about haunted locations. The Public Gaol has its own dark history, once holding prisoners that included members of Blackbeard's captured pirate crew.
These aren't haunted attractions created for Halloween.
They're real historic places with real stories.
Did You Actually Find a Ghost?
Williamsburg certainly isn't short on ghost stories. Nearly three centuries of history have left behind generations of legends, unexplained experiences and stories that continue to be told today.
That's the question everyone wants answered.
A strange reading doesn't automatically mean something paranormal happened. A sound heard through a Spirit Box may have another explanation. Even an experience that seems remarkable in the moment can sometimes look different afterward.
Guides also share first-hand accounts from Colonial Williamsburg guests and staff, along with experiences they've had themselves.
Ghosts? Coincidence? Something else?
That's ultimately for each person to decide.
Williamsburg After Dark
There's something about Williamsburg at night that doesn't require paranormal equipment to appreciate.
The crowds thin. The streets grow quiet. Colonial buildings become silhouettes beneath enormous trees, and sounds that disappear into the noise of the afternoon suddenly seem much closer.
Then someone asks everyone to be quiet.
And listen.
Maybe nothing happens. Maybe a device suddenly reacts. Maybe you hear something you can't immediately explain.
Either way, you've stopped simply listening to someone else's ghost story.
Now you're part of the investigation.
Ready to Investigate for Yourself?
The Dead of Night Tour lasts approximately two hours and keeps groups small for a more personal, hands-on experience. Spooks & Legends provides the paranormal investigation equipment, although guests may bring their own.
The tour is not recommended for children under 13. Tickets are currently $30 per person, with tour times varying by date.
