By Jordan Coates, Editor in Chief
St. Petersburg is best known on this campus for its beaches and perhaps the nightlife. What students do not know is what happens when it gets dark. The mystery lingers through the air as professional tour guides take groups through a history of haunted stories on the St. Pete Ghost Tours.
One rainy night, at the witching hour of 8 p.m., a brave group gathered under the deck of the hotel Vinoy. Since the weather was bad, the ghost tour took a dryer route. Huddled around tables, filled with steaming, bubbling, ghostly drinks, the ghost tour guide of the night, Lori Yancey, began her haunted tales. Dressed in a red and black cape, complete with a lantern, Yancey portrayed a perfect eerie presence to match her stories. The stories included mystery and hints of history, even about that very hotel. The stories were intriguing and left an almost enjoyable uneasiness. On special request, the group was lead into the elevator to the floor with a haunted room. Crowded into the small hotel room, Lori shared tales of ghostly encounters in that exact room. Superstitious or skeptical, the stories were quite believable, and equally scary.
When the skies cleared, the tour ventured out into the quiet night. For protection and curiosity, members of the tour were given ghost-o-meters. Much like a stop sign, three lights line the device. The lights blink green, yellow, and red, in accordance with the surrounded energies. If the device blinks yellow it means caution supernatural beings are nearby, and if red, they are there.
The guide led the group through the twinkling city of downtown St. Pete sharing ghost stories. Along the way, stops were made to show the scenery of a particular tale. The adventure led the group to more hotels and other such locations throughout the city.
Halloween or not, the Ghost Tours of St. Pete are terrifying, informative, and interesting. The tours are held nightly at 8p.m. and tickets are reasonably priced. Reservations and tickets can be purchased by phone or online atghosttour.net. Tours are also held in St. Pete Beach, Tampa, and other locations. The ghost tours are great for a humorous night of fun and frights. And, of course, it does not hurt that the tours are only a tank of gas away. Happy haunting!
