Texas has the kind of history that makes ghost stories feel almost expected. Old saloons, historic hotels, quiet streets, and centuries-old districts all carry tales of strange sounds, shadowy figures, and legends that still follow visitors after sunset.
That haunted reputation has helped turn Texas ghost tours into some of the most memorable nighttime experiences in the country. From pub crawls with eerie backstories to ghost buses and after-dark walks through old neighborhoods, each tour blends local history with a chilling sense of mystery.
According to USA Today, Texas is linked to three of the top 10 spookiest ghost tours in the U.S. Whether the route leads through a historic district, a haunted bar, or a building with a dark past, these tours offer a fun way to see the Lone Star State from a more unsettling angle.
1. Nightly Spirits: Haunted Pub Crawls Through Texas’ Darker Past
Nightly Spirits is a popular ghost tour company with routes across the country, and Texas gets three major stops of its own: Houston, Austin, and Dallas. These tours lean into the state’s haunted reputation with after-dark walks, eerie stories, and stops tied to old legends.
The haunted pub crawl is the main draw, but there are other options too. Houston also offers an all-ages tour, while some routes add food-focused experiences for visitors who want something a little different from the usual bar-to-bar format.
On the pub crawl, guests move through some of the city’s better-known haunted locations while stopping at local bars along the way. Depending on the city, the route may include Austin’s historic Driskill Hotel, Green Door Public House in Dallas, or Char Bar in Houston. The experience usually lasts around 2.5 hours and covers about one mile on foot.
2. Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours: San Antonio’s Ghost Bus With a Dark Historic Edge
Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours in San Antonio gives visitors a different kind of haunted Texas experience, with the Ghost Bus standing as its best-known attraction. Instead of a simple walking route, this seasonal tour carries guests through some of the city’s most unsettling historic locations over roughly 2.5 hours.
The ride may include stops tied to the Menger Hotel, San Antonio’s former Red Light District, the Old Bexar County Jail, and one of the Alamo City’s oldest cemeteries. Each place comes with its own strange stories, local legends, and shadowy pieces of the past that make the route feel heavier after sunset.
A guide leads the experience with stories about the darker side of San Antonio history, giving the tour a dramatic and eerie pace. Because some moments may feel intense, Sisters Grimm does not recommend the Ghost Bus tour for children under 13
3. Dinner and Ghost Tour at the Historic Menger Hotel
The Dinner and Ghost Tour at the Historic Menger Hotel gives San Antonio’s haunted history a more atmospheric setting. Held on select nights, the experience brings guests inside one of the city’s most famous old hotels for a three-course dinner before the ghost tour begins.
Guests can choose from entrée options such as Chicken Piccata, New York Strip, or vegetarian pasta, with sides, salad, rolls, dessert, and drinks included. After dinner, the mood shifts as the tour moves through the hotel’s old corridors, where stories of strange activity and lingering legends have followed the Menger for generations.
The walking portion usually lasts about 60 to 90 minutes, giving visitors a closer look at the hotel’s eerie reputation after dark. Even an empty seat nearby may feel less empty once the stories begin. Editor’s note: this tour is listed as closed until further notice.
4. New Braunfels Ghost Tours: A Historic Walk Through Downtown Haunts
New Braunfels Ghost Tours brings a smaller-town Texas scare to the spotlight, with a 90-minute walking tour through the city’s historic downtown district. Located between Austin and San Antonio, New Braunfels has enough old buildings, local legends, and strange stories to make an after-dark stroll feel far more unsettling than expected.
The tour focuses on stories that usually stay outside ordinary history lessons. Guests hear about urban legends, reported ghost sightings, tragic murders, and other eerie chapters tied to the area’s past. It is part ghost walk, part local storytelling, and part late-night look at a city many people only know for rivers, festivals, and day trips.
Tours begin at Naegelin’s Bakery at 129 South Seguin Street before heading through downtown New Braunfels. For travelers who enjoy haunted history without a huge production, this walk offers a spooky but approachable ending to a Texas ghost tour itinerary.
Have you taken any of these Texas ghost tours? Share your experience in the comments.
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