"Clover Adams" led us around DC landmarks, highlighting a LOT of spooky history around Capitol Hill. We immensely enjoyed this experience and would recommend it to anyone looking for some cool historical stories that aren't that well known. And Clover Adams was the best! She stayed in character the whole time. She told innocent passers-by she was a ghost, much to our delight. She was poised the whole time and had me hooked with every single story she told. Beware the demon cat! read more

Scary DC - Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Our guide was very good. He played his character very well. The stories were told well and he interacted with the group. We had a bit of rain and he did offer the "carriage" option (stay under a roof for the rest of the tour), but our group decided to continue on. I also appreciated the option to sit when we made it to the Capital. My only criticism would be that in certain areas where he stopped to talk, there was so much road noise, it was hard to hear. Read more about Haunted DC Walking Tour on Capitol Hill - https://www.viator.com/tours/Washington-DC/Horror-on-the-Hill/d657-33871P1?mcid=56757 read more

We had fun during this tour. Our tour guide was respectful, knowledgable, and possessed a certain 'lovable academic nerd' vibe to make our tour a living history lesson in Washington DC. While the guide had to stretch the truth a bit -- or possibly find some nexus to the historical figure being discussed and a legendary haunting, it was entertaining nevertheless. Learning about the history of DC is very interesting. Any mediocre reviews are likely from people who were on their iPhones/social media during the tour and/or don't read much history in their spare time. read more

Whoa. Why 3 stars??? It's ranked WAY higher on Trip Advisor, and I'm glad I didn't see these reviews first. I did the haunted ghost walk tour of Capitol Hill this past Saturday. I live in DC, and my best friend was in town visiting. She was dying to do a historical ghost tour of DC. I probably looked at the reviews for at least a dozen + tours around the DC area; and I chose this one specifically because of the tour guide, Samuel, and the high accolades he's gotten from other reviewer's on trip advisor. Samuel did not disappoint...arriving as the ghost of James Madison, and the view of the monuments at night is stunning! If you are looking to do a ghost tour in DC, this is absolutely the tour you should choose. I've seen a few reviews saying it wasn't scary enough, so if you are looking for something truly scary, I would suggest looking into a haunted house, because no tour in DC or really anywhere at that, is going to guarantee you are going to see a ghost, and this tour lived up to everything promised; amazing historical tales, untimely deaths, and legends of spooky haunts around the Capitol, etc, etc. I would attend any tour Samuel leads. read more

I am so amused by these other reviews -- I should have read them before buying the groupon! Because they are exactly right. I have never heard anyone -- let alone an entertainer -- speak so. slowly. with. pauses. between. every phrase. I would forget the first half of each sentence before we got to the end. We did actually leave after 50 minutes (I think the tour was almost over anyway) because we were so bored. Most of it was obvious historical stuff, which considering the group was entirely DC-local, I'd think we all knew already. There were a few "ghost" stories, which were all taken from more respectable books and then elaborated on in patently ridiculous ways. Like the black cat in the Capitol that appears before national disasters? Well, did you know it grows to the size of a MOUNTAIN LION with FANGS that ATTACKS PEOPLE? This stuff appears to have been taken from wikipedia instead of more respectable sources. An 8-year-old on the tour was frankly admiring, though, and told the guide, "You make it sound so interesting!" HAHAHA. Oh, 8-year-olds. You have so much to learn, you think this is entertaining. Our guide apparently thought it would be scarier if he walked up to each person on the tour individually and stared them in the eye while telling the stories. That just makes us all uncomfortable, terrible theater guy. read more

This was really bad. The walking tour included basically 3 spots around the Capitol that could all be seen from each spot. The tour guide spoke so slowly (to induce suspense?) that it was painful. The stories (which were mostly history...not a whole lot of scary) were so boring I kept tuning out. Also, If you're going to claim that, for example, guards in the capitol hear ghosts arguing or students in the library of congress see books falling or whatever, don't throw in a disclaimer after every single story suggesting that maybe the witness was drunk or simply made it up. I stayed for the whole thing hoping that it would get better, but probably should have left like half the group did. I love the idea of this Capitol Hill tour. Make it scarier! Hire tour guides that know what they're talking about and have at least mild levels of energy. read more

2.5 stars for effort. If it weren't for the Groupon Deal, I would have never heard of this experience. I thought some of the stories weren't bad, not really spooky but interesting. The tour itself around the Capital was good. I got to see buildings such as the Library of Congress that I'd like to book a tour to visit in the daytime. Our tour guide was good at bringing together the historical and paranormal elements together. It would have been cooler if we could see inside some of the buildings in the evening! I'm not sure what they could have done better because it was just mostly stories but I wasn't highly impressed with my whole experience. If you find a Groupon then it might be worth a look but don't come with any expectations. Or you could just look up the stories on your own and go on your own tour of the area in the evening and see the same sights which was the real highlight of the experience. read more

My wife and I have been on Haunted Tours in Charleston, Boston, Salem (MA), Savannah, etc.... This was by far, the worst "Haunted Tour" we've experienced. When we go on these tours we want to hear about the dirty, grimy, historically accurate stories that you don't read in history books. Why do 'they' still roam the halls at night, wailing and howling... But we didn't really get that on this tour. Yeah, we too, got Christopher (dressed as Samuel Chase) as a guide. He got his "facts" mixed up at certain times and would laugh it off. His stories were much more history based than having to do with hauntings, ghost/apparition sightings, and the like. His delivery of his stories was w/o rhythm, so his lead to the "punch line"/oooh-ahh scary 'moment' was about as enthralling as a mouse fart in church. And it really took too long to get to the punch line. By the second or third stop on the tour, my wife told me she'd stop listening to him already. If you want slow-paced history tour where you continually get asked if you know "this historical figure or that historical figure". This is it. We love to tip, but we tipped nothing, nor did said good-bye to Christopher. To boot, he had some girls following him around all night with a microphone, recording him. They were annoying and distracting. I would not recommend this tour. -Charlotte, NC Another good point by a poster below, our guide did give his political opinion throughout and his grand finale was laced with some sort of anti-GOP rant... Unnecessary. read more

Bought a groupon. Had I paid full-price, $25 per person, I would've been extremely disappointed. but 2 for $25 was okay. If you think about it, that's cheaper than two people going to a movie. Heard some interesting stories from the guide, although her delivery was painful. As a former tour guide, i just wanted to hand her some index cards with bullet pointed facts. She spent alot of time, seemingly searching through her memory as to what to say at each stopping point. Maybe she was pausing for dramatic effect, but it really seemed like she was a rookie tour guide. read more

We took this tour for Scary Georgetown while in DC. We've been on a number of ghost tours around the country and this was the absolute worst ever!! There were 4 of us so that's $106 down the drain. We did not go inside any buildings and our guide didn't seem to know what she was doing. She had a single sheet of notebook paper that she kept referring to and she would stop talking mid sentence and never finish. There were some history stories given but not anything scary or even ghostly. It was purely unbelievable. This is a terrible tour and I would not recommend it to anyone. read more

So much fun! I love fun history facts, and our guide was clearly having a good time too. It is definitely leaning more towards history and historical ghost stories than scary, but I liked that. I'd rather have accurate information than someone making a bunch of stuff up. Also, as someone who loves history, I didn't know many of the stories already, which was nice. It's definitely got some lesser-known facts so even the biggest history buff will learn something new. read more

Absolutely displease with the service. We bought this on groupon and got schedule for a tour. They told us the time, and when we arrived the tour started 1/2 hour early. To be able to talk to someone that represents the business was next to impossible. Poor service, crappy experience. I recommend you don't go. read more

Groupon is how I found out about the Capitol Hill "ghost" tour. It was more "historical" than scary. The walk around the Hill was nice (though you can do that for free..) Our tour guide was a little overly dramatic and people in the group were being obnoxious. He got some facts (like death dates.....) wrong though and that can easily be fixed... Over all it was something different to do in the city. It should be scarier especially since the name of the tour is "Scary DC." read more

Upfront our guide for the evening said this tour wasn't scary. The stories were entertaining and were based on truth, more like urban legends. The walk was enjoyable, Paul was entertaining, our group size was cozy, and we enjoyed ourselves very much. Maybe, they may want to change their name to something a little more fitting. Go to this with no scary expectations and you will enjoy yourself. Also, the bar next door to the meeting place called Capital Lounge was a great place to hang out before the tour. The manager there was very hospitable and helpful and the food was pretty good too. read more

Great tour. Neat fun stories with historical facts. Guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Good walking pace. Fun experience. Learned quite a bit. Recommend. read more

My family of 5 booked a tour with Scary DC. Like many other reviews here, it wasn't very "scary." However, we did enjoy our guide and the sights and views of the Capital and Supreme Court during the evening. And as others have also previously mentioned, it was more historical than "scary." Our family enjoyed it regardless. read more

We bought 2 tickets via livingsocial. It started off promising with the tour guide dressed like Samuel Chase and make some fun ghostly puns. The tour itself was very "bleh." The guide has lots of history stories somewhat related to the buildings and locations we were at. But the stories were not exactly ghost stories nor scary (and doesn't really fit together or make much sense). He would tell you about a historic figure's story. Then say. oh yeah at 2am sometimes, a custodian guard will hear sounds or see sightings and the guard will never come back...etc. For what is worth, he does deliver his stories dramatically with occasional surprise "yelling" that will startle the audience. I would not call not a scary tour though. The guide also made a lot of political comments. Even though we agree with his comments, it is to the extent that seem inappropriate for a general audience. I would be pretty annoyed if my political view are not in line with his. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g28970-d3564910-r311917757-Scary_DC-Washington_DC_District_of_Columbia.html# read more

Thoroughly enjoyable evening. The guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining. It was a fun way to tour the DC sights and learn a little history of DC that you won't get from a book. Great fun! read more

What a great tour! Our guide was in historical costume and spoke in a theatrical voice (it was so funny to hear the difference in his voice once the tour was completed). The facts and stories shared during the tour were interesting and entertaining. The tour ran closer to 2 hours rather than an hour and a half, which was just fine with us. Would do this tour again next time we're in DC! read more

They must've changed things around since the bad reviews were written because I went on a tour tonight and it was awesome. Samuel Chase (real name: Christopher) was a great guide and wasn't just talking at us but rather performing and being inclusive of guests. read more

Our guide was very sweet, which was the best part of the tour. But it ran under an hour versus the advertised 90 minutes. And it felt like it should have been built as an historical tour rather than a ghost tour. At $80 for four of us, it just didn't feel like a good excursion. read more

There really was nothing positive worth writing about. It was plain old boring. "Books are reported to have fallen down" Uha, I surely will not be able to sleep tonight. Where again was the dark ally? Ah, yeah, Independence Avenue and nicely lit Capitol...The stories were always the same. Our group lasted more or less through the tour, maybe also because it was not the announced 90 min but not even 60. Do not go, that is the one thing to recommend. read more

I thought the stories were good. I've never heard them before so it was nice to hear them, and our tour guide, Katie, weaved the paranormal and history together well. (no notecards, except for reviewing while we were walking) Got some great pictures of the Capitol. I wasn't expecting it to be a ghost hunt so i knew it wasn't scary, although a ghost hunt in the Capitol would be fun! read more

I brought my 9 year old son to this and he loved it. He could not stop asking questions. The city was beautiful to see at night. The stories were interesting from a historical perspective but not really scary at all. If you are looking for something really scary, I'd say this isn't it. But it's a great thing for kids in the age range of 8-12. Young enough to believe it, but not too old to complain about it being boring. It was overall a nice experience and one of our favorites during Memorial Day weekend. read more

Sort the reviews by date if you want a truly accurate assessment. Apparently this tour sucked when it first started a couple years ago. Now they've switched from boring grad students to animated historical actors, and while it is true that the tour is more historical than "scary," I had a great time and the tour leader ("Samuel Chase") was fantastic. read more

I don't even know where to start on this awful tour and company. It was the worst walking tour my wife and I experienced by FAR. We've done a bunch of tours in different cities, some of them free or much cheaper than this tour, that were far superior in every way. The guide was just plain awful. Not only did he not know anything about the topic he was giving a tour on, he was possibly the worst public speaker on the planet. My favorite part was when he condescendingly scoffed at a member of our group when she answered that James Madison was a former president (which he was). He later looked at his notes, which he did often, and excused himself because 'it was a long day'. Inexcusable. I know it wasn't just my wife and I that hated this tour as the group of around 15-20 ended up being about a half dozen at the end. Perhaps even more left after us, but we were so disgusted by this tour we didn't wait until the end to find out. Worst of all is I reached out kindly to the tours owner/operator with my concerns and he ignored it. I wasn't even asking for a refund, just an explanation of why we had such a bad experience, if the tour guide was a replacement or what and NOTHING. Terrible business practices for a new company. That said, you've been warned, it's not the 'ghosts' on this tour that will scare you, but when you realize how much time and money you wasted on this that will. read more

I have to agree with the one other review that is posted as of this writing. The tour was simply horrible. The company website says that the tours are done by "historians" which is simply false. The ghost stories sounded like they were simply made up out of thin air and had no historical information at all. At the beginning of the tour I overheard a staff member mention that 45 people had checked in. By the end, maybe a dozen were left. Most walked away less than half way through. Why my small group of three didn't do the same, I can't explain. Maybe a misplaced hope that it would somehow get better. Do not waste your time or money on this tour! read more

I agree with the person below, it was more of a historical tour but I still really enjoyed it. The guide was great. He was in character the entire time and made it fun. Good job! read more

Not at all as advertised. Nothing "scary." Our guide made attempts at obscure history but dates were incorrect, facts were incorrect (reference to Reagan's assassination) and could not remember dates or locations tied to the so called stories. Attempts at adding drama were flat. Tour was over in 60 minutes vs the advertised 90 minutes. Waste of money. read more

"Samuel Chase" put his all into guiding us through the Hells of Capitol Hill. He brought history to life as we walked around the Capitol and Supreme Court and if your brought your imagination along, you could almost hear the protests of the long dead characters. Without access to all of these grand buildings (Library of Congress, Cannon, etc) it is very hard to make the floors creak but his animated delivery was excellent. It was a delightful tour on a wonderfully clear fall night (rainy, windy, and dark would have helped the mood....so glad ours was clear)! Thanks Samuel and Scary DC read more

For any fan of history, this is essential. It was a bit light on the actual ghosts, but historical details and tales of the sordid past of Washington D.C. abound. read more

Scary DC provides a plethora of paranormal tales from the past and some even from the present! The guide isn't just dressed in period costume, he's a dead founding father who's experienced more than you or I can even begin to imagine. The tour takes you around the Capitol grounds and some other buildings on the hill. Rumor has it, they've actually had paranormal activity take place on the tour, and not just orbs and stuff; DC the demon cat has showed up a couple of times. This tour is really cool and doesn't feel stilted or rehearsed. If you're going to take a ghost tour in Washington DC this is the one to take. read more

If yelp allowed me to put 3.5 stars, then I would because that's what this tour deserves. No, it's not really scary. Actually, it's not scary at all, unless you have a bright imagination and can picture dead presidents haunting the Supreme Court or other institutions. It's definitely focused more on historical narratives, which is actually quite enjoyable if you like learning about the U.S.'s past. I think the scariest part is the truth behind politics and the current corruption that exists within all political systems, including the "justice" system of America. The guide played well into his character. It's important to keep in mind that the Scary DC employees probably make less than or equal to minimum wage. They rely more on their passion for acting, and that's something I can respect. Those who gave 2 stars or less are probably privileged folks who would most likely fare better sitting at a Starbucks and drinking $10 lattes, rather than walking around and learning about their nation's history. Jussayin'! read more

My sister and I purchased a groupon for this tour. I wasn't expecting it to be scary at all. I was expecting to hear some ghost stories with historical facts mixed in. And I got exactly what I expected. If you are looking for something that will scare your socks off, go watch a horror movie. But if you are looking to hear historical facts mixed with tales of what people saw, then this is the right place for you. Our tour guide, Justin, was very much into what he does. While I think he may have used a few too many 'dramatic pauses', I like the way he made sure to make eye contact with everybody. He did his best to make the stories frightening without embellishing them with too many fictional add-ons. He knew his script well and answered all of our questions. It was fun and entertaining. It's a great evening for all to enjoy. There were even a few kids on the tour and it was appropriate for them as well. read more

Pass on the groupon. The tour is getting to stand outside a bunch of buildings (that you could actually go inside and, you know, actually see things if you went on your own time during the day) for what feels like 5 hours at each one while you hear a historical story (with some added "spookiness") that you could just look up yourself on wikipedia (or again, visit the places during the day so you can actually go inside and SEE stuff) told lamely by your lame tour guide who attempts to make the most mundane things sound dramatic. I wanted to leave early but stuck it out till the end just to see how lame the stories could possibly get (they got lamer as the night went on and the tour guide's enthusiasm wore out. Can't say I blame her.) The best part is that you get to see some landmarks looking pretty at night...which you could do yourself without paying anyone to tell you lame stories. Boo. Did I scare you? read more