Walking down W. Michigan Ave in a group of 6 people on a cold fall night, seeing the signs light up the night sky, sure makes everything appear lively and full of life. But not all of that electrifying energy that’s filling the city is coming from the living.
As someone who loves anything and everything horror related, I recently went on the Ghosts of Kalamazoo tour to check out some local spooky stories.
The tour began in Bronson Park at 8:00 pm and continued down W. Michigan Ave to buildings like the Radisson Plaza Hotel, Olde Peninsula Brewpub & Restaurant, Michigan News Agency, Civic Theater and several more. Each building we visited had its own unique story, some very dark.
My tour just so happened to fall on a rainy and dreary day, setting the perfect mood for a night full of spooky stories. Only 5 other people were there because of the rain. When we arrived, there was a tour guide dressed in a full civil war soldier outfit. There were no buses on this tour as it is a walking tour, which adds immensely to the tour as you can see the buildings up close when listening to the stories. But if you are prohibited from walking for an extended period of time this is not something you should participate in. One of the first stops on the tour was the Radisson Hotel, which is known as the site of famous singer Bobby Hatfield’s death. According to workers there, he has never fully checked out of the hotel, as his spirit still resides there to this day. It is obvious that the tour guide has spent his life dedicated to investigating the paranormal in Michigan and searching for all the tour worthy stories because no matter where you are on the tour he will have a story to tell.
This tour is definitely for those who want to participate in the horror aspect of the season but do not want to get scared, as the tour’s purpose is not to scare anyone. The tour simply provides information and spooky stories to further one’s knowledge on local Kalamazoo ghost stories.
The remaining dates of the Kalamazoo tour are, October 21, and October 22. There are also closer tours in Grand Rapids, and those remaining dates are, October 21, and October 22. The tours don’t all meet at the same place so to find out where to meet check http://www.ghostsofkalamazoo.com/about/ for the Kalamazoo dates, and http://www.ghostsofgrandrapids.com/ for the Grand Rapids dates.
Spooky season is upon us and the Ghosts of Kalamazoo tour is perfect for those who want stories about the dark history of Kalamazoo without getting scared. The tour is from eight to ten PM, and tickets are $10. Make sure to get your tickets ahead of time online so that you will have a place saved for you. Make this year the best Halloween season yet and get your tickets now!