New York Ghost Tour: Self-Guided Haunted Walk & Puzzles

Solve Ghost Stories on Your Phone While Walking NYC's Darkest Corners

You start at St. Marks Church with your first clue, then move through 12 haunted locations across lower Manhattan, solving challenges at each stop to unlock the next story and directions. The app guides you at your own pace through 1–2 hours of walking, available anytime day or night in multiple languages. No guide, no crowds, no fixed schedule. Just you and your phone piecing together New York's darker history.

Step-by-step itinerary

Self-guided haunted walk in NYC

• Start at St. Marks Church-In-The-Bowery
• Solve clue and proceed to McSorley’s Old Ale House
• Solve clue at Merchant's House Museum
• Solve clue at Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
• Solve clue at Washington Square Arch
• Solve clue at Emma Lazarus House
• Solve clue at Jefferson Market Library
• Solve clue at 12 Gay St
• Solve clue at One if by Land, Two if by Sea
• Solve clue at Chumley's
• Solve clue at Cherry Lane Theatre
• Solve clue at James J Walker Park
• Finish at Employees Only

The experience

You're standing outside St. Marks Church-In-The-Bowery at dusk, phone in hand, wondering if you're actually about to do this. The self-guided ghost tour starts here, not with a guide talking at you, but with your first clue. You solve it, unlock the next story, and the app tells you where to go next. It's a puzzle hunt that happens to be about dead people, which sounds weird until you're actually doing it and the city feels different.

The walk moves through lower Manhattan's oldest corners: McSorley's Old Ale House (where you can stop and grab a drink if you want), the Merchant's House Museum, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, Washington Square Arch. Each stop has a new clue to solve before the app reveals what happened there and where to head. You're not following a guide's pace. You move at your own speed, spend as long as you want at each location, and if you need to sit down or grab coffee, the story just waits. The whole thing takes 1–2 hours, though it can stretch longer if you linger. Available 24/7 means you can start at 9pm or midnight, which is when these walks actually feel right.

The app runs in 5+ languages and works on your smartphone, so there's no equipment to rent or guide to meet. You get 24/7 customer support if something glitches, but mostly it's just you, the app, and the dark history of the neighborhoods you're walking through: the fires, the hauntings, the stories nobody tells tourists during the day. It's the kind of thing that sticks with you after, not because it's spooky, but because you learned something while solving puzzles in the street.

What’s included

• Access to the self-guided ghost tour via the Questo app on your smartphone.
• 12 haunted locations across lower Manhattan with clues and challenges to unlock at each stop.
• true stories about New York's dark history.
• 24/7 customer support.
• availability in 5+ languages.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

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.

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Questo

Is this one for you?Best for anyone who wants to explore New York's haunted history without a guide talking over them, and who'd rather solve puzzles than follow a script. The self-guided format means you move at your own pace and can start whenever you want: no group departure times, no waiting for other people, no pressure to keep up.

Top questions

Can I do this walk during the day?

Yes, the tour is available 24/7. It's designed to work anytime, though it's most atmospheric after sunset.

Do I need to download anything before I start?

You'll need the Questo app on your smartphone to access the tour and receive clues at each location.

How many stops are there?

The walk includes 12 stops, starting at St. Marks Church-In-The-Bowery and ending at Employees Only. You can spend as long as you want at each one.

What if I get stuck on a puzzle?

24/7 customer support is available to help if you need it.

Can I pause and come back to finish later?

Yes. Since it's self-guided and available anytime, you can stop whenever you want and resume at your own pace.

Is this walk suitable for families with young children?

Yes. Infants and small children can ride in a stroller, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.

What languages is the tour available in?

The tour is available in 5+ languages on the app.

Do I need to pay for entry to any of the locations?

Entry fees to individual attractions like the Merchant's House Museum are not included and would be separate if you choose to go inside.