Georgetown Ghost Tour & Exorcist Steps Night Walk DC

Georgetown's Haunted Houses & the Real Story Behind The Exorcist

You'll walk Georgetown's haunted streets at night with a licensed guide, hear documented stories of deaths, curses, and Civil War hospital hauntings, see the Old Stone House yard and the real Exorcist Steps, and finish in 90 minutes. Family-friendly but genuinely unsettling: the kind of tour that sticks with you after dark.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Old Stone House10m
2. Georgetown30m
3. Georgetown Universitypassing by

Nighttime haunted Georgetown walking tour

• Hear stories at Old Stone House
• Visit Civil War hospital apartments
• Walk spooky streets with ghost stories
• Stroll old high street shops
• See haunted 18th-century home
• Walk cobblestone streets by Georgetown University
• Visit the Exorcist Steps

The experience

The Old Stone House sits quiet on the Georgetown street, but the guide mentions something about a boy who died there centuries ago and never quite left. You weren't expecting that part: the tour description said family-friendly, and it is, but there's a weight to these stories that hits different when you're standing in front of the actual building at night, the windows dark, the cobblestones under your feet older than the country. The guide walks you through what happened in this 18th-century home, the documented accounts, the letters people left behind. It's the kind of history that doesn't make it into the textbooks.

The walk moves through Georgetown's Victorian row houses and tree-lined blocks, and the guide points out which apartments nobody stays in for long. The ones that used to be Civil War hospitals, full of the kind of suffering that apparently doesn't fade. You pass the campus of Georgetown University at night, the dark spires visible above the cobblestones, and hear about Abraham Lincoln's son and a nanny whose attachment to her charges outlasted her own life. There's a house where the ghost of a man who hated electricity still flickers the lights. None of it feels like a gimmick when you're actually there, walking the same streets, listening to the documented stories and the local legends tangled together.

The tour ends at the Exorcist Steps, the actual staircase from the horror film, and the guide explains how the movie was based on a real Georgetown incident. You walk down the creepy stairs at night (yes, you do), and it's the kind of moment that makes you understand why this neighborhood has held onto these stories for so long. The whole thing takes 90 minutes, includes access to the yard of the oldest haunted building, and you've got a licensed guide the whole way. It's not a jump-scare experience. It's more like someone opened a door to the neighborhood's actual past and let you look inside.

What’s included

Your 90-minute tour includes a licensed guide leading you through Georgetown's haunted streets at night, access to the yard of the Old Stone House (the oldest residence in DC), stories about deaths and curses documented in historical letters and journals, a walk past the Civil War hospital building with its lingering reputation, views of Georgetown University's dark spires on the cobblestones, and the walk down the famous Exorcist Steps from the horror film based on a true local story.

Options for this experience

2 options

Walking tour of the Ghosts of GeorgetownGuide in English · 19:00 and 20:00

Private tour of the Ghosts of GeorgetownGuide in English · 11 departure times: the first at 16:00, the last at 21:00Walking tour, private

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day11 departure times: the first at 16:00, the last at 21:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (4 to 15 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live 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.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by DC by Foot

Is this one for you?Book this if you want Georgetown's darker history told by someone who knows the documented stories and the local legends: the 90-minute nighttime format and licensed guide mean you get the atmosphere and the facts without arranging a private historian or wandering the neighborhood guessing which houses have the stories.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 15 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Is this tour actually scary or just spooky stories?

It's family-friendly and story-driven, not designed to jump-scare you. The stories are documented historical accounts mixed with local legends, told at night on actual haunted sites, which creates atmosphere without being intense.

How long is the Ghosts of Georgetown walking tour?

The tour is 90 minutes total, including the walk through Georgetown neighborhoods and ending at the Exorcist Steps.

Do I get to go inside the Old Stone House?

You get access to the yard of the Old Stone House, the oldest residence in Georgetown. The tour is primarily an outdoor walking experience.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes a licensed guide, 90 minutes of walking, access to the Old Stone House yard, and the walk down the Exorcist Steps.

Is this tour wheelchair accessible?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Georgetown has cobblestone streets and some uneven terrain, so accessibility depends on your specific needs. Contact the operator for details.

Can I get to the tour by public transportation?

Yes, public transportation options are available near the Georgetown neighborhood where the tour operates.

What if I'm not interested in ghost stories?

This tour is specifically built around Georgetown's haunted history and paranormal stories. If you prefer a general neighborhood history walk, this wouldn't be the right fit.