Ghosts & Gravestones Tour: A Chilly Night of Laughs and Frights in St. Augustine

The Ghosts and Gravestones tour St Augustine promised laughs, frights, and a creepy trolley ride through the city’s haunted landmarks.

Our Take: The Good, The Bad, The Not-So-Scary

It wasn’t scary. No ghosts, no orbs, not even a flickering light. But it was fun. The guides were committed, the stories were sharp, and Zach got garroted. We laughed more than we shivered, and the jailbird’s “pay-pay” line is now family canon. Would we go again? Yes. Would we bring layers and a backup ghost? Also yes.

---

Here’s how it actually went down

We decided January was the perfect time to take teenagers on the Ghosts & Gravestones tour in St Augustine, Florida. Why we chose the coldest month possible when I’m completely wimpy about cold weather remains a mystery, but there we were, shivering me timbers, which tracks for a city with this much pirate history.

Our Experience on the Tour

Our Tour Guides Were Comedy Gold

Our tour guides were hilarious and completely committed to their characters. Having lived in St Augustine for 13 years, I can appreciate when someone truly knows their history versus just reading a script.

Our first guide seemed newer to the role and didn’t quite have the rapid-fire storytelling down yet, but his enthusiasm was infectious. We’d love to return and see how he’s progressed with more experience under his belt.

The second guide at the Old Jail was on point. He stayed in character the entire time, even speaking in period-appropriate dialect. Zach nearly died laughing when this guide talked about old boots that “still smelled like pay-pay.” We still quote that line months later.

Teenagers and Ghost Tours: A Perfect Match

When you’re touring with teenagers, selfies and random photo ops are non-negotiable. I’m not typically a selfie person, but when the kids want pictures, I go along for the ride. The atmospheric lighting and spooky backdrops actually make for some pretty great shots.

The Garrote Demonstration at the Old Jail

One of the tour highlights is the garrote demonstration at the Old Jail, where they explain this brutal execution method used in the 1800s. Zach volunteered to be the “victim” before they even finished asking for volunteers. Of course he did.

He threw himself into the role with dramatic flair, acting the fool in the best possible way. I’ve heard from other tour-goers that volunteers are sometimes picked from the crowd, so it was fun that Zach beat them to the punch.

Passing by Castillo de San Marcos

On our way to Huguenot Cemetery, we passed the Castillo de San Marcos, which we’ve always just called “The Fort.” This massive stone fortress has guarded St Augustine since 1672 and is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States.

Yes, St Augustine has more than one fort. Fort Matanzas sits just south of the city, but Castillo de San Marcos is the big one, the star attraction with the most extensive history. A ghost tour at the fort is definitely on our list for next time, along with the Jail After Dark tour at the Old Jail, which goes deeper into the paranormal experiences reported there.

Ghosts & Gravestones Tour St Augustine – Holographic Surprises

Throughout the tour, holographic ghost images appear at different spots, which is a nice touch. They’re projected to look like they’re actually there with the group, and it adds to the whole experience. Not real ghosts, but definitely more interesting than just hearing stories in the dark.

 

Did We See Any Ghosts?

The Ghosts & Gravestones tour was fantastic, though we didn’t encounter any actual ghosts during our 80-minute journey. No floating orbs, no mysterious cold spots, no spectral figures appearing in our photos.

We did spot a random ghoul after the tour ended, though. Oh wait, that might have just been one of the teenagers pulling faces for the camera.

 

Tips for Taking the Ghosts & Gravestones Tour St Augustine

🥶 Dress in Layers: Even if you’re visiting during warmer months, bring a jacket. January in St Augustine gets surprisingly cold at night, especially when you’re standing still listening to ghost stories. You’ll be outside for portions of the tour.

👟 Wear Comfortable Shoes: The tour involves some walking on uneven surfaces, particularly in the cemetery. Closed-toe, comfortable shoes are a must.

📸 Bring Your Camera: Cameras are encouraged, but flash photography might be restricted in certain areas. Our guides were great about giving us photo opportunities at each stop.

📅 Book in Advance: The experience is worth bundling up for, especially if you get guides as entertaining as ours. Book tickets in advance during peak tourist season, as the tours frequently sell out. Check out their ticket options here!

Already in Florida?

If you’re traveling through Florida and looking for more stops to build out your route, check out our things to do in Florida for more weird stops, ghost tours and places to warm up.

Follow Along

Check out the main blog for more posts, travel updates, and whatever else we stumble into that’s worth writing about.

Before You Hit the Road...

Get RATL's weirdest finds in your inbox — new adventures, old favorites, and the occasional dice roll. Only when there's something worth sending.

I'm In!