Haunted Walk Inc

What Haunted Walk Inc does

Haunted Walk Inc, legally operating as Hidden InSite Inc., is a privately held experiential tourism company founded in 1995 that designs and delivers guided ghost tours, paranormal investigations, and themed walking tours in Ontario, Canada. The company's core product portfolio spans three primary formats: (1) lantern-lit 'Original Haunted Walk' cloaked-guide storytelling tours in Ottawa, Toronto, and Kingston along with venue-specific tours at National Historic Sites such as Fort Henry, Beechwood Cemetery, the SS Keewatin, the Distillery District, the University of Toronto, Queen's University, Mackenzie King Estate, the Bytown Museum, and the Village at Black Creek; (2) premium small-group 'Alone in the Dark' paranormal investigations (max 12 guests, $67.99/person) using ancient and modern techniques at heritage venues; and (3) the light-hearted 'Hidden InSite' city tour sub-brand offering non-paranormal walking experiences. The company also operates a digital product called 'The Haunting at Home' ($19.99 promotional / $34.99 regular), accessible globally via an online platform, and produces the 'Haunted Talks' podcast with 228+ episodes.

The business operates on a direct-to-consumer model through the hauntedwalk.com website powered by the Xola booking platform, with private group bookings (12+ participants) for corporate, family, and educational segments, plus gift cards redeemable across all locations. Standard tour pricing ranges from $24.99-$42.99 (adults) and $21.99-$34.99 (youth), with all-inclusive fees and Monday-Wednesday discounts. Tour guides are seasonal employees working May-October (3-5 shifts/week during high season) at $19-$21/hr starting pay. The company has served over one million cumulative customers and was recognized as Employer of the Year by the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario. It is founder-led by Glen Shackleton (CEO), with Jim Dean serving as Creative Director and host of the Haunted Talks podcast. The company holds no disclosed external funding and operates three city offices in Ottawa (headquarters), Kingston, and Toronto.

Name

Haunted Walk Inc

Legal name

Hidden InSite Inc.

Website

https://hauntedwalk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Haunted Walk Inc operates lantern-lit guided ghost tours, small-group paranormal investigations, and themed walking tours across Ottawa, Toronto, and Kingston, Ontario, serving tourists, families, and corporate groups with seasonal in-person experiences plus a global online paranormal product.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Experiential Tourism and Ghost Tours

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Night Tours (Illuminations, Ghost & Legends) (THAJAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Heritage & Historic District Tours (THAJAAAB), Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC), Walking City Tours (Highlights & Orientation) (THAJAAAA)

Keywords

• Guided ghost tours
• Paranormal investigations
• Heritage walking tours
• Experiential tourism
• Historical storytelling tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Guided Tour Tickets: In-person walking tours and paranormal investigations sold as individual tickets. Standard tour prices range from $24.99-$42.99 for adults, with youth pricing from $21.99-$34.99. Premium experiences like Alone in the Dark priced at $67.99 per person. Tour prices are all-inclusive with no additional fees at checkout.
2. Online Paranormal Experience: The Haunting at Home digital experience sold for $19.99 (limited time promotional) or regular $34.99. Includes 90 days of access to complete paranormal experiments.
3. Gift Cards: Gift cards purchasable for any amount, redeemable toward any experience across Kingston, Ottawa, or Toronto locations. Do not expire.
4. Private Group Bookings: Private group tours for 12+ participants offered at discounted rates for Monday-Wednesday bookings ($5 per person discount). Also includes educational/youth group options for schools, camps, and youth organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Haunted Walk operates lantern-lit guided ghost tours, immersive small-group paranormal investigations, light-hearted city tours, and an online at-home paranormal experience across Kingston, Ottawa, and Toronto, Ontario. Tours are delivered by storytellers in iconic black cloaks at heritage sites and National Historic Sites, with tickets sold directly to consumers and private groups. The portfolio also includes the Haunted Talks podcast and digital gift cards.

Product overview

The Haunted Walk operates as a multi-location tour company offering experiential paranormal and historical tourism experiences across Kingston, Ottawa, and Toronto, Ontario. The core product portfolio consists of three interconnected offerings: (1) Ghost Tours – lantern-lit walking tours of haunted locations led by storytellers in black cloaks, including the Original Haunted Walks in each city, specialized site tours (Fort Henry, SS Keewatin, Distillery District, University of Toronto, Queen's University, Mackenzie King Estate, Beechwood Cemetery, Bytown Museum, Village at Black Creek), and seasonal events (Nightmare Before/After X-mas); (2) Hidden InSite City Tours – light-hearted non-spooky walking tours in Ottawa, Toronto, and Kingston showcasing hidden city secrets and untold stories; (3) Alone in the Dark Paranormal Adventures – immersive small-group investigations (max 12 guests, 16+) using ancient and modern paranormal techniques at heritage sites including Billings Estate, Cumberland Heritage Village Museum, Village at Black Creek, and Elgin & Winter Garden Theatres. Additional offerings include The Haunting at Home online paranormal experience, the Haunted Talks podcast, private group tours, public investigations at special sites, and gift cards. The company is owned and operated by Hidden InSite Inc.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hidden InSite: A city tour brand operated by The Haunted Walk offering light-hearted walking tours that explore hidden, bizarre, and unexpected stories of various cities (e.g., Hidden Ottawa, Hidden Kingston, Hidden Toronto).
• Haunted Talks

Products and services

• Original Haunted Walk of Kingston The flagship 1995 lantern-lit walking tour of Kingston's old Sydenham Ward, featuring storytellers in black cloaks sharing spine-tingling ghost stories from haunted hotels, hidden burial grounds, and the famous haunted courtyard. Aimed at tourists, families, the curious, and paranormal enthusiasts.
• Original Haunted Walk of Ottawa A 75-minute outdoor walking tour of Ottawa's most haunted places, with cloaked storytellers using lanterns to guide guests through historic sites including Grant House, the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, and the city's infamous haunted high school. Offered in English and French; suitable for all ages.
• Original Haunted Walk of Toronto A walking tour through Toronto's dark history featuring ghost stories, haunted theatres, unsolved mysteries, and spooky historic buildings, departing from the Hockey Hall of Fame courtyard. Aimed at tourists and paranormal enthusiasts.
• Ghosts of Fort Henry An evening ghost tour of Kingston's infamous 19th-century fortress (featured on Ghost Hunters television show), exploring dark history, the hanging of Nils Von Schoultz, the secrets of Deadman's Bay, and supernatural encounters. Aimed at tourists, history buffs, and paranormal enthusiasts.
• Ghosts of the SS Keewatin: Tales from the Great Lakes A 75-minute exclusive after-dark tour aboard the Titanic-era steamship SS Keewatin, exploring nearly 60 years of haunted waters, shipwrecks, and eerie encounters including ghostly figures at the Bellhop's Station and the ballroom. Aimed at tourists and maritime history enthusiasts.
• Spirits of the Distillery District Ghost Tour A lantern-lit evening stroll through Toronto's historic Distillery District, one of the city's most haunted spots, featuring tragic events and paranormal encounters along cobblestone streets and hidden corners. Aimed at tourists and paranormal enthusiasts.
• Campus Secrets and Spectres - University of Toronto Ghost Tour A ghost tour exploring the gothic architecture and eerie history of the University of Toronto's downtown campus, featuring ghostly sightings and supernatural phenomena reported by students and faculty. Aimed at prospective students, alumni, tourists, and campus visitors.
• Ghosts of Queen's University An eerie campus ghost tour covering student grave robbers, professors reaching out from beyond, heists gone wrong, and mysterious streets at one of Canada's most historic and haunted campuses. Aimed at students, alumni, and visitors to Kingston.
• Ghosts of the Mackenzie King Estate Walking Tour A moonlight walking tour through Mackenzie King Estate in Gatineau Park, exploring former Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's passion for spiritualism, including access to two historic and haunted buildings and his original 1903 cottage. Aimed at history enthusiasts and tourists.
• Tales from the Mausoleum at Beechwood Cemetery An evening partnership tour with Beechwood Cemetery National Historic Site featuring storytelling through crypts and headstones, culminating in rare after-sunset access inside the Mausoleum for spine-tingling tales. Aimed at tourists, history enthusiasts, and paranormal enthusiasts.
• Ghosts of the Bytown Museum An exploration of Ottawa's supernatural past at the Bytown Museum, one of the city's oldest and most haunted buildings, featuring ghostly encounters shared by museum staff, visitors, and guides. Aimed at tourists, museum-goers, and paranormal enthusiasts.
• Ghosts of the Village at Black Creek A 75-minute guided tour through Toronto's haunted pioneer village after dark, featuring shadowy figures, phantom footsteps, and chilling encounters at Second House, Manse, and Burwick House. Aimed at tourists, families, and paranormal enthusiasts.
• Hidden Ottawa City Tour A 90-minute light-hearted Hidden InSite walking tour showcasing the bizarre and unexpected side of Ottawa, featuring stories about mutant squirrels, maple syrup heists, secret society messages, and other hidden city secrets. Aimed at first-time visitors, locals, families, and groups seeking non-spooky entertainment.
• Hidden Toronto City Tour A 90-minute Hidden InSite adventure through Toronto's hidden personality featuring misbehaving mayors, raccoon funerals, movie mistakes, and the infamous clown riot. Aimed at visitors, locals, and groups seeking non-spooky entertainment.
• Hidden Kingston City Tour A 90-minute fun Hidden InSite city tour featuring Kingston's hidden stories including duelling doctors, a sea serpent, tricksy bank robbers, and other tales of mischief and mayhem. Aimed at visitors, locals, and groups seeking non-spooky entertainment.
• Secrets of the Chateau Laurier - Hotel Tour A 75-minute guided tour operated under the Hidden InSite brand behind the scenes at Ottawa's iconic Fairmont Chateau Laurier, exploring concealed passageways, political rendezvous, ballrooms, the swimming pool, and exclusive areas typically reserved for hotel guests. Aimed at hotel guests, tourists, and history enthusiasts.
• Alone in the Dark - Billings Estate National Historic Site A 120-minute immersive small-group paranormal investigation (max 12 guests, 16+ only, $67.99 per person) at Ottawa's Billings Estate, using ancient and modern techniques to attempt contact with spirits. Aimed at adults seeking a premium paranormal experience.
• Alone in the Dark - Cumberland Heritage Village Museum A two-hour guided paranormal investigation exploring four heated heritage buildings (old church, schoolhouse, train station, family home) at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum with exclusive after-dark access. Aimed at adults seeking an immersive paranormal experience.
• Alone in the Dark - The Village at Black Creek An intimate paranormal investigation (12 or fewer guests, 16+) at Toronto's Village at Black Creek with exclusive access to haunted heritage buildings including the notorious Half Way House. Aimed at adults seeking a premium paranormal experience.
• Alone in the Dark - Elgin & Winter Garden Theatres A small-group paranormal investigation (12 guests or fewer, 16+) at Toronto's famously haunted National Historic Site, with participants investigating empty theatres and ornate lobbies in the dark. Aimed at adults seeking a premium paranormal experience.
• The Haunting at Home - A Paranormal Adventure An online paranormal audio experience sold via the company's gift shop (the-haunted-walk-gift-shop.myshopify.com) that guides participants through six paranormal experiments using traditional parapsychology techniques and modern ghost hunting. Includes 90 days of access, designed for groups of 2-8 people. Priced at $19.99 promotional or $34.99 regular.
• Nightmare Before/After X-mas Ghost Tours at the Bytown Museum A seasonal dark holiday ghost tour at the Bytown Museum featuring chilling winter folklore and ghostly yuletide legends. Adults $29.99, Youth (up to 14) $21.99. Aimed at families, couples, and tourists during the December holiday season.
• Group Tours Private group tours for adults, team-building events, families, and educational/youth groups (schools, camps, organizations) available in Kingston, Ottawa, and Toronto. Groups of 12 or more; $5 discount per person for Monday-Wednesday bookings. Aimed at corporate event planners, schools, camps, families, and youth organizations.
• Gift Cards Gift cards available for any amount, redeemable toward any experience across Kingston, Ottawa, or Toronto locations and online experiences. Delivered instantly by email, never expire, and can be used year-round including Halloween season. Aimed at gift purchasers seeking experiential presents.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Beechwood Cemetery National Historic SitecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership for Tales from the Mausoleum at Beechwood Cemetery tour. Haunted Walk guides lead evening tours through the cemetery culminating in rare access inside the historic mausoleum after sunset. Partnership enables access to one of Canada's most significant National Historic Sites for paranormal tourism.
• Great Lakes Museum / SS KeewatincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive after-dark tours aboard the Titanic-era steamship SS Keewatin. Tours explore the ship's haunted history including ghostly figures at the Bellhop's Station and eerie encounters in the ballroom. Partnership provides rare access to this historic vessel.
• The Village at Black CreekcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for both standard Ghosts of Black Creek tours and exclusive Alone in the Dark paranormal investigations. One of the most active paranormal sites explored by Haunted Walk, featuring heritage buildings including the notorious Half Way House.
• Billings Estate National Historic SitecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome of the Alone in the Dark paranormal investigation experience in Ottawa. Exclusive small-group investigation inside one of the city's most historic and haunted sites with paranormal experiments using ancient and modern techniques.
• Cumberland Heritage Village MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocation for Alone in the Dark investigation featuring exclusive access to four heated heritage buildings: old church, schoolhouse, train station, and family home. Guided paranormal investigation using various techniques.
• Elgin & Winter Garden TheatrescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOnly operational double-decker theatre in the world hosts Alone in the Dark paranormal investigations. Small groups investigate empty theatres and ornate lobbies in the dark. National Historic Site featuring Canada's most haunted theatre.
• Fort Henry National Historic SitecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive ghost tours of the 19th-century fortress in Kingston. Featured on Ghost Hunters television show. Tours cover tragic history including the hanging of Nils Von Schoultz, secrets of Deadman's Bay, and supernatural encounters.
• Bytown MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOttawa's oldest building hosts Ghosts of the Bytown Museum tours. Also features seasonal Nightmare Before/After X-mas Ghost Tours. Partnership enables tours of Canada's oldest and most haunted museum buildings.
• Mackenzie King EstatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoonlight walking tours through Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's estate in Gatineau Park. Explores his passion for spiritualism and the supernatural. Rare night access to two historic and haunted buildings including his original 1903 cottage.
• Fairmont Château LauriercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecrets of the Château Laurier hotel tour explores Ottawa's most famous castle. Tours operated by Hidden InSite. Includes access to concealed passageways, ballrooms, luxurious pool, and exclusive areas typically reserved for hotel guests.
• Phantoms of YoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for paranormal investigations at Historic SDG Jail in Cornwall, Ontario. Joint investigation events combining Haunted Walk's tour operations with Phantoms of Yore's paranormal expertise.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Boston Ghost Tours: Long-established Boston ghost walking tour operator covering historic districts, cemeteries, and landmarks. Comparable single-metro depth and historic-site access in a market with similar New England heritage tourism dynamics to Ontario.
• New Orleans Ghost Adventures: Voodoo and ghost tour operator in the French Quarter and St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. Comparable premium pricing, cemetery and historic site access, and evening lantern-lit format; operates in a market often considered the spiritual 'home' of American ghost tourism.
• US Ghost Adventures: Fast-growing multi-city ghost and haunted pub tour operator across the United States. Comparable DTC booking model, similar storytelling format, and overlapping customer demographic of paranormal-curious tourists and bachelorette groups.
• Ghost City Tours: Multi-city US ghost tour operator (Savannah, Charleston, St. Augustine, others) offering lantern-lit walking tours and paranormal investigations. Closest structural analog to The Haunted Walk — same product, same multi-city DTC model, similar partnership-driven access to historic venues.
• Ghosts & Gravestones: US-based ghost tour operator (Key West, St. Augustine, Boston, Savannah, San Diego) with hearse-driven and walking tours plus paranormal investigation add-ons. Direct competitor on product mix, premium tier pricing, and historic-site access strategy.

Broad incumbents

• GetYourGuide: Leading European-headquartered OTA for tours, activities, and attractions. Comparable as both a distribution channel for similar experiential tourism inventory and a benchmark for how aggregator platforms package and price niche tour categories.
• Viator (TripAdvisor Experiences): Global online marketplace for tours, attractions, and experiences owned by TripAdvisor. Comparable because it distributes (and could distribute) ghost tour inventory similar to The Haunted Walk's, representing both a demand channel and a competitive substitution risk for DTC bookings.
• Airbnb Experiences: Online host of local experiences including ghost walks and paranormal activities. Comparable as an aggregator that commoditizes tour discovery and competes for the same tourist cohort, while also offering a channel for Haunted Walk-style storytelling experiences.

Emerging players

• Savannah Ghost Tours (various operators): Cluster of competing ghost tour operators in Savannah, GA — including Old Town Trolley Tours, Hearse Ghost Tours, and Haunted Savannah Tours. Comparable to The Haunted Walk in that multiple competitors serve the same historic Southern US market with overlapping walking-tour products.

Regional players

• Lantern Ghost Tours: UK-based lantern-lit ghost walking tour operator primarily serving London. Comparable product format (lantern-led, evening, theatrical storytelling) but operates in a different geography, making it a relevant regional analog for replication of The Haunted Walk's model outside Canada.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/hauntedwalk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HauntedWalk
• Facebookfacebook.com/hauntedwalk
• Instagraminstagram.com/hauntedwalk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/haunted-walks-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Haunted Walk Inc