Murder in Music City: Nashville Ghost Tour for Adults

Walk Nashville's dark history on your own terms

Murder in Music City is a 90-minute night-time ghost walking tour of Nashville for ages 16 and up, led by a local guide through the city's true crime past. The tour covers murders, mob history, haunted record shops and the former red light district, starting at the Tennessee State Capitol. You'll hear about Andrew Jackson's hauntings, a dashing doctor with a deadly practice, and the Climax Saloon built in 1887. The tour contains mature topics and language unsuitable for younger travelers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Night-time ghost walking tour in Nashville

• Begin tour at Tennessee State Capitol
• Discuss Andrew Jackson and Civil War hauntings
• Learn history of Wilcox Building
• Hear about Dr. J. Herman Feist and victims
• Hear about Ike Johnson and Skull
• Discuss The Climax Saloon built in 1887
• Discuss tragic history of Maxwell House Hotel

The Experience

The tour starts at the Tennessee State Capitol, where your guide discusses Andrew Jackson and Civil War hauntings before moving through downtown Nashville's darker chapters. Over 90 minutes you'll walk to the Wilcox Building to learn about Dr. J. Herman Feist and the women under his care who died under suspicious circumstances, then hear about Ike Johnson and Skull. The route takes you past the Climax Saloon, built in 1887, and the Maxwell House Hotel, each stop anchored in Nashville's actual violent past rather than invented folklore.

This is an adults-only tour—16 and up—which means the guide doesn't soften the language or the subject matter. Murders, mob activity, and the city's former red light district brothels are discussed plainly. The evening is built for people interested in true crime and Nashville's real history, not ghost stories. All fees and taxes are included; you just show up at the starting point and walk.

What’s included

• 90-minute guided walking tour with a local, English-speaking guide.
• all fees and taxes.
• access to five historic sites including the Tennessee State Capitol, Wilcox Building, Climax Saloon and Maxwell House Hotel.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problems

Operated by Ghost City Tours

Is this one for you?At 90 minutes, the tour fits into an evening without consuming your whole night—you can grab dinner before or after and still have time to explore other parts of Nashville. The adult-only format means the guide covers the brutal details without restraint, which is what draws people interested in true crime rather than sanitized history.

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Top questions

What is the Tennessee State Capitol and why does the tour start there?

The Tennessee State Capitol is Nashville's government building, and the tour begins there to discuss Andrew Jackson's connection to the site and the Civil War hauntings associated with it—establishing the city's violent history before moving into the neighborhoods where murders and mob activity actually took place.

Who was Dr. J. Herman Feist and what happened at the Wilcox Building?

Dr. J. Herman Feist was a doctor whose female patients died under his care under circumstances that remain dark and unexplained; the Wilcox Building is where this history is discussed during the tour as part of Nashville's true crime past.

Is this tour suitable if I'm interested in ghost stories rather than true crime?

Murder in Music City focuses on real murders, mob history and documented violent events in Nashville's past, not supernatural hauntings—it's built for true crime fans, not paranormal enthusiasts.

How much walking is involved and what should I wear?

The 90-minute tour is a walking tour through downtown Nashville, so comfortable shoes are essential; the tour is wheelchair accessible and all surfaces are accessible, though it's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries.

Do I need to arrange transportation to the starting point?

No hotel pickup or transportation is included, so you'll need to get yourself to the Tennessee State Capitol where the tour begins; public transportation options are available nearby.