You’ll find Delaware’s most haunted historic river towns—Delaware City, New Castle, and Lewes—hosting annual paranormal events each October that transform documented colonial and Civil War sites into immersive ghost investigations. Fort Delaware State Park offers three-hour paranormal tours with electromagnetic detectors, while Lewes Historical Society collaborates with First State Paranormal Investigations for midnight ghost walks. Delaware City’s Haunted Waterfronts combines ghostly bike rides with heritage festivals, and Rockwood Park’s Gothic Revival tours feature professional equipment demonstrations. These destinations blend authentic historical narratives with documented supernatural phenomena throughout fall.
Key Takeaways
- Delaware City hosts annual Haunted Waterfronts cycling events each October, featuring ghostly bike rides, historic tours, and waterfront festivities since 2015.
- Fort Delaware State Park offers paranormal investigation tours every October, exploring Civil War history and documented ghostly phenomena at the historic site.
- Lewes Historical Society conducts annual Haunted History Tours in November, collaborating with paranormal investigators to explore documented supernatural activity throughout town.
- New Castle celebrates year-round heritage events including America’s oldest home tour, Separation Day in June, and Victorian-era Spirit of Christmas in December.
- Rockwood Park & Museum in Wilmington hosts annual September-October ghost events including haunted trails, gothic tours, and themed celebrations at the Victorian estate.
Delaware City’s Historic River Towns Ride and Seasonal Celebrations
Since 2015, the Historic River Towns Ride has anchored Delaware City’s seasonal calendar as a joint cycling festival spanning multiple Delaware River communities.
Since 2015, this joint cycling festival has connected multiple Delaware River communities through an annual celebration of regional heritage and outdoor recreation.
You’ll find this October event connects haunted waterfronts across New Castle, Delaware City, Wilmington, and Chesapeake City, Maryland.
The 2025 edition offers ghostly bike rides ranging from 18 to 62 miles along mainly flat terrain, including the Markell and Castle Trails.
Battery Park hosts post-ride festivities featuring craft beer, live music from Tony Cappella & Friends and the Honey Badgers, and family activities like scarecrow making for the Police Athletic League.
Meanwhile, New Castle’s downtown launches riders with DJ Paul Freeberry and Groove Brothers performances, hayrides, and historic tours.
The event doubles as Race #5 in the Mid-Atlantic Time Trial Series and Delaware State Championship.
Participants can earn medals based on the distance they complete during the ride.
This year’s festival introduces a British Car Show alongside the traditional cycling competitions.
Fort Delaware State Park’s Paranormal Adventure Tours
When autumn darkness settles over Fort Delaware State Park each October, the Diamond State Ghost Investigators partner with park staff to conduct 3-hour Paranormal Adventure tours at 6:30pm and 9:30pm.
You’ll investigate urban legends rooted in documented history—33,000 Confederate prisoners occupied this Civil War facility, with 2,500 dying here during the 1860s.
Using K2 electromagnetic detectors, dowsing rods, motion sensors, and infrared cameras, you’ll examine Battery Torbert and areas where ghost lore intersects recorded phenomena: unexplained footsteps, opening doors, shadowy apparitions, and phantom cannon fire.
The site gained national attention on SyFy’s “Ghost Hunters.”
Tours frequently sell out in advance, so early booking is essential for those hoping to experience what investigators describe as authentic paranormal activity.
Access requires ferry transit from Delaware City; participants must be 13+ and arrive thirty minutes early.
Wheelchair-accessible facilities guarantee broad participation in these recreational paranormal investigations.
Participants should provide a cell phone number at registration for direct notification if severe weather or unsafe river conditions require cancellation.
New Castle’s Hauntings in History Ghost Tours and Heritage Events
You’ll find New Castle’s Hauntings in History Tour operating every October weekend since its establishment, guiding visitors through 360 years of documented hauntings, funeral customs, and criminal history along the darkened streets of this Delaware River town.
The 75-minute, PG-13 rated tours require prepaid tickets ($18 general admission, $15 for Historical Society members) and depart from The Arsenal at 7:00, 7:30, and 8:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Tours run from October 7 to October 29 with multiple time slots available each evening.
The New Castle Historical Society complements these ghost tours with heritage programming including the Amstel House in Mourning exhibition (October 11-November 1), Fezziwig’s Ball Victorian dance in December, and year-round guided tours of Revolutionary War-era Governor Nicholas Van Dyke’s mansion—reportedly the town’s most haunted building. Beyond the seasonal ghost tours, the Society hosts Fourth Friday Art on the Town monthly, showcasing local artists and businesses from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Hauntings in History Tours
As darkness falls over New Castle’s cobblestone streets each October, the Hauntings in History Ghost Tours transport visitors through 360 years of macabre Delaware River town history.
The New Castle Historical Society organizes these 75-minute Friday and Saturday evening tours, blending historical folklore with ghostly legends from crime, punishment, and Victorian death customs. Beyond October’s ghost tours, the Society hosts Fourth Friday Art events monthly, featuring arts exhibitions and receptions throughout downtown historic sites.
You’ll depart from The Arsenal and venture inside Amstel House, the town’s most haunted mansion, where the infamous “Woman in Blue” spirit appears. This same apparition haunts the connected David Finney Inn through underground tunnels. Brandywine Construction and Nickel Finney Deamond Agency sponsor the event, supporting the preservation of New Castle’s haunted heritage.
Tour Essentials:
- Tickets: $18 general admission, $15 for Historical Society members
- Times: 7:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.
- Rating: PG-13, adult-oriented content
- Reservations: Prepaid only via TicketTailor; walk-ins prohibited
Tours proceed during light rain. Contact: 302-322-2794.
Annual Heritage Celebrations
Beyond the October ghost tours, New Castle sustains its heritage through a year-round calendar of festivals and commemorative events dating back a century. You’ll find America’s oldest home and garden tour here, celebrating its 100th anniversary in May 2025.
The town’s urban legends and folklore stories intersect with documented history during Separation Day each June, commemorating Delaware’s independence from Pennsylvania two weeks before July 4, 1776. William Penn Day in October reenacts the 1682 landing that transferred Delaware to Pennsylvania, while December’s Spirit of Christmas channels Dickens-era traditions through Victorian-themed celebrations.
In 2026, the historic home and garden tour will mark the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding with expanded programming including Revolutionary War reenactors, live performers, and craft markets throughout the day-long celebration. These heritage events preserve the narratives that ghost tours amplify—authenticated colonial encounters, revolutionary tensions, and maritime commerce that shaped this Delaware River port’s enduring cultural identity. The Three Forts exhibit explores how Swedish, Dutch, and English settlements influenced New Castle’s development through trade relationships with the Lenni Lenape tribes.
Lewes Historical Society’s Spooky Saturday Tours
When darkness falls over Lewes on November 1, 2025, the Lewes Historical Society partners with First State Paranormal Investigations to conduct Spooky Saturday Haunted History Tours—a $40, 10:00 PM to 12:30 AM exploration of documented paranormal phenomena at the Historic Burton Ingram House and surrounding sites.
You’ll gather at 110 Shipcarpenter Street, outside Sussex Tavern.
Volunteer historians will blend spirited reenactments with haunted storytelling connected to Lewes Founding Fathers.
Investigators have documented unexplained voices, footsteps, dragging sounds, and spontaneously moved objects throughout these buildings.
Equipment recommendations:
- Bring flashlights (strongly recommended)
- Personal paranormal detection devices are welcome
- Shared group equipment will be provided
Children under 12 are discouraged due to late hours and intense content.
This investigation-focused tour transforms Delaware’s colonial past into tangible encounters, allowing you autonomous exploration of authenticated supernatural claims while preserving historical accuracy.
First State Paranormal Investigations Speaker Series
You’ll find First State Paranormal Investigations‘ speaker series at the Margaret H. Rollins Community Center in Lewes on October 9, 2025.
The co-founders, Rachel Lynch and Tracie Hitchens, will present their educational program.
The two-hour event covers paranormal investigation methodology through audiovisual documentation from Sussex County cases and hands-on equipment demonstrations.
You can attend for a suggested $5.00 donation at the door.
No advance registration is required—access the Rollins Meeting Room through the corner entrance near the side parking lot.
Event Details and Schedule
The First State Paranormal Investigations speaker series event took place on Thursday, October 9, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Margaret H. Rollins Community Center‘s Rollins Meeting Room, located at 101 Adams Ave., Lewes, Delaware.
You could access the venue through the left-side entrance near the parking lot. The donation-based format required no advance registration—simply arrive and contribute a suggested $5.00 at the door.
Event Access Details:
- No RSVP required for attendance
- Suggested $5.00 donation accepted upon arrival
- Public welcome regardless of paranormal beliefs
- Investigation techniques and historical artifacts featured in Sussex County footage
Co-founders Rachel Lynch and Tracie Hitchens presented extensive content covering investigation techniques, haunting classifications, and documented evidence from local sites, blending historical artifacts with contemporary paranormal research methodologies.
Equipment Demonstration and Education
Beyond presenting historical context and investigation footage, Lynch and Hitchens structured their one-hour session around hands-on equipment demonstrations that showcased the actual tools they’ve deployed throughout Sussex County investigations.
You’ll interact directly with devices used for spectral analysis and EVP recordings during actual paranormal probes. The co-founders don’t simply display their equipment—they demonstrate operational techniques you’d employ in the field.
This interactive approach extends their educational mission beyond theoretical discussions into practical application. The demonstration complements their broader investigative work, including the two-hour Haunted Histories sessions conducted with the Lewes Historical Society.
Through this equipment-focused segment, you’ll gain documented insights into methodologies used to investigate Historic Lewes properties, understanding precisely how investigators capture potential paranormal evidence at documented historical sites.
Location and Admission Information
Having explored how investigators demonstrate their methodological approaches, attending this presentation requires understanding its specific venue arrangements and entry protocols. You’ll find the October 9, 2025 event at Margaret H. Rollins Community Center‘s Rollins Meeting Room, 101 Adams Ave., Lewes, Delaware, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Access through the left-side entrance near the parking lot—no RSVP needed.
Admission Details:
- Donation-based entry with $5.00 suggested contribution
- Payment collected at door
- No advance reservation required
- Supports Historic Lewes community programming
This speaker series complements Lewes’s broader Haunted Histories programming, positioning the town alongside Delaware’s haunted lodging destinations and paranormal workshops.
The venue’s accessibility reflects Delaware’s commitment to documenting supernatural investigation without restrictive barriers, allowing you unrestricted exploration of Sussex County’s documented paranormal phenomena through professional investigative perspectives.
Middletown’s Frightland Haunted Attractions
Since opening in 1996 as a modest leukemia fundraiser, Frightland has transformed from a single haunted house into one of the nation’s most acclaimed scream parks. It has earned recognition from Travel Channel, Forbes, and Huffington Post as a top-ten scariest haunted attraction.
You’ll discover eight distinct attractions across this 1800-acre Middletown farm, including a mile-long haunted hayride through dense woods, four indoor haunted houses, and Ravenwood Cemetery.
The property’s documented history fuels compelling urban legends—the daughter of the original owner reportedly hung herself in the barn, while servants’ quarters burned mysteriously after acquisition. Staff and visitors have reported genuine ghostly encounters, with Diamond State Ghost Investigations confirming unexplained phenomena in 2015.
You can explore these documented occurrences through guided paranormal tours conducted after regular attractions close.
Rockwood Park & Museum’s Gothic Revival Ghost Tours
Nestled at 4651 Washington Street Extension in Wilmington, Rockwood Park & Museum presents Gothic Revival ghost tours through its National Register-listed estate, constructed between 1851 and 1854 by Quaker merchant banker Joseph Shipley.
The Victorian architecture houses 14,000 Victoriana items and hosts The Revisionists’ 90-minute theatrical ghost walks through lamplit gardens. You’ll explore paranormal investigations using professional equipment in exclusive areas from attic to basement during select September and October dates.
Annual October Programming:
- The Revisionists tours (mid-to-late October weekends)
- Haunted Trails self-guided walk (October 1-31, free)
- Goth Ball fundraiser (early October)
- Mayhem & Murder mystery experiences
These Best of Delaware 2022 award-winning tours offer wheelchair-accessible first-floor galleries and west wing facilities.
Book schedules at rockwood.org.
Planning Your Visit to Delaware’s Haunted Historic Sites
Delaware’s haunted historic sites concentrate their supernatural programming throughout October, with select events extending into early November.
You’ll need to book advance tickets since popular tours frequently sell out—New Castle Hauntings and Fort Delaware Paranormal Adventures regularly reach capacity.
Pricing ranges from $15 to $50+, with historical society memberships offering reduced rates.
Age restrictions matter: Fort Delaware requires guests 13+, while Lewes’s late-night investigations discourage children under 12.
Pack flashlights for cemetery walks and wear appropriate footwear for darkened street tours.
Transportation varies—Fort Delaware requires boat passage to Pea Patch Island, while urban legends unfold through walking tours of haunted architecture in Dover and New Castle.
Light rain won’t cancel most events, though organizers contact ticketholders during extreme weather.
Personal paranormal equipment is welcome at investigation-focused tours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are There Discounts Available for Groups or Repeat Visitors to These Events?
You’ll find absolutely zero group discounts or repeat visitor offers documented across Delaware’s haunted events—Frightland, Fort Delaware, New Castle tours, and Sea Witch Festival all operate on standard pricing without bulk rates or loyalty incentives for returning guests.
Can I Purchase Photos or Videos From My Paranormal Investigation Experience?
No purchase options exist for paranormal documentation or investigation photography from these experiences. You’re welcome to bring personal equipment to capture your own evidence during investigations, though shared detection devices are provided for participant use.
Are Pets Allowed on Ghost Tours or at Haunted Attraction Venues?
Pet policies aren’t explicitly documented in Delaware’s ghost tour archives. You’ll need to contact venues directly about bringing haunted pets along. Fort Delaware, Frightland, and New Castle tours don’t list allowances, suggesting restrictions likely apply.
What Should I Wear to Outdoor Evening Ghost Tours in October?
Wear layered moisture-wicking clothing with waterproof outerwear, sturdy closed-toe shoes, and warm accessories like gloves and beanies. You can add Halloween costumes or faux ghost accessories over your base layers for festive participation while maintaining comfort.
Do Any Locations Offer Private Bookings for Birthday Parties or Events?
Rockwood Park’s Carriage House offers private rentals for birthday celebrations and events of varying sizes. You’ll find flexible indoor spaces with wheelchair accessibility. The other historic sites don’t explicitly advertise private bookings for personal gatherings.
References
- https://www.delawarecity.com/attractions/ghost-tours/
- https://givebutter.com/c/ghostwalkdelaware
- https://frightland.com
- https://www.newcastlehistory.org/events
- https://www.historiclewes.org/event/first-state-paranormal-investigations-an-october-speaker-series-event-2/
- https://delawarestateparks.reserveamerica.com/tourDetails.do?contractCode=DE&parkId=360113&tourId=7099&cat=1
- https://leweschamber.com/event/spooky-saturday-haunted-histories/2025-11-01/
- https://www.newcastlede.gov/431/Rockwood-Park-Museum
- https://www.visitkeweenaw.com/listing/delaware-the-ghost-town/515/
- https://www.delawarecity.com/attractions/river-towns-ride-festival/
