We took the Grim Philly daytime tour, called Revolution and Founding Fathers. Our tour guide was JOSH. It was a two hour walking and learning history tour in downtown historic Philadelphia near Independence Hall. It was like going to a theater show. The guide presented history with energy, enthusiasm and excitement. It felt like he was describing his close friends when he was talking. The tour was very informative and a lot of fun. Experiencing the tour in historic Philadelphia with Josh brought the experience into 4D, like watching an exciting, enthralling movie. Josh asked us questions and engaged the audience throughout the tour. A+++. read more

Grim Philly Twilight Tours - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I'm a huge ghost fan and love hearing about history of places I visit. Ted delivered! He's very educated and knowledgeable about his state and city. Hilarious true "educational" stories and NOT kid appropriate. (He totally warns you). I now know about dead ringers, saved by the bell, and many other catchphrases that will stick with me! Standing under dark buildings, hearing Ted tell its story, looking directly at the haunted window, was fascinating! Definitely would take again! read more

I pinky swore with Mistress Toni that I would leave this review, and I'm keeping my word! This tour was one of the few things I actually enjoyed on my visit to Philadelphia for my birthday. The traffic and rude people I encountered in this city were enough for me to say I never want to visit again. But, there were a few bright spots during the trip, and this was definitely one of them. Just a tip, there is a parking garage near the meeting point for this tour on Market Street that is very affordable when you use the Spot Hero app. The parking was close, and the meeting spot was easy to find. Mistress Toni showed up early and made sure she got us all checked in. We headed over across the street to start the tour, where the first story we heard about told the story of one of George Washington's slaves who ran away but was hunted to the end of her life. It made me so sad but is an ugly piece of history that needs to be told to keep anything so horrific from ever happening again. Toni led us through parks and past historic buildings and told us many stories with an unrivalled sense of humour. She had one of those senses of humour that make you want to bar-hop with her until the sun comes up. I would seriously drive back to Philly just to hang out with her all night. We heard about the ghosts in the park...and I cannot remember the name of said park, which is embarrassing. There was this great moment when she passed around a page with images of pubic wigs (if you want to hear that story, you must take the tour) and included was Trump with his nightmare combover. There were a couple of Magas who weren't too impressed, which made me laugh all the harder. Toni was so very knowledgeable about the history, buildings and landmarks and did a great job of pointing out every point of interest. I have been on many walking tours in several cities, including NOLA, and her storytelling is second to none. Like I said, she is someone I'd love to just hang with. Mistress Toni cracked so many jokes throughout the evening and made us laugh over and over. She even brought little treats to hand out to us at the end of the evening. I promised her I would leave a review after I got home. She had asked us to at the end of the tour, but I explained I'm a writer and like to take my time with my reviews. If you do visit Philadelphia and have an opportunity to take this tour, I definitely recommend that you check with them and see if you can experience Mistress Toni as your tour guide. She is phenomenal! read more

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Tour was great!! Part history, part ghost story, funny and thoroughly entertaining all the way through. I think a lot of it had to do with our tour guide, Ted. He was fantastic, always made sure everyone was having a great time, and was very knowledgeable about all things Philly historical. Highly recommended! read more

Grim Philly Twilight Tours - Independence Hall at night - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I'm sure the Grim Philly tours and tour guides are great, but we wouldn't know. What we do know is that the manager, Jeff (?), totally sucks. You know what is hard about planning a trip? Scrolling down, making sure you read the fine print, clicking every hyperlink on every page, and triple-checking everything to confirm you understand what you're paying for. You know what isn't hard? A business writing a few lines of code so that blackout dates or completely booked tours AREN'T EVEN AN OPTION for a potential customer to purchase. We bought tickets through a Go City Philadelphia pass last week. We selected a Grim Philly Tour as part of our pass, and as far as we were concerned, we were registered and set. When we arrived, the tour guide didn't have us on the list and connected us with Jeff, the manager, via phone. He began by rudely assuming we were trying to muscle our way into a completely booked tour. We weren't. He then proceeded to tell us how we should have known evening tours in October would be completely booked. How are we supposed to know that if the option is available on Go City? Then, he gave us excuse after excuse about why he couldn't let us join the tour: "Go City only pays us $10 per ticket," "Sometimes they don't pay us at all," "We let 100 people in last year and didn't get reimbursed..." Instead of figuring out a solution (something a manager should be good at), he decided to draw a line in the sand and teach us a lesson. We were already at the event, on time, and willing to work something out but no, no, no, he stuck to his principles. Jeffrey wasn't going to be taken advantage of. It didn't occur to him that even though it would be inconvenient for us, we'd be willing to pay the cut Grim Philly Tours would receive from Go City *again* just so we could do the tour, maybe even more. It was our last night in Philly, it was supposed to be the fun finish to our trip, and he ruined it--all because he would essentially miss out on $20 from Go City. Think about that. We are a gay couple, and I am in a wheelchair. It was humiliating for us to pay for tickets, be shamed in front of the other customers for not jumping through all the right hoops, and then not actually get to go. But from a marginalization standpoint, do you know how bad it looked for a disabled gay couple to be turned away by the tour guide? This was bad for Grim Philly Tours as well! I can't wrap my head around the manager's poor decision, resulting in a lose-lose situation. It was cringey and embarrassing for everyone. Dear Grim Philly Tours: if Go City is terrible to work with, I understand, but that's not our problem, it's YOURS. Don't blame the customers if Go City won't listen to you or communicate the blackout dates effectively. Stop working with them then. Meanwhile, you embarrassed us, you embarrassed the tour guide, you made the other customers uncomfortable, you cost us money we'll never get back, you ruined the end of our trip, and now you get to be embarrassed knowing hundreds of others will read about the terrible way you treated us and handled this situation. All for a $20 cut. Good thing you stuck to your principles, Jeff. Well done. read more

Very funny, adult only tour with many tidbits about the sex lives, deaths, and history of America's Founding Fathers. Joe was obviously passionate about the histories and his stories were excellent. I wish we'd started earlier since at the end we couldn't see much as it was fully dark read more

Grim Philly Twilight Tours - Joe, our tourguide - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Tour for adults! A memorable and fascinating experience! I recently took the History of Philadelphia Night Tour and it exceeded all expectations. The tour was the perfect mix of storytelling, history, and spooky. Walking through the historic streets of Philadelphia at night added such a special atmosphere--you really feel transported back in time. Our guide Britney was incredibly knowledgeable, engaging, and passionate about the city's history. She shared fascinating stories. The pacing was just right, with plenty of chances to ask questions or take photos. Whether you're a local or just visiting, I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to experience the rich (and sometimes eerie) past of Philadelphia in a unique and entertaining way. read more

We took this tour tonight for our trip to Philadelphia and it was so much fun. Our tour guide, Brittany was amazing. This is definitely the tour for the dark history lover. This is not really a tour for kids, as the information can be a little risqué. There are ghosts, grave robbers, prostitution, medical history, and vampires! Brittany mentioned having a podcast, I'm looking forward to checking it out. read more

This was SO cool. Britney was awesome and super knowledgeable. Learned a ton and now thirsty for more grim Philly info

Wow!!! Wow!!! 10 stars to our tour guide today- Bill- you are a history rock star that truly is a raconteur for the ages! Today we had friends from New Orleans fly in & we wanted to show them the best of Philadelphia's history and origins. We signed up for Grimm Philly's Rev War founding fathers daytime history tour. Now, I can disclose that I've attended 3 other of the Grimm Philly tours- all nighttime so I was thinking this would not be as exciting because it's daylight, hot weather, large group etc. Well I was surprisingly wrong. Bill commanded our group with the effectiveness of a general in battle- leading us down the streets and engaging each attendee in amazing stories of our founding fathers that left me speechless. I am a historian, published author of civil war books and public speaker and the amount of facts and interesting details that Bill packed in to a 2 hour trip we won't forget. I cannot wait for the next tour! Kudos to Grimm Philly, Joe, Ted (our former ghost tour guide) and all your wonderful team! read more

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Grim is the appropriate name for this tour- plenty of the local Philadelphia original history, but without the polish on top and with all the naughty bits exposed. If you want something a little different but still want to enjoy the city, this is a great option. Our tour guides were well equipped to check people in, split into manageable groups and get going. It was obviously a popular venue. We toured all around the Independence Mall area and a few blocks around it with plenty of stories of how the area and people in it lived through the revolution and build itself after. I felt our tour was a bit rambling and wasn't sure where most of the stories were going until they were done but they do obviously know their stuff and welcomed all questions frequently. I think if it had been a little tighter and more focused it would have been a spectacular time. read more

Ted is a knowledgeable, funny, interesting, and just generally over-all awesome tour guide. I took the tour on the very busy Saturday before Halloween. I chose the Dark Philly Adult Night Tour (Vampires, Sex, & Ghosts). Even though it was probably the busiest night for tours, our group was small with just 15 people. I was so grateful I chose the 8:30 tour, as I saw the 8 PM tour pushing off, and there were probably about 60+ people on that one. There were split into two groups, but even just one of those groups had double the attendees as my small group had. I much preferred the smaller, intimate setting. Ted had finished another tour (I believe a pub crawl) right before ours, and there was a woman on that tour who was drunk and cackling. We could hear her carrying on well after her tour ended. I guess it's safe to say she enjoyed the tour. My favorite stories were the stories of Washington Square Park and "Leah", Edgar Allan Poe, the "merkin" and beaver "wigs", the City Tavern ghosts, and of course the story of how Martha and George Washington met (through the obituaries, which I find to be a brilliant alternative to online dating.....seriously.....this means the previous spouse is dead, so no drama there....and also possibly gained some sort of inheritance. I am not sure why I didn't ever think of this myself.) At any rate, it was a great night for a tour. It was lightly raining, and even though there were many people out and about, it didn't ruin the ambiance of the dark side of Philly, I appreciated the raunch (we were forewarned that it was a very adult tour, which is what drew me to it in the first place!) Thanks guys, for a well-run show. I enjoyed every minute of it. read more

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Ted was an amazing tour guide. We loved his tour so much, we went back and did his Saturday tour. He makes you laugh as you learn quirky facts about this beautiful city and it's founding fathers. Would definitely recommend. It was the highlight of trip to Philly read more

Grim Philly Twilight Tours - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We were in Philly for a work event and contracted with Grimm Philly to have a fun evening of interesting history and unusual stories. We met the tour guide (Ted) right in time and he did not disappoint. Fun walking tour and absolutely amazing dark stories you don't hear in your average history tour. Highly recommend this tour for an alternative to your "standard" history tour. read more

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This is more of a customer service review than a tour review, but I still want to salute this tour operator for being so helpful! Trip Advisor would not reimburse three walking tour tickets I bought in August, when a flight cancellation made it impossible for us to make the reservation. I reached out to Grim Philly directly and they said they would honor the seats any time within the next year, and even let me transfer them to friends who are super excited to go on a tour over Thanksgiving. I'm sure they will post a review of the tour itself but I just want to shout out to this operator for being so accommodating. The flight cancellation wrecked all kinds of havoc on our plans and their response was a bright spot in the middle of all that. If only American Airlines was this helpful.... read more

Toni was an incredible and raunchy tour guide. I learned so much! And we had so much fun. I will simply say, it was magnificent!

Had a great evening on the dark philly tour with Toni! To end the tour she finished with "if you didn't like the tour, fuck you!" To which I agree! She's great! read more

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We did the Adult night tour with Joe. He was great guide who kept us edutained with the lesser talked about activities of our Founding Fathers and Mothers, with some nice ghost stories sprinkled in for added flavor. We did the tour mid-October on a weeknight, so the group wasn't too large, which was perfect. It's a nighttime tour, so dress appropriately. And ask lots of questions, you get a nearly custom tour that way. read more

I love taking tours and this tour with Toni was truly a delight. we learned great history and fun stories along the way. Well worth it!!!

Fun tour, very informative and interesting. There a couple things about the first governor of PA I won't forget soon. Definitely not for kids. read more

Hilarious! We just did the tour with Madame Toni and we laughed the whole time. It really is an adult tour that weaves the historically significant events that shaped the nation with the scandals, gore and tawdry tales that make for the next binge-worthy cable television series. We've done a few Philly ghost tours in the past and hands down I would say skip the others and sign up for this one. read more

Madame Toni was delightfully quirky and mixed humor and history! My husband didn't want to go originally and said numerous times during the tour that he thought she was funny. Win-win! read more

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Toni was amazing. lots of fun seeing a different side of history. Definitely recommend

My wife gifted me with a trip to Philadelphia. We knew we were arriving later in the day and decided to kick off our weekend with an evening tour. Having been on walking tours before, I have to admit, I was so-so on the idea, but I figured "Why not!" I am so glad we took this tour. It was, informative and VERY entertaining. The evening timeslot made for a cool July evening minus the daytime crowds. Our guide, Britnee, was very knowledgeable, witty, personable and high-energy. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and by the end of the tour strangers were engaging in conversation with one another. As for the content, it touched on traditional history with a mix of the darker side of our Founding Fathers and time in which they lived. Prostitutes, grave robbers, pirates and adulterers were not covered in any of my high school or college history courses. If you pine for the "good old days" think again! Grim Philly will help you appreciate the time we live in, despite all the opportunities we have to reach the higher ideals our Founding Fathers envisioned. I highly recommend this experience. read more

Toni was a great tour guide, providing a bit of history and humor at the same time. Great tour to hear about the city's sordid past while simultaneously avoiding the heat and crowds that you'll face in the day time read more

Grim Philly Twilight Tours - Logo of the business - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ted's the man and totally accepted me laughing inappropriately at people who died in weird ways! Getting pushed off a ladder is funny! Absolutely worth the trip even if we got caught in an unexpected downpour. read more

Grim Philly Twilight Tours - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Everything about the tour was so much fun! Britnee was our tour guide and she was so knowledgeable, had the funniest sense of humor/jokes, and answered anybody's question on the spot as long as she knew the answer to it. The tour exceeded my expectations and I feel I learned so much about Philly that not many people actually know. It's truly a one of a kind tour read more

Lance was a very fun and informative guide, lots of interesting facts about the seedier parts of Philadelphia's history and a good overview of the historical spots in old town. I'd recommend doing the tour after dark, I did the 5pm slot and it would be spookier at night. I'll definitely have to visit some of the spots again when I come back. Thanks for the helpful recommendations and letting me learn about this city! read more

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We had Lance for the Ghosts and Vampires tour Friday, then Terry for the Serial Killer you on Saturday. So glad we did both as one compliments the other and you get an incredibly thorough history of the grim side of Philadelphia. The night tour was about 2 hours while the Serial Killer tour ran nearer to 3.5 hours and I would say both were well worth it. The guides were both fun to listen to, incredibly well versed in the subject matter and entertaining. Highly recommend. read more

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First time visiting Philadelphia and let me just start with "I almost did not show up" to the tour. Reading the reviews left me curious so Uber it was and arrived on time to see Sarah waiting to start our R-rated Vampire & Ghost tour. Worth every minute and I cannot even begin to tell you how cold it was but our guide was determined to show us a great time while wearing her ridiculous but warm gloves (sarah you're awesome). Not only will you learn but you'll enjoy the history that Philadelphia has to offer when it comes to it's respected (sarcasm) past. Don't think twice like I did, because I still cannot forget what I learned thanks to Sarah! read more

Grim Philly Twilight Tours - Historical Tours Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Someone recommended this tour to me when I asked what the best way to see all the sites in the old town is. I was not disappointed. Despite going on the daytime Revolution and Founding Fathers tour on the hottest spring day this year, the Grim Philly crew were cognizant of the difficulty from the beginning and made sure we stopped in the shade before sharing the history of each site. Our guide was knowledgeable and made the tour enjoyable for all ages by making sure to interact with everyone. I even saw our guide fend off a pack of insistent petitioners to ensure our tour continued undisturbed. These experienced guides are the best at what they do and I recommend this tour wholeheartedly. read more

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OMG! It is a MUST to do. It changes your experience of the city. Madame Toni made the tour super super super fun! I had a blast and laughed and enjoyed the history. DO IT! read more

Madame Toni is amazing! I loved her story telling as well as her charisma for sharing history.

I went on "Dark Philly Adult Night Tour" with Ted. This is a tour where history meets the salacious side of the City of Brotherly Love! This isn't your grandmother's walking tour; more of a romp through Philadelphia's R-rated past that will leave you blushing & laughing in equal measure. Ted, our guide and a professional history teacher with a flair for the dramatic, led us through dimly lit streets to uncover the city's more lurid &. spectral tales. Ted's storytelling was peppered with just the right amount of profanity and irreverence, making for an adult-only experience that was both enlightening and entertaining. His depth of knowledge was impressive, and as a fellow history teacher, I can vouch for the accuracy of his anecdotes - every juicy detail checked out. From ghostly apparitions to the scandalous exploits of a couple of Founding Fathers, this tour revealed a side of Philadelphia you won't find in textbooks. The nocturnal setting added an eerie ambiance, with historical landmarks glowing under the night sky and blissfully free of daytime crowds. Dark Philly is a nice blend of history, humor, and hedonism. Whether you're a history buff or looking for a unique way to spend an evening, this tour is a must. Bravo to Ted and the team for making history so tantalizingly fun! read more

We had a great time with Madame Toni. She is a real kick in the pants. Lots of fun! Goofy, dirty, spooky good times. Would recommend, even on a chilly December night. read more

In town for the weekend and absolutely loved our tour with Madame Tony! Hilarious! We had a blast and would highly recommend.

I was visiting Philly and signed up for a bunch of walking tours of the city. Grim tours was by far the best! Their guides have passion and energy for the topics they are talking about. Whats also cool is they are telling the true and interesting stories of the city. I learned sooo much on each tour. Also their podcast is a great way to get a taste of their passion for interesting history. I'm a big history fan and these guys do an amazing job on their podcast and tours. read more

My first walking tour, Madame Toni is super knowledgeable and a great entertainer. She what she does and it show!

Toni was our guide in early April and she was so funny and engaging. I would have liked more history, e.g. what are all the very old buildings we were passing, but my 17yo loved it. She used Toni's stories (particularly Washington's dickish behavior toward his female slave, Oney) as anecdotal evidence on the AP US History test a few weeks later; she got a 5! Are these events connected? I don't know, probably -- but Toni gave us Milk Duds and also a special little gift. Overall it was fun and education to wander Philly on a foggy night! read more

Great tour! Very funny educational and engaging! We saw all the historic sites, as well as an amazing tour guide!