Austin Haunted Ghost & Murder Tour: Downtown's Darkest Stories

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/14

Duration2h

GroupUp to 15

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Emily's shoes still sit behind the bar at The Tavern, waiting for the girl who haunts it.

This 2-hour walking tour covers roughly 2 miles through downtown Austin's most haunted and historic sites, led by a live guide in English (minimum age 13). You'll visit The Tavern—a Prohibition-era speakeasy where a young girl named Emily is said to linger—along with the Texas Capitol, Paramount Theatre, and Driskill Hotel, each with its own paranormal history. The guide shares documented stories of the Servant Girl Annihilator, the UT Tower shooting, Angelina Eberly's fight to keep Austin the capital, and real paranormal photo evidence woven through the city's darker chapters.

Step-by-step itinerary

Haunted walking tour of Austin

Start at The Tavern, see Emily's shoes
Walk Texas State Capitol, hear ghost stories
Visit Paramount Theatre, learn haunted history
Explore Mirabeau Lamar's home, hear local tales

The Experience

You've got a free afternoon in downtown Austin and want something more than the usual tourist loop. This walking tour starts at The Tavern, one of Austin's oldest bars, which operated as a Prohibition-era speakeasy and grocery store before that. The chilling part: a young girl named Emily is said to haunt the building, and her shoes are still on display behind the bar. From there, the route moves through roughly 2 miles of downtown, hitting the Texas Capitol, the Paramount Theatre, and the Driskill Hotel—each stop anchored to a real story the guide unpacks as you walk.

The tour doesn't just name the places; it connects them to documented Austin history and local lore. At the Capitol, you'll hear about the Lady in Red, a ghostly comptroller, and the architectural rules that shaped the city. The Paramount Theatre, a grand venue since 1915, carries its own spine-chilling tale. The Driskill Hotel is known for its tragic bridal suite and the spirits said to linger there. The guide also covers the Servant Girl Annihilator, the UT Tower shooting, and Angelina Eberly—the woman who fought to keep Austin the capital—weaving paranormal photo evidence and local legend throughout the 2-hour walk.

The pace is built for walking and listening; the route is manageable for all fitness levels, and the guide brings the stories alive with both the chilling details and moments of levity. You're moving through real downtown streets and stepping inside actual historic buildings, so the history is not narrated from a distance—you're standing in the places where these stories took root.

What’s included

Professional live guide in English.
entry to The Tavern, Texas Capitol grounds, exterior access to the Paramount Theatre and Driskill Hotel.
paranormal photo evidence and stories tied to each stop.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Spirits of Austin

Is this one for you?Two hours is short enough to fit into an afternoon without derailing the rest of your day, but long enough to walk the full downtown loop and hear the real stories behind each haunted site—the kind of detail a self-guided walk would miss.