Philadelphia: True Crime & History Walking Tour Old City

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.92 (430 reviews) 95% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/22

Duration2h 30m

GroupUp to 30

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Serial killer stories meet Philly’s oldest streets in this wild walk

You’ll walk Old City with a local historian who brings Philly’s true crime legends alive right where they happened. Expect eerie tales at sites like Betsy Ross House and Elfreth’s Alley, plus time to reflect over a drink at the end. If you want something deeper than just Liberty Bell selfies, this is your kind of day.

2h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Historic and true crime walking tour

Visit Betsy Ross House
Explore Christ Church
Walk through Elfreth's Alley
See Benjamin Franklin’s Grave
Visit Arch Street Meeting House
Pass by Liberty Bell Center
Pass by President's House
Visit tombs of Declaration signers
Hear tales of serial killers
Enjoy complimentary beverage

The Experience

I’ll be honest — I signed up for this Philadelphia true crime & history tour mostly out of curiosity (and maybe a little morbid fascination). Didn’t expect to laugh as much as I did, or to feel that weird mix of awe and unease while walking past places like the Betsy Ross House and Benjamin Franklin’s grave. Our guide, Professor Harris, had this way of switching from dry facts to these wild tales about the Corpse Collector or H.H. Holmes — sometimes mid-sentence. At one point he stopped under an old streetlamp on Elfreth’s Alley and just let us listen to the city for a second. It was quieter than I thought it would be, except for someone playing jazz on their stoop a block away.

I think what got me most was how close everything felt — like you could almost touch the past here. We’d be talking about serial killers one minute, then suddenly there’d be Christ Church right in front of us, all brick and old gravestones. The air smelled faintly of rain on stone (it had drizzled earlier), and Harris kept tossing in these bits about colonial Philly life that made even the gruesome stories feel weirdly…human? He joked that “Old City has more ghosts than Starbucks,” which cracked me up even though I’m not sure it’s true.

The walking wasn’t tough — 2.5 hours went by fast, honestly. There were a few spots where we paused longer, like at Arch Street Meeting House, and Harris would get this look like he was about to reveal some huge secret. He also pointed out where the President’s House used to stand; people walked by without noticing but suddenly it felt heavy with history. Oh, and the tour ended with a drink at a local spot — nothing fancy but it gave everyone a chance to swap theories about which story creeped them out most (the Frankfort Slasher wins for me). Still thinking about those cobblestones under my shoes and how every corner seemed to hide another story.

What’s included

Your day includes guided walks through Old City’s historic streets with stops at Betsy Ross House, Christ Church, Elfreth's Alley, Benjamin Franklin's Grave and more.
storytelling from a knowledgeable history teacher or professor.
plus you’ll finish up with a complimentary drink before heading off into your own Philly night.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Grim Philly Twilight Tours