Seattle Haunted Ballard Self Guided Ghost Tour

Ballard was its own mill town until Seattle annexed it in 1907, and Ballard Avenue still has the brick storefronts to prove it. This self-guided ghost hunt never strays more than a few blocks from them, so it's easy to pause for a drink and pick up where you left off. Ten ghosts are loose in the neighborhood. They're fictional, written for the game, and each one needs you to solve the puzzle it died with: a doctor's blood chart from the 1952 flu outbreak, a senator's evidence folders, a librarian's closet that nobody has dared to open. The Questo app guides you from ghost to ghost, and every catch gives you a clue toward the one ghost that's lying. The full loop is about 1.3 miles, from the Ballard Avenue bell tower and back, and most groups take around 90 minutes. Play any time, as a couple, a family or a big group. In-app hints and 24/7 support are included.

1. 1

   Ballard

   1.5 hours

   The hunt opens by the bell tower on Ballard Avenue, where the app checks you have the sight before letting you loose. Over the next few blocks of brick storefronts, between Market Street and Shilshole Avenue, you'll decode a bride's last note, read a doctor's blood chart, crack an actor's script, date a senator's evidence, find a missing pupil in four class registers and expose an antique dealer's fakes. The second half works along NW Market Street, past the old Carnegie library building, where a librarian's locked closet, a professor's artifacts and a burning hotel's evacuation plan stand between you and the last ghost. Back at the bell tower, you'll weigh up all ten clues and name the one ghost that lied.

• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• A charged smartphone with internet is required to play the game in the Questo app
• Comfortable walking shoes are recommended

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.