A Night Exploring Mesa’s Haunted Side
We love learning about the places we visit, so when we had the opportunity to explore a different side of Mesa, Arizona, we were ready for a little history, mystery, and a ghost story or two.
We received a complimentary tour from US Ghost Adventures in exchange for sharing our thoughts and experience. As always, our opinions are our own. We came for the stories, history, and a little paranormal adventure and we’re sharing what we actually experienced. No ghosts were required to approve this review.
Our evening took us downtown for the Mirages, Murder & Mourning of Mesa Ghost Tour with US Ghost Adventures. The company offers ghost tours, pub crawls, and history walks in more than 190 cities, making it a fun option for travelers who want to learn more about the history and stories behind the places they visit.
What we liked about the idea of this tour was that it wasn’t simply about being scared. It was an opportunity to walk through historic Mesa after dark, hear stories about the people and events that helped shape the area, and learn about some of the reported paranormal activity connected to the locations along the way.
If you’re looking for your next spooky adventure, you can learn more about US Ghost Adventures and its tours across the country on their official website. Use promo code FOREVER10 at checkout to receive 10% off your purchase on the Mesa Tour.
And with that, we grabbed our walking shoes and headed out to see what Mesa had waiting for us after dark.
Before the Tour: Meeting Our Guide in Downtown Mesa
Our tour began at the Arizona Museum of Natural History, located at:
53 N Macdonald, Mesa, AZ 85201
We arrived about 15 minutes early, which gave us plenty of time to find the meeting location and get ready for the evening. Finding the guide was easy. Look for someone carrying a lantern and wearing a US Ghost Adventures T-shirt.
Quick Tip: Arrive Early
If you’re planning to take the Mesa Ghost Tour, give yourself about 15 minutes before the scheduled start time. It makes the beginning of the evening much more relaxed, especially if you’re unfamiliar with downtown Mesa to find parking.
Meet the Guide: The Person Leading Us Into the Unknown
One of the things that can make or break a walking tour is the guide, and we were off to a great start. Our guide had a positive personality and a good sense of humor, which helped keep the evening fun rather than overly serious. She was also knowledgeable about Mesa’s history and explained that her research doesn’t stop with the information she already knows. She shared that she continues to research the area and even talks with local shop owners to learn more. That means the stories and information shared during the tour can continue to evolve. We especially enjoyed the way she balanced historical information with ghost stories. Instead of simply telling us that a location was haunted, she gave us background about the people, places, and events connected to the stories. That made the tour feel more like a combination of a history walk and a paranormal adventure.
What Is the Mirages, Murder & Mourning of Mesa Ghost Tour?
The standard tour covers approximately one mile and lasts about one hour. One thing we appreciated was that the tour takes place outdoors. The historic locations are viewed from the outside rather than entering the buildings. This allowed us to walk through downtown and there are plenty of stops along the way.
Many Stops, Many Stories and We’re Not Naming Them!
We’re intentionally not going to share all the building names here.
Why?
Because some of the fun is discovering them yourself.
Our guide would bring us to a location, explain its history, and then tell us about the stories and reported paranormal activity associated with it. We learned about everything from Mesa’s history to stories connected with underground tunnels and Prohibition-era activity. Rather than giving away all the surprises, we’ll leave some of those stories for your guide to tell you in person. After all, you don’t want to know everything before you go!
Extended Tour Upgrade: Did We Dare to Go Longer?
We decided to go for the Extended Tour Upgrade, which can add up to four additional haunted locations to the experience. For us, the extra time was worth it. The extended portion added approximately 15 minutes to our evening. Giving us more time to hear additional stories and visit more locations. If you’re already downtown and enjoying the experience, we think the extended option is worth considering. More stories, more locations, and more opportunities to see what your EMF detector might or might not find.
We Tried an EMF Activity Detector
Of course, we couldn’t take a ghost tour without adding a little ghost-hunting equipment to the evening! We rented an EMF Activity Detector for the tour. An EMF detector measures electromagnetic fields. Paranormal investigators sometimes use these devices while looking for unusual changes in electromagnetic activity. It’s important to remember, though, that an EMF reading by itself isn’t proof of paranormal activity.
So, what happened with ours? Well… Apparently, the spirits were taking the night off. Our detector stayed on green for the evening. No dramatic color changes. No mysterious readings. No paranormal evidence to report. But honestly, that didn’t make it any less fun. Having the detector with us gave us something else to watch during the tour and definitely added to the experience. Sometimes the hunt is just as entertaining as the catch!
What We Thought of the Experience
We enjoyed the Mirages, Murder & Mourning of Mesa Ghost Tour. What stood out most was the combination of history, storytelling, and walking through downtown Mesa at night. We weren’t simply being taken from one location to another. We were learning about the area and hearing the stories connected to the places around us.
The Guide’s Storytelling
Our guide’s personality, humor, and knowledge made the evening enjoyable. We also liked knowing that she continues to research Mesa and talk with local business owners to learn more.
Walking Downtown at Night
There’s something about seeing streets and buildings after dark while hearing stories about what may have happened there.
The Variety of Locations
There were plenty of stops throughout the tour, which kept the evening interesting.
The Extended Tour
We’re glad we added the extended option. The additional 15 minutes gave us more stories and locations without making the evening feel too long.
The EMF Detector
Even though ours stayed green all night, it was still fun to have along for the experience.
Would We Do Another Tour?
Absolutely!
In fact, we would definitely take another US Ghost Adventures tour when we’re visiting another town.
One of our favorite things about traveling is learning about the places we’re visiting, and a ghost tour offers a unique way to do that. You get history, local stories, interesting buildings, and a little bit of mystery all in one evening.
And maybe next time, we’ll actually get something besides a green light on the EMF detector!
Is This Tour Family-Friendly?
If you’re wondering whether a ghost tour is something the whole family can enjoy, US Ghost Adventures’ tours are kid-friendly and pet-friendly. Children are welcome, and well-behaved dogs can join the fun as long as they aren’t disruptive to the group. Since this is a walking tour, we recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes and dressing appropriately for the weather.
And remember, this is Arizona. Even when the sun goes down, it can still be warm!
Planning Your Own US Ghost Adventures Tour?
We explored Mesa, Arizona, but Mesa is just one stop in a much larger collection of destinations. US Ghost Adventures offers ghost tours, pub crawls, history walks, and other experiences in cities across the country. So whether you’re a dedicated paranormal enthusiast or simply someone who enjoys learning about the history of the places you visit, there’s a good chance you can find an experience to add to your next trip. You can see the full list of cities here: US Ghost Adventures Ghost Tours – Cities & Locations
Did we have a fun evening learning about Mesa’s history and hearing some fascinating stories? Absolutely. Sometimes that’s the best part of a ghost tour. You don’t have to believe every story to enjoy discovering what might be hiding in the history of the place you’re visiting.
Now we’re already wondering… Which US Ghost Adventures tour should we try next?
