Ride Boston's Trolley of the Doomed to Two Colonial Graveyards
A costumed gravedigger narrates Boston's murders, hangings and hauntings from the trolley, then walks you through two of the city's three oldest burying grounds at night.
Historic Tours of America runs this night tour under its Ghosts & Gravestones name. Your host plays a cursed 17th-century gravedigger, and the stories run from colonial executions on Boston Common to the Boston Strangler.
Booking here holds one evening departure. Start times change through the season, and so does the per-person price, which moves with the date and the hour you pick. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
Boston Ghosts and Gravestones Trolley TourNight trolley tour with a costumed gravedigger host and two walks through Boston burying grounds, boarding at 200 Atlantic Avenue. Ages 6 and up.www.viator.comWhich Two Burying Grounds You Walk Through
The listing names Copp's Hill and the Granary. The operator's own FAQ is looser: two of Boston's three oldest burying grounds, from Copp's Hill, King's Chapel or the Granary. The FAQ does not say which pair runs on a given night. Reviews posted in 2026 mention all three, on different evenings. Whichever pair you get, the City of Boston lists all three as open daily from about 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., so you can come back by daylight for the one you missed.
Each one carries its own stories. The operator says Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere and the victims of the Boston Massacre lie in the Granary. Copp's Hill, founded in 1659, holds Cotton Mather, famously involved in the Salem witch trials. At King's Chapel the gravedigger tells the legend of the Stranger's Tomb, where the bones of the dead were said to have served as currency for a man named Ephraim Littlefield.
Stories on Board, Then Two Short Walks
The operator puts the whole outing at about 90 minutes, with two walking portions of roughly 20 minutes each. The listing allows two hours, so plan the evening around the longer figure. Between graveyards the gravedigger works the trolley with tales of Jane Toppan, the nurse known as the Angel of Death, the Boston Strangler, the hangings on Boston Common that the operator says went on until 1817, and the ghosts said to roam the Omni Parker House. The route also passes the Boston Tea Party Ships without stopping.
Travelers describe roll-down windows on the trolley that are sometimes left open on cool nights, so bring a warm layer. Several reviewers say a second costumed guide took over inside a graveyard, and some found that guide hard to hear. Stand close if you want every word.
What the Ticket Covers
The booking covers narration by the tour conductor, the ghost-themed trolley ride and local taxes. Tips, food and drinks, and hotel pickup are not included, and the price is per person.
As of October 21, 2026, the booking calendar shows Halloween night departures every half hour from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and a single 6:00 PM departure on selected nights from December through February. One booking takes up to 15 travelers. The listing asks for a local Boston hotel phone number or a cell number where you can be reached.
Ages, Walking and Access
No one under 6 can ride. The operator rates the tour PG-13 because of loud noises and frightening content and recommends parental guidance under 13; the child ticket covers ages 6 to 12.
The listing ticks stroller access and suitability for all fitness levels. The operator's own FAQ says the trolleys have no wheelchair lifts and the graveyards include stairs, cobblestones and rough ground. It asks guests who need accommodations to call at least 24 hours ahead. Travelers mention bus-style steps onto the trolley and a steep walk up to Copp's Hill, and some with mobility limits stayed aboard while the group walked. The city's own conservation notes say the only way into Copp's Hill is through two pedestrian entrances with several steps each. The tour runs in the rain and is cancelled only when the weather turns dangerous.
📍 Board at 200 Atlantic Avenue, on the street side of the Long Wharf Marriott at the corner of State Street, where a ticket kiosk stands on the sidewalk. Check in 20 minutes before your departure; the listing warns seats may not be held for late arrivals, while the operator's FAQ asks for 15. Dress for the night's weather. Then the trolley lights come up, the music starts, and the gravedigger takes the microphone.