The 5 Best Ghost Tours in Key West for 2026
Looking for an authentic paranormal experience?
The best ghost tours in Key West, Florida are:
| Rank | Tour Name | Best For... | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | America’s Most Haunted Firehouse | Serious Paranormal Investigators | Location-Based |
| 2 | Robert the Doll After Dark | Iconic Legend Enthusiasts | Museum Tour |
| 3 | Island Tales Private Tours | Custom & Intimate Experiences | Private Walking |
| 4 | Whiskey Rick | Storytelling & Local Flavor | History/Lore |
| 5 | The Original Key West Ghost Tour | Classic Old Town Hauntings | Walking Tour |
About the Author: David Sloan
David Sloan is a leading authority on the paranormal and dark history of Key West. He is the author of The Ghosts of Key West and the founder of several of the island's most iconic haunted attractions. For over 25 years, David has researched the legends, interviewed the witnesses, and documented the history that makes Key West one of the most haunted cities in America. This list is based on his decades of insider knowledge and personal experience in the Key West paranormal community.
Which Key West Ghost Tour is the Best?
There are more than a dozen ghost tours in Key West.
Most of them are great, but each is different.
Selecting the best Key West ghost tour for you can be a daunting task, so we’ve narrowed down the field to the five locally owned ghost tours in Key West with the the best satisfaction ratings.
All of them are owned and operated by dedicated locals. Read on to see what makes each one different.
We’ve provided a few tips at the end to make sure you end up on the ghost tour that is right for you.
-
For those who want more than just stories, America’s Most Haunted Firehouse and Robert the Doll After Dark are the top choices. These tours focus on actual paranormal evidence and provide ghost-hunting equipment like EMF meters and dowsing rods, rather than relying on costumed actors.
-
Most walking tours, like The Original Key West Ghost Tour, are family-friendly but deal with dark history. However, some experiences, such as the Robert the Doll After Dark tour, may be too intense for very young children due to the fort's eerie nighttime atmosphere. We recommend these for ages 10 and up.
-
Yes. Because the best tours (like America’s Most Haunted Firehouse, Island Tales and Whiskey Rick) prioritize small group sizes for a better experience, they frequently sell out 2–3 days in advance, especially during weekends and the month of October.
-
Walking tours like Whiskey Rick’s allow you to enter narrow haunted alleys and get up close to historic sites that the large trolleys cannot reach. While the Ghosts and Gravestones trolley is a popular mass-market option, walking and on-site tours, such as America’s Most Haunted Firehouse, offer a more intimate, historically accurate, and spooky atmosphere.
-
You can see the original Robert the Doll at the East Martello Museum. The Robert the Doll After Dark tour is the only experience that offers an exclusive late-night "lockdown" session with the doll, widely considered the most haunted object in the world.
-
Key West ghost tours typically run rain or shine. Most local guides carry umbrellas or will lead the group to covered porches. Robert the Doll After Dark and America’s Most Haunted Firehouse take place inside haunted locations, so rain is not an issue. The Ghosts & Gravestones trolleys can be enclosed when it is raining, but they are not air-conditioned.
-
Ghosts & Gravestones in Key West operates open-air trolleys, meaning they are not air-conditioned.
-
America's Most Haunted Firehouse Cold Case
Ghost hunters can conduct their own private investigation into real cold-case murders and mysteries at America's most haunted firehouse in Key West, Florida.
America’s Most Haunted Firehouse is Key West’s best-rated ghost tour. It is researched and created by Haunted Key West and Ghosts of Key West author, David L. Sloan.
Dozens of spirits haunt the old station and its grounds.
Bring your smartphone for a guided audio ghost tour narrated by Ghosts of Key West author David L. Sloan, followed by your own 75-minute cold-case investigation using provided paranormal equipment and case files.
Tickets benefit the restoration of the historic 1907 firehouse. The investigations take place inside Historic Firehouse No 3. Built in 1907, it is home to The Alex Vega Key West Firehouse Museum, which houses thousands of unique and unusual artifacts.
-
VIP Robert the Doll After Dark
Ghost Key West has the only ghost tour where you meet Robert the Haunted Doll.
Robert the Doll After Dark is the best-rated ghost tour in Key West. It is researched and created by Robert the Doll expert and historian, David L. Sloan.
It’s a real-deal ghost hunt inside a dimly lit Civil War fort museum that once served as a yellow fever hospital.
This Sloan Family ghost tour has a great mix of history and hands-on ghost hunting with top-of-the-line equipment.
It is the only Key West Ghost Tour that takes place 100% inside, but the tour can get intense at times, so it is not appropriate for anyone under 10.
VIP tickets include a 30-minute guided ghost tour through the haunted fort, a 30-minute seated lockdown with Robert the Doll, an hour exploring the haunted fort on your own in the dark, and free next day admission to Fort East Martello Museum. Ghost Key West provides ghost-hunting equipment.
Every ticket benefits the non-profit Key West Art & Historical Society. There is free on-site parking for this ghost tour.
-
Island Tales Ghost Tours
Amy Andrade offers a killer selection of private tours, including a ghost tour with complimentary transport between locations on an 8-person golf cart.
Amy Andrade has the best ghost tour in Key West if you want a private experience that covers a lot of ground.
Amy is famous for many things in Key West, including Sip & Tales Ghost Stories.
-
The Original Key West Ghost Hunt
The Original Key West Ghost Hunt's Haunted History Tour is still the best walking ghost tour to experience Key West’s haunted history in the historic district.
Owned by The Sharkey Family, their small team of guides are well-loved by locals and visitors.
The Key West Haunted History tour costs a few dollars more than the remotely operated ghost tours, but you get what you pay for.
They keep groups smaller, so you won’t feel like cattle.
Follow the link to their site to book directly.
-
Key Whiskey Tours
Whiskey Rick is an AirBnB Experience Guide with over 12 tours available to book day and night that tell the island's history and lore.
Weaving together the various stories Rick creates a unique tour for you. He has four distinct paranormal walking routes that he can pull from to give you a one of a kind experience with an in=depth discussion on the various island stories or keep it light and funny while moving around the Old Town area.
Rick’s private tour allows you to get the focus and knowledge from the guide for your learning and enjoyment. After your tour you will understand why Key West's original name was Cayo Hueso (Island of Bones).
Tips for choosing the best Key West Ghost Tour
Tour with a local company. Several Key West ghost tours are chains that operate out of state. They might have good intentions, but they frequently get the history wrong, have a high turnover rate on guides, often cancel tours at the last minute, and only a fraction of your ticket price benefits the local economy.
Book directly. Sites like TripAdvisor take 25% of your ghost tour ticket price or more. Booking your experience directly with the company will help keep prices lower.
After selecting a Key West ghost tour company, read recent reviews on Google and TripAdvisor. Look for a guide people mention by name in the review comments and book the ghost tour on a night when they are leading it.
Book with a company listed on hauntedkeywest.com for the best experience.