san luis obispo haunted tour

Downtown Tours

Get ready for a thrilling night of some of the spookiest, most spine-chilling stories in San Luis Obispo’s history. We will be recounting ghastly tales while visiting the scenes of horrific murders and walking in the footsteps of the city’s most notorious residents. We’ve done our best to dig up the grimmest tales that have been long forgotten and brushed under the rug. 

A Tour Like No Other

All of our tours are founded upon extensive research and first-hand knowledge of the area. While we may dramatize some of the storytelling aspects, we never make up the tales themselves. We’ve built these tours to keep that history alive in a tour you’re unlikely to forget.

Location, Location, Location

San Luis Obispo, CA is one of the most beautiful areas on the Central Coast. From the incredible weather to the historic buildings to the boutique shopping experience to the allure of the small-town charm, there’s something in SLO for everyone. Don’t take our word for it –take a tour and discover it for yourself!

Easy to Book

Our booking system was designed with ease in mind. Reserve your spot on an upcoming tour in just a few clicks. Need to reschedule? No problem, just contact us and we’ll move your reservation to a date that works better for your schedule.

Affordable Pricing

With adult, child, and group ticket pricing, we’ve got rates that are sure to fit every budget. Keep an eye out for seasonal discounts as well for an even better deal!

Ghost & True Crime Tour in San Luis Obispo

• Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa - Admission not included
• History Center and Museum of San Luis Obispo County - Admission not included
• Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School - Admission not included
• San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre - Admission not included
• San Luis Obispo Superior Court - Admission not included
• Koberl At Blue - Admission not included
• Ah Louis Store
• Anderson Barber Shop - Admission not included

Getting there

16 Stephen's, Dublin, D02 KF34

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Ghost & True Crime Tour in San Luis Obispo

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What if you could travel outside the beaten path, and discover some of the most exciting, yet often overlooked destinations in San Luis Obispo, CA? Mystery Loves Company Tours offers just that!

Wait a minute, you might think. Nothing ever happens in San Luis Obispo, right? Well, not quite. This community hides a gruesome past. You’d be shocked to learn about some of what happened here back in the day!

Join us on nightly walking tours through San Luis Obispo’s haunting downtown district, a stark reminder of the town's turbulent founding days. From local lore to urban legends and ghost sightings, we hope to offer some genuine and unexpected storytelling to visitors who are new to the area or even people who have lived here forever but never had the opportunity to explore the eerie side of the city.

Activity location

• 751 Palm St,
• 93401-3521, San Luis Obispo, California, United States

Meeting/Redemption Point

• 1023 Chorro Street
• 93401, San Luis Obispo, California, United States
• Tue, Apr 30 -
• Wed, May 1 -
• Thu, May 2 $30
• Fri, May 3 -
• Sat, May 4 $30
• Sun, May 5 -
• Mon, May 6 -
• Tue, May 7 -
• Wed, May 8 $30
• Thu, May 9 $30
• Fri, May 10 $30
• Sat, May 11 $30
• Sun, May 12 -
• Mon, May 13 -
• Tue, May 14 -

Tour for All Ages

• Activity duration is 1 hour and 30 minutes 1h 30m 1h 30m

Tour Content: All of our stories contain sensitive topics, but we have left out some of the most graphic details for tours of all ages.

Adults-Only Tour

What's included, what's not.

• What's included What's included Local Guide
• What's excluded What's excluded Gratuities
• What's excluded What's excluded Food or Drinks
• What's excluded What's excluded Online Booking Fee
• What's excluded What's excluded Tour does not enter buildings

Know before you book

• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Activity itinerary

Mission san luis obispo de tolosa.

• Admission ticket not included

History Center and Museum of San Luis Obispo County

Mission college preparatory catholic high school, san luis obispo repertory theatre, san luis obispo superior court, koberl at blue, ah louis store, anderson barber shop, best deals on things to do, top experiences in san luis obispo.

Ghost & True Crime Tour in San Luis Obispo

• Local Guide
• Food or Drinks
• Online Booking Fee
• Tour does not enter buildings
• Entry/Admission - Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
• Entry/Admission - History Center and Museum of San Luis Obispo County
• Entry/Admission - San Luis Obispo
• Entry/Admission - San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre
• Fountain, 1023 Chorro St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, USA Guests will gather at the famous El Camino Real Bell, next to the Mission on Chorro Street, midway between the cross streets of Palm and Monterey streets.
• Wheelchair accessible
• Pushchair accessible
• Service animals allowed
• Near public transportation
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
• Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
• This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
• This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travellers
• All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
• Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
• Ah Louis Store
• History Center and Museum of San Luis Obispo County

Similar experiences

• You'll start at Fountain 1023 Chorro St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, USA Guests will gather at the famous El Camino Real Bell, next to the Mission on Chorro Street, midway between the cross streets of Palm and Monterey streets. See address & details
• 1 Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Stop: 15 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 2 History Center and Museum of San Luis Obispo County Stop: 5 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 3 Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School Stop: 5 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 4 San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre Stop: 5 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 5 San Luis Obispo Superior Court Stop: 5 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 6 Koberl At Blue Stop: 5 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 7 Ah Louis Store Stop: 5 minutes See details
• 8 Anderson Barber Shop Stop: 5 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• You'll return to the starting point

More to explore in San Luis Obispo

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Ghost & True Crime Tour in San Luis Obispo provided by Mystery Loves Company Tours

Ghost & True Crime Tour in San Luis Obispo

• Local Guide
• Food or Drinks
• Online Booking Fee
• Tour does not enter buildings
• Entry/Admission - Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
• Entry/Admission - History Center and Museum of San Luis Obispo County
• Entry/Admission - San Luis Obispo
• Entry/Admission - San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre
• Fountain, 1023 Chorro St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, USA Guests will gather at the famous El Camino Real Bell, next to the Mission on Chorro Street, midway between the cross streets of Palm and Monterey streets.
• Wheelchair accessible
• Pushchair accessible
• Service animals allowed
• Near public transportation
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
• Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
• This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
• This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travellers
• All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
• Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
• Ah Louis Store
• History Center and Museum of San Luis Obispo County

Similar experiences

• You'll start at Fountain 1023 Chorro St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, USA Guests will gather at the famous El Camino Real Bell, next to the Mission on Chorro Street, midway between the cross streets of Palm and Monterey streets. See address & details
• 1 Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa Stop: 15 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 2 History Center and Museum of San Luis Obispo County Stop: 5 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 3 Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School Stop: 5 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 4 San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre Stop: 5 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 5 San Luis Obispo Superior Court Stop: 5 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 6 Koberl At Blue Stop: 5 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• 7 Ah Louis Store Stop: 5 minutes See details
• 8 Anderson Barber Shop Stop: 5 minutes - Admission excluded See details
• You'll return to the starting point

More to explore in San Luis Obispo

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Ghost & True Crime Tour in San Luis Obispo provided by Mystery Loves Company Tours

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Slo cal blog, the ghosts of slo cal.

I get the best ghost stories from people on my ghost tours when I ask who’s experienced a haunting. They’re more like anecdotes than stories: brief encounters—with the dead rather than the living.

The earliest ghost story in San Luis Obispo County, maybe the earliest in California, involves humans transforming into ghost bears. Father Antonio Martinez wrote it down in an 1812 report to his superiors on the beliefs of the people of Tilhini, the name of the Northern Chumash settlement that preceded the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa to whom he referred to as pagans.

“Among the pagans, there is the notion about their eternity in which they change their nature; for those that died here on this soil, they are not to say, were transformed into bears, and they went to live in some mountains six miles from this mission. I myself have known a Christian of this mission who at twelve o’clock in the daytime was chased by a bear. The people presumed that it was of that class of bears because of the little fear the horse manifested and because the bear kept running after him. In the other rancherías, they likewise have the same idea.”

Father Antonio knew the person, who was a Christian; it happened in broad daylight; and the witnesses agreed it was a ghost bear: the sort of details you would try to convince someone with two centuries later.

Here are thirteen other local hauntings with a few of their odd details:

1. Dark Watchers, SLO CAL

My favorite apparition of the Central Coast is one indigenous to us: the Dark Watchers. These supernaturally tall figures appear to travelers in the Santa Lucia Mountain Range in the near distance. You look away and then back again and they’ve disappeared.

Some attribute them to Chumash's belief, but there is no anthropological support for this. Some claim the Spanish referred to them as “Los Vigilantes Oscuros,” but I haven’t found anyone who gives a source for this information.

Certainly, John Steinbeck wrote about them in his story “Flight,” where a murderer flees into the mountains, and the murderer’s mother warns him, “If thou sees any of the dark watching men, go not near to them nor try to speak to them.” Steinbeck’s own mother left fruit and nut offerings for the Dark Watchers in Mule Deer Canyon on her way to school, according to John’s son Thomas, and she claimed to have received flowers in their place.

When a couple from Arroyo Grande came on one of my ghost tours, the husband, a contractor, described seeing a dark figure a dozen feet tall pass through them, and the wife, pregnant at the time, said she simultaneously felt it pass over her womb. A Dark Watcher close-up? Who knows?

2. Mee Heng Low, Chinatown, San Luis Obispo

The last Chinese business in all that’s left of San Luis Obispo’s Chinatown, Mee Heng Low , is a blast from the past; I took the daughter of On the Road ’s Neal Cassady there, and her husband said, “Chinese food and jazz: how Beat can you get?” It was opened by Gin Jack in 1927, and the building’s still owned by the Gins, though the restaurant’s now run by the Kwong.

As Paul Kwong tells it, when the staff is in front, pots fall mysteriously from the huge metal shelves in the kitchen. When the staff is in the kitchen, the bell rings on the front counter’s toy delivery bike. One of the waiters, cleaning upstairs, saw a child run across the dining room, the Gin family’s former quarters. The current building dates from 1957, but it replaced the old wood Ah Louis Store from 1874, moved across the street when the current Ah Louis Store was built in 1885. Which building is the child running through?

Paul’s son Russell told me that one night he had a dream that old Mrs. Gin was asking him insistently for a Mountain Dew. When he woke up, he mentioned it to Cody Gin, who said Mountain Dew was his grandmother’s go-to drink; she kept a six-pack in her fridge. So Russell bought a six-pack for the fridge in Mee Heng Low’s upstairs dining room. No one ordered any for six months, but when someone finally did, Paul’s partner Leslie went to take out one of the six-packs, and the entire six-pack—unopened—was empty. Maybe there are two ghosts.

3. Mission San Luis Obispo and Mission Prep

A Mission Ghost appeared to the friend of a friend of mine. The friend of the friend was studying organ in high school, and at night after the church was empty, she would go to practice on the Mission organ, which is in an interior balcony at the back of the church, leading out of the bell loft. The organist faces away from the congregation, but there’s a mirror to check what’s going on behind her. What was going on behind this young organist was a man in a cassock standing over the burial place of one of the friars.

“If you already believe in the Holy Ghost, a ghost nun isn’t much of a stretch,” says my informant from Mission Prep, the school a block away from the historic mission. The ghost nun is supposed to haunt the upstairs hallway of the older part of the building, to turn lights on and off and knock on doors and come through them, but I haven’t found anyone who’s actually seen her. She may be an invention to compliment a creepy atmosphere, but a convent school on the site goes back to the 1870s.

4. Central Coast Surfboards, Marsh Street, San Luis Obispo

Masonic temples seem to attract ghosts, or ghost stories and the one in San Luis Obispo has ghosts distributed in various parts of the buildings. Central Coast Surfboards , when the storefront previously was home to Law’s Hobby, had a reputation among the women who worked there for creepiness in its basement: stock that fell off shelves for no reason, movements out of the corner of one’s eye, “sounds that were out of place.” One of the surfers who works there now confirms the basement’s “pretty gnarly.” A vendor doing inventory there came out and asked if it was haunted. The owner admitted it had that reputation. She said there was someone standing nearby looking at her as she went through the boxes.

One night I had a couple of teenage girls on my tour, a niece and a daughter of Mason's. They claimed the third floor was haunted, then one of them recounted a dream she had about the second floor, where meetings are held. She was walking by the three portraits on the way to the elevator: George Washington, William McKinley, and “another guy.” The other guy leaned out of his portrait and followed her with his eyes. Later I asked the master of the Masons who the other guy was. Walter Adriance, the Masonic master when the temple was built in 1913. He had an apartment on the third floor—and apparently hasn’t given it up.

5. A. F. Fitzgerald Building, 852 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo

This is a part of town where San Luis Creek runs under the street and buildings. This particular little building, from the turn of the nineteenth century, has housed many different shops, most recently a sock shop. A Wetzel’s Pretzels is preparing to move in.

About twenty years ago, the basement floor needed to be lowered for safety reasons. A Mexican workman was hired to demolish it, and suddenly he fled to the shop floor. He couldn’t speak English, and no one there could speak Spanish, but they found someone who could translate, and he told them that when he broke through the floor, he could hear footsteps—and the conversation of men, women, and children, speaking a language that was neither Spanish nor English. Below the concrete was hollow-sounding earth, roof tiles, and an oven or kiln.

The owner smudged the basement with burning sage to lay the ghosts, feeling a coldness and a presence. Photos taken, seen straight on, showed orbs, the largest one golden, the others paler. But if you happened to glance out of the corner of your eye, they seemed to be Native American forms.

A new concrete floor was poured, and there was no more haunting after that. Interstitial areas—basements, attics, dark places, visions, and dreams—seem to be where we cohabit with ghosts.

6. Bluebird Inn, Cambria

This is the kind of curious building that attracts ghost stories, out of time and seemingly out of place. A charming Carpenter Gothic cottage from early Cambria , neatly painted blue, has been surrounded by a motel, with a modern lobby and porte cochère attached somewhat ungainly to its front. Whether the ghost disapproves of the architecture, she certainly seems to disapprove of selected guests, who check out quickly after checking in with no explanation. The woman for whom the cottage was built by her husband in 1880, Mary Inman Lull, is seen occasionally standing on its balcony by people who don’t know she shouldn’t be there. Pati, my informant (along with Tyler), lived in the cottage and said she heard footsteps on the second floor above her when no one was there. Doors opened or closed on the first floor with no one to open or close them.

7. Adelaida Cemetery, Paso Robles

The Adelaida Cemetery, in the north county between Paso Robles and the coast, is closed after dark—which of course is when (and why) local kids hang out there. It’s easier for visitors to find it during the day. Although the cemetery itself isn’t very scenic, the winding drive through the golden hills and oaks is quintessential Central Coast, and there are wineries and even olive oil distilleries lining every route.

The White Lady of the Adelaida Cemetery is a fairly vague ghost, as ghosts go; many cemeteries have a white lady connected with them, and the only odd thing about her is that she’s reputed to displace car keys and cell phones. Indeed, the last time I left the Adelaida Cemetery, my keys were suddenly nowhere to be found—until I checked my other pocket.

The most interesting ghost story I’ve heard about the Adelaida Cemetery was from a young woman on one of my ghost tours, and it wasn’t about the White Lady. This young woman was hanging out there one night with a group of friends, and she wasn’t drinking or doing drugs. She saw a young man in a leather jacket leaning against a tree and looking in her direction. The next morning, she described him in detail to her mother, who recognized the young man as her high school boyfriend, who had died, still in high school, in a traffic accident.

8. Paso Robles Inn, Paso Robles

In the nineteenth century, the Paso Robles Inn was one of the great wonders of the county, in fact, the most famous thing about us. People came to “take the waters”; even Paderewski, the great Polish virtuoso pianist, took them for his arthritis, and liked them so much that he moved here and planted a vineyard (now Epoch)—until he moved back to Poland to become its prime minister.

In 1940, however, this monumental Queen Anne structure burnt to the ground, all but the ballroom. It was rebuilt on a much less monumental scale in 1945, with more rooms added after 1999, including room 1007.

The oddity of the new hotel includes calls to the front desk—and even to 911—from room 1007, when no one’s there. Once when the maintenance head was sent, he saw the phone light up and call the front desk. When he tried to call the front desk, the phone cut him off, and the room's second line intervened and called the front desk itself. At the other end, they heard a “squelching sound.” This is according to a 2013 article in the Tribune . Our local paper has a lot of ghost coverage, and in 1876 even published a front-page interview with its late editor, Walter Murray, by means of séance. (Murray, on his deathbed, had promised the interviewer, “I will come back and see you,” and through the medium from the Other Side would only keep repeating, “I am glad to meet you.” It was a slow news day.)

9. Mission San Miguel Arcángel, San Miguel

In 1848 at the Mission San Miguel , eleven people were horribly murdered. Governor Pio Pico had sold the mission for quick cash to William Reed, an American. The dead were Reed, his wife, their baby, and two other young children, as well as the Reeds’ Indian servants and their children. They were all murdered by travelers—the Reeds’ guests at dinner—to get Reed’s gold, and the bodies—still warm—were discovered by the famous African American pioneer Jim Beckwourth, who was on his way with the mail from San Luis Obispo .

Beckwourth rode to Monterey to raise a posse, which, under the command of Lieutenant (later Major General) Edward Otho Cresap Ord (after whom Monterey’s Fort Ord was named), pursued the murderers to the environs of Santa Barbara, extracted confessions, and executed them on the spot.

In 2003 Wally Ohles told the Tribune of two eyewitness accounts told to him: someone who saw a man emerge out of the south wall of the church in a peacoat, who Ohles thought was William Reed, who apparently wore such a garment, but might as well have been one of his murderers, who were reported to be deserters from the USS Warren in Monterey Bay; and a friend whose three-year-old granddaughter ran into the gift shop having seen “a little Indian boy and he couldn’t talk” and “had an owie on his neck.”

The original story seems more interesting than the ghost stories, but dead people who refuse to leave have their own following.

10. Coffee Rice House, Oceano

If central casting were casting a haunted house, it would be the Queen Anne-style Coffee Rice House, rising from the Casa Del Rey mobile home park in Oceano in bedraggled white. Its history after rancher Coffee Rice built it is extraordinary, having served as a sanatorium for Dr. William Dower, co-founder of the neighboring Theosophist community of Halcyon. Dower’s treatments included mainstream medicine as well as color, sound, and electricity. In 1917 Ultra Modern composer Henry Cowell premiered his Tides of Manaunaun —played with a fist, palm, and forearm—on a piano on the beach in front of the Coffee Rice House, lit by automobile headlamps covered by colored cellophane. The Tides of Manauanaun was later played at the White House under FDR and JFK.

Alas, apart from supposed indelible bloodstains in the foyer, vague rumors of ghosts seen by former residents, and music emanating from the house (which appears to have been caused by actual people playing actual music), the ghosts don’t live up to their billing. Someone needs to do an Amityville Horror –style fiction, with Henry Cowell’s disembodied fists playing the piano.

11. Pitkin-Conrow House (AKA “The Victorian”), Arroyo Grande

This house, rising as starkly from the fields (and a local subdivision) as the Coffee Rice House from a mobile home park, does have a specific ghost, despite its more kempt appearance. (It previously was a bed and breakfast and now functions as an event space.)

The ghost reported by the bed and breakfast visitors and staff is a little girl, who was even revealed as “Alice” by psychic investigators. She is recorded as inhabiting the tower room, trying to open the door to it if it was locked, playing throughout and on top of the vertiginous house, ringing a disconnected doorbell, trying to communicate over the speaker system, getting in bed with guests—and so on. Alas, no historic Alice Pitkin or Alice Conrow seems to correspond with the child. Perhaps she was a visitor, or perhaps ghosts, like Japanese emperors, get different names after death. I was once hired to find documentation on a pipe-smoking ghost, denoted “Marvin” by a psychic. I was never able to track “Marvin” down in census or city directories, but the house’s architecture was so interesting that I ended up doing the landmarking application for it instead.

12. Black Lake, Oceano

My specialty is the urban ghosts of the City of San Luis Obispo , and my family is endemically susceptible to poison oak (my great-grandfather had only to point his buggy whip at a patch to get a rash), but I gingerly tiptoed through the poison oak to examine Black Lake, part of the freshwater lake complex of the Oceano Dunes . It seems almost as surprising to find a freshwater lake in oceanside sand as a ghost in an early Victorian dress floating above it. But freshwater lurks just below the surface, which is why the Dunites ( doo-nites ) were able to flourish there between the two world wars. On my way to Black Lake, I stumbled on the encampment of a modern Dunite, also as surprising as a ghost.

This ghost is reported to be a woman dressed in black with a full skirt, narrow waist, tight sleeves, and black jewelry sounds like she’s in mourning and might date from the 1840s or 1850s. Alas, people who see ghosts are rarely costume historians, and the only costume historian I know who’s encountered a ghost merely heard a child’s bare feet run down the hallway of the historic house in New York City where she was working late at night.

The woman’s face appears as a blur, and she appears at half past midnight, when anybody’s face, let alone a ghost’s, is likely to be a blur. What a woman in mourning was doing somewhere as remote as Black Lake in the 1840s or 1850s is a good question—as well as what people are doing at Black Lake at half-past midnight. The Land Conservancy ( lcslo.org ), which takes care of this haunting landscape, leads guided hikes during the day.

13. The Curse of the James Dean Death Car, Cholame

In 1955, iconic American film star James Dean died east of Paso at the turnoff for Rancho Cholame (a Salinan Native American word pronounced shuh–LAMM), where Cal Poly student Donald Turnupseed made a left turn into his Porsche Spyder with a Ford Tudor. The ranch is now owned by the Hearst Family and called the Jack Ranch, after its owners between the 1860s and 1960s. If you’re going to the site, make a (careful) left to the Jack Ranch Café for some Hearst Ranch beef.

Equally iconic British film star Alec Guinness claimed to have met Dean in a restaurant parking lot a week before the crash when Dean showed off his new car.

“And some strange thing came over me. Some almost different voice and I said, ‘Look, I won’t join your table unless you want me to, but I must say something: Please do not get into that car, because if you do’ — and I looked at my watch — and I said, ‘if you get into that car at all, it’s now Thursday (Friday, actually), 10 o’clock at night and by 10 o’clock at night next Thursday, you’ll be dead if you get into that car.’”

“And he was dead the following Thursday afternoon in that car. It was one of those odd things.”

Given that Dean had told him Porsche Spyder would do 150 mph, it was not an unreasonable warning.

“The curse of the James Dean death car” was hyped by a following owner of the wreck, George Barris. The Porsche engine had been repurposed by Dr. William Eschrich in a Lotus (which he then called a Potus), and in a 1956 race at Pomona including Eschrich and Dr. Troy McHenry, who supposedly borrowed some other parts of Dean’s Spyder for his own, Eschrich spun out, and McHenry hit a tree and died. The Pomona Fair Grounds track was notoriously accident-prone, and so was racer McHenry, who was about to be installed as president of the American College of Osteopathic surgeons.

That appears to be the extent of the curse. “Race fast, safe car” is a palindrome, not a statement of fact.

James Papp is a San Luis Obispo architectural historian and executive director of the Coastal Awakening, an organization that focuses on the avant-garde movements that have flourished on the Central Coast. Before COVID, he led public tours through San Luis Obispo; he continues to lead them for private groups. You can call or text him at 805-470-0983.

Cover photo by: riiusnow

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November 07, 2019 Music, Arts & Culture » Get Out

James Papp shares his spookiest local paranormal stories on the Ghosts of San Luis Walking Tour 

See for yourself.

San Luis Obispo's oldest noodle house is haunted. But don't worry, the spirit that supposedly haunts Mee Heng Low just wants some Mountain Dew.

The sun is just setting as my tour group and I huddle into the decades-old building, where a few curious customers look up from their noodle bowls to inspect the commotion. I turn up the brightness on my electric lantern—a very fun accessory provided to attendees—as tour guide and historian James Papp leads us up the stairs to the very place where it all happened: the mysterious haunting of the Mountain Dew.

• Photos By Kasey Bubnash
• AAAHHHH! LOUIS? Tour guide James Papp shows attendees a photo of Ah Louis, a Chinese-American banker and businessman who lived in San Luis Obispo during the late 19th and early 20th century. The Ah Louis Store was home to a murder and probably should be haunted, Papp said, but it isn't known to be.

This isn't just any tour of downtown San Luis Obispo's historic landmarks; it's a ghost tour, a walkabout to the spookiest spots in our town that have served as settings for various apparitions, hauntings, and inexplicable occurrences—a collection of stories Papp has been gathering from the mouths of real residents for years.

Papp gives two-hour tours (the next is coming up on Nov. 8) to anyone with an interest in the supernatural and $20—and that's me.

Mee Heng Low, it just so happens, is home to not one, but two creepy ghost stories. My group gathers around a longtime employee as she tells the terrifying tale of the haunted stapler—yes, a stapler—which inexplicably moves around the restaurant on its own accord. There's "oo-ing" and "ah-ing" as the employee holds up the possessed office device, which seems to be well behaved at the moment, but everyone knows this is just the preview for the main event.

• Photo Courtesy Of The Mee Heng Low Gin Family Cookbook
• THE HAUNTING OF MEE HENG LOW The original Mee Heng Low (pictured) may not have been haunted, but some believe the one we have today definitely is.

Soon we're off to the opposite corner of the room, where a mini fridge once held the supernatural cans of Mountain Dew in question. According to legend, Papp tells us, Mountain Dew has never been on the menu at Mee Heng Low, but an employee purchased some to cache away in the fridge for an elderly regular who constantly requested it.

But the customer died before she was ever able to drink any of her favorite nuclear-green soda, Papp says, lantern light shining eerily in his face. So there it sat, untouched.

Then one day another customer asked for a cold hard glass of Mountain Dew. The waiters, Papp says, figured they might as well use up what stock they had. When one waiter went to grab a can, it was empty. The cans were all empty. They were still sealed; there weren't any visible holes, but they were empty. Empty!

Employees kept the spirit-suckled cans of Mountain Dew around for a while to show anyone interested, but Papp informs us that they were sadly recycled just before our tour. I wonder how San Luis Garbage Company handles paranormal materials.

Mee Heng Low isn't the only seemingly random location for a haunting in downtown SLO. Soon we're on to Central Coast Surfboards, where ghouls allegedly roam the basement and the third floor of the building it's in, the old Masonic Temple.

We also stand outside of and peer into the occasional house, many of which are big and old and inherently very creepy. In one, Papp said two former residents claim to have seen the opposite kinds of ghosts—some with only heads and arms and others with only legs.

• FOLLOW THE LIGHT Talking about ghosts feels even more authentic with one of these battery-powered, oil lamp lookalikes lighting your path.

We stop by a number of spots that Papp says certainly should be haunted, like the History Center of San Luis Obispo County, which was once used as the city's hanging grounds, or the intersection of Chorro and Buchon streets, a space that was used as a burial ground during the cholera epidemic. As far as anyone knows, Papp tells us, the bodies of roughly 70 Native Americans are still buried in that location.

There's also the now historic Ah Louis Store, where Eng Gon Ying Louis was shot and killed in the early 20th century by a burglar in her family's six-room apartment situated above the store. As brutal as Eng Gon Ying's murder was, Papp says there haven't been any reported hauntings in the Ah Louis Store. Bummer!

The tour is ending, and Papp asks us to share our own paranormal stories. It seems like everyone has something to tell—stories of haunted furniture, houses, and clairvoyant friends. So even though Halloween is over, watch your back. Ghosts aren't seasonal. Δ

Staff Writer Kasey Bubnash is busy conjuring (and drinking) spirits. Send thoughts to [email protected] .

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Vote for your favorite boat tour!

USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

From whale watching excursions and sunset sails to scenic cruises past waterfalls and cliff-backed shores, there are so many water-based tours to choose from across the United States. An expert panel has nominated these 20 companies for offering the best boat tours in the country. Which boat tour company would you most enjoy a trip with? Vote once per day for your favorite until polls close on Monday, May 27 at noon ET. The 10 winning tour companies will be announced on Wednesday, June 5. Read the official  Readers' Choice rules . 

From whale watching excursions and sunset sails to scenic cruises past waterfalls and cliff-backed shores, there are so many water-based tours to choose from across the United States. An expert panel has nominated these...   Read More

Best Boat Tour Nominees

Photo courtesy of Meagan Bourne

Blue Ocean Adventure Tours

Kekaha, Hawaii

Blue Ocean Adventure Tours show off the spectacular scenery of Kauai’s Na Pali Coast with tours that include catamaran and Zodiac experiences. Guests can gaze in awe at 3,500-foot sea cliffs, visit the Hawaiian fishing village of Nualolo Kai, and spot Hawaiian green sea turtles while snorkeling.

Photo courtesy of SolStock / E+ Getty Images

Cape Water Tours and Taxi

Lewes, Delaware

For those wishing to immerse themselves in the idyllic beauty of the Delaware coast, Cape Water Tours and Taxi offers a wide array of top-tier excursions. Seal spotting, dolphin watching, and sunset cruising are all available for booking, while those hoping for a more intimate journey can plan a private charter that fits up to 100 passengers.

Photo courtesy of Matt Stumpf/Capt. Dave's Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari

Capt. Dave's Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari

Dana Point, California

Blue whales, orcas, and great white sharks are just a few of the creatures that might make an appearance during a cruise with Capt. Dave's Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari. A local favorite due to their highly educated staff and strong commitment to sustainability, the company provides a truly unforgettable viewing experience for guests, thanks to their state-of-the-art underwater viewing pods.

Photo courtesy of Chicago's First Lady Cruises

Chicago's First Lady Cruises

Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago's First Lady is led by highly trained docents. On this 90-minute cruise, you'll hear highlights of the city's history, including stories about the visionaries who shaped Chicago's skyline. Options include both daytime tours and evening cocktail cruises.

Photo courtesy of Ultima_Gaina / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Gateway Clipper

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh is home to a particularly high concentration of local water features, and for those hoping to get up-close and personal with each one, a Three Rivers Sightseeing Tour and Cruise is the perfect excursion. Taking place on the storied Gateway Clipper, this voyage offers stunning skyline views alongside fascinating Pennsylvania history all throughout the journey.

Photo courtesy of Holo Holo Charters

Holo Holo Charters

Eleele, Hawaii

With Holo Holo Charters, visitors to Kauai can sail to the forbidden island of Niihau or cruise along the spectacular Na Pali Coast to see its waterfalls, lush valleys, and hidden sea caves from a new perspective.

Photo courtesy of YinYang / E+ Getty Images

Honest Eco Tours

Key West, Florida

Established in 2014, Honest Eco Tours is perfect for discovering the fascinating flora and fauna that call the Florida Keys home. Dolphin sightings abound during the company's curated snorkeling tours, while the summertime Sunset Sail & Reef Snorkel offers a particularly stunning perspective on the surrounding region.

Photo courtesy of Kenai Fjords Tours by Pursuit

Kenai Fjords Tours

Seward, Alaska

Operating out of the scenic city of Seward, Kenai Fjords Tours offer a can't-miss experience that highlights the pristine natural beauty of southern Alaska. While snowcapped mountains and verdant forests will both make an appearance during a national park tour, the excursion also doubles as a safari, with humpback whales, brown bears, and bald eagles all calling the surrounding region home.

Photo courtesy of Little Toot Dolphin Adventure

Little Toot Dolphin Adventure

Clearwater, Florida

Officially founded in 1998, Little Toot Dolphin Adventure shines a spotlight on some of Clearwater's most beloved marine mammals. Daylight and sunset tours are both available for guests to book, with each option offering plenty of wake for the dolphins to play in alongside a cash bar with beer, wine, and soft drinks for passengers.

Photo courtesy of Sharon Sauer

London Bridge Jet Boat Tours

Laughlin, Nevada

Nevada may be dominated by desert, but that doesn't mean its devoid of top-tier water recreation as well, with London Bridge Jet Boat Tours serving as a prime example. During a cruise, guests will straddle the Nevada-Arizona border along the Colorado River, with gorgeous views of London Bridge included on the trip.

Photo courtesy of troutnut / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Major Marine Tours

The spectacular natural beauty of Alaska is on full display with Major Marine Tours, a cruise company that operates out of the scenic city of Seward. The organization offers multiple excursions that highlight the splendor of the Kenai Fjords, while wildlife lovers can spring for an Orca Quest Cruise in hopes of spotting some of the world's most marvelous cetaceans in the flesh.

Photo courtesy of Shelley Lynch Photography

Marine Discovery Center

New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Over 4,000 different plant and animal species call the Indian River Lagoon home, and New Smyrna Beach's Marine Discovery Center offers a wealth of excursions designed to highlight this rich biodiversity. Two-hour dolphin tours are offered on a daily basis during both daylight hours and sunset, while specialty birding excursions take place throughout the winter as well.

Photo courtesy of Moab Jett

Utah's outdoor adventure scene takes on an aquatic edge with Moab Jett, a tour company that showcases the beauty of the Colorado River. Equipped with a fleet of three 10-passenger boats, guests can embark on a thrilling adventure tour that combines natural beauty with top speeds, while the scenic tour is perfect for a relaxing getaway along the water.

Photo courtesy of andieymi / iStock / Getty Images Plus

OC Bay Hopper

Ocean City, Maryland

For any Ocean City visitors hoping to spend a day on the water, the OC Bay Hopper has a wide variety of marine excursions all available for booking. While the Assateague Island Boat Tour is particularly popular for nature lovers, other options offer ghost stories, ice cream, and even the opportunity to barhop at some of the city's most popular pubs.

Photo courtesy of Paul Hamilton / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Rudee Tours

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Just beyond the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, the city's sparkling shores are teeming with native dolphins — and Rudee Tours has perfected the art of finding these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. Spanning roughly 90 minutes, each excursion offers guaranteed dolphin sightings paired with added fun facts about the biology and behavior of these fascinating marine mammals.

Photo courtesy of RgStudio / E+ Getty Images

Sail Wild Hearts

Orange Beach, Alabama

Equipped with a spectacular 53-foot sailing catamaran, Sail Wild Hearts provides Alabama visitors with the perfect opportunity to immerse themselves in the beauty of the Gulf Coast. Wildlife lovers can spring for a daytime dolphin adventure or sunset cruise, while those hoping for a particularly memorable excursion should time their visit with July 4th for the annual Fireworks Sail.

Photo courtesy of ozgurcankaya / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Salt Marsh Safari on The Skimmer

Cape May, New Jersey

New Jersey's Cape May is renowned for its spectacular bird-watching opportunities, and Salt Marsh Safari has mastered the art of showcasing its native species. While guests can spot a wealth of local birds during a classic Salt Marsh Safari tour, aquatic animal aficionados can join in on a Marine Life Safari for a deep dive on the Garden State's crabs, fish, and bivalves.

Photo courtesy of Silver Dollar City Company

Showboat Branson Belle

Branson, Missouri

While downtown Branson is home to its fair share of attractions, visitors can embark on a truly memorable evening excursion just west of the city on the Showboat Branson Belle. Sailing along Table Rock Lake, this charming vessel is best known for its scenic dinner cruises, with live entertainment and a three-course meal included in each ticket.

Photo courtesy of Amphitrite Digital

Tall Ship Windy

The Chicago skyline is particularly marvelous when viewed from Lake Michigan, and the city's Tall Ship Windy is perfectly equipped to showcase its splendor. While classic skyline sails are available during both sunset and daylight hours, the ship also offers dedicated happy hour cruises for those wishing to pair their journey with a perfectly crafted cocktail.

Photo courtesy of Waco Tours

Waco Tours River Cruise

Waco, Texas

Cruise along the serene Brazos River in the heart of Texas for two hours and 15 minutes with Waco Tours. Learn about the history and people of Waco as you see the city from the water and spot local wildlife on the riverbanks.

About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best .

The Experts

Chelle koster walton.

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Chelle Koster Walton — the Local Expert for Naples, Florida and the Caribbean — has been covering the destination for 30 years. Her top-selling  Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Naples  guidebook (Countryman Press) is in its sixth edition. She was contributing editor for  Caribbean Travel & Life  for 12 years and has written guidebooks on the Bahamas. A veteran travel writer, Chelle has published thousands of articles for  Miami Herald, USA TODAY, Latitudes;  has written/contributed to a dozen guidebooks, and produces travel shows for the local PBS station.

Chez Chesak

‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor...   Read More

‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com .  

Jacky Runice

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Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in culture, entertainment, food, travel and pure unadulterated fun. Jacky is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA). In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits and activities that blow?"

Jamie Davis Smith

Jamie is an attorney, writer and photographer. She...   Read More

Jamie is an attorney, writer and photographer. She was born with deeply ingrained wanderlust and has visited 45 countries and counting. She often brings her children along for the adventure and is passing her love of travel on to the next generation. Jamie has written for   Insider,   Fodor's Travel ,   Yahoo ,  the Huffington Post , the  Washington Post,   Viator  and  Reviewed  among many other publications. Jamie is from Philadelphia and now lives in Washington, DC, where she takes advantage of everything the region has to offer.    Jamie can be reached at  [email protected]  and can be found on  Twitter ,  Instagram  and  TikTok .

Marla Cimini

Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion...   Read More

Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), as well as European getaways and global destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is:  www.marlacimini.com  

Meg St-Esprit

Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh...   Read More

Meg St-Esprit is a journalist based in Pittsburgh who covers family travel, lifestyle, education, and parenting. With their four kids in tow, she and her husband love to travel anywhere and everywhere — but have a soft spot for camping and outdoor adventures. In fact, her kids are well on their way to achieving their goal of visiting all 124 state parks in Pennsylvania. Meg believes travel doesn’t need to be luxurious or costly to be valuable, and aims to share that with her audience. Meg’s work has appeared in publications such as  The New York Times, Thrillist, The Washington Post, Fodor’s, Yahoo, Good Housekeeping, Romper , and more. Follow Meg on Instagram and Twitter at @megstesprit or check out her work on  https://megstesprit.com/

Melanie Reffes

Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in...   Read More

Melanie is an island girl at heart . Born in Manhattan, she now lives on the sunny island of Montreal and covers  the Caribbean for a variety of publications  including  USA TODAY 10Best, CaribbeanTravel.com and MarryCaribbean.com.  A journalist with a boatload of writer awards under her belt, Melanie's affection for the Caribbean started  young when her family vacationed in Puerto Rico.   An avid fan of spicy food,   Melanie enjoys the diversity of Montreal - especially during the warmer months -when she's not en route to the Caribbean. She  holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto. 

Molly O'Brien

Molly O'Brien is a Los Angeles-based freelance...   Read More

Molly O'Brien is a Los Angeles-based freelance travel journalist, who writes and edits for a variety of international travel and lifestyle outlets including Fodor’s Travel, Travel + Leisure, and Business Insider among others. She's lived on both coasts from Massachusetts to California and has so far made Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, San Luis Obispo, Barcelona, and Los Angeles her home.  Molly earned her journalism degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast of California and since then has worked professionally in the fields of hospitality and travel PR and most recently, as a freelance travel writer and editor. Molly especially enjoys covering feature profiles about interesting people doing interesting things such as chocolate making, beekeeping, wing-walking, and interesting destinations like under-the-radar wine spots, the best brewery towns, and lesser-known ski destinations.  She also loves to write about a boutique hotel with a good story. When she's not writing, Molly enjoys spending time outdoors, exploring new coffee shops and breweries, and of course, traveling.  Her favorite city in the world (so far) is Barcelona, Spain, but she loves traveling anywhere that offers sunny weather and ample hiking opportunities. She loves spending time in the mountains, enjoys connecting with nature through camping and glamping adventures, and is always up for learning about the world through fun, immersive experiences (and then sharing those stories!).  You can connect with Molly here:  Instagram: @metropolitanmolly Twitter: @Molly_A_OBrien Facebook: @MetropolitanMolly LinkedIn: @mollyannobrien www.metropolitanmolly.com

Nicky Omohundro

Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of Read More

Nicky Omohundro is the founder and editor of LittleFamilyAdventure.com , the popular family travel & lifestyle website that inspires families to leave no child left inside. Since 2013 LFA has been providing inspiration to get families outdoors, eat well, and travel everywhere from their own backyard to around the world. Always up for a family adventure, she has traveled to 37 states and 6 countries to zip-line through a Costa Rican rainforest, see Finland’s Northern Lights, and go camping throughout the US. Nicky is the co-founder of Tourism WorX a travel consultancy group. Connect with her Twitter  and Instagram .

Olivia Christine Perez

Olivia Christine Perez is an outdoor + travel...   Read More

Olivia Christine Perez is an outdoor + travel wellness expert, author, and the creator of  O. Christine : a travel and wellness platform inspiring thousands of people to travel more and get outdoors for their wellness. Living with an autoimmune disease herself, Olivia helps people find wellness through the outdoors, self-care adventures, and mindful travel experiences. You can follow her work at  ochristine.com  and  instagram.com/ochristine.

Rob Taylor is the author of  The Road Trip Survival...   Read More

Rob Taylor is the author of  The Road Trip Survival Guide  (being released May 25, 2021) and  the founder of 2TravelDads , the original LGBT Family Travel blog. Focusing on ecotourism and education, 2TravelDads inspires LGBT families (and traditional families also) to go beyond their usual getaways and use travel to learn about and be part of a bigger world. 2TravelDads blazes the way for other two-dad and two-mom families to travel to previously overlooked destinations or places we as gay people would normally avoid. We share the struggles we've faced and the surprising gems and welcomes we've had along the way. Traveling as a family is one thing, traveling as an LGBT family is completely something else.

Tamara Gane

Tamara Gane is an expert panel member for 10Best...   Read More

Tamara Gane is an expert panel member for 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. She's based in Reno/Lake Tahoe and in addition to USA Today 10Best, her work has been published in Travel & Leisure, Fodor's Travel, The Washington Post, SF Gate, Houston Chronicle, Lonely Planet, and more.

10Best Editors

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...   Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.