Explore San Diego's Haunted Past with US Ghost Adventures Tours
Recently, I've been really excited about doing ghost tours while traveling, so when US Ghost Tours invited me to join a tour in San Diego, I gladly accepted—especially since it's such a vibrant city! Below, I’ll share my amazing experience with my fantastic tour guide, what you can expect, and why you might also want to explore the other thrilling tours offered by US Ghost Adventures in San Diego.
Let’s go on a haunted adventure, shall we?
Old Cali and The War for the West Tour
This isn’t your average ghost tour that just involves hopping from bar to bar. Instead, it takes you deep into the city’s vibrant red-light district. Yes, that lively area full of drinks, gambling, and some fascinating stories about the most flamboyant and well-known madams. And if you're feeling lucky (not like me), you might even catch a glimpse of a ghost! Our tour guide, Dave Rivas, was genuinely the best I’ve ever had. A retired firefighter and proud local of San Diego, he shared not just the history and fun stories from his other tours, but you could really tell he loves his city, and he provided suggestions on what to do while in San Diego. The tour usually lasts around two hours, but with all my questions, the extra stories he kindly shared, and an unexpected adventure, ours went a bit over two hours of nonstop ghost storytelling!
Horton Grand Hotel
I’m not going to reveal all the details, but I will share my favorite parts. This hotel is famous for many reasons, but mainly because of Roger Whitaker, a gambler known for his drinking and cheating at the tables. One night, he pushed his luck too far, and people were upset that he cheated. There are a few versions of what actually happened (I’ll let you hear it on the tour), but he was killed in his room, 309. There have been many reports of paranormal activity when guests stay in this room, even today! What was especially cool on my tour, when we were exploring the hotel outside that famous room, was that the housekeeper actually let us in! It was the first time Dave was in the room, and it was so awesome to check it out. My second favorite story was about Ida Bailey.
Ida Bailey
As I mentioned earlier, she was a well-known madam who operated a brothel during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Some visitors have reported seeing her wandering the halls, especially near the famous stairwell that connects the bar to the hotel rooms. Her brothel, the Canary Cottage, was located near where the Horton Grand’s restaurant is today. After the tour, I decided to go back to the hotel bar, which was named after her. It’s now called Salt & Whisky and serves a drink named in her honor, which I found quite amusing since the waitress who served me was also named Bailey. She even described the drink as a “silly little drink on a porch,” noting that it’s perfect for a hot day rather than a cold December evening.
Other Tours with Ghost Adventures
If you’re interested in more spooky adventures with Ghost Adventures, they offer some fun options to explore! The Sinister Shadows tour is a one-hour walk that reveals haunted stories lurking beneath City West. You can learn more about the tour here. Plus, there's the Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl—a spirited two-hour stroll through Gaslamp where you can enjoy drinks while exploring San Diego's haunted history. You can find out more about the tour here. I definitely plan to experience both on my next visit!
Thank you, Dave and Ghost Adventures.
This was such a fun way to explore a part of San Diego I hadn’t really seen before and to learn more about the city’s history. I was so thankful that Ghost Adventures reached out to me for this enjoyable haunted adventure. A big thanks to Dave for not only answering my endless questions but also for being so knowledgeable and suggesting great spots to visit, like my new favorite in San Diego, Prohibition. Did you know that bar was once the city morgue? Even the floors are original! If you're up for a lively two-hour tour, I highly recommend booking with Ghost Adventures, especially with Dave! Let me know in the comments if you see any ghosts, especially Ida!