The tour guide was very, very knowledgeable about the history of Irvington and the ghost stories and a great speaker. I loved his perspective and how he brought the stories to life. I've lived here my whole life 57 years and never once heard those stories. It was something new to me. However, There were far too many people on the tour and I honestly couldn't hear some of what he what saying. It was a long time on my old feet but worth every penny. I just wish the group would have been smaller. Also, there were lots of volunteers who helped stop traffic and kept us all on the route. They kept us safe. I appreciated them. If you're having trouble keeping up like me just ride along in your car and get out at the stops to listen to the talks. read more

Irvington Ghost Tours - Old Butler Library on University just south of Washington Street. - Tours Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Fantastic tour! Alan E. Hunter is a great storyteller who brings Indy's spooky history and true crime past to life. Even locals will learn something new. Totally worth it, just maybe skip it if you scare easily! read more

I like the subject matter and the interesting stories told. And the swag of course. However, reviews always mention something about a book given to attendants, which we were not. Apparently they no longer give you any materials regarding the stories. Unfortunately, they do not set a limit on the attendance and so you often end up in a huge group (the guide bragged about having 500+ at one time) and you are basically stomping through the neighbourhood like a herd of wildebeasts. But be mindful not to step one foot off the sidewalk as our 'herders' will yell at you repeatedly. Even with the guide's microphone it is really hard to hear anything and follow along with the stories. Even less of a chance to glimpse any part of the visuals he holds up for a hot minute. If you are in the back of the pack you might as well forget it. read more

I had such a great time taking this tour, one I've been waiting a year to do after hearing about it last year. While, yes, as other reviews note, the crowd size varies and it can get quite large, keeping this perspective really helped going into it. This only occurs once a year, and the tour guide's storytelling abilities, as well as his great foundation of research, made this tour a blast. It's part history, part spooky, but definitely worth the $20. A bonus? Every dollar goes back into the Irvington community. This isn't your hokey touristy ghost tour from a place like Savannah or Charleston, and that's a good thing. It provides great historical background with spooky happenings to each stop, which were five over the approx. two hours. It is about a mile and a half, and in a historical neighborhood, so mind your step and wear good shoes, dress for the weather, and I'd spooky history is your thing, this won't disappoint! read more

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There is so much history in Irvington! You've gotta add this to your Indy Halloween-time bucket list. This ghost tour/history lesson was really informative (and also had some chilling moments). There is a decent amount of walking, so be sure that you are wearing some solid walking shoes. I also love that the folks who run the tours pour a lot of the revenue back into the Irvington community. Our tour kicked off at the Irvington Theatre (we were a smaller group) and we got a bonus of learning some of the ghosts who reside there including a little girl and the dude who used to run the projector room. Tip: Hit up the bathroom before your tour! There really weren't any stops during the two hours. read more

What a great tour and history lesson. Alan E. Hunter is a great story teller. Many people from Indianapolis don't even know some of the scary and spooky things that have occurred here. If you like true crime and history of old American cities, you will love this tour. Worth every penny. Did you even know that the number for the Masonic Lodge is 666? If you scare easy, don't go!!! read more

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This is a great Halloween tradition, I had heard of it in passing when i moved to indy, but only recently got the chance to go during the Halloween season. I'll admit, I was a little nervous when I first went because I thought it would be a lot of jump scares. But this really is a great chance to learn the history of Irvington and the people who passed through. If you enjoy history, this is the tour for you, and, it's great for sight seeing. The homes in Irvington are beautiful and they really take Halloween seriously so it's great to be able to check out all of the decorations. This is a great activity in October! read more

What a fantastic event to attend before Halloween! It gets you in the spirit...or maybe the spirit finds you! oooooh! (hehe) You start off the night by meeting at the Masonic lodge near the Irvington Theater. The event is held every weekend in October and costs $15, which includes the book written by the tour guide. There is no limit on the capacity, so the group size can get pretty large. Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. Our tour took 3 hours and we walked the entire time with nowhere to sit and rest but the grass or sidewalk during stops. Bring a snack and drink if you think you'll need it. Also, definitely bring a camera! Supposedly some spirits have been seen in photographs. The tour is a great introduction to Irvington if you're not that familiar with the town. I had no idea there was so much history there!! The guide is SUPER knowledgable about the area, history and ghosts. He used a microphone and speaker, so he's pretty well heard even in a large crowd. There are several stops on the tour and he gives enough information to peak your interest. Then, the book gives more detail about each location. There are several famous people that have ties to Irvington, so hearing the stories is fascinating! I would not recommend this tour for the disabled as there are uneven pavement areas which were hard to maneuver in the dark even as an able-bodied person. Also, probably not for children as the tour lasts til 10pm in the dark and has some adult content. read more

Irvington Ghost Tours - Tours Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Irvington Ghost tours are a great way to spend your spooky holiday if you want a way to feel close to your community while simultaneously giving back. It is a seasonal event that is put on by volunteers in the community, with half of the proceeds going to the local food bank. It costs $20 per ticket but the cost is definitely worth it. The tour takes about 2 hours and when I went there were about 300 people there and check in took 15-20 minutes so show up a little early if you don't want to wait in line. The tour also came with a book that explained in-depth the different ghost stories documented in Irvington by Alan E. Hunter, the guide for the tour. As someone who lived in Irvington for my entire life I was pleasantly surprised by how much I learned during the tour. Some stories I had heard of, some I knew parts of, and others took me completely off guard. The tour guide also does a good job of respecting the identities the ghosts are based off of, not revealing personal details of people whose families may still be in the community. Whether you're an Irvington resident or ghost enthusiast this tour has got everything for you and your family. I would rate the tour PG-13, as there were children there and the tour guide tried his best to leave out any unnecessary gory details, but certain stories contained elements that could make overly-protective parents cringe. All in all it was a great experience! read more

Irvington Ghost Tours - Tours Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Fun and very interesting. I learned a lot about Indianapolis history stay near the guide to hear everything

Loved the tour overall. The tour group size made hearing the guides commentary a bit of an issue and standing & slowly walking for 3hrs made it painful, so the differently abled will struggle. Suggestions/recommendations consider using tech to aid in the hearing department by doing a live audio on podCast or youtube or other such site put the nights code on the tickets. For the walking standing issue perhaps add a stop about half way where there are benches. You could look to splitting the tour into smaller groups each taking a different path and getting different tales according to that path. But just a thought read more

I've wanted to do this for years and I'll bet you have too. This is a walking tour of Irvington telling the dark stories of history. Irvington is an old neighborhood and it's got a remarkable number of dark stories, which leads them to call this the most haunted place in Indiana. The most important thing to know is everyone on the tour is a volunteer and the tour exists to raise money for historic Irvington. The tour guide is a former high school history teacher and as he tells it he started telling spooky stories about local history to get his students interested in history. He's an engaging story teller to say the least! There's some great history in Irvington including a former head of the KKK who did some bad things, H H Holmes America's first serial killer passed through here, and Lincoln's funeral train passed through Irvington. The tour includes about 7-8 stories and you walk about 2 miles through Irvington - every story is interesting and entertaining. Tours are offered every Friday and Saturday night in October. Tours start on the sidewalk just around the corner from the Irvington Theater. The price of the tour includes a book with more details about the stories on the tour. read more

Irvington Ghost Tours - Irvington Lodge 666 (coincidence?) - Tours Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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I give it a solid B+! As a #Beastside native, I felt obliged to check out this classic event that I had heard so much about! My opinion may have been swayed by the fact that we went on a 30 degree cold night with a crowd of almost 200. Pros: they handled the enormous crowd well, even if some of the volunteers took themselves a little too seriously; the stories were neat and the guy running the show is a good story teller; they caveated the right things at the start of the night to mitigate common complaints. Cons: it was cold (situational); they warn you about the walking but the standing was what killed my back more - 30 minute long stories were painful by the end; they gave us a "treat" of the Irving theater that they don't usually do, but it added on almost an entire hour without warning. My recommendation would be to go, but I plan on going earlier in the month next year hoping for a smaller crowd! read more

Irvington Ghost Tours - The Bona Thompson mansion on the tour. - Tours Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Excellent narration of Irvington history. If you are tired of your Tweens rolling their eyes at everything try this where their eyes roll back in their head! The best part my kids ripped open the book in the car to learn more. Excellent exercise in the evening. Skip waiting in line for a lame haunted house and listen to these stories instead and enjoy the wonderful fall weather. Remember there is no bad weather only bad clothing choices. I was toasty warm in my down coat and wool hat with comfortable walking shoes. read more

Irvington Ghost Tours - Tween reading the book - Tours Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I wasn't sure what to expect when we signed up for this tour. We went early in the month of Oct on a whim and were excited to see what it was all about. We sadly ended up going on a night where it rained in the middle of the tour but luckily it didn't last too long and we were back on our way (the guide managed to tell us a story under an overhang that kept most ppl out of the elements). We ended up going to 6 or so different locations. And at each one we were told a historic story. I will say I expected some of the stories to be a bit more "spooky" but it was interesting all the same. A few tips to mention: - the tour says it's 2 hours but it is more like 2.5 (the weather could have been a factor in this though). - Some of the subject matter might be inappropriate/ graphic for young children. We had several young kids in our group and it might have been a little graphic. - WEAR COMFORTABLE shoes!! And beyond that. Don't wear shoes you don't mind getting a little dirty! All in all it was a fun experience. $20 gets you the tour and a book! read more

Firstly, the $15 goes back to the neighborhood and you score a great book about the hauntings and historical tales of Irvington. The book alone is worth $15 if you love local history. The tour group was huge! I think, at least 200. I thought it was going to be an issue, but it wasn't. He had a microphone and they always waited for everyone before speaking. I guess if you're in a hurry and don't like waiting it could be annoying. This is just as much of a historical tour as it is a haunted one. Irvington's history is rich with drama and intrigue. The guide has been doing it for the last 15 years and has advised as well been on other shows about H.H. Holmes and Jack the Ripper (Some believe he is one and the same). It is a long tour and if you have issues standing make sure to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. I'd also recommend taking a restroom beak right before. read more

Such a great way to spend an October evening! If the weather is nice on an October weekend night, you have no excuse not to venture to the East Side and participate in an Irvington ghost tour. I've experienced the tour twice - albeit 5 years apart, and though the stories were generally the same, with that much time having passed, it was honestly like hearing the stories again for the first time. It isn't something I'd want to do every year unless the stories changed, but spaced out, you can have a great experience twice or even three times. One thing I noticed, that other reviews have noted as well, is the increase in popularity of the Irvington Ghost Tour. There were, by my estimation skills (which, disclaimer, are not awesome), maybe 125 people, who arrived to participate in the 7 p.m. tour. While I think it's awesome that they don't take advance reservations or turn eager ghost hunters away, I do think they need a different system in place to accommodate all those interested in the tours. Perhaps splitting into 2 groups or offering staggered start times could be a way to accomplish this. At most stops on the tour, it was quiet enough to hear the guide as he spoke into a small microphone, but due to the size of the group, there were times when I couldn't hear or missed part of a story because I was too far away from the guide. Some of the stories could have definitely been shorter, but overall I found them to be interesting, thrilling and a great way to learn about Indiana history and the history of Irvington. At $15 I think the price is right, and I'd definitely recommend this ghost tour to anyone who is even the least bit interested in the supernatural or even the history of Indianapolis. You'll definitely learn something. read more

My wife and I went on the Irvington Ghost Tour after moving into the neighborhood. We heard a lot of great things, but I assumed it was just local pride talking, because really, how great can a ghost tour be? The answer is, pretty great. We were both really surprised by how much we enjoyed it. These tours run at night during the month of October. They're led by a former history teacher. He's a phenomenal story teller and really engages his audience. Personally, I don't believe in ghosts or any other paranormal shenanigans, but that's really only a small part of the experience. The tour is two hours of walking (about 1.5 miles) through the historic Irvington neighborhood listening to stories about the significance of houses/buildings on local and national events throughout history. We're planning on going again next year. If you've never been on the tour I'd highly recommend it. Be sure to bring cash ($15 a person, you also get a book containing some of the stories) as they don't accept credit cards or checks and wear comfortable walking shoes and warm clothing (I wish I had thought to bring a hat and gloves). read more

Personally, I'm terrified of ghosts and paranormal activity. But, it was Halloween and my roommate suggested we go. Was it scary for someone that has seen ghosts two times? Not at all. The stories are of course eerie and creepy, but our group was 150+ people so the large group made it less intimate and scary. The staff and tour guide are great. Very friendly, very educated in the field, the history of Irvington, and anything related to the tour. As he mentioned several times, "This tour is meant for you to come back and experience Irvington without a tour guide." I liked that they did this, but it also seemed like a way to get you to pay $15 and then have to do more work afterwards on your own. The best part of the tour? The $15 doesn't go to anyone, but directly towards Irvington and helping out the neighborhood. Irvington is known for Halloween and going all out, so it makes perfect sense for this tour to take place. Would I do it again? Probably not. Am I much more knowledge about the history of Irvington? Absolutely. My biggest turn off of this tour is that they let 150+ people in our group. Hearing the stories wasn't an issue, it was just the time we had to wait for the people to arrive at the destinations that took forever. read more

I went on the tour a couple evenings ago. I had been warned that it would most likely be very crowded but, good lord, there were probably over 200 people there. The guide was doing his best to be heard by everyone, but at some stops on the tour it was just completely impossible to hear; Especially if you were toward the back of the group where instead of quietly trying to listen, people were complaining loudly about not being able to hear. I think a size limit would do this tour some real good. Perhaps selling tickets online as first come first serve. I was so excited for the walk and I want to go back. I would gladly make a reservation and wait for the next available date. It was just so hard to hear and the crowd was so overwhelming that my friends and I decided to ditch the tour halfway through. Even though it was hard to hear and we left early, I think the tour was still worth the $15...at least the parts of it that I could actually hear. read more

Amazing tour!!!!! So much history and the tour was at a great pace. Two (2) hours flew by. I won't ruin too many secrets but the H.H. Holmes stop was creepy/interesting. I went on a ghost tour earlier this year and it was awful. Story telling is an art and Irvington has perfected it. Me and my girlfriend over and learned a lot of great history within this small area of Indy. Go to the tour. It's in Irvington, it's Halloween and the it's 15 bucks. What do you got to lose??? read more

Whoa! So much more than I expected! (In a good way!) Tonight's crisp fall weather was perfect for a stroll through Irvington with about 100 other folks and our amazing tour guide. The stories were intriguing and engaging. I'm so fascinated by Irvington's history now! A must for any ghost enthusiast or history buff. I can't wait to dive into the book that was included with the tour purchase and may even take friends next weekend. Highly recommended. read more

This was such a fun experience- perfect for a fall night! Our group was large (close to 200) but there were many people that guided our large group. The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and had a lot of pride for Irvington. Though it's called a ghost tour, there was a lot of historical information with (I'm sure) some folklore as well. read more

The tour is a great way to learn a lot of Irvington history in a short time span. Very informative and well worth the time and money. Can't wait for next year to go back and take friends who have not yet experienced it. read more

My 4th year of walking around Irvington hearing the stories of the neighborhood was certainly a great way to spend a fall evening! The two newbies to the experience that were with me also loved it. Great story telling and a fun way to learn the history of one of Indianapolis' oldest neighborhoods. Keep up the fun! Looking forward to next year. read more

This tour is the best! I have a disability and they were very accommodating, they made sure that I was included in all of the stops and didn't miss a thing. Alan Hunter is a wealth of knowledge about the Irvington area. I have been on this tour several times and I learn something new every time!! I am a small person and I always feel safe walking with the tour at night, the guides are fabulous and very helpful with shining the lights to make sure that the bumps in the sidewalk were visible. I would highly recommend this tour to those who are interested in hauntings and history or one or the other. It is a fantastic experience. read more

This tour used to be excellent, but it has definitely outgrown itself. I did the tour last weekend and there were about 250 people... far too many for everyone to be able to hear the person speaking about the historical facts. They had a headset, but it didn't work very well. If they're going to have that many people take the tour, they need to have multiple speakers or multiple groups and stagger the start time or... something. And if you complain you're told to use the book and walk the tour yourself. Not kidding. This actually happened. The only good thing about this tour anymore is the proceeds go to the Irvington community. read more

Beware! I went on this tour with about 300 people. Crazy, I couldn't hear the speaker. I left half way through the tour. It would probably have been a good tour with less people. read more

Never again!!! Unless you are lucky enough to be in the front part of the group, do not take this tour! If you're in the middle or back you will not hear crap. read more