Santa Monica Ghost Tour
Unravel the sinister secrets hidden beneath the glimmering sands of Santa Monica’s iconic shoreline with Lizzie Borden Ghost Tours.
GET TICKETSBook a Santa Monica ghost tour for a peek past its sandy beaches and into its twisted past tangled with greed, death, violence, and restless spirits.
Why You Need to Take a Santa Monica Ghost Tour
At almost every historical landmark in old Santa Monica, the residual energy of those who never quite left hangs thick in the air. While the tourists soak up the beach vibes, the spirits of its dark and tumultuous past are still making their rounds—some with unfinished business, others just holding onto nostalgia. Prepare to journey through the city’s 200-year history on a thrilling walk with Lizzie Borden Ghost Tours and get the lavish details of the forbidden romance, scandals, and Hollywood intrigue tucked away from visitors. Book a Santa Monica ghost tour tonight to experience the terror left behind by those who once had a stronghold on the City by the Sea from its Wild West days.
Very knowledgeable about the history of Santa Monica and it's spirits. We enjoyed it very much!
This tour was very entertaining, and our guide, Mihaela, was outstanding!!! She was incredibly knowledgeable of Santa Monica and the history behind it...
This tour was great! Our tour guide Miles was very informative and made the tour fun and interesting. We appreciate him for taking us out since it was...
We have taken several US Ghost Adventures tours across the country and this one was probably the best we've ever done. Our guide had great story telli...
Why is Santa Monica So Haunted?
Long before Santa Monica became a coastal playground for vacationers looking to soak in the sunshine, the area was occupied by the Tongva people. For over 10,000 years, this Native American tribe enjoyed a harmonious existence, but all that would come to an end with the arrival of European settlers in the 18th century. The forced assimilation and the turmoil surrounding the Spanish and later Mexican era sparked violent clashes, leaving behind the wrathful spirits of those who had perished too soon.
Everything from ghostly apparitions to phantom footsteps and chilling whispers has been reported around the Santa Monica Mountains, indicating the area is steeped in more than just scenic views and beachfront fun. Locals say the spirits of lost souls wander the land, still caught in the grip of old grudges and unfinished business. On stormy nights, you can almost hear their cries carried by the winds and feel the chill in the air as you walk these harrowed grounds.
The California Gold Rush laid its greedy hands on the heart and soul of nearly every corner of the Golden State, and the seemingly quaint beachfront community of Santa Monica was no exception. With fortune seekers and desperate dreamers flooding the area, the idyllic beach town quickly became a place of drama, deception, and, occasionally, death. As money flowed, so did misfortune, and many found themselves lured into dark deeds in the pursuit of wealth. But not all of them made it out, and some never left.
Reports of mysterious figures riding the carousel at the iconic Santa Monica Pier are common, even though the rides are long closed for the night. Expect to uncover hidden secrets that the city desperately tries to bury on a spine-chilling Santa Monica ghost tour with Lizzie Borden Ghost Tours.
Why should you tour with us?
Connect with the lifeblood of this sand community and bathe up some of the hidden histories. A quiet little hamlet where every shadow, where every stone has a tale to tell. Every spot hides a skeleton. Every stop smells of sin and perdition — of secrets its gatekeepers would rather not shed light on. Our tour is thoroughly researched and based on facts — from history books, recorded accounts of hauntings, and documented ghost sightings.
The human mind has a tangible effect on our surroundings — what we think, fear, and believe in resonates and leaves traces. Ghost tours create feedback loops. The spirit that lies in wait grows bolder and gains more trust to manifest with each tour group. The more you believe in something, the more likely it might appear.
Santa Monica is a family friendly tourist destination. It’s full of games and theme park attractions for the kids. It’s shining, in the good sense, and really lets your young ones unwind. But, let’s be honest, sometimes you need a bit more in your life, a little 13 added at the end of PG. This is a family friendly tour with a bit of spice. Think Goonies, Gremlins, or Addams Family. Get your heart pumping and learn about this region’s hidden history.
You’ve slugged through all those tours — You’ve shopped till you’ve dropped, and have gone to the Aquarium and the Ferris Wheel countless times. Your cellphone is bursting apart with postcard pictures of the spectacle that is Santa Monica. You’ve eaten the hot dogs, taken in the sight, watched as surfers dashed into the waves, you’ve done it all. But now, the sun has dipped and the boardwalk has gone deathly silent. The performers have scurried back into their holes, and the beach – now bare except for a transient or two – looks uninviting, even dangerous. Everything now bears a different hue — the place menacing, with fangs, waiting to spring at a moment’s notice. This is not the Santa Monica the brochures told you off. This is an entirely new animal — one that bites. Get ready to scream, to laugh, maybe even shed a tear.
Most Haunted Places in Santa Monica
The Pacific Wheel
Between the neon lights and the ocean breeze, it’s easy to forget that some of the passengers who’ve climbed aboard never truly left.
The Santa Monica Statue
Some say the statue stands guard over restless souls, but others insist it’s just a fancy perch for the local spirits to people-watch in peace.
The Georgian Hotel
Discover the eerie charm of The Georgian Hotel, where every floor tells a tale of glamour and mystery from guests who never quite checked out.
FAQs
View our Refund Policy on this page if you have any questions!
Please see your booking details for meeting location. There are neighboring parking garages and street parking that are available in the area.
Group size varies based on time of year and demand. We can keep everyone in your party in the same group. We’ve been doing this for years, and manage group size to ensure guests have a great experience. In the event you can’t hear your tour guide, let them know, or move closer to them.
Pets are welcome as long as they do not disrupt or distract from the tour
The arrival time will be listed on your confirmation email and in the available tour times when you click the book button
Please do not call us, the best way to reach us is by email using the contact form on this website
An extended tour takes you to a few additional locations when the regular tour ends. This adds about four new places and 30 minutes to your tour- highly recommended
Book a tour and check the +1 box for each person in your group where it says “Extended Tour” at checkout to add an extended Ghost tour.
Please contact us directly for pricing and availability. We do not do private tours under 30 persons. If you have a group under 30, please order directly from the website’s book now option.
Tours are held rain or shine. We will contact you if the tour is cancelled.
Please only attend the tour for the day and time you are booked, as another day or time may not be available. If you need to reschedule, please contact us by email first. There is a $10 per order (not person) rebooking fee for each schedule change.
As it is unfair to other guests, we do not wait for late or no show parties. Please remember to arrive to the correct location on time! We do not grant refunds to guests who fail to arrive to the appointed place on time and miss their tour.
No, but some of the locations you can visit during the day for free. We simply wouldn’t have the time to focus on as many stories as we do if we were to enter each one, and we wish to focus on the stories, and leave the exploring up to you!
15 minutes before the start of your tour
No.
No, this is a walking tour.
Most of the tour is not stroller or wheelchair accessible.
Yes, you are welcome to take photos of the locations we visit!
No, videos are not allowed
No, there is no smoking allowed on the tour
We do not allow intoxicated guests or drinking on the tour- we will promptly ask those in violation to leave
Lizzie Borden Ghost Tours
America’s most infamously haunted house delivers the most terrifying scares from all across the nation. We’ve compiled an extensive list of notoriously haunted locations and packaged them into spooky, entertaining tours available throughout the nation. Discover the true, unfiltered stories that created these hair-raising scares in only the unique and engaging way our expert guides can bring them to you. From the ghosts of unsolved murders and tragic accidents to disturbed spirits unable to find peace, there’s no limit to what we expose on our authentic ghost tours. Join us as we take you on an unforgettable, chilling journey through your city’s dark past and uncover the sinister secrets that put these places on the otherworldly map.
The Lizzie Borden House is home to the infamous murders that captivated the nation and made Lizzie Borden a macabre household name. Guests can explore the house via a variety of tours and, for those brave enough, stay in this notoriously haunted home. We aim to provide you with a memorable experience as well as deliver the best ghost tours, haunted pub crawls, and a variety of other experiences in over 100 cities.
Blogs
The Haunted Aldrich Mansion
Perched above Narragansett Bay in Warwick, Rhode Island, the Aldrich Mansion looms as an elegant relic of Gilded‑Age opulence. With its French‑chateau architecture, carved marble interiors and sweeping 70‑acre estate, the mansion has dra ... Read More
Posted 11.06.2025
Freetown‑Fall River State Forest
At a quick glance, Freetown-Fall River State Forest is a lovely place to go for a hike or take a picnic outside Fall River, Massachusetts. However, locals know that you’re taking your chances every time you visit this nature preserve. The ... Read More
Posted 10.30.2025
The Tragic True Story of Eliza Borden
When you hear the Borden name, there’s one person you think of first: Lizzie, the woman accused of killing her father and stepmother with a hatchet in 1892. But did you know that before Lizzie, another Borden woman committed an equally heinous atr ... Read More
Posted 09.20.2025
The Mysterious Maplecroft Mansion
Sitting high atop the town of Fall River, Massachusetts, Maplecroft Mansion is where Lizzie Borden spent the second half of her life after being accused of murdering her father and stepmother with an ax. Following her acquittal in 1893, Liz ... Read More
Posted 09.04.2025
The Haunted Spirits of Fort Taber
Fort Taber, or Fort Rodman, presides over Buzzards Bay in New Bedford, Massachusetts. This former fortress, with its ancient stones and rumbling tunnels, attracts both history enthusiasts and ghost investigators alike.Though the fort never saw b ... Read More
Posted 08.15.2025
The Forgotten Borden: Who Was Emma Borden?
The notorious Lizzie Borden case hangs over Fall River, Massachusetts, like a thick, black cloud. But, behind one of America's most notorious people is an equally intriguing—even mysterious—sister: Emma Lenora Borden. Emma Borden's life ... Read More
Posted 08.01.2025
Axe Murder Aftermath: Lizzie Borden’s Post-Trial Life
“Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.”Lizzie Borden’s story is one of mystery, heartbreak, and horror. Even those who aren’t true crime enthusiasts or ... Read More
Posted 07.16.2025
Haunted Route 44
The tale of a ghostly hitchhiker is one of the most well-known urban legends across America’s highways. That includes Route 44, which runs through Rehoboth, Massachusetts, a simple farming community that makes up part of what ghost enthusiasts kno ... Read More
Posted 07.10.2025
The Spirits of Lincoln Park
There are few things as haunting as an abandoned amusement park.If you have the chance to walk through one of these deserted locations, you can almost feel the emptiness that hovers over the area. You’ll see the remnants of carnival rides that ... Read More
Posted 06.24.2025
The New Bedford Armory
New Bedford occupies a unique spot in haunted American lore. Right next door to the famously haunted Salem, New Bedford has been a bit overshadowed by its more witchy neighbor. But don’t let that fool you - the town of New Bedford owns one of the ... Read More
Posted 06.12.2025
