The Witch of Pungo, Blackbeard's Crew and Colonial Williamsburg After Dark
An evening ghost walk of about 1 hour 45 minutes from the Capitol, with costumed guides telling every story outside the historic houses.
Spooks and Legends runs this evening walk through Colonial Williamsburg, mixing ghost sightings with stories of witch tests and Blackbeard's men. Guides in period costume carry lanterns and stop outside the old houses to tell each story.
Departures leave from the Capitol in the evening. Children six and under come along free, and every booking needs an adult.
Williamsburg Ghosts, Witches and Pirates TourSpooks and Legends · About 1 hour 45 minutes · Meets at the Capitolwww.viator.comEvery Story Is Told From the Street
The operator lists the stops as the outside of Raleigh Tavern, Lucy Ludwell's house, the Courthouse, Bruton Parish Church, George Wythe's house and the Peyton Randolph House, which it counts among the most haunted places in Virginia. The listing adds the hangings of Blackbeard's crew and a stop at the Jones Graveyard, where it says Ida Jones still haunts the graves in the late-night hours.
Peyton Randolph, president of the first and second Continental Congresses, lived in that house from 1745 until his death in 1775, according to Virginia's Department of Historic Resources. On Colonial Williamsburg's own podcast in 2010, ghost-story author L.B. Taylor said several Colonial Williamsburg employees told him they had confronted apparitions in the house, and called the Wythe House or the Peyton Randolph House probably the most haunted place in town.
The group stays outside the whole time, and no Colonial Williamsburg admission ticket is needed. The operator says ghost tours are not allowed into the 18th-century buildings, though you can walk up to them once the tour ends.
A Witch, a Pirate and a Treasure Chest
The costumed crew includes Grace Sherwood, the "Witch of Pungo," along with Mr. Pirate and Petey the Parrot. The real Sherwood's witchcraft case was heard in 1706 by the Princess Anne County court, in what is now Virginia Beach, and passed through the colony's General Court. The Library of Virginia records that Governor Tim Kaine informally pardoned her in July 2006.
The stories also cover how people decided whether someone was a witch, the hanging of Blackbeard's crew and what became of Blackbeard's skull, and two women who fought aboard Calico Jack's ship. Virginia's governor sent the force that killed Blackbeard at Ocracoke in 1718, and its commander, Lt. Robert Maynard, returned to Virginia with the surviving pirates and Blackbeard's severed head hanging from his sloop's bowsprit.
The stories include deaths and murders, told without gore, and there are no jump scares: the operator says no one jumps out at you. At the end, children pick a prize from Mr. Pirate's treasure chest.
Photos Yes, Video No, and the Group Leaves on Time
Bring a camera. The operator encourages photos and its guides point out spots where sightings are reported, though it says no one can promise a ghost on camera. Video recording and note-taking are both off limits; the operator says its tours are copyrighted. An EMF ghost detector can be rented at the tour for five dollars, light-up candles and necklaces are sold there, and tips for the guide are appreciated.
Arrive ten minutes early: the group leaves on time, and the operator says it neither waits for nor calls late arrivals. Groups can be large in busy seasons, and the listing allows up to 60 travelers on a departure, so the operator adds guides as numbers grow and asks anyone who cannot hear to raise a hand. Tours run in English only.
Strollers, Wheelchairs and Cobblestones
The operator says all of its tours are wheelchair and stroller accessible, and the listing marks this walk the same way. The operator describes the pace as easy, and its guides wait at each stop until stragglers catch up before they start talking. A September 2026 reviewer warns about cobblestones and uneven surfaces and recommends walking shoes.
Restrooms are not along the route, the operator notes, though one is a short walk away if needed. Two September 2026 reviews describe hot, humid evenings, so carry water in summer.
📍 Park in the Kings Arms Tavern lot at 460 East Francis Street, walk across Francis Street onto Blair Street and keep straight: the guide waits in front of the Capitol, at the east end of Duke of Gloucester Street. The listing puts the finish at the Colonial Williamsburg Courthouse, farther along the same street.
Tours go ahead in rain, so dress for the weather. If conditions turn hazardous, the operator can cancel and phones guests when it does, so put a mobile number on the booking. On this listing, a weather cancellation gets you a different date or a full refund, and you can cancel yourself for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start. As of October 23, 2026, the booking calendar showed the 8 PM departure open on October 31.