Founding Phantoms: Philadelphia's Haunted History

Discover the dark and macabre history of early Philadelphia on the Founding Phantoms Ghost Tour. Explore haunted locations and delve into the darker side of human nature. Ages 16+. Book now!

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Pennsylvania Hospital - This hospital, whose purpose was to treat mental illness, was home to many inhumane experiments in an attempt to drive out the evil spirits once believed to be the cause of mental illness. Join us on a journey through the past as we discuss the evils that took place and the vengeful spirits that remain as a result
What's Included
  • All applicable fees and taxes included
  • Professional and experienced guides
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Embark on a journey through the shadows of America’s most haunted past… free from the sounds of sippy cups or snack requests. Founding Phantoms is Philadelphia’s exclusive ghost tour for adults, crafted for those aged 16 and above who are ready to face the unknown.
This spine-chilling adventure delves into the darker aspects of the Founding Fathers,…

Location
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
West Washington Square
You will meet your spooktacular tour guide by the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier. Please look for the eternal flame and you are there.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(113 Ratings)
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Rosanne
Aug 27, 2025
Entertaining and educational summer evening stroll - I have lived in Philadelphia for 70 years and this tour taught me many things I never knew. The architecture of the old buildings we walked among made the atmosphere enchanting and unforgettable. I recommend this tour highly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A6168tvjoeyb
Aug 20, 2025
Amazing tour of the city!!! - Awesome tour!!! Great way to learn about the city!!! This is a must in Philadelphia!!! Josh is a great tour guide with a ton of knowledge about the dark history of the city!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elizabeth
Aug 11, 2025
Enjoyed the ambiance and knowledge throughout the tour - We really enjoyed the tour, and learned a lot. A little hard of a walk for my sister and I towards the end but we pushed through because we didn't want to miss anything. Since we are very sensitive to things, we did feel a lot presences around us after the 2nd stop of the tour all the way to the end. We would definitely recommend. We'd love to do another similar tour in the future.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U7019gldavidf
Aug 3, 2025
Fun! - Josh was amazing and knowledgeable! Everyone else cancelled due to weather so we had him all to ourselves. We had fun, thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
265ilsez
Jul 31, 2025
Heck Yeah Josh! - This tour was very fun and extremely informative! Josh was super cool, helpful, and really clicked with our group, I couldn’t imagine anyone else leading this tour for us! He was really knowledgeable not only on the stops of the tour but with the area giving us food recs and pointing out “the nicest Wawa”. Thanks Josh!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pathfinder664862
Jul 27, 2025
Love it’ - Our guide was extremely knowledgeable in the history of the city. She was fun, easy to listen to, and answered all questions. She was in no hurry and had time for us to stop and really enjoy each site. She was absolutely wonderful!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
190erniew
Jul 19, 2025
Great Tour!!! - Excellent tour!!! A dive into the off the beaten path history of several key figures that helped found our nation. Some of the dark side and positive of early Philadelphia and tales of the supernatural . Our guide, Claire, was outstanding!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sterin_f
Jul 12, 2025
Great tour guide! Very... - Great tour guide! Very knowledgeable and brought up fun, relevant facts. Ghost aspect was spooky enough!
Review provided by Viator
Kerryba1399jd
Jul 9, 2025
GREAT TOUR! - Josh was absolutely amazing! Very informative and made the tour super fun! I loved learning about all the history! I’m glad I did this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
596racheale
Jul 8, 2025
Amazing Ghost Tour in Old City, PA! - My husband booked a Philly Ghost tour with this company for our two adult children, me, and him on 7/6/25. We were lucky enough to land Claire as our awesome tour guide for the evening. She shared stories loaded with history - both positive and gruesome - about former doctors, socialites, and the like in Philly society in the late 1700's and early 1800's - as well as stories of continued ghostly sightings and experiences while we walked down lamppost lit streets and alleyways that both our founding fathers and their community walked so long ago. Philly feels haunted by so much rich history even during the daylight so the nighttime tour was fantastic. We were lucky to be able to see old hospitals, gravesites, and even the former home of the Washingtons. Claire was a delight, full of knowledge and very well spoken - the consummate guide. She allowed us to ask all sorts of questions, and there were moments in one alleyway (built along a former waterway that transported victims of the Yellow fever epidemic) where we felt watched by unseen forces - hairs standing up on our arms, a definite shift in the air. Claire presented all with a level of respect and reverence for the dead, presenting all stories within the context of the timeframe within which they happened. We learned so much and again, it was such a fun treat being able to experience Old City, Philadelphia in this way. Highly, highly recommend this tour if you're looking to heighten that "haunted" feeling that's ever present in Old City and learn history that the plaques and brochures there won't be likely to mention.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $35
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).