Winston Salem Ghost Tour: Haunted Historic Sites

Documented hauntings and local legends on the streets where they happened

A one-mile walking ghost tour through Winston Salem's historic district, led by a local guide who shares paranormal reports and true stories tied to seven documented haunted locations. The tour operates nightly year-round and covers the Gunsmith's Workshop, Salem Tavern Museum, Zevely Inn, and other buildings where staff and visitors have reported unexplained footsteps, voices, and apparitions. You get thoroughly researched history and authentic local folklore passed down through generations.

Step-by-step itinerary

Evening haunted walking tour

• Meet expert local guide
• Walk to Gunsmith’s Workshop
• Hear stories of unexplained footsteps
• Visit Salem Tavern Museum
• Learn about phantom footsteps and apparitions
• Explore Zevely Inn
• Discover mysterious noises and sightings
• See J. Blum House
• Hear about shadowy figures and unusual activity
• Visit Single Brothers’ House
• Experience tales of doors opening and voices
• Stop at Boys’ School
• Learn about disembodied voices and phantom footsteps
• End at Salem College
• Hear stories of apparitions and mysterious occurrences

The Experience

The tour starts after dark and moves through Winston Salem's oldest neighborhoods on foot, stopping at landmarks where paranormal activity has been reported over centuries. The Gunsmith's Workshop, built in 1771, is one of the oldest surviving trade buildings in the historic Salem district—visitors and staff have reported hearing unexplained footsteps and the sounds of tools in use long after closing. The Salem Tavern, constructed in 1784 and visited by George Washington in 1791, has become one of the city's best-known haunted sites, with reports of phantom footsteps and disembodied voices. The Zevely Inn, originally built in 1837, sits in the heart of Old Salem and has accumulated reports of mysterious noises and apparitions tied to its long history of hospitality.

Your guide is a local expert who grounds the evening in documented events and true stories rather than pure folklore. You'll hear about the Single Brothers' House, completed in 1769 as a residence and workplace for unmarried Moravian craftsmen, where staff have reported doors opening on their own and unexplained voices. The Boys' School, established in the 18th century, carries paranormal reports connected to its early students and teachers. Salem College, founded in 1772 as the oldest continuously operating women's college on its original campus, has generated stories of apparitions and mysterious occurrences across its historic buildings. The J. Blum House, built in the mid-19th century, reflects the city's Victorian prosperity and carries local legends of shadowy figures and unusual activity.

The one-mile route takes about an hour and stays on the historic streets, so you're walking at a moderate pace through the district where these stories are rooted. The tour runs every night of the year, so you can book around your schedule. Public transportation options are available nearby if you need them to reach the starting point.

What’s included

• A professional local guide leading the entire route.
• thoroughly researched and accurate history of each location.
• authentic local ghost stories and paranormal reports passed down through generations.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Winston-Salem Ghosts

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want documented paranormal history and true stories grounded in the actual buildings where they happened, rather than invented folklore. The moderate one-mile walk at night means you need a reasonable level of fitness and comfort with darkness, but the pace is steady and the route stays on historic streets in the district itself.

Top questions

What is the Gunsmith's Workshop and why is it considered haunted?

The Gunsmith's Workshop, built in 1771, is one of the oldest surviving trade buildings in Winston Salem's historic Salem district. Visitors and staff have reported hearing unexplained footsteps, voices, and sounds of tools seemingly in use long after the workshop has closed for the day.

Does the guide share stories from the Salem witch trials on this tour?

The guide covers the city's haunted history from the echoes of the Salem witch trials through to more recent paranormal reports, weaving together documented events, chilling legends, and true tales passed down through generations across the seven locations on the route.

How long is the walking tour and what is the distance?

The tour is one mile and takes about an hour, moving at a moderate pace through Winston Salem's historic streets and stopping at each haunted location to share its history and paranormal reports.

What is the Salem Tavern and who visited it historically?

The Salem Tavern was constructed in 1784 and welcomed travelers along the Great Wagon Road, including George Washington during his Southern Tour in 1791. It has become one of Winston Salem's best-known haunted landmarks, with reports of phantom footsteps, disembodied voices, and apparitions.

Does this tour operate year-round and what time does it start?

The tour operates nightly, year-round, and begins after darkness settles over the city. You can book a departure that fits your schedule since it runs every night of the year.

Is food or transportation to the tour included in the price?

Food and drink are not included, and transportation to the starting point is not provided, though public transportation options are available nearby to reach the historic district.