★★★★★ 4.7 reviews
The Devil In The White City Bus Tour
$69per person
Guided walking tour of the beautiful, glamorous, and very haunted
Duration
1+ Hours
Meeting Point
520 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605
Minimum Age
13+ (under 18 required a guardian)
Check-Out Availability
Imitated by many, this is the original tour created by Chicago Hauntings in 2004, inspired by the phenomenonal best seller, The Devil and the White City, Erik Larson’s brilliant look at the minds behind the best and worst achievements of Victorian Era Chicago.
Join us for an excursion through the spaces and places made famous by Erik Larson’s blockbuster, The Devil in the White City . You’ll visit sites of Victorian era intrigue, including the site where the Great Fire began, Prairie Avenue historic district, the World’s Fairgrounds and, yes, the site of the former Murder Castle of the only and only H.H. Holmes, “America’s First Serial Killer.” Many believe that H.H. Holmes “murder castle” is an inspiration for the Hotel Cortez in the hit television show American Horror Story hotel due to the sinister intent behind the Chicago hotel construction.
What To Expect
H.H. Holmes, The Murder Castle, The World's Fair & Victorian Chicago tour
Expert Paranormal Guide
Fridays and Saturdays
Easy/Moderate
$69 Per Person
Why Choose American Ghost Walks?
The Devil In The White City Bus Tour was founded by Ursula Bielski, famed Chicago ghostlore historian who literally wrote the
book on hauntings related to H.H. Holmes and The Devil In The White City!
Important Info
- Wear comfortable shoes and warm clothing, and bring a poncho or umbrella (in case of rain) for our walk through the former fairgrounds of Jackson Park. Walking is minimal.
- We recommend using SpotHero to save you time near the Congress Plaza Hotel.
- The tour group meets in the Congress Lounge bar inside the hotel.
- Because this is a limited capacity tour, all sales are final. But we will reschedule you if you have an emergency.
- Service animals are welcome. However, for liability issues, please leave your furry friends at home if you don’t require their assistance.
- The bus is not wheelchair-friendly, please check our walking routes for several tours that answer
See our tour guide Tony Szabelski tell a story of H.H. Holmes to CBS 2 in Chicago
The Devil In The White City himself, H.H. Holmes...
H. H. Holmes Murder Castle
The Fountain of Time Being Built in 1920
A replica of the statue of Columbia as seen in the World's Fair
Tourgoers at the site of H.H. Holmes Murder Castle today
On The Devil In The White City Bus
The Union Stockyards Gate in Chicago also features a powerful Firefighters Memorial
Captivated guests learn more about H.H. Holmes at the site of the Murder Castle
The Columbian Exposition as seen in 1893
The Devil In The White City himself, H.H. Holmes...
H. H. Holmes Murder Castle
Itinerary
List of Services
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Congress Plaza HotelItem Link List Item 1
One of the city’s most haunted locations, it’s the perfect spot to grab a drink before or after the tour.
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Museum of Science and IndustryItem Link List Item 2
The last buliding standing from the 1893 Columbian Exposition at the World's Fair features strange ghosts from a sailor to a little girl to perhaps the Devil In The White City himself.
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Jackson Park LagoonItem Link List Item 3
Walk the World's Fairgrounds and discover the spirit that people see wandering near this beautiful site...
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The former site of the Murder CastleItem Link
The former killing grounds of H.H. Holmes, the Murder Castle was the buliding that he designed to his malignant specifications, a place of traps, sorrow, and no return.
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Union Stockyards GateItem Link
This massive limestone gate heralds a time when Chicago was the meatpacking capital of the world, notably memorialized in Upton Sinclair's famous account The Jungle. This perfect photo spot also features the city's memorial to its brave firefighters.
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And much much more... Write a description for this list item and include information that will interest site visitors. For example, you may want to describe a team member's experience, what makes a product special, or a unique service that you offer.
Item Link
Highlights
- Start your adventure at the Congress Plaza Hotel is notoriously one of the most haunted spots in Chicago, originally built as the Auditorium Annex to house the masses who would attend the 1893 Columbian Exposition at the World's Fair.
- Venture to Chicago's original Millionaire's Row, Praire Avenue. On the National Register of Historic Places, this street was the home of Gilded Age mansions belonging to the likes of Marshall Field (department stores), George Pullman (the railroad sleeping car), and Philip Armour (of the hot dogs fame!)
- Visit the only building remains standing on the old 1893 Fairgrounds in Chicago’s Jackson Park today: the former Palace of Fine Arts which now houses the spectacular Museum of Science and Industry.
- Presidents Grover Cleveland, Teddy Roosevelt, and Franklin Roosevelt have all stayed in this magnificent piece of Windy City history. It's also the spot where The Devil In The White City himself, H.H. Holmes would collect potential victims that he could bring back to his Murder Castle.
- Secrets and scandals abound in this area from the late Nineteenth Century, discover them with us.
- Could the bowler-hatted, mustachioed man seen walking the Yesterday’s Main Street exhibit be the ghost of Herman Webster Mudgett (the real name of H.H. Holmes?) And that's just one of the ghosts that people have seen...
Meeting Point
Inside the bar at the Congress Plaza Hotel (520 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605)
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Do you go inside any of the haunted buildings?
On this tour, we focus on building exteriors and outdoor spaces. Businesses and public places are open for you to visit during regular business hours. Otherwise we respect the privacy of individuals and organizations and expect that our guests do the same.
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Do guests really see ghosts on this tour?
We can never guarantee a supernatural encounter, but we will explain paranormal phenomena such as cold spots and residual hauntings. What we do guarantee: Our local connections and dedication to research means you'll get authentic accounts — in all their shocking detail.
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Can I bring my pet?
Service animals are welcome. However, for liability issues, please leave your furry friends at home if you don’t require their assistance.
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Is this ghost tour kid-appropriate?
While our tours do not contain anything too graphic or inappropriate, we find that kids that enjoy history have the best time. You know your children and that's left up to you. We do not recommend bringing children in strollers because sometimes that can be difficult with larger walking groups.
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What if I'm late or cannot find my guide?
We do our best to answer calls and emails as promptly as they are received. Please make sure to leave a voicemail with the city and tourtime. We try to accommodate travel and weather issues, but our public tours cannot wait for more than 10 minutes. Reschedules are available if the date you are interested in is not sold out.
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What is your cancellation policy?
Because this is a limited capacity tour, all sales are final. If we cancel the tour because of weather or another event, we offer a full refund.
We will do our best to accommodate rescheduling requests, but cannot guarantee changes because other tours and dates might be sold out. As a courtesy, we offer an add-on called Peek Protect which will refund your tickets if you have an emergency and cancel your reservations at least 24 hours prior to the tour beginning, but we cannot make any adjustments to those reservations, those are ordered through a third-party and any changes will need to be processed through them.
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What if I am late?
We do our best to answer calls and emails as promptly as they are received. Please make sure to leave a voicemail with the city and tourtime. We try to accommodate travel and weather issues, but please be there a few minutes early, the bus has to leave promptly to be able to reach every destination. It cannot wait for latecomers and we cannot guarantee participation for late arrivals. Reschedules are available if the date you are interested in is not sold out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have the courage to join?
Explore haunted locations and hear chilling tales. Face your fears and uncover dark secrets. Join us, if you dare!
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