Asheville Ghost Tour: Spirits of Depression & Prohibition

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.48 (169 reviews) 77% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/17

Duration2.5d

GroupUp to 35

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Five stops tour: Basilica architect, Battery Park murder, Flatiron footsteps, Pritchard fire, Depression ghost

A guided walking ghost tour through downtown Asheville after dark, led by a local historian who takes you to five haunted sites—the Basilica of St. Lawrence, Grove Arcade, Battery Park Hotel, Flatiron Building, Pritchard Park, and the Legal Building—where spirits tied to Prohibition, the Great Depression, and the Gilded Age are said to linger. Every tale is researched and documented history, not invention. You'll stand on the ground where these stories happened, though you won't enter private buildings. The tour runs 60 or 90 minutes depending on which option you choose.

2.5d

Step-by-step itinerary

Asheville haunted walking tour

Visit Basilica of St. Lawrence
See Battery Park Hotel
Stop at Grove Arcade
Pass Flatiron Building
Explore Pritchard Park
Visit base of Legal Building

The Experience

The tour starts in downtown Asheville after dark, moving through the Arts District on foot with your guide. You'll hear the story of the Basilica of St. Lawrence's architect, whose obsession with completing the building apparently didn't end with his death—visitors and staff have reported his presence still at work. At the Battery Park Hotel, the guide recounts the 1930s murder of a young woman killed during a storm, her spirit said to wander the halls in blood-stained pajamas. Each stop layers another chapter onto Asheville's hidden history.

The Grove Arcade, opened in 1929, sits at the center of the tour with its ornate architecture and a reputation for mystery that goes deeper than its elegant facade suggests. Nearby, the Flatiron Building carries reports of heavy footsteps, a wet rattling cough when no one is there, and a man's figure moving between floors and appearing in street-facing windows at night. Pritchard Park, the site of Asheville's former post office, holds the memory of a fire victim whose ghostly figure is said to wander late into the night. At the Legal Building's base, the guide connects the Great Depression to a spectral presence that lingers—a victim of that dark economic chapter whose story remains tied to the place.

Your guide is a seasoned local historian who has researched every account on the tour. The stories span Prohibition, the Gilded Age, and the Great Depression, grounding each ghost in documented history rather than folklore. Cobblestone and grassy areas appear along the route, and the tour is wheelchair and stroller accessible, though uneven surfaces are part of the downtown landscape. You choose between a 60-minute or 90-minute version at checkout.

What’s included

Guided night-time walking tour led by a professional, knowledgeable local guide.
visits to five haunted sites including the Basilica of St. Lawrence, Battery Park Hotel, Grove Arcade, Flatiron Building, Pritchard Park, and the Legal Building.
researched and documented stories tied to Prohibition, the Great Depression, and the Gilded Age.
choice of 60-minute or 90-minute tour length.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Colonial Ghosts By Us Ghost Adventures

Is this one for you?Choose the 60-minute tour if you want the core haunted sites and stories in a single evening; pick the 90-minute extended version if you prefer a slower pace through downtown and deeper dives into each location's history. Either way, you're walking with someone who knows Asheville's past and can answer questions as they come up, rather than following a recorded audio or reading plaques alone.