One of the most intriguing and thought-provoking activities that you can do while you are visiting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is a ghost tour! It is an awe-inspiring way to truly immerse yourself into the history and fabric of the city, and to experience the perspectives of the individuals who experienced it first hand. The very best ghost tour that we have ever been on (which includes other places that we have traveled to) is the US Ghost Adventures “Philly Ghosts”.

As you may know, if you have been reading the blog for a little while, my husband and I recently had a baby. (She just turned one not too long ago!) With the new addition to our family, we have definitely been exploring a bit more locally for the time being, and honestly, it has given us an opportunity to check out sites near us that we have not been to before. This actually seems to be a somewhat common thread I have noticed, where typically people will vacation or travel somewhere that is different from where they actually live!

Recently, when US Ghost Adventures reached out to me about potentially doing a tour, I was really excited to jump at the opportunity, especially with the chance to learn the history of our local Philly landmarks! Also, another added benefit that we found, was that they do allow children to go on the tours, which made me a lot more comfortable.

Philadelphia has some of the richest history in the United States, from hosting the First and Second Continental Congresses, to even being the capital of the country after the Revolutionary War. (Philadelphia is also the birthplace of The Bank Of North America, the first de facto central bank, created by Alexander Hamilton.)

The evening that our tour was scheduled, the weather did not decide to cooperate, and it was a little rainy outside off and on. Luckily, we did find out that US Ghost Adventures does their tours rain or shine! Also, since we went on it in September, it was not too cold outside yet, which made it fairly easy to travel with some umbrellas in tow. (If you do have any questionable weather conditions, they have a contact number right on their website so you can call and double check that your tour will still be running.)

We went on the “The Phantom Penance Of Philadelphia Ghost Tour”. This hour long expedition takes a journey into Old City and highlights the historical figures, landmarks, and buildings in the area which were integral for the beginnings of the United States.

As we started the tour, we met our amazing guide Kristi at the Tomb Of The Unknown Solider in Washington Square. (This is one of the public parks created by William Penn, which was turned into a potter’s field in the early 1700s.)

To provide you with a historical overview of this spot, burials had occurred in this location for almost a century, where thousands of people found their final resting place. It was also the burial site of many Revolutionary War soldiers from both sides. Later, when Yellow Fever struck the city, it was also used as a cemetery.

In the 1950s, an archaeological team was brought into the area, and found among the multitude of bodies, was a single coffin found with undisturbed remains that had a musket ball wound to the head. It was determined that this person was a solider from the Revolutionary War.

Later, this person would lay to rest in the monument for the Tomb Of The Unknown Solider. To this day, this grave is prominently featured by the sculpture of George Washington, and is a reminder the of all individuals who were laid to rest there. An eternal flame flows from it, as a light that guides, even in the dark.

There were so many interesting places that we went on our walking tour, and Kristi was so awesome in reviewing so many historical facts, details, and answering any questions that I had. I thought it was super cool that she gave us an EMF reader, and in certain areas of the tours (especially around the places that had a lot of activity through the years) it actually did go off! It was almost like someone was trying to say hello which was pretty neat.

This outing was extremely engaging, and we really enjoyed the different spooky stories from various time periods in Philadelphia, and how they were connected to the different areas in the city. (Benjamin Franklin may still be up to some antics today, but you will have to go on the tour to find out!)

If you enjoy learning the history, and the roots of a place, you absolutely will want to go on this tour. Also, if you are in Philly, I do highly recommend our guide Kristi, she is the best of the best, and it was not surprising to me that she herself also had been very inspired by the history of the area, and enjoys sharing this information with others. She was kind, considerate, and so knowledgeable!

(My tour was sponsored by US Ghost Adventures, however all opinions and thoughts regarding it are my own, as well as my experiences on it. I only recommend tours if I truly enjoy them, and I definitely enjoyed this tour! This post also contains affiliate links, which I earn a commission if you click and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.)

US Ghost Adventures can be found across the United States, so before you book your trip or vacation, make sure that you schedule one in the place you are visiting. The tours truly provide such a unique way to gain perspective of an area, with such a fun and spooky way to learn about it as well! Make sure that you check out these links to find a tour near you. (Also, you can use the code ALLIE10 on https://fas.st/t/hoXUQyHW for a ten percent discount!)

https://phillyghosts.com/

https://usghostadventures.com/philadelphia-ghost-tour/

https://lizzie-borden.com/ghost-tours/philadelphia/

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NortheastAllie

For generations, my family has lived in the Philadelphia area, and my writing reflects these influences. This blog explores perspectives on life, encouragement, travel, health, and local living.

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