It was shaping up to be a dark and stormy night….really it was; the wind was carrying the dark clouds straight for us. Perfect weather for a ghost tour!!!  If you’ve never done a ghost tour, they are a great way to learn the history of an area. I’ve done them in Savannah, St. Augustine, San Francisco, and they’re always very informative and entertaining.

Tonight’s tour was very special because we were in Palm Beach on the famous Worth Avenue. We were about to learn the historic secrets of Palm Beach. Who doesn’t love a good mystery?

Appearing just out of the shadows, our ghostess, Cas, was fully dressed in character and vibrant.  Hailing from the western part of the country, she reminded us why this ghost tour was so special.

When you travel out West, ghosts are an open topic and easy to learn about. Here in Palm Beach, it’s hush hush. To find and corroborate the stories, you have to dig deep and find people who will talk; often off the record. These secrets aren’t given up easily.

We strolled up/down Worth Avenue, which is the epitome of opulence. The best of the best line this street; high end stores, fine restaurants, and luxury cars.  To listen to the captivating past of the Palm Beach society while watching society of the current was pretty cool.

I enjoy history and architecture so my favorite character was Meisner who was responsible for bringing the stucco, Mediterranean style to south Florida. In addition he was an animal lover who had cats, dogs and even a pet monkey. The tour explains the sightings of all three of them and even takes you where you can visit the pet’s tombstones. Considering there are no graves allowed on Palm Beach, it’s pretty special and a bit funny that amidst all the opulence only a dog and monkey have a memorial. You’d never guess where it is either!

One very famous store was outrageously haunted. When I say outrageous, I mean a stories of ghostly activity that made your jaw drop.  After a time of dealing with this, the owners said enough and moved down the street. Personally, I think once would’ve been enough for me!! The new store owners don’t report the same level of haunting, even though they’re in the same location. However, they do leave both the front and back doors open during business hours, even in the midst of the hot summer.  They say it’s a precaution, to let things pass through.

Add that store to my list of places I’m going to visit during business hours. You can’t hear these stories and not go inside and take a look around. Plus it’s Worth Avenue.

The number one question everyone asks is “did I see anything?”  Not with the naked eye, but the camera captured several images with orbs prominently displayed.  Also, a few stories gave me chills right down to the bone.  It’s really an odd feeling to instantly shiver in 85 degree weather.  Was it great story telling or really a presence? I’ll just say I only felt it at certain spots along the way. You make the call….

These are very short versions of the detailed stories that kept us captivated the whole tour. I wished the tour was longer!! From land to sea, we heard stories of famous and infamous people who made Palm Beach their haunt then and now.

Whether you believe in ghosts or not, this tour is a fun way to learn about the secrets of Palm Beach. For more information: http://www.ghostsofpalmbeach.com/index.php

Contributed by Phil Johnsey: www.theworldaccording2phil.com

Disclaimer: I’m not affiliated with nor receive compensation from Ghosts of Palm Beach. I just enjoyed the tour.