EMF Meters at St. Mary's, a Nightcap Down Melinda's Alley
A walking ghost hunt through downtown Phoenix with EMF detectors and dowsing rods that ends inside a speakeasy.
The night starts outside Rosson House, the 1895 Victorian on Heritage Square. The Historic American Buildings Survey photographed it in 1940, and that photograph is the one at the top of this page. From there the group walks downtown carrying the gear the listing includes: a spirit box, an EMF detector and dowsing rods. The walk ends inside the speakeasy at Melinda's Alley, which the listing says the group can ghost-hunt before it opens to the public.
As of October 20, 2026, the listing's calendar showed one start per night: 6:30 PM on October 23, 24 and 30 and November 6 and 7, and 6:45 PM on November 13 and 14. October 31 was sold out, and no later 2026 dates were open. One booking takes up to 15 travelers.
Spooks, Spirits and Speakeasy Ghost TourA 21+ walking ghost hunt in downtown Phoenix that ends inside the Melinda's Alley speakeasy. Ghost-hunting gear included; cocktails and tips extra.www.viator.comThe Ghost-Hunting Gear Comes With the Ticket
The group meets outside Rosson House, and the operator's booking page says the hands-on ghost hunt with the equipment kicks off at St. Mary's Basilica; the listing gives that stop a ghost story about the church's archways. Travelers single out the equipment. One wrote in November 2025: "Although we didn't see or feel any ghosts, the EMF detectors did get a few spikes where there was no energy or cell phone interference at St. Mary's Basilica, Melinda's Alley, and the seance room." Another, in October 2025, said the guides kept the mood upbeat. Expect readings and stories; the operator's own FAQ says it cannot guarantee an encounter. Reviews from 2024 and 2025 name several guides, sometimes two on one night, and the company's site says Arizona native Nadine Economos founded it in 2023.
Three Doors the Group Walks Through
The operator's own tour page lists three indoor stops: Hanny's, the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel and the speakeasy. Rosson House is not one of them; the page says the night begins outside it. To see the house's rooms, book the museum's own daytime tour, which runs Thursday through Sunday. Hanny's, at 40 N 1st St, is the stop the listing ties to a basement art installation said to be haunted. The restaurant's own page says that basement is home to a collection of vintage dolls that guests go down the staircase to look at and toss coins to, and PHOENIX magazine wrote in 2024 that the stairs down are unmarked, to the right of the host stand. At the Renaissance, the operator's page points to ghostly messages once found on the hotel's exterior wall, and the listing adds a legend it calls the Coal Man.
The Last Stop Is a Bar, So Bring ID
Melinda's Alley sits at the Renaissance, 50 E Adams St. Downtown Phoenix Inc. lists it as a speakeasy in the alley behind the hotel, open Friday and Saturday nights, with its door below a red light. The listing places it beneath the city's original red-light district and says the district's most famous resident, whom it calls Melinda Curtis, is said to still roam the alley. The Arizona 100 spells her name Malinda and says she lived and worked in that alley at the turn of the 20th century; when she died in October 1910, the Arizona Republican called her "one of the warmest hearted old women who ever lived." A mural of her by Hugo Medina and Darrin Armijo-Wardle now covers a wall of the alley. The tour is strictly 21 and over, and the operator says a valid government-issued photo ID is required to enter the speakeasy. Cocktails are optional and paid for separately. A traveler in November 2025 described finishing with a drink and more ghost stories in what they called the séance room.
Under a Mile on Foot, Ending Away From the Start
The operator puts this route at under a mile. Plan on up to two hours: the listing sells it as 90 minutes, while the operator's own pages say about two hours. The listing asks for at least a moderate level of fitness and does not recommend the tour for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health. The operator gives no wheelchair rating for this tour. On another of its routes it notes stairs down into Hanny's basement, and Melinda's Alley is itself a bar in the hotel's basement. Restrooms are available before the tour and at the speakeasy near the end, and the operator suggests bringing water; a traveler in September 2025 wrote that it was in the high 90s that night. The walk ends a few blocks from Rosson House, and the operator says the guide will give directions back.
📍 Meet in front of Rosson House Museum, 113 N 6th St on Heritage Square, and look for a guide in a "Future Ghost" shirt. Aim to arrive 15 minutes before the start time on your booking, as the operator asks; the listing's own note says to check in by 6:30 PM. Parking options in the operator's notes are street parking on Monroe St between 5th and 7th St, the Heritage Garage at 123 N 5th St, where rates can reach USD 40 during big events, and light rail to the Washington/3rd St stop.
- Full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start; no refund inside 24 hours.
- The listing lets the operator cancel for bad weather or too few travelers, and the operator says weather calls are usually made around 5 PM on tour day.
- Tips are not included; the operator suggests 15 to 20 percent of the tour cost.
After that, the ghost hunt is yours, with a cocktail at the end if you want one.