Sacramento Ghosts Tour

The tour begins in the old port area, where steamers docked with gold bullion and hopes of fortune. The guide lights a fictitious paraffin lantern to recreate the atmosphere and tells the story of a prospector killed by his partner: his shadow is said to still be cast in the riverfront warehouses.

A few steps away, the group crosses the arched entrance to the Old Sacramento Waterfront, a maze of wooden walkways where boots clattered on poorly nailed planks. In front of the old Eagle Saloon, the guide details an 1864 shooting spree that left three wounded and a pianist decapitated; patrons claim that, on closed nights, off-key chords can be heard with no trace of an instrumentalist.

The walk continues to an elevated section of J Street, where underground tunnels served as an escape route during Prohibition. Here, the guide shows photographs of unexplained shadows taken by local researchers and encourages the brave to photograph the vent grille: if orange flashes appear, you may have caught the reflection of a ghost lantern.

Before heading back, the group stops in front of the dimly lit Stanford Mansion. As the wind moves the branches, the story is told of the governess who died of typhoid fever and whose perfume, the guards assure us, still permeates the corridors of the upper floor. A brief moment of silence allows us to hear the creaking of the wooden steps... or something else. The experience ends back on the waterfront, with recommendations for historic bars where you can continue the evening - if you have the courage for another round of stories.