Ghost Tour of Lancaster: Candlelight Walking Tour with Stories

Hear the phantom tales of Lancaster's oldest streets by candlelight

A 75-minute guided walking tour of downtown Lancaster led by a costumed guide who shares ghost stories based on first-hand accounts and local history. You'll pass the Fulton Theatre, where guests hear about the phantom of the Opera House, and Lancaster Central Market, the oldest continuously operating farmers market in the country, where an unusual concentration of hauntings surrounds the area. The tour begins across the street from the Convention Center and is suitable for all fitness levels, with wheelchair-accessible routes and stroller-friendly paths.

Step-by-step itinerary

Candlelight ghost tour in Lancaster

• Begin tour near Convention Center
• Hear phantom tale at Fulton Opera House
• Learn about hauntings at Lancaster Central Market

The Experience

The tour starts across the street from the Convention Center and moves through downtown Lancaster on foot. A costumed guide leads the way with candlelight, sharing stories of eternal vigils, fatal curses, and star-crossed lovers drawn from first-hand accounts and the book Ghost Stories of Lancaster, PA. The route takes about 75 minutes and covers the oldest parts of the city, where the stories are rooted in the place itself rather than invented for atmosphere.

Two stops anchor the walk: the Fulton Theatre, where you'll hear the tale of the phantom of the Opera House, and Lancaster Central Market, the nation's oldest continuously operating farmers market. The market area carries an unusual number of hauntings, and the guide explains what locals have documented there. Both landmarks are real places you can return to afterward, and the stories connect to their actual history.

The walk is wheelchair accessible, and strollers work on all surfaces and areas. Children from age 4 are welcome. Public transportation options are nearby if you need them, and the pace suits all fitness levels — this is a walking tour, not a hike, and the guide sets a steady rhythm through the streets.

What’s included

• Guided walking tour with a costumed guide.
• candlelight.
• stories based on first-hand accounts and local history books.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Ghosts of Lancaster LLC

Is this one for you?This is a shared walking tour with a guide leading a group, so you move at the guide's pace and hear stories as a group rather than exploring on your own. Choose this if you want the stories tied to the actual places and the atmosphere of a candlelit walk through old streets, rather than a self-guided app or a daytime history walk.

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Top questions

What ghost stories will I hear on the Lancaster ghost tour?

The tour shares haunting tales including the phantom of the Fulton Theatre's Opera House and the spirits that haunt Lancaster Central Market, along with stories of eternal vigils, fatal curses, and star-crossed lovers. All stories are based on first-hand accounts and documented in the book Ghost Stories of Lancaster, PA.

How long does the ghost tour take?

The tour lasts 75 minutes and covers downtown Lancaster on foot, beginning across the street from the Convention Center.

Is the ghost tour suitable for children?

Children from age 4 are welcome on the tour. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and all surfaces are wheelchair accessible.

What is Lancaster Central Market and why is it part of the tour?

Lancaster Central Market is the oldest continuously operating farmers market in the country. The tour includes it because an unusual number of hauntings surround the area, and the guide shares the documented stories connected to the market.

Do I need to buy admission to the Fulton Theatre or Lancaster Central Market?

Admission to the sites themselves is not included in the tour — you walk past them and hear the stories from the street and surrounding areas. The tour is the walking experience and the storytelling, not entry into the buildings.