As the temperatures drop and Halloween decorations appear in our neighborhood, I’m reminded of how much fun it can be to add a haunted history tour to your itinerary.

Just like a great teacher who uses an engaging story to educate the class, good ghost tours are a fun way to learn about an area’s history and culture. These tours often tend to focus on “forgotten” history or personal histories set against the backdrop of history’s big events like the Civil War or natural disaster. I find that these tours can really help to add context to what I’ve read in the history books.

From our experience, some tours are better than others. If you really want to have an educational experience, try a tour that is brought to you by a history museum, architectural society, or some other scholarly group. Often these organizations use ghost tours as a fundraiser during the month of October.

If those options aren’t available, do a little digging on the company that offers the tour. Some operators are more interested in giving their guests the ghost “hunter” experience instead of focusing on the stories and history. Ask questions and find the tour that fits your needs and interests.

No matter what time of year you’re traveling, consider a little ghost adventure of your own with a haunted history tour.