When the sun dips below the horizon and the city goes quiet, history becomes more pronounced. From creaking hotel corridors to shadowy alleys, the stories told after dark can reveal the true spirit of a place.
Ghost tours can help us see the personal side behind the places we visit, balancing goose bumps with grounded history. You leave these places with more than a fright. You gain context that enriches the travel experience.
In this episode, host Angie Orth is joined by travel journalist and former paranormal investigator Jennifer Billock. Together, they explore what makes a ghost tour truly worthwhile, balancing spine-tingling tales with historical accuracy. Whether you’re a skeptic, true believer, or simply curious, this conversation will help you find tours that are memorable for all the right reasons.
You’ll hear about haunted hot spots in New Orleans, Chicago, Michigan, and beyond; tips on how to be a respectful paranormal tourist; and tours that can actually deepen your connections by blending history, storytelling, and mystery.
What You’ll Learn:
00:00 Why haunted places hook us
02:19 The rise of paranormal tourism and why interest is growing worldwide
06:18 The Bourbon Orleans Hotel and other can’t-miss New Orleans ghost sites
10:27 Chicago’s Iroquois Theater fire and how tours balance history with chills
17:03 Ghost tour etiquette: honoring the past and making sure nothing “follows” you home
Connect with Jennifer Billock:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferjoanbillock
CTA: Ex: What’s the scariest ghost tour you’ve ever been on? Tell us about it in the comments!
Connect with AAA:
Book travel: https://aaa-text.co/travelingwithaaa
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aaa-auto-club-enterprises
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
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Dateline NBC
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