Key West Ghost Hunting Tour: Fort East Martello & Robert Doll

Walk the dark halls of a haunted Civil War fort, then hunt alone with ghost-hunting gear

VIP Robert the Doll After Dark is a two-hour ghost-hunting tour in Key West's Fort East Martello Museum, where you spend the first hour guided through the haunted Civil War fort and meet the infamous Robert the Doll, then hunt ghosts solo for an hour with K-2 meters, spirit boxes, dowsing rods and trigger objects in the after-hours Yellow Fever hospital wing. The tour is led by a live English-speaking guide and takes place in low-light conditions; visibly intoxicated guests are not admitted.

Step-by-step itinerary

Ghost tour and solo ghost hunting

• Join 60-minute guided ghost tour
• Walk through Fort East Martello rooms
• Sit 20 minutes with Robert the Doll
• Hunt ghosts solo for 60 minutes
• Use ghost-hunting equipment
• Access former Yellow Fever hospital
• Take photos with Robert the Doll

The Experience

What makes this different from the dozens of other ghost tours in Key West? You don't just walk and listen—you actively hunt. The first 60 minutes are guided: you'll move through Fort East Martello at an easy pace for about 40 minutes, learning the Civil War history of the fort and its hauntings, then sit for 20 minutes with Robert the Doll, the doll whose legend has drawn paranormal investigators and curiosity-seekers for decades. The guide is a live English speaker, and the owners are Key West locals who wrote the books on the subject—literally: they authored Ghosts of Key West and the biography of Robert the Doll itself.

After the guided hour ends, VIP ticket holders get a full hour to hunt on their own inside the former Yellow Fever hospital, a section of the fort closed to the general admission crowd. You'll have access to real ghost-hunting equipment: K-2 meters that detect electromagnetic fields, spirit dowsing rods, spirit boxes that scan radio frequencies, and trigger objects designed to provoke responses. The fort is unlit except for what you bring, and the space is genuinely eerie—this is not a theatrical experience with actors or jump scares. At the end, there's time to photograph yourself with Robert the Doll if you want proof of your nerve.

Parking is included at Fort East Martello, and the tour is wheelchair accessible. Public transportation options are nearby if you prefer not to drive. USA Today named this one of America's 10 Most Haunted Destinations; Thrillist calls it "The Creepiest Place in Florida." The owners' Google rating sits at 4.9. The catch: the tour actively engages spirits, which means it's not designed for skeptics or the easily frightened, and it's not recommended for anyone with poor cardiovascular health.

What’s included

• Ghost-hunting equipment including K-2 meters, spirit boxes, dowsing rods and trigger objects.
• parking at Fort East Martello.
• after-hours access to the former Yellow Fever hospital wing.
• a live English-speaking guide for the first hour.
• time to photograph yourself with Robert the Doll.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessiblePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Sloan's Key West Ghost Tours

Is this one for you?Walk the dark halls of Fort East Martello with authentic ghost-hunting equipment and meet Robert, Key West's infamous haunted doll—the only ghost tour on the island where you actively engage spirits instead of just observing.

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Top questions

What exactly is Robert the Doll, and why is he famous?

Robert the Doll is a life-sized doll housed in Fort East Martello that has become one of the most documented haunted objects in America. The doll is associated with paranormal activity and has attracted investigators and visitors for decades; you'll spend 20 minutes sitting with him during the guided portion of the tour.

Will I actually use ghost-hunting equipment, or just watch the guide use it?

During your solo hour in the Yellow Fever hospital, you'll hold and operate the equipment yourself—K-2 meters, spirit boxes, dowsing rods and trigger objects are all in your hands. The guided hour is observation and history; the VIP hour is hands-on hunting.

How dark is the fort during the tour?

The tour takes place in a low-light environment, meaning you'll navigate by minimal ambient light and whatever flashlights or equipment you bring. The fort is genuinely dark, especially during the solo hunting hour in the hospital wing.

Is this tour suitable for kids, or is it adults only?

The tour is family-friendly in terms of age restrictions, but it's designed to actively engage spirits and is genuinely eerie—not a theatrical haunted house. Parents should consider whether their children are comfortable in dark, historic spaces with paranormal themes.

How long is the whole experience, and what's included in the price?

The VIP experience is two hours total: one guided hour plus one solo hunting hour. Included are ghost-hunting equipment, parking at Fort East Martello, and after-hours access to the Yellow Fever hospital section that general admission guests don't enter.

Do I need any experience with ghost hunting or paranormal investigation?

No experience is required. The guide teaches you how to use the equipment during the solo hour, and the tools are designed for beginners. The owners are experts who wrote the definitive books on Key West hauntings, so the historical and paranormal context is covered in the guided portion.