Get ready for ghoulish teachings and tours within some of the most haunted locations in Southern California hosted by Haunted Orange County this year. 

These tours offer an in-depth experience about the history behind sites such as San Juan Capistrano and Old Towne Orange, along with the tragic stories that hide within them. Book this upcoming week as the haunted walks are hosted year-round, spanning multiple locations across Orange County. 

Ernie Alonzo, CEO, Creative Director, and Founder of Haunted Orange County said, “We focus a lot on the history. While taking a tour, you’re going to learn a lot about the local history of the area. You’ll also hear about the ghost stories as well.” 

These walks can bring to life just about every aspect of the area that spectators will be touring, as well as reveal some dark revelations. Alonzo stated, “We attempt to tie in some of the history to some of the things that people experience, as far as paranormal wise.” 

Each location is unique and tailored to deliver different experiences from their assigned tour docents. Alonzo said, “We currently have seven locations. We started in 2009 with just the Old Towne Orange location, then added Old Town Santa Ana, Black Star Canyon and then San Juan Capistrano.” 

The San Juan Capistrano tour, for example, mixes ghost stories with the rich history of the city. Alonzo said, “Opposite of where the mission is, is called the Los Rios District. It is the oldest existing neighborhood in California. That’s part of what makes this tour special.”

The mission delivers its history-rich background and can provide enough stories for a spooktacular night. Alonzo said, “I enjoy the stories of the mission. I like the fact that it’s been settled land in California for so long. With each of the stories, we are able to trace back through historical documentation. It’s not just he said or she said, it's actual stories of tragic things that happened which we have a record of.” 

These tours can offer different levels of entertainment for those wishing to learn about the history of the town, as well as those eager to experience some potential paranormal events.

On the topic of bringing ghost hunting equipment to these tours, Alonzo said, “People can if they want to, just don’t bring anything that will be too distracting for everyone.” This means that both spectators and paranormal enthusiasts can arm themselves with devices such as emf detectors, digital recorders and infrared cameras.  

Unfamiliar with this gear? Watch the 1984 classic “Ghostbusters” for a quick tutorial. 

Make certain that the right accommodations are set and dress both appropriately and comfortably. Keep in mind, each tour is approximately 90 minutes in length. Alonzo said, “Most of the ghost walks happen in the evening and night.” 

Plan ahead as this experience can be a popular option within this Halloween season. “We normally don’t have tickets at the door, so we always encourage people to purchase tickets online ahead of time.” On the website it is currently showing only the month of October for tours, but we will be soon adding November dates within next week,” said Alonzo.

Might not have enough free time this season? Alonzo reassures this issue and mentioned, “It’s every weekend actually. It’s not just a seasonal thing. We have multiple tours every weekend of the year. We also produce a lot of different events as well.” 

Take advantage of this thrilling experience, discover the sinister underbelly of O.C.’s sunny surface. For more information on booking as well as the types of ghost walks that are available, visit https://hauntedoc.com/ghost-walks/. 

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