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Best Haunted Tours In Detroit

Foggy Graveyard
(credit: Thinkstock)

Halloween is only days away and thoughts are turning to ghosts, graveyards and whether they are really haunted. If you want to find out for yourself, there are a few places to check out where it is said the spirits of those who have passed to the other side will be walking along with you.

Haunted Fort Wayne
6325 W. Jefferson Ave.
Detroit, MI 48209
(810) 853-8573
www.hauntedfortwaynedetroit.comTickets: $50 per person
Date: Various days

If looking for a place where the chances are greatest that you will find something unearthly, then the Haunted Fort Wayne tour is the place to go.

Built in 1845, Historic Fort Wayne has been the home to soldiers over the years and it is said that some of them still walk the catwalks and hallways at night. It has been a favorite of ghost hunters throughout the years because of the stories of "strange happenings."

Fort Wayne is part of the Detroit Recreation Department and along with a preservation group, the area is open to visitors during the day. With the help of Metro Paranormal Investigations, part of the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition, you too can take part in hunting for those from the past. Profits from the ghost tour are used to help in the preservation and restoration of the fort.

The evening begins with a guided tour of Fort Wayne by members of Metro Paranormal Investigations. Along with a detailed history of the fort, they will also attempt to explain some of the unexplainable events that visitors have experienced. These include occurrences like doors opening and closing, the sound of footsteps and apparitions appearing where no living person stands. After the tour, visitors are allowed to wander on their own and can stay until 4 a.m.

Now in its fourth year, the Haunted Fort Wayne Tour has been voted the best tour in Detroit and those who have taken part say it truly offers a chance at seeing the unexpected.

Related: Best Hotels In Detroit On A Budget

The Shadow Lands
Various locations throughout the state
www.theshadowlands.netIf you are interested in heading out on your own, then consider checking out some of the "haunted" places listed on the Shadow Lands  website. Michigan is said to be one of the most haunted states in the nation and by the size of the list shown on Shadow Lands, this may be true.

From the cities of Adrian to Ypsilanti, there are literally hundreds of spots across the area where it is said that, when conditions are right, you will see the unexpected.

At Greenfield Village, it is said that the ghosts of those who lived in the historic buildings continue to walk the halls. At a graveyard in Belleville at I-94 South Service Drive and Denton Road, it is said if you take photos with a digital camera you will see "orbs" in the image.

Each location listed has a brief description of what you may find and what others have said they've seen. Some are odd, like the place where the trunk of your car will pop open on its own, to others that will have you thinking twice, like the vision of a young girl looking at her grave stone.

A word of warning for whenever you head out on a self-guided ghost tour: not every location welcomes visitors looking for apparitions and other unearthly visions. When you go, make sure you are not trespassing. There are some locations that have regrettably been vandalized and anyone going there could be in a bit of trouble with the authorities.

Remember, those who look for ghosts can get in trouble while all the ghost has to do is disappear.

So head out for a tour of Fort Wayne or to one of the locations where the world is said to be alive with the spirits of those who are considered quite dead.

Related: Best Places To See Classic Cars In Detroit

Award winning freelance writer and photographer Lawrence DiVizio is based in Southeast Michigan and works to convey in words and images the world around us. His work can be found at Examiner.com.

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