You’ve Got Questions - We’ve Got Answers

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

PRICES:

Bus tours are $49 per person unless otherwise noted. Walking tours are $20 per person, Pub Crawls are $25 per person, other tours vary by type.

Mailing address:

Chaos Haunted & Historical Tours, PO Box 1553, Portage, IN 46368

What is you physical location or storefront?

We do not have an office or a physical storefront at this time.

When do you run your tours?

Tours run generally September, October and a few in early November. We sometimes open up a few tours in the spring and summer depending on interest. Private tours are available. Please contact us if interested in a private tour.

What are the Ages?

Bus tours- 10 and over are fine.

Walking tours- All ages

Pub Crawls- 21 and over

Ghost Hunting tours- Suggested 12 and over

Are walking tours outside?

Yes, walking tours are conducted outside. Be prepared for the weather.

What are the Pub Crawl Details?

These are Haunted walking tours with and twist. We go inside bars, most of which are haunted and we tell you the ghost stories of these locations and everything in between while maintaining a lively tour.

Are Drinks included?

Drinks are NOT included in teh cost of your ticket.

Poor behavior is not tolerated on our tours. If you become rude or obnoxious you will be asked to leave. No refunds. This is our call.

We visit 4-5 locations and these are up to the tour guide per tour and may change frequently.

Are you handicapped accessible?

Unfortunately the buses are not. Contact us for private group tours for an alternative.

Walking tours usually are depending on the city.

Pub Crawls may not fully be accessible but depends on the tour route.

Midnight tours/ghost hunting tours - The Locations have many stairs that are not accessible.

Can you bring alcohol on the bus?

No. Other snacks/refreshments are FINE so long as they fit under or on your seat. No large coolers.

Do you mail tickets?

We do not mail out tickets. We use a checklist system to check in paid customers. You can show us your receipt or tickets from your phone. If you don't use a cell phone keep a printed copy of your receipt handy just in case.

How do I reserve tickets?

Reservations are required to hold a seat. Payment by Eventbrite/Credit Card/Check/Cash/Paypal/Money orders are accepted. NO Tickets will be mailed unless otherwise stated or discussed by email or telephone. We do not mail tickets. Look for an email confirmation on payment. Make checks payable to: Chaos Tours.

What is your refund policy?

No refunds are given for any reason. Bus tours especially as we try to book every seat available. We understand that things happen but we can't offer refunds on last minute cancellations, if you get in an accident, if you aren't feeling well, etc.

Does Chaos Tours cancel tours because of weather?

Tours will proceed regardless of the weather conditions. We do not cancel bus tours because of rain or thunderstorms. If there's a severe weather conditions which could threaten our safety (Tornadoes, high winds, blizzards) we may cancel. If we need to cancel a tour, we will send out an email to all customers and issue a refund. No refunds will be given for any other reason regardless of rain or thunderstorms.

We will only cancel walking tours if the weather is really bad (since this is all outside). Pub Crawls will be going inside of Bars and can do the stories inside so these will most likely continue.

If in doubt watch the website the day of the tour for an update if extreme weather is threatening. Make sure that you use the right email address when you purchase your tickets so you can get email updates on the tours.

Do you do Private tours?

Group tours and private corporate charters are available by pre-arrangement.

Private groups can now start at as little as 10 people for our standard tour price!

Rates: Van Tours of 10 - 14 people , please contact us.

More than 14 people? Bus tours for 25 people or more are $50 per person with a higher per person rate for smaller groups.

60- 90 minute Walking tours are also available at a discounted rate.

Tour packages can be designed around your wants. Special themed tours (gangsters, ghost hitch-hikers, holiday, grade school, people interested in the paranormal field, etc) can be done. We can also do haunted bar crawls or tours that stop at haunted restaurants. Coach buses can be arranged for a higher price.

What is your behavior policy?

We expect everyone taking our tours to respect these locations and exhibit proper behavior. Anyone found damaging property, bringing drugs, alcohol or being loud, obnoxious, or rude to the other tour patrons or the guides, will be removed from the tour with NO REFUND. IF we remove you from our tour, you will be left somewhere along our route (our choice as to where).

If you show up drunk (staggering around and obviously in danger of hurting yourself or others) to a midnight tour, this is disrespectful to the other patrons and you will be asked to leave with no refund given.

Some tour goers are very loud and noisy, especially pub crawls. Although we often use an amplifier, guests in the back of the bus may have a hard time hearing us. I suggest that if you are very interested in the stories and not a loud reveler, try to sit closer to the front of the bus. If you are noisy and like to talk, please sit closer to the back!

If there are children on our normal tours that are "acting up", please remember that if you cannot keep them under control, you can be removed from these tours. Or you may want to take them to the back of the bus. It doesn't happen often, but this is disruptive to our other patrons. Often near Halloween buses are full.

If we DO have loud disruptive guests and you are concerned, please talk privately with your guide and give us a chance to work it out with the other guests. Often we only need to have a little chat with someone and things will clear up.

Do you have a disclaimer?

You will be required to fill out a liability waiver.

What are some details about the bus tours?

Cameras and video are permitted for personal use only.

No videoing the tour guide EVER during their stories. You will be removed from the tour, no questions asked and no refund given.

Bus tours are usually around 4 hours long.

There is a bathroom/refreshment break halfway through the tour. (Refreshments are not provided)

All bus tours leave promptly at 7 PM except as otherwise noted.

Please arrive at the start location a few minutes early to get checked in.

Although you are allowed to carry beverages onto the bus, alcoholic beverages are NOT PERMITTED.

The tours will happen, rain or shine. If the weather is bad most of what we do will be on the bus or indoors. Dress appropriately.

Please safeguard all belongings. We are not responsible for any lost, stolen, damaged items or items left behind. If you leave something behind at one of our stops, we cannot turn the bus around to go back for it.

Where does your tour leave from?

For Lake County & South Lake County - the East side of the Old Courthouse on the Square in downtown Crown Point.

For Porter County in front of the Old Jail Museum (next to the courthouse) in Valparaiso.

Dark Shores leaves from the Dunes visitors center on Hwy 49, just north of I-94

Valparaiso Pub Crawl - The Franklin house, 68 South Campbell Street, Valparaiso

Crown Point Pub Crawl - The Halls of Justice

Valparaiso Walking Tours- In front of the Courthouse in Valparaiso.

Crown Point Walking Tours - the East side of the Old Courthouse on the Square in downtown Crown Point.

The Legends of the Kankakee - Next to Von Tobels parking lot in Valparaiso

Lowell walking tours (2023) - The Chamber of Commerce in Lowell

Do I need to pay in advance?

Yes. I strongly suggest you purchase seating in advance. Occasionally we have left over seats but you take a chance showing up on the day of the tour without reservations. We will see if there is room if you want to try coming on the day of the tour. With Walking Tours, we will very likely take walk ons.

I'm running late? Will the tour wait for me?

We must start at the appointed time. In Lake County we are in front of the courthouse for about 15 minutes before moving on to the next spot. In Porter County we will be near the Old Jail Museum for at least 10-15 minutes during the start of the tour. The tour will start at 7 PM regardless of late-comers. The Dark Shores tour leaves promptly at 7 PM! Please allow plenty of time to arrive at these locations, especially the Dark Shores tour. The Pub Crawl will start at 7 PM in the bar we start at but we will be there a good 15-20 minutes at least.

Is there parking nearby?

Yes, there is lots of free parking within a 1-2 block radius of Lake, Porter and La Porte County locations. The Dark Shores tour meets in the visitors center parking lot.

What do I need to bring?

Dress for the weather. Feel free to bring a camera and flashlight. If you have your own ghost hunting gear, thats cool too.

Do we go inside buildings during the tour?

Lake County - The Little Red Schoolhouse. (Some tours go into the Old Jail instead of the schoolhouse)

Porter County - Val's Pizza of Chesterton

Dark Shores - Not at this time, but we do visit the Lakeshore! Sometimes Val's Pizza too.

Legends - Casey's Gas Station only

Walking tour - No. We do not go inside buildings for walking tours (except pub crawls of course where we go into the haunted pubs).

Do we get to get off the bus at haunted places?

YES! One of the great many cool things about this tour is you get to get off the bus at some of the haunted locations.

Will I see a ghost?

Although we cannot guarantee that you will see a ghost, many people along the tour get great pictures, feel something touch them, cold spots and even on occasion, guests will see something that they can't explain! Recently we've even had guests capture EVP on our tours too! People have actually witnessed physical manifestations of ghosts and other sorts or paranormal activity on our tours but there is no guarantee. The one of the best happened on a very cold, windy and rainy night in October in a dark cemetery along our route. Who says a rainy night is a bad time to see a ghost?!

Will I be scared?

Although some of our guests may find the stories frightening, there are no "set-up" or "staged" events. No one will jump out at you to try and scare you like a haunted house. Some guests become too "scared" to get off the bus. That being said, all bets are off if you actually SEE a ghost. To some people that might be a little frightening, to others its rather exciting. The story above sent the startled guest running for the bus!

Long questions:

I would like to attend your 4 hr. bus tour, but I am unclear if we need to have a group minimum ourselves (which we don't) or if your company schedules the tour and we simply join a group of people. Please advise because your web site is doesn't really explain this.

Response:

The scheduled bus tours (all the tours listed on the calendar) are all public tours. You don't have to have a group of people. Any number of people is OK. You can have 1 person or as many as 42. We ALSO book private tours though and I strongly advise trying a private group tour off-season.

CHAOS HAUNTED & HISTORICAL TOURS

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