Ghosts & graves: The Capital Region’s best haunted tours of 2026

September 29, 2026

Hey, 518 readers! We’ve got a special spooky-season treat today: our annual roundup of the Capital Region’s best ghost tours. Think murder, mayhem, and restless spirits.

💼 We’re hiring! The 518 is looking for our first sales lead to grow our base of advertisers and sponsors. You not only get to work with us (yay!) but you also get free event tickets and the occasional dinner cooked by yours truly. More info here.

🎟️ Last week, we had another terrific night with The 518 Dinner Club. Charlene Ellis wrote to tell us: "It was such a pleasure meeting such interesting people! I look forward to the next dinner out! Perhaps I will get to dine with the same people who were wonderful."

You can meet some wonderful, interesting people of the 518 as well. Our next dinner is Wed, Oct. 28—generously sponsored by The Loft @ 205. We’re also heading to Saratoga for the first time on Nov. 12!

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

Beware the watchman! The New York State Capitol is the perfect backdrop for a haunted tour.

Ghosts & graves: The Capital Region’s best haunted tours of 2026

The Capital Region has centuries of history, which means centuries of ghost stories and spooky tales to explore.

From haunted mansions and candlelit cemeteries to Gilded Age ghosts and a full-blown paranormal investigation, here are some of the best haunted happenings of 2026.

Let’s start with our No. 1 pick…

Albany | Select October dates | FREE

This after-hours tour explores the Capitol’s stranger stories, from mysterious carvings and lost murals to Samuel Abbott, the night watchman who died in the building’s devastating 1911 fire, and according to legend, never entirely left. It’s shocking that this tour is offered for free, it’s that good. Note: Sadly, there are no tours offered on the weekend. Reservations required. Be sure you go on the guided tours, not the self-guided ones, which are less fun.

Troy | Select October dates | $25

The Hart Cluett Museum’s lantern-lit, 90-minute walking tour digs into the decidedly darker side of Troy history. Hear true tales of disasters, the 1863 draft riots, gangster Jack “Legs” Diamond and notorious cases including the “Veiled Murderess” and the murder of Hazel Drew, whose story helped inspire Twin Peaks. The 1.5-mile tour begins and ends at the Hart Cluett Museum; students and educators pay $10, and children 16 and under are free.

Schenectady | Oct. 16–31 on select nights | $16

Explore one of the Capital Region’s oldest neighborhoods by candlelight. Choose Colonial Hauntings or Ghostly Victorian, two different 60- to 90-minute routes filled with supernatural tales from the Stockade’s long history.

Albany | Nightly | $17-$25

US Ghost Adventures offers a year-round option for ghost hunters, with an hour-long downtown walk featuring haunted history surrounding the Capitol, Olde English Pub, and the deadly 1852 Henry Clay steamboat disaster. An extended tour adds additional stops.

Albany | Oct. 8–10, 14–17 & 21–24 | $25

Historic Cherry Hill turns the notorious 1827 murder of John Whipple into an immersive theatrical tour through the mansion where it actually happened. Tours depart at 5:30 and 7 p.m.; recommended for ages 12+.

Albany Rural Cemetery | Oct. 18, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. | $20

Psychic medium Michele Lyons-Polito leads visitors among selected graves, combining the cemetery’s fascinating local history with stories about spirits she says she connects with along the way.

Albany | Select dates Oct. 2–25 | $12.51

Historian and storyteller Maeve McEneny-Johnson leads this roughly 90-minute walk through downtown Albany, mixing local history and ghost lore connected with the Capitol, Ten Broeck Triangle, Olde English Pub and other landmarks.

Albany | Oct. 16–18 & 23–25 | $15; $10 members

Shaker Heritage Society explores supernatural reports at America’s first Shaker settlement alongside the Shakers’ own historical beliefs about visions and communication with the spirit world.

Saratoga | Oct. 1, 8, 14 & 22 | $35 plus fees

This 90-minute trolley tour explores Saratoga’s supernatural side through tales of ghostly encounters and unexplained activity drawn from research by noted ghost hunter David Pitkin and other paranormal investigators. Half the experience takes place inside the historic Canfield Casino, where guests explore its famously haunted second floor after dark.

Note: The Canfield Casino’s popular Halloween Ghost Tours on Oct. 29 are SOLD OUT.

Troy | Fridays & Saturdays in September and October | $25

Haunted Upstate’s 90-minute walking tour starts at Monument Square and explores Troy’s darker side: murders, devastating fires, spiritualism and mysterious deaths, all amid the city’s magnificent 19th-century architecture. Tours generally depart at 6:30 and 8 pm. 

Canfield Casino, Saratoga | Nov. 12, 6–10 p.m. | $150; $140 members

Want to do more than hear ghost stories? This extravagant post-Halloween evening lasts for four hours, and includes dinner, a medium’s presentation and an interactive paranormal investigation of the historic Canfield Casino with the Olde Saratoga Paranormal Group.

Did we miss something cool and spooky? Send it our way!

A word from our sponsor

Did you know that the folks behind The 518 also host an Airbnb in the heart of Albany’s historic Mansion District? Yep, we’ve been Super Hosts for 3 years running! Our 1874 row house is an Airbnb Guest Favorite with 265 reviews and a 4.98 rating 🙌 

One recent guest left this review: “Five stars all around. This beautiful historic home is somehow even more lovely in person than the photos and description suggest. The suite was exceptionally clean, comfortable, spacious, and full of gorgeous original details, from the high ceilings and fireplaces to the light-filled rooms.”

Btw, thinking about hosting your own Airbnb? We would happily consult with you to get you up and running with tons of 5-star reviews and none of the headaches! Contact: [email protected].

🚒 RPI student Will Roberson helped rescue 13-year-old Dominick Rizzo III from a devastating fire in Troy that killed his father, his father’s fiancée, and his 11-year-old sister. More than $110,000 has been raised in a GoFundMe in the wake of this tragedy. [News10]

☕️ The TU rounds up all of the coffee deals to get on National Coffee Day this Tuesday, including free coffee at all Stewart’s Shops until closing [Times Union]

👉️ Also, check out the Capital City Rescue Mission’s Coffee Trail—$25 gets you free coffee at numerous cafes and you’re supporting a great cause!

🍷 After months of delays, the natural wine bar JAJA from the power couple behind Jacob Alejandro soft opened over the weekend. Located at 466 Madison Ave, just a few doors down from JA Pequeño, their Albany outpost, the wine bar will post its regular hours soon. [Instagram]

☕️🍸️ The Scene Coffee & Cocktails is adding a second location in Saratoga, taking over the just-closed Wheatfields Restaurant at 440 Broadway. [Albany Business Review]

This marvelous example of a geodesic dome home is located near Thacher State Park in the top-rated Bethlehem school district. The bright, open main level features a sweeping great room with an imported Italian spiral staircase that you have to see to believe, uber-bright sunroom and family room, eat-in kitchen with streamlined retro vibes, plus a bulky but cozy conversation pit. Upstairs, the three bedrooms include unique loft spaces, like the rooftop deck with sweeping views. The finished walk-out lower level has living, dining, bed and bath, plus an office—perfect for renting, guests, or multi-generational living.

The deets: 5 bd, 4 ba, 3900 sq. ft., 4.8 acres. Days on the market: 3. Asking: $575,000. See the full listing here.

TOP 5 PICKS

⭐️ 🍺 We’re reaching peak Oktoberfest season. This week alone, you can find Bavarian-style celebrations at: Druthers Clifton Park | Ilium Oktoberfest Block Party in Troy | Brown’s Brewing Co. in Troy | Back Barn Brewing Co. in Ballston Spa.

⭐️ 🍏 Autumn is not only the season for Oktoberfests, it’s also cider drinking time. This weekend, we’ve got not one but two cider celebrations: Waterford Historical Museum's 3rd Annual Cider Fest on Friday features tastings of local ciders, autumn themed treats, and live music by the Retrobilleze. Meanwhile, the Saratoga Cider & Doughnut Fest on Saturday is as delicious as it sounds!

⭐️ 🍁 Albany County Barn to Bridge 5K & Fall Fest | Come for the race, stay for the fall festivities. The 5th annual race extends from the Hilton Barn area of New Scotland to the finish line across the bridge in Slingerlands. The race kicks off the Fall Fest at the Slingerlands trailhead, featuring live music, food trucks and vendors. It’s only $10 to race; free to attend the festival. Sat, 11a-3p.

⭐️ 📚️ Saratoga Book Festival | On the heels of the Albany Book Festival comes Saratoga's own book fest, featuring more than 60 authors. We’re especially intrigued by Friday’s Night Market at the Universal Preservation Hall. Thur-Sun, various times, free.

⭐️ 🎬️ The New York State International Film Festival focuses exclusively on short films, showcasing a wide range of work from local, national and international filmmakers. Get to the Steamer 10 Theatre in Albany to see the shorts and hear from the filmmakers in panel discussions. Fri-Sat, $25-$45.

Honorable mentions…

⭐️ 🍗 Sadly, the Schenectady Wing Walk on Saturday is SOLD OUT. But there’s no reason to get in a fowl mood because you’ve still got the Saratoga Wing Off on Oct. 17 and the Capital Region Wing Wars 21 on Nov. 14.

⭐️ 🎸 Caffè Lena @ SPAC returns for a free day of live music on the Charles R. Wood Stage. This year’s five-band lineup—Vanessa Collier, Addison Agen, Alla Boara, The Cody Sisters, and Bad Penny Pleasuremakers—spans bluegrass, jazz, soul, R&B, pop, and indie folk. Sat, kicks off at noon.

WEDNESDAY

🎤 Albany Center Gallery Afterhours presents Poetry Open Mic Night with Capital Region Poet Laureate, D. Colin, and Aila Chiar.

🍂 Just in time for leaf season, learn how to prep your garden at the Mulchamania! workshop at Collard City Growers.

📍 Who knew there was a women’s group in Albany that meets regularly to play pinball??Get to The Excelsior Pub for the Women's Monthly Pinball Tournament.

THURSDAY

🧙‍♀️ In the spirit of spooky season, Nerdy by Nature invites you to learn the basics of witchcraft. Park your broom outside, please.

FRIDAY

🎸 First Friday Albany returns this week with a plethora of cool events around the city.

🔭 Siena's Breyo Observatory invites you to a public viewing, featuring its 27.5-inch Planewave telescope. Free, but spots are limited.

🪘Delight in the percussive work of Jordan Taylor Hill & Friends: Songs Born of Tradition at Albany Center Gallery.

🤣 Mopco presents stand-up comedian Andrew Della Volpe, named a “comedian on the rise” by the Boston Globe.

😆 Meanwhile, the Capital Region Funniest Comic Competition enters Night 3 at the Parting Glass in Saratoga.

SATURDAY

🍺 Fidens Brewing celebrates its 7th anniversary with guest breweries, a DJ, and special crowlers.

🐕️ 🐈️ St. Andrew's Episcopal Church hosts its Annual Blessing of the Animals—bring your pet or pay homage to a friend who has crossed the rainbow.

🎭️ Mopco puts on the always-hilarious Theatresports every Saturday night through Oct. 24.

🌻 The rescheduled Sunflowers + Cars festival at Dancing Grain Farm Brewery is this Saturday!

SUNDAY

💀 Get to the Upstate Punk Rock Flea Market at Empire Live, and dig through a gloriously weird mix of original art, vintage treasures, vinyl, oddities, punk gear, and more.

🪦 Join the death doulas of Thin Veil Death Collaborative for a slow wander alongside conversations about dying and grief, at the Elmwood Hill Cemetery in Troy. Free, but registration required.

🤖 The 2026 Electric City Maker Faire at Union College showcases all kinds of cool contraptions and STEM projects.

🏳️‍🌈 A Big Gay Market returns to the Washington Park Lakehouse.

Our music listings are now published separately on The 518 website. Click here.

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