Orlando: Downtown Ghost Walking Tour with Paranormal Gear

4.91

(705 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I almost missed the group because I got turned around by some random street musician near Church Street — not exactly a spooky start, but it set the mood. Our guide, Jen, was already laughing with a couple from Tampa when I caught up. She handed me this K2 meter thing (honestly felt like holding a TV remote from the 90s) and said, “You’ll want to keep an eye on that.” The air smelled faintly like rain on concrete — Florida summer, you know? — and I could already feel my nerves buzzing a little.

We ducked into this old brick building where Jen told us about a bartender who still “shows up” for his shift decades after he passed. She flicked off the lights for effect (maybe too dramatic, but it worked) and suddenly every creak sounded louder. Someone’s phone buzzed and we all jumped — even Jen grinned and admitted she still gets spooked sometimes. At one point she let us try out more ghost-hunting gear; I swear my meter blinked once but maybe it was just my thumb. The whole time, Jen kept weaving in stories about Orlando’s history — not just ghosts but fires, speakeasies, people who’d lived and died right where we stood.

We didn’t see any floating figures (I mean, they warn you there are no guarantees), but there was this weird cold patch by an old staircase that made everyone pause. One guy tried to joke it away but then got quiet. It’s funny how quickly you go from skeptical to half-believing when you’re standing in the dark with strangers. Afterward, Jen texted us photos she’d taken during the tour — including one where someone swore they saw a shadow in the background. Still not sure what I believe about ghosts, but I keep thinking about that chill by the stairs.