San Diego Ghost Tour
This DIY San Diego ghost tour is a fun way to explore Old Town!
This do-it-yourself San Diego ghost tour has been a hit with my kids for years. A fun, out-of-the-box activity for older kids...or those children who like a little creepy with their Mexican food...this cool tour lets you explore the haunted side of Old Town San Diego, while your kids learn something about the history of the area, too.
This is a great tour to do, even during the day. And you don't have to wait until Halloween to enjoy it, either. It doesn't take much to get the heebie jeebies, especially for kids, who have wonderful imaginations! Follow up the experience with lunch or dinner at one of the yummy restaurants nearby and you'll have created a great memory for your family. Bring your camera, too, for the off-chance of capturing a spirit on film!
Keep reading to the end and tell me...did WE capture ghost images in one of our photos??
With a history of people walking the San Diego land for over 9000 years, it's not surprising that some may still find themselves rooted to the area, years after dying. Here, you'll discover some of the most popular haunted places.
Start your tour at El Campo Santo Cemetary, at the southeast end of San Diego Avenue. From here, you'll work your way toward Old Town's State Historic Park, where several haunted places are located...along with more fun non-ghosty experiences!
El Campo Santo CemetaryThis cemetary was established by the Roman Catholic Church in 1849 and over the years, has housed over 450 bodies, including the members of San Diego founding families.
If you have the fortune (or misfortune, as the case may be) to find parking directly in front of the cemetary, you may find your car difficult to start later, or the car alarm may inexplicably go off.
One popular grave located here is that of Yankee Jim Robinson. Found guilty of grand larceny, Robinson was hung at the site of the future Whaley House in 1852. "Hung" isn't really accurate though; because Robinson was much taller than the average man of the time, the scaffolding was too short and when dropped, his toes scrapped the ground, causing the accused to strangle to death instead.
Though buried in the El Campo Santa Cemetary, Yankee Jim instead seems to haunt the nearby Whaley House.
Other events to be watchful for while visiting the cemetary include:
- Many neighboring businesses and houses complain about problems with their lights, alarms and electric appliances.
- People wandering the cemetary complain of passing through freezing cold spots located throughout.
- Keep an eye...or two...out for apparations reported to be seen in the burial grounds. Native American and Hispanic figures who disappear when approach have been seen, along with a variety of other figures, including a Victorian woman in white and a small child. Bring a small toy or keepsake and leave it on poor little Anita Gillis' grave site, as many visitors do.
Besides the creepy, crawly sense you may get when visiting this cemetary, it's also an important piece of San Diego's history, so enjoy the scary and educational experience.
From the El Campo Santo Cemetary, head over to the Whaley House, recognized as one of the most haunted homes in America! Even the United States Department of Commerce says so, so it must be true! This house is a must-see on your San Diego ghost tour.
Whaley House
This home, built by Thomas Whaley, a prominent early San Diegan, in 1857, was home to Whaley and his extended family for the next 100 years. It was also the site of San Diego's public gallows and was the scene of many deaths long before the house was built. At least 18 died here, and likely many more Native Americans and Hispanics were killed by Spanish firing squad. Yankee Jim Robinson, buried at the El Campo Santo Cemetary, was killed in the spot where Whaley's staircase now sits.
Besides the criminals that died in the area, many of Whaley's family also suffered from untimely deaths. What's happening at the Whaley House that caused so much tragedy over the years? You can learn more about the Whaley House Museum here.
Several people are thought to haunt this home. People have even reported seeing a small dog coming and going from the dining room.
Want to get a look inside the Whaley House and hunt for ghosts? (Trust me, you do!) This museum offers self-guided tours, with docents readily available to answer any questions. The cost to enjoy the museum is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $5 for kids ages 3-12. Evening admission is more. Hours at the museum vary to be sure and check their web site for current info.
If you don't want to splurge, you can tour the grounds for free and still get some spooky thrills!
After the Whaley House, head into Old Town State Park, where you'll explore an historic adobe house first built in 1827.
La Casa de EstudilloAt the time, this home for Presidio commander Jose Maria Estudillo was considered one of the finest in the area. It's currently a National Historic Landmark and is the setting for the 1884 classic novel by Helen Hunt Jackson, "Ramona."
But beyond its historical importance, the casa is known for more...otherworldly...reasons.
The various rooms of the hacienda are set up in a U-shape, opening up into a large courtyard in the middle, where the gardens and outdoor oven reside.
Though the Estudillo family hasn't lived in the house for over a hundred years, their memory lives on, not only in the form of furniture and paintings left behind, but also in the ghostly images and happenings occuring at the Casa regularly.
Some of the activities to be watchful for, include:
- A young Victorian girl sits solemnly in a rocking chair in one of the bedrooms
- You may see the upper torso of a man seated in a chaise lounge in another bedroom
- In this same bedroom, another man, wearing an old-fashioned white shirt, can be found. Check the mirror for the image of yet another male figure.
- A vaquero, or Mexican cowboy, has been seen in the dining room. Keep an eye out for a strange yellow light here, too.
- You may experience cold spots as you wander the house and grounds. Doors and windows mysteriously open and close, too.
Your next stop, just across from La Casa de Estudillo, is the Cosmpolitan Hotel, the next stop of your San Diego ghost tour.
Cosmopolitan HotelBuilt in 1829, this former home to Juan Bandini and his family is the oldest structure still standing in San Diego. Though it's gone through various incarnations, the Hotel is newly restored (opening June 2010) with an indoor and outdoor restaurant, whiskey bar, small boutique hotel, and accommodations for special events and occasions.
Many witnesses claim to have seen a woman in a long dress haunts the building, wandering around the upstairs balcony and moving through doors long sealed shut.
You may also notice the lights flickering, or just turning on and off, all by themselves.
I personally encountered a cold spot in an upstairs hallway, as I passed from the balcony to the restrooms. The narrow, dark passage was the perfect spot for someone to hide in the shadows!
After visiting the Cosmo, head over to El Fandango for more ghostly spectres.
El Fandango RestaurantThis restaurant sits on the site of the Machado family home that burned down in 1858. Juan Machado was one of the Presidio's first soldiers and arrived in San Diego in 1781, where he eventually lived with his much-younger wife and 15 children.
Though this home was just one of three the Machado family owned, it's believed a woman died in the fire, resulting in the ghostly apparations seen in the restaurant today.
Look for a woman wearing white Victorian dress. She may be seen disappearing through walls or windows or you may find her sitting at a table in a dark corner, clearly upset.
After exploring El Fandango for a bit...and maybe indulging in a margarita and nachos?...head over to the Robinson-Rose House, where our San Diego ghost tour of Old Town concludes.
The Robinson-Rose HouseOriginally built by James Robin, a prominent lawyer of the time, the Robinson-Rose changed hands to the Louise Rose family before a fire in 1874 destroyed the roof, leaving the rest of the house in disrepair until it finally fell into ruins. The reconstructed building now serves as the park's Visitor's Center and park headquarters, but also provides more of interest than the Old Town replica model and visitor information housed there.
It's said that at least one of the home's former residents now haunt the structure, causing serious distress to the building's electrical wiring. Lights flicker or turn off and on for no reason and the elevator provided for handicapped use, stops and starts on a whim. Despite many electricians looking into the problems, no reason for these things is ever found.
Robinson-Rose House staff claim to hear heavy footsteps coming from the top floor, long after anyone would be up there. And sometimes, a man with a turn of the century shirt and tie can be seen in an upstairs window.
Women and men with long hair beware because many have reported having their hair pulled or moved by unseen hands!
Whew! You survived the do-it-yourself San Diego ghost tour! Wander around and explore the rest of Old Town State Historical Park and see what else it has to offer.
Our Ghost PictureBut first...click on this image to see a larger version and tell me...did we capture ghostly orbs on film? Some will say no.
Let me know if you see anything!
You can share your own real life ghost stories from Old Town too! Just use the form below to tell us.
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Cosmopolitan Hotel Ghost
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I was searching around online for an old photo of the street car that ran up to the Cosmo Hotel in the late 1800's and found your web site.
And I ...
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