One of the Most Beautiful Haunted Houses You’ll Ever See: Highlights of a South Beach Ghost Tour

South Beach is known for its pastel-colored Art Deco buildings along Ocean Drive and an iconic blend of glamour, nightlife, and laid-back beach culture. It’s a must-visit for anyone who loves nightlife, fashion, celebrity sightings, grit and glitz, and absolute hedonism.

And there’s a lot more beyond the restaurants and clubs. If you want a delightfully creative and unexpected way to get to know South Beach and explore some of its most iconic spots, then you might just love…

…a ghost tour!

There’s a Ghost Tour on South Beach?

Yes! US Ghost Adventures, famous for its ghost tours all over the country, has two excursions in Miami: a Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl and the Haunts of South Beach Ghost Tour.

I am a sucker for all things spooky, so when I learned about the Haunts of South Beach Ghost Tour, I had to sign up and bring my friend Terrell, who also loves a good ghost story. We had no idea what to expect, and we were incredibly excited to check out some haunted locales and what makes them so intriguing for ghost hunters and lovers of the paranormal.

Starting From the Beginning

We met our guide, James, at Lummus Park on South Beach’s famous Ocean Drive at 8pm. We were the last to arrive for this evening’s tour and were joined by two other travelers excited to learn about the area’s spooky history and haunts.

In addition to leading tours, James is a prolific writer who’s lived in Miami Beach since the mid-’90s. He kicked off the tour with a quick history of South Beach, focusing on the Mob and Art Deco:

In the 1920s and 1930s, South Beach was a playground for wealthy Americans, including mobsters. Al Capone bought a mansion on Palm Island in 1928 and lived there until he died in 1947. He used Miami as a base to lay low, but not too low—Capone’s associates ran gambling operations and smuggling routes through South Florida during Prohibition.

South Beach’s Art Deco era started in the 1930s. Henry Hohauser and L. Murray Dixon were the primary architects of these buildings, famous for their bright colors, geometric shapes, and clean lines. When World War II hit, many of these hotels and buildings—such as the Essex House—were converted into barracks, officer quarters, and hospitals. After the war, owners refurbished some buildings into retirement homes; those buildings fell into disrepair over the years. They were on the brink of demolishment until a push to revive them throughout the ’80s and ’90s. Previously “God’s Waiting Room,” South Beach transformed from a depressed, crime-ridden neighborhood into a fashion-forward hotspot beloved by designers and celebrities. Visiting South Beach today, you’d never guess those sleek, neon-lit buildings were ever anything but celebrated hotels, restaurants, and theaters.

Haunted Highlights

You should sign up for the tour and experience all the spooky fun for yourself, so I’m only going to share a few highlights here.

First up, the Versace Mansion—a.k.a, Casa Casuarina, or as James called it, “one of the most beautiful haunted houses you’ll ever see.” This mansion was built in 1930 in a similar style to the Dominican Republic’s Alcázar de Colón. It became especially famous after the murder of owner Gianni Versace right on the front steps in 1997, and it’s rumored that not only does Versace haunt the grounds, but there may also be other spirits lurking about.

Next, we stopped at The Tides, an Art Deco building erected in 1936 that has hosted celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe. It’s a gorgeous building, it used to be the tallest in Miami Beach, and, oh, the sixth floor is super haunted after a murder-suicide many years ago in room 617.

Another highlight: The Betsy Hotel, designed in 1942 by L. Murray Dixon in the Florida-Georgian style. The hotel’s first use was to house soldiers during the Second World War, and over the years, it has transformed into an upscale hotel consistently listed as one of the best in South Florida. Alongside the luxury, guests have reported hearing ghostly soldiers’ cadence calls, marching, and more at night.

One last highlight from the many stops we made on the ghost tour: Mac’s Club Deuce, a dive bar that was one of Anthony Bourdain’s favorites in South Florida. It’s a South Beach staple with cheap drinks and possibly a few ghosts—patrons have heard music playing in rooms where there isn’t any, and one has even claimed to see a ghost in the bathroom mirror! Not something I’d be excited to see a few drinks in, that’s for sure.

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There were quite a lot more stops along the route, but those are for you to discover! And if you’re not in Miami, you’re still in luck: US Ghost Adventures offers tons of tours all over the country, and if you’re really brave, you can even stay overnight in places like the Lizzie Borden House and the Villisca Axe Murder House.

Book a tour, learn a little history, and let us know if you come across any ghosts along the way!

About the Author

As the editor in chief of Frayed Passport, my goal is to help you build a lifestyle that lets you travel the world whenever you want and however long you want, and not worry about where your next paycheck will come from. I've been to 20+ countries and five continents, lived for years as a full-time digital nomad, and have worked completely remotely since 2015. If you would like to share your story with our community, or partner with Frayed Passport, get in touch with me at sarah@frayedpassport.com!

All images by Sarah Stone unless otherwise noted.