It's safe to say that October is the spookiest time of year. Sure, that's because of Halloween — but it's also because Cleveland has no shortage of ghost- and haunting-related tours, hunts and events happening throughout the month. It's never too early to start planning ahead, especially since some of the most popular events sell out well in advance. Need some inspiration? Peep these creepy options.
Sonya Horstman's Haunted Cleveland Tours (hauntedclevelandtours.com) are always scaring up interesting treks for the adventurous. We're talking ghost investigations and tours of some of the most haunted places in The Land. These tours are happening with your trusted guide, Psychic Sonya, giving you the inside scoop on all things spook.
Add a little brew to your boo on the Saturday Night Caravan Ghost Tour happening at haunted bars and cemeteries on Friday, October 29th starting at 6:30 pm. For a more low-impact look at the city's, er, haunted haunts, try the Cleveland Walking Ghost Tour (every Wednesday in October). Sonya will lead a group through Medina sharing "tales of Medina's early history, murder, and alleged haunted spaces" Meet at 7:30 p.m. at the Gazebo in downtown Media and plan to be exploring until 9:45 p.m. Tickets are $25. For reservations to all Haunted Cleveland Tours events, call 440-775-1217.
The Haunted Cleveland Ghost Tours—tagline: "Our Business is Dead"—also offers a variety of terrifying themed treks. Ghost Tours are taking place every Friday in October (7, 14, 21, 28) and warns to "face your fear, daring the dead to make an appearance." Each tour leaves at 6 p.m. from the Powerhouse parking lot (2000 Sycamore St., Flats West Bank) and ends around 10 p.m. Tickets are $58 via the Haunted Cleveland Ghost Tours website. Explore graves at the Erie Street Cemetery and even a private tour of the US COD on this haunted tour perfect for scary thrillseekers.
Need any urging to buy tickets early? Consider that the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's two Ghostly Tales of the Tails rides are nearly sold out, as is the company's October 28 "Murder Mystery: Pirates on the Allegheny" adventure. Time to decide which haunting train rides meet your spook criteria. And yes, bring your costumes on board.
And, of course, for only truly adventurous, take a nighttime stroll past Franklin Castle (4308 Franklin Blvd.), which is said to be one of the most haunted places in the area. There aren't guided tours and it's privately owned, but no doubt even a glimpse of the creepy castle will make your hair stand on end.