Frequently Asked Questions
How long are the walks in distance/ and in time? Where does it begin? When do you operate?
The walk for our downtown Mystic tour will be under a mile, nothing too strenuous, and will last around 1 hour and 45 minutes. We will not end where we began, however the walking distance back to our starting point, will not be far off. We will begin on the sidewalk by Mystic River Park. Our Graveyard tours take place at Whitehall Cemetery on Hendel Drive -- the ground is uneven as the grounds are quite old -- and the tour lasts about 1 hour and 45 minutes -- not much walking distance. Our Elm Grove Cemetery Tours take place at the Elm Grove Cemetery on Greenmanville Ave and also covers about one mile of walking distance lasting about an hour and 45 minutes. Tickets can be purchased for all Mystic tours here -- then we will meander on to the Park's boardwalk to begin our stories. We operate Spring, Summer and Fall. Our Salem, Massachusetts Tour are for private tours only at this time or virtual tours. In-Person tours meet at the Salem Witch Trials Memorial on Liberty Street. Tour dates vary -- tours in Mystic will operate Tues - Sun in the Spring, Summer and Fall. As we edge into winter -- the tours will be run Thursday through Sunday in November and in December, our Ghosts of Christmas past tours will be on Fridays and and Saturdays. Tour start times vary seasonally at either 8 PM or 7 PM for most tours with Elm Grove tours beginning at 4 PM. Please visit our calendar for full details.
How much are tickets? When and where can I purchase them?
Tickets are $20 purchased in advance April through September and $22 at walk-up April through September. October tickets for high season are a bit higher and are $25 purchased in advance and $30 at walk-up. Then November 1st -- for the remainder of the season prices resume to be $20 per person in advance and $22 per person at walk-up. Someone will generally be available to sell tickets at the starting point during walk-up season which is May through October, however walk-up space is not guaranteed and reservations are strongly encouraged . In the wake of Covid-19, until it is deemed safe again, no in-person ticket sales will be allowed -- all ticket sales must be allowed to allow for a contactless transaction in keeping with state policies. Please purchase 2 hours prior to tour start if possible. Tickets are available for private tours year round. Contact Courtney for a booking. Our starting point for the Downtown tour is the Mystic River Park on Cottrell Street in Mystic, CT, and our starting point for the Graveyard tour is the Whitehall Burial Ground on Hendel Street in Mystic, CT. Our boat tours meet at the New London City Pier and our Salem Tours meet at the Witch Trials Memorial on Liberty Street. Advance Tickets may be purchased up to about an hour before the event begins throughout the year, and the only way to reserve our spot in the colder months of November through April is by online or telephone purchase. No refunds available
Can I bring a camera or video camera?
Yes and No. We welcome and encourage you to bring your cameras for PHOTOGRAPHY only, you never know what the camera can pick up that the naked eye can not in spirit realm. Additionally, we will be teaching guests how to take what's known as a psychic photo. Do to our copyright obligations and to keep the tour new and refreshing for all visitors, video recording is not to take place on our tours.
Can I bring my dog, my cat on a leash, or other friend not of the human species?
Sadly, No. We love animals here at Seaside Shadows, and we all have many furry friends of our own, however this tour is not a place for them. With crowds, other people and animals walking about, and sometimes allergies, we ask that you leave Fluffy at home for this tour. Service Dogs may, of course be used on our tours.
Can children go on this tour? What age group is this tour friendly for?
Here at Seaside Shadows, we STRONGLY recommend that all children be at least age 13 and up. We will be discussing some rather dark material and focusing on off color history. It is not something we recommend for a younger child. In addition, this is not a haunted hayride type attraction or theatrical performance. We are speaking of real spirits and real history throughout the duration of the tour. For ages 13 and up, we will leave it up to the parent's discretion of course, and we encourage our guests of all ages to be respectful of the tour and of Mystic during our time together.
Where Can I Park?
Parking in Mystic, while not everywhere, is widely available! The Mystic Arts Center offers a paid parking lot, where you may use only your debit/credit card to pay. There is also street parking available in 2 hour increments throughout downtown Mystic. Street parking is available on Cottrell Street where we start our downtown tours,. Our cemetery tours are located on the opposite side of the river from downtown and parking is available nearby the burial ground. Finally depending on where you're staying for your trip, your hotel may be in walking distance to any of our tours.
Can I bring food / or drink?
Sometimes it may get hot in our summer tours, or perhaps you just need to stay hydrated. We welcome water bottles and bottled water. If the temperature is sustained past 90 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, we will do our best to provide bottled water for you. Please keep in mind public trash bins are not available. We also request no soda, snacks, or beverages other than water. Chewing and fizzing could get distracting during a tour, and we want you to have the best time possible!
How safe is the walking terrain? Is it handicap accessible?
We have done our best to make sure that the walking terrain is nothing too strenuous or stressful, and will be in public areas. Most areas will be lit, and your guide will have a lantern light to lead the way and assist with road crossing. It is however walking and not all sidewalks and pavements are as even as one would hope, and things can get in the way. Dare we say you walk at your own risk. You may want to wear comfy walking shoes, and dress accordingly for the weather. The tour is mostly handicap accessible, however we do change our walking path from time to time. If you need easiest handicap accessibility before your tour, we ask that you give us as much notice as possible, so we can plan a comfortable walking route for you.
Do you provide private tours?
Absolutely, if you are looking for a spooky get together for your friends and family, hosting a party, or sometimes even a business outing we would love to provide a private tour for you. Please contact us to discuss times and availability.
Do you ghost hunt? Do you investigate haunted homes?
If you have a location you would like us to check out, be it a home or a business, contact us via the Contact page, and we would be happy to go to your home and take a look around. We will be able to tell you if you have true spirit activity in your home, and whether we believe it is of positive or negative nature. We will also try to document proof with audio/video, and do all we can to help you. Again contact us privately for this!
I arrived late and no one was there! Can I get a refund? What should I do?
It is important that all tours start on time out of courtesy and respect for all tour goers so we can not wait for any type of grace period. At this time tours are primarily by reservation only and walk-up space is not guaranteed. Please plan to arrive at least 10 to 15 minutes early to your tour to avoid missing us! Do also note that no refunds are available for late arrivals!
