Self-Guided Ghost Walking Tour Boston: EMF Reader App

Walk Boston's haunted streets with a spooky narrator and an EMF reader in your pocket.

This self-guided ghost walking tour in Boston uses a smartphone app to lead you turn by turn through haunted locations, with theatrically crafted narration and an EMF reader tool to detect spirits. You start at 10½ Beacon Street and walk past the Granary Burying Ground, Boston Common, the great elm where the last witch was hanged, and the Cutler Majestic Theatre: all on your own schedule. The tour does not enter buildings or burial grounds. You walk the outside gates and streets only. Minimum age is 12. The tour takes 30 to 45 minutes and works on headphones, Bluetooth speakers or your phone speaker.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Granary Burying Groundpassing by
2. Boston Common20m

Self-guided ghost walking tour Boston

• Start at 10 1/2 Beacon St
• Hear story of Nathaniel Hawthorne's ghost
• View closed building from inside
• See Granary Burying Ground from outside
• Walk through Boston Common and visit spirits
• Stop at the Great Elm hanging tree
• Walk around burial ground outside gates
• Go underground to search for Red Coats ghosts
• End at Cutler Majestic theater outside

The experience

Start the app at 10½ Beacon Street and the spooky narrator takes over, guiding you turn by turn through Boston's most haunted corners. This is not a history lecture. It's a theatrically crafted adventure with music and ghost stories, built around the spirits Nathaniel Hawthorne himself encountered. You'll hear about the scariest book in the world, the last witch hung in Boston at the great elm, and the resurrection men who robbed graves under the city streets. The EMF reader built into the app lets you search for ghosts as you walk, adding a layer of interaction beyond just listening.

The route passes the Granary Burying Ground (viewable from outside the gates only), cuts through Boston Common where spirits roam at night, and ends at the Cutler Majestic Theatre, one of the most haunted theaters in the country. You walk entirely outdoors and never enter buildings, so the tour works anytime: day or night, rain or shine. Because it's self-guided on your phone, you can pause, rewind, or take it at your own pace. After you finish, you can replay each story whenever you want through the app.

The whole experience runs 30 to 45 minutes and costs a fraction of what a live guide charges. It's contactless and works solo or with friends, making it ideal for anyone who wants a spooky walk without booking a group tour or waiting for a scheduled departure. Headphones or earbuds are recommended to hear the narration clearly, though you can also use a Bluetooth speaker or your phone's speaker if you prefer.

What’s included

• Self-guided smartphone walking tour app with turn-by-turn narration.
• built-in EMF reader tool to detect ghosts.
• access to replay all stories on the app after the tour ends.
• audio guide in English.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by WalknTours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to move through the ghost stories at your own pace on your phone. You'll navigate turn-by-turn with narration in your ears and use the app's EMF reader to hunt for spirits yourself.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can I take this ghost tour at night, or does it only work during the day?

The self-guided ghost tour works anytime you want to take it, day or night. The Granary Burying Ground and some other burial sites have official hours (9am to 4pm), but the tour only walks around their outside gates, so those hours don't restrict when you can do the walk itself.

What is the EMF reader in the app, and how does it work?

The EMF reader is a built-in tool in the app that you use while walking to detect spirits. It's part of the interactive experience as you move through each haunted location on the route.

Do I need to go inside any buildings or burial grounds on this tour?

No. The tour walks only the outside streets and gates. You will not enter the Granary Burying Ground, Boston Common buildings, or the Cutler Majestic Theatre. You stand outside and hear the ghost stories from there.

What happens after the tour ends? Can I listen to the stories again?

Yes. After you finish the walking tour, you can replay each story anytime through the app, so you can revisit the ghost tales or share them with friends later.

Is there a minimum age for this ghost tour?

The tour requires a minimum age of 12. It features spooky narration and ghost stories, so younger children may find it unsettling.