Ghosts of Covington Haunted History Tour: 2-mile walking route

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/14

Duration2h

GroupUp to 30

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Eight stops through Covington's darkest stories, told on foot by someone who knows them

The Ghosts of Covington Haunted History Tour is a 2-hour 15-minute walking tour through downtown Covington led by a live guide in English, covering eight stops where paranormal encounters, true crime murders, suicides and Civil War hauntings have been reported. The route is approximately 2 miles long on city sidewalks and is wheelchair accessible, though one stretch of sidewalk on 2nd Street has a steep incline. Children are welcome from age 12. A driving tour option is available if arranged at booking.

Step-by-step itinerary

Covington haunted history walking tour

Meet guide at John Roebling statue
Visit George Rogers Clark Park
View BB Riverboats and hear ghost story
Stop at Thomas Carneal mansion
Explore old Booth Memorial Hospital
Visit Amos Shinkle house
See The Rugby mansion
Tour Baker-Hunt House
End at Molly Malone's Irish pub

The Experience

You start at the John Roebling statue next to the circular parking lot where Greenup Street meets the Ohio River, with the Roebling Bridge visible across the lot. From there the route moves through eight locations: George Rogers Clark Park, where Steamboat Captain Mary Greene's ghostly appearances to river crews are documented; the former Newport Army Barracks site at BB Riverboats, where a couple encountered the ghosts of Civil War soldiers; the Thomas Carneal mansion, Covington's oldest house, where a suicide and the haunting of "the Grey Lady" are central to the city's paranormal history; the old Booth Memorial Hospital, site of a police encounter with apparitions and ongoing reports from residents; the Amos Shinkle house, once home to one of the city's wealthiest citizens; The Rugby, formerly the Henry Bruce mansion, with a Civil War-era ghostly encounter; the Baker-Hunt House, where a family tragedy led to séances and continued apparitions; and Molly Malone's Irish pub, formerly the Hermes Building, where a double murder and ongoing ghostly encounters by staff are part of the record.

The tour covers stories ranging from the hauntings of enslaved people and ship captains to some of Covington's grisliest true crime cases. Your guide walks the route with you, narrating the history and the reported paranormal activity at each stop. The 2-mile distance is on city sidewalks, and most of the route is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, though the incline on 2nd Street may require assistance. Comfortable walking shoes are essential. If walking 2 miles is not feasible, you can arrange a driving tour version at the time of booking by calling ahead—this option is not available on the day of the tour.

The tour ends at Molly Malone's Irish pub, where you can stay for a drink or return to the starting point with your guide. The whole experience runs 2 hours and 15 minutes, so a free afternoon or evening is all you need to move through the city's documented hauntings and dark history without gaps or rushed pacing.

What’s included

A live guide in English leading the entire 2-hour 15-minute route; access to eight documented paranormal and true crime sites across downtown Covington.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomeNot for heart conditions

Operated by River City Tours

Is this one for you?This is a shared walking tour with a live guide, so you move through the city on foot at a group pace and listen to the stories at each stop rather than exploring on your own. It suits someone with a free afternoon or evening who wants the paranormal and true crime history of Covington without researching the sites independently. If you cannot walk 2 miles or prefer not to, arrange the driving version at booking.