The Waverly Hills Sanatorium

Tourist attraction · Kenwood

The Waverly Hills Sanatorium

Tourist attraction · Kenwood

2

4400 Paralee Dr, Louisville, KY 40272

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The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by Aaron on Flickr (Creative Commons)
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by Kris Arnold on Wikipedia (Public Domain)
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by sugarbomb (Atlas Obscura User)
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by sugarbomb (Atlas Obscura User)
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by sugarbomb (Atlas Obscura User)
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by Aaron on Flickr (Creative Commons)
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium by null

Highlights

Ghost tours, historical tales & haunted house events abound  

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4400 Paralee Dr, Louisville, KY 40272 Get directions

therealwaverlyhills.com

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4400 Paralee Dr, Louisville, KY 40272 Get directions

+1 502 690 7880
therealwaverlyhills.com
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Aug 21, 2025

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This Pennsylvania Relic Was Named the Most Popular Abandoned Building in the World — How to Visit

"Waverly Hills Sanatorium in the U.S. is a popular abandoned destination." - Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeare

https://www.travelandleisure.com/eastern-state-penitentiary-pennsylvania-most-popular-abandoned-building-on-earth-8748045
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@atlasobscura

The United States of Abandoned Places

"Nestled on the top of a placid hill, the old Waverly Hills Sanatorium once tried to heal tuberculosis with peace and good vibes. Today, it stands today as a monument in the fight against the dreaded disease. The sanatorium was established in the early 20th century to help deal with an outbreak of the then-incurable disease tuberculosis. With little knowledge of how to fight the illness, the creators of Waverly Hills based their treatment on quarantine, fresh air, and a positive attitude. They had noticed that some improvement began to present itself in those who spent a restful retreat in the mountains. To this effect the original facility consisted of two open-air pavilions which housed 40 victims of the disease. As the outbreak spread, the facility needed to be expanded and, in 1912, the larger building was built and patients from a number of surrounding hospitals were transferred to the facility. A children’s pavilion was also built to house not only young victims of the disease, but also children whose parents were too ill to care for them. A tunnel connecting to the base of the hill was also built so that workers and supplies could be ferried to the facility at the top of the hill. In 1926, the massive building seen today opened its doors to accommodate another 450 beds. Patients in every condition were accepted including those in early stages to those in the final stages.   Even with many new procedures available, it was impossible to save everyone. As the state of the patients worsened, people began to die in the facility on an almost-daily basis. The number of shrouded bodies being taken away from the building began to have a dramatic effect on the morale of the victims, which was hugely problematic since this was the cornerstone of treatment. The administrators began taking the bodies through the hidden tunnel to hide the morbid evidence from the other tenants, earning the tunnel the nickname “the body chute.” Luckily this misery came to an end in the 1940s when a tuberculosis drug was introduced that drastically lowered the need for such a large facility. In 1961, the hospital finally closed its doors.  In 1962 the hospital was purchased by the state and used as a nursing home. Later it was leased to a private nursing firm and the name was changed to Woodhaven Geriatric Center. This company operated the nursing home facility until 1982 when it was closed by the state for violations and the mistreatment of patients. The empty building was purchased by a number of buyers in the following years, but nothing ever saw fruition. The current owners of the Waverly Hills Sanatorium use the derelict space as a “haunted attraction,” staging horror houses in the fall and running ghost tours the rest of the year. No matter the good vibes the site espoused, it still ended up as place to scare people. The building is host to ghost hunters from all over the globe." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/united-states-of-abandoned-places
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T L

Google
This has been on my bucket list for some time now. It is well worth the trip and ticket price. The guided tour is informative and appropriate for mature kids (my 9 and 10 year old did fine). It's humbling to walk the same halls TB patients walked 100 years ago. I'm so glad the private owners bought the hospital. This is a treasure and historic sight that deserves to be maintained. The patients and the doctors/nurses who did all they could to cure tuberculosis deserve to have their legacy live on.

Jana Graham

Google
This experience was AMAZING! A group of us visited for the Paranormal tour, and we loved every second. Our tour guides Jacob & Stephanie were so helpful and knowledgeable of the rich history of this beautifully tragic place, and thank you for taking the time after our tour to speak with us! We sure appreciate your kindness! If you haven’t been... GO!

MJ and the Google Maps

Google
Very C👀L place to check out. I will be honest and was hoping to “experience” some kind of paranormal experience while here, but never did. Maybe it was the time or day we visited but I’m glad I came and saw it firsthand. Our tour guide was funny, educated and well prepared with facts & stories about the building itself and its history. On a side note: there were VERY dark areas that we couldn’t use flashlights in and VERY warm almost muggy parts that got almost unbearable while stopping in to listen to the one of many stories. I would have liked to be able to roam freely between floors and rooms more but the tour we signed up for didn’t really allow it but only in some areas. Also the building was as delaipated as I had hoped it to be more in its “original” state but understood why it wasn’t. Still a cool place d to check out. I would suggest maybe doing an overnight tour if you want more of a creepy experience without the limitations that the earlier one has. But I’m glad I went and enjoyed the large gift shop at the end to bring home a souvenir of our trip!

Greg

Google
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium experience and tour was exceptional! We participated in the 8-10pm tour on a hot Saturday June night. Crystil was our guide and she was fantastic, very knowledgeable of the property and included a lot of her own experiences she has had while working there. I even stared down my first shadow person peeking around a doorframe, a totally thrilling and adrenaline pumping experience! I wish I caught it on camera. Google Maps has you turning into a community to reach the property, but that is Gate A. Drive down a few hundred more feet on East Pages Lane to another entrance which is by the golf course (Perlee Dr). That will bring you to Gate B, which is the main entrance. Even if you don't do the whole ghost thing, it's still an amazing building with lots of history.

Jessica Kubarek

Google
My friends and I traveled from New Hampshire for a girls trip and the paranormal tour was top of our list. Jacob and Anthony were our guides and were so awesome. Jacob was wicked great at connecting with the group as well as the spirits. He was kind and respectful to the paranormal, which ain’t something you see very often. Jacob had a lot of really intriguing knowledge of the sanatorium and the tour was amazing. We did have some paranormal activity and even caught an apparition on one of our pictures! 10/10 would recommend the paranormal tour! Thank you to Jacob and Anthony for a night of history and the paranormal!

liljager liljager

Google
I've been twice now for the haunted house with the VIP tour. Once with my dad in 2016 and then again in 2024 with my wife. My 2016 visit was absolutely amazing. We got to explore different floors and walked around by ourselves and learned about the sanatorium and all the stories and all the tour guides we're so nice. The 2024 visit unfortunately wasn't as good and I was a little disappointed. The tour was completely different and the only thing we got to do was stand in one place in the hallways and listen to the tour guides on different floors. We didn't get to actually walk around by ourselves and go into the rooms to look around like I did on my first visit. Though we did get to walk down a dark hallway by ourselves but we weren't allowed to go into any rooms. The haunted house both times were amazing and I had a blast going through it both times. The video projection stuff you get to watch outside on the building before actually going in is freaking awesome. Overall I really enjoyed both visits and my wife and I plan on going back for an actual tour. I'm hoping to convince her to do an overnight one since we will have to travel for a few hours to get there. Might as well make the most of it while we're there

Tara Ellis

Google
Went this weekend for the 10pm ghost tour. It was spooky. This is not a complaint, just a personal preference, I would have rather gone to the 8pm tour instead so there was more light for pictures, it is like an eternal darkness that encompasses you in the building even with the windows and city lights. They don't let you use flashlights and it was hard to see where you are walking, the tour guides made sure that we were safe the entire time. I wish we could have used a flashlight while we were at least walking. The guides did a very good job at giving bits of history with the paranormal stories, they did a fabulous job. We had fun and their merch is a good selection and prices. The owners are renovating and it looks amazing, you can tell they love the building and the maintenance of its history. The AC in the waiting room and first floor were a nice break from the Kentucky heat. Thank you guys for all your hard work! Your staff and actions show the pride of everyone working there. I did get one picture, there was no one this height in our group. I believe it's a little kid ghost on the 5th floor by room 502.

April Luna

Google
We did a 2 hour paranormal tour with our teenagers. We definitely enjoyed it. Had a couple obnoxious guys on our tour, it would have been better if they followed the rules of no lights or flashes (or if it was enforced more). But I would recommend it to others. It's hard to find the entrance due to GPS, give yourself time to get lost trying to get there. Your tour guide will tell you about the history but highly recommend watching a documentary before going. Our tour guide was Jason, he was fun. I would be interested in a longer tour next time.
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Matt B.

Yelp
We bought the RIP passes and I'm worried standing in line because this lady in front of us brought three kids with her, a boy still in single digits age-wise and 2 girls who are maybe 10 or 11. I don't care other than I hope that doesn't leases our experience because these kids are scared out of their minds or the actors take it easier on us due to the young children in front of us. So after going through, the history and tour was far better than the haunted house. It was worth the money and I'm glad we went but if you're looking for a truly scary haunted house I would go somewhere else.
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Ashley K.

Yelp
Took the two hour paranormal tour at sunset with Kristal at Waverly Hills, and quite honestly I cannot wait to come back! A mix of information, history, what is known from records and legitimate research while also mixing in ghost stories, legend, and guest experiences, Kristal was incredibly informative and also funny. The tour was fantastic, and definitely recommend it if you're into ghostie fun.
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Jillian R.

Yelp
Such a cool place! I went early on a Friday evening and cannot say enough good things about this place! The tour guide was fabulous and really did a good job of talking about the history and the residents. Worth a visit for sure! It is hard to find. When you see the golf course sign that's where you turn down. Then it's a long windy road up to the entrance. It's not marked and very hard to find.
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Jeremy C.

Yelp
What a cool experience!! Been wanting to go here for the longest time and I finally visited for their mini tour and haunted house combo. From the very moment i walked in, everything felt VERY strange. I had felt pretty lightheaded while waiting in line for the tour to start... then immediately felt nauseous in a vertigo way when walking into the main atrium / sunroom at the start of the tour. Nauseous to the point of continuously having to look down at the floor to regain my composure. Mom also heard what sounded like an instrument cart rattling while we were in the OR/surgery room part of the tour. I had also caught this weird shadow figure in one of my pictures outside... perhaps the dog of the homeless man who died in the elevator shaft here many years ago? I was partly a believer before coming here, but there's no doubt I'm a total believer now. Would LOVE to come back and do an overnight investigation here
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Jane R.

Yelp
So I went to the Haunted House section and it was okay. I tend to be a little more jumpy but it wasn't as bad as I would've thought. I am interested in touring the place and getting the whole overview of the history. Definitely worth checking out and perfect for Halloween/ spooky season!

Jessica C.

Yelp
had a wonderful time touring the hospital with Crystil (with an I). she was informative, well spoken and took the time to answer any and all questions our group had. my bestie and I had been several times before and still managed to learn new facts and get an all around new experience. the best part was sharing this moment with our kids (practically adults now). I'd highly recommend anyone with a sense of adventure, a love for the eerie, or just a love of history to book a tour and if she's available ask for Crystil.
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Kerry K.

Yelp
Came to town specifically for this tour. We did the 2 hour guided tour that started at 9pm. Our tour guide Rebecca was awesome! She told us about the history of the grounds & the buildings. She even talked about her own paranormal investigations she has been part of as well as ones she has been told about. She was all about debunking things as well and didn't hype up anything. I did have an experience where I went down the hallway on the 4th floor and I heard what sounded like a low growl coming from a dark room. It was so creepy! Worth the $$ and the trip! I can't wait to go through all the pictures
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Allen C.

Yelp
I've never been there for any sort of halloween experience or tour, but I did eat my first bowl of cream of mushroom soup on the roof one night and ended up having to make it to the ground floor with no flashlight by myself. Of all the nights I spent there that was the only time it seemed haunted. I also saw Gwar and Lamb of God and many more there. Great show, also not haunted.

P M.

Yelp
I would rate my experience as a 3.5 if I could. Recently took my second nighttime tour of the sanatorium. It was fun but the experience was not nearly as spooky as was my first tour approximately 5 years ago. There used to be a large collection of artifacts recovered from the building and surrounding property on display in the initial staging area everyone gathers at upon arrival. Those have apparently now been moved somewhere into the building. Which is a shame. They really set the scene for what you are about to experience. I recommend that they be moved back. Also, I think nighttime visitors should be permitted to once again bring flashlights. I believe they actually make the experience scarier with all of the shadows they cast. During my recent tour, there was simply too much I could not see because of the near complete darkness. Being able to peer into some the rooms and hallways being passed using a flashlight would have been more fun. Finally, please do not make the tours so structured. Permit guests to spend some time on their own wandering and exploring a little bit in designated areas.
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Daniel P.

Yelp
With the hysteria surrounding SARS CoV-2 on the wane touristing is an option again so I got a ticket and went inside! yea for inside! it was a bright, warm Sunday afternoon when I got to experience the story of Waverly Hills. Despite being advertised as a historical tour some mildly annoying holdovers from last night's spooky tour were pushing for more of the same, and, while I was hoping to avoid it entirely it is still pretty easy to ignore the drivel. Close to 70 people showed up for this go so we got split into 2 groups and went our separate ways meeting up at the fourth floor for true-life stories about how historical events gets twisted up in the retelling and turn into spooky stuff - it's a bit like CNN but not as creepy. our guide seemed un-interested in the actual history of the sanatorium but was keen on relating the less savory bits of life and death on the grounds; the various and misguided procedures that were performed and curious treatments administered in the name of science. shocking things by modern standards, but not implausible since the disease and treatments were not well understood. people were ignorant of so much and they were afraid of what was happening and they wanted so badly for it to stop that the unthinkable started to sound less and less unreasonable p as the people in authority gave assurance it could help! but it didn't, much, really, at all... All in all it was a good tour. kinda cool seeing the building and features up close. more facts and figures would have been nice beside the speed of construction, the built-in headphone jacks, (everywhere), mortality rate, facilities, treatments and rooms, ect... but I suppose all that can be looked up online with a little effort. satisfying people's silent morbid curiosity truly needs to be done in person, so they do it like that. in closing: during your visit you begin to get a sense of the huge costs associated with infectious disease. more than mere money, the toll on people's lives and livelihoods is overwhelming. new plague, old plague, it's all the same: mental illness, leprosy, consumption, the CoVidiocy, whatever... at the end of the day more than our health has been compromised and the normalcy we return to won't be the one we left.
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Whitney B.

Yelp
I went on a 2 hour historical tour and I truly enjoyed it. I always wanted to go since I've seen it on The Most Haunted Places series growing up. It wasn't as scary as I imagined but I guess that's a good thing. If we weren't on the group tour and it was like 2-4 people it would be very creepy. A must if you are into Dark places. The experience was totally worth it. Our tour guide was great.
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Amanda D.

Yelp
I normally try to do several haunted houses between September and October. With Covid, that went out the window. Enter Waverly. I came across a Facebook post where they were going to be doing Halloween tours. The website didn't really give details but I missed going to my haunted houses so I roped in a friend and we bought tickets. The ticket price was a bit steep at $43 per person. We showed up around 10:45pm for the 11:30pm time frame. They were grouping people together in groups of 30 - which didn't really seem to fit the social distancing guidelines they kept bringing up. We kind of stayed in the front so we were at least able to distance a bit. All guests had to wear a face mask as well. The tour turned out to be part history/part haunted house. Now I love Waverly and the history. I've done several tours over the past 20 years and have seen things that I still can't quite explain. I could have done without some of the haunted house. The first couple floors, it was fun and entertaining. But the guy on the 3rd floor just didn't know when to stop. It didn't help that the guide on the floor telling the history was a bit soft spoken. Between his laughs and jokes and her soft spoken manner, I couldn't tell you what the story on the 3rd floor was. Overall, it was a fun thing to do on Halloween. It definitely wasn't worth the $43 price tag. Most of the guides did a great job. I'm already looking at possibly making reservations for a tour in the future, depending on the price.
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Sunny P.

Yelp
My friends and I decided to try the Paranormal Tour at the Waverly Hills Sanatorium last week. The entrance was a little hard to find, but once you reached the gate there were many friendly staff there to help guide you to where you needed to go. The building itself is gorgeous even if it is really run down and supposedly haunted. The tour guides were clearly very knowledgeable about the history of the building and were very respectful of the history. They also kept it fun and upbeat even if the stories were a bit sad. The tour lasted two hours and was well worth the money. They showed us all 5 floors of the building and even took us into the basement. At the end of the tour there was a gift shop where you could buy shirts, books, and other souvenirs from your visit. Overall, this was a great way to spend a Friday night with friends and would recommend for anyone looking for a spooky outing!
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Michael G.

Yelp
We did the over night investigation and had the docent Jason. Jason, the one that put the lotion on the skin (inside joke) was very knowledgeable and very helpful. He was welling to help in anything we needed. Thank you Jason. The building was very active and if you get a chance, the building does not disappoint.
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Johannah C.

Yelp
Such a cool and tragic place. The tour was really great and informative about the sanatorium and surrounding area. Make your reservation online and go!

Tracey H.

Yelp
Too crowded, all talk and little to see. Just watch a video and save your money.All your time is spent listening to some host spout dumb stories and waiting for your group to catch up. They over sold tickets on our tour and it was miserable.

Kyle M.

Yelp
My family and I did the 9pm tour and the building and property were beautiful. The tour guide was great and very knowledgeable and the history was very interesting. We walked the 2nd-5th floors in the dark, and the energy was definitely floor dependent based on the history. Personally, we did not have any interactions or incidents of the paranormal, but the energy was definitely spooky. Now for the critiques, personally, I think the groups are too large for interactions to take place. There is too much talking and people moving around to really notice anything out of the ordinary. For example, just trying to get a group of 15 people to stand still and shut up for 2 mins in the body chute to listen in silence was too much to ask. With all that said, manage your expectations. This isn't a gimmick tour or something where people jump out at you to scare you, this is completely natural. You might not see anything, and that's okay, it's still worth the time. Don't get on here and review it poorly because you didn't get an interaction. I would definitely consider doing the overnight tour someday!!!
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Shelley S.

Yelp
We came here on Friday night, the air wasn't too bad. We waited about 15 minutes. The cost is $20 for a carload. We packed my grandma's van full of people. It was a beautiful show and a great value for 7 people. I love just miles from here and didn't realize this activity was here! They had characters dressed up, elf, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. This show turns a spooky place into a winter wonderland.
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Casey M.

Yelp
We had a good time here. I liked the tour for all the historical context, anecdotes, personal volunteer stories shared, and the interesting tidbits about the architecture of the building inside being really in tune with the residents who tried to beat TB there. I'd definitely consider coming again for the six hour stay. I will say the gift shop was kind of lacking, it was mostly clothes.
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Lauren O.

Yelp
Cool historic building with lots of intrigue? Yes. Haunted? Probably not. We went on the two hour paranormal tour. It was super neat. The staff was very friendly and parking was easy. They had a very nice renovated bathroom. There was a vending machine and a gift shop although the gift shop is mostly clothes. The tour itself was awesome. The building is super old and cool and the history of it being a tb hospital is super fun to learn about! But then came the extremely heavy handed "ghosts are real" stories. I'm totally open to the possibility of ghosts but she was laying it on thick. all of her "ghost" stories has super plausible explanations to why they were happening. She told this story about how her ball kept getting moved around and she couldn't find it and when she went looking for it she was asking hey where is my ball and heard a voice say "where do you think it is". Yeah, okay. Except you had said it was a night it was open for people to walk around and explore on their own. If your ball disappeared someone took it. If you heard a voice it's likely someone said it. At one point the guide even tried to convince me a shadow moved across in front of us and asked emphatically "omg did you see that". I like a spooky story as much as the next guy but she was just soooooooo heavy handed with it that it made it almost unenjoyable.
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Jimmy K.

Yelp
By far one of the coolest/creepiest places I have been to. I'm not a huge fan of ghost story stuff, but this place was cool. The night tour is a really cool feature. Things happened on the tour that I cannot explain. It was creepy and fascinating all at the same time.
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Anthony L.

Yelp
Really cool experience. Check in was quick. The guides were great and the experience was really cool. Great history. I definitely experienced some weird feelings on 4th floor and I'm not the one whom believes this stuff , my wife does.

louisville l.

Yelp
Incredible experience for the whole family. Lots of negative evil energy. Should make a hotel out of it.
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Kelly B.

Yelp
Loved this! This was super interesting and I highly recommend this. However, be aware of who maybe in your tour with you. We had several in our group that talked loudly the whole time and really took away from the experience. Gift shop had odd sizes for all its clothes so we bought a hat instead.
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Steve O.

Yelp
My wife and I had an investigation here with two of our friends, Mike and Camie, and it was amazing. Our docent Jason "the nice one" not Jason 1, was an awesome guide and great help during our time here. Jason was so accommodating and warm to us making sure we didn't need anything and was there when we need help finding the body chute and the morgue. He was willing to participate and guide. We had awesome experiences and the renovations are coming along wonderfully and glad would participate in the funding. Thank Jason and Waverly for our wonderful time and accommodating us.
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Cheryl M.

Yelp
This is definite must for the paranormal adventurist. I will precursor by saying I'm a skeptic so I was entering the experience with zero pre-conceptions. Having said that, I'm sure I had valid experiences, as well as some serious "heebie-jeebies"! We joined our friends on the 6 hour overnighter, which I must admit, went by really fast! It was my first time and everyone else's 2nd or 3rd time, one of which had her "tools" with her! She knew what to do, and led us in some great seance type experiences, which helped me see some paranormal that I wouldn't have believed if conducted by our guide that led us through the walking tour for the first hour and a half or so. Honestly, he was the only downside. I appreciated the historical input, but the guy would go off on consistent tangents, poking fun at the input and questions of others, and speaking down to them, probably making them feel like menial pieces of crap. It made for a lot of awkward silence and and eye rolling at his almost diety-like, and somewhat misogynist persona. Even bashed some of the professional ghost hunters that have come to do TV shows there. I honestly couldn't wait for that part to end so we could get away from him, even though he thought he was the best thing that ever happened to Waverly Hills. The rest of our night was amazing! We experienced multiple episodes with the spirit box and more, that made me wonder, and one particular episode when my husband and I took a wrong turn and end up in a long hallway, completely freaked out and ready to run. Overall, it was a great experience, and I'm really glad I went. I'd like to do a private group overnighter one of these days! Just hope we can hand-pick our tour guide!
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Crissy R.

Yelp
There has always been an interest in coming to this place in the time I've lived here. Overall, highly disappointed. No haunted house this year, the offering was guided tours. Per the facility, it was in relation to COVID precautions. The mask wearing for the duration of the tour was the only precaution in measure. Herding you in groups of 30 felt more like rounding up cattle then it did anything else. The tour guides were semi-informative and I learned more about their personal lives than I did the history of Waverly. This guided tour turned out to be half haunted house. The actors throughout the floor were more in the way than out of sight. The least enjoyable floor was the third. The actor cackled so loudly I could barely hear the story of the homeless man and the dog. I won't be coming back anytime soon, but maybe when Covid precautions are lifted I'll give it another go around.
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Bob A.

Yelp
We went on the 10 pm tour. It was informative and interesting, and there was a lot of stories about paranormal investigations, paranormal activities during other tours, murder, debunking some of the stories on the internet, etc. Because it was a nighttime tour, they tell you it is going to be done in the dark (i.e., no flashlights, no cellphones, etc.); the blackout lasted maybe 5 minutes. We went "dark" several times during the tour as we tried to observe paranormal phenomena (to no avail), but there are string lights in the stairwells, exit lights on several floors, and the tour guide used the flashlight very liberally. We also were told no flash photography, but that restriction was also waived that a few times. You are directed to the gift shop / staging area when you first arrive. If you think you might want souvenirs, be prepared to carry them with you, because you won't have a chance to go back to the gift shop after the tour. The staging area is a bit like a lot of tourist traps you might see if you travel a bit. The August evening tour was warm, but not unbearable. And worth the price of admission if you're a believer or going to support someone who is a believer. For someone who just wants to get a look around and do the tour, I believe a daylight tour would be better because you would be able to see more even though it would be warmer... Getting there was probably the scariest (frustrating) part of the experience. I was driving, but didn't check the route or the website before leaving the house. One maps app was completely wrong, another dropped guidance after making the turn to the facility. Follow the road that looks like you shouldn't, it will take you there. It is also very dark so read the tickets or visit the web site before you go. Parking is directed on site and there are people at the facility to get you where you need to be.
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Julie O.

Yelp
Went for the tour last night. My 3rd time in numerous years. I love this place snd the history. My grandma and uncle were both patients there and my uncle actually met his now wife there- she was a nurse. It's a great place with a lot of history but I do feel all the renovations are kind of ruining it from a historical view. It's amazing how sturdy that building is and how the marble floors still look great. Nothing today can compare to our historical buildings
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Dianna B.

Yelp
This has been a bucket list item of mine for a very long time. I was able to achieve going here because I attended the Midwestern Haunter's Convention and this was one of our stops. Yes, they run a haunt, but it is a notoriously haunted (as in paranormal) location. *SQUEE* Arriving, the place is ominous, the history is sad and tragic, and you can feel it in the land. Once you're inside and a little of the history is given (if you don't already know it) you understand why. The building is undergoing renovation at the time and new windows have been put in! This is awesome. The quick tour we got was wonderful. One of our group had her K2 and EMF meters with her, so we were able to do some actual ghost hunting. We got hits in the 2nd floor solarium, at Rm 502 and of course at the body chute. I want to come back!! And I might get that chance soon!
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Mandie K.

Yelp
We did the 6 hour overnight tour. As with many experiences, there are pros and cons. I had done a 2 hour paranormal tour in July and wanted to learn a little bit more about the history. Compared to older reviews, it seems like they have taken feedback and tweaked the process. We didn't have any trouble finding this by GPS. You're immediately met by a staff member at the gate and given instructions on driving up the hill. You meet another staff member in the parking lot who tells you to look for another staff member who tells you exactly where to park. Once you're out of the car, you meet ANOTHER staff member that tells you how to get into the building. Then you talk with even more staff members on the way and once inside. I appreciate the guidance but it felt like way too much. You have access to a home base all night where you can leave food/drinks and use the restroom. We were split into 2 groups by choice. Group 1 was released to free roam right off the bat. Group 2 was taken on guided tour before free roaming. They estimated this tour would take 45 mins - 1 hour but took over 2 hours. We were actually okay with this because we enjoyed learning about the history. Although there are lots of caveats about how records don't exist. I do appreciate the honestly. The guides also try their best not to offend anyone. People need to keep in mind the era this hospital was built in. Unfortunately, women's rights were different at that time and staff are simply recounting the history as it occurred. The medial/mental health field has a dark history and staff are again, recounting the history. Staff put on sessions at certain times in certain rooms and offered that guests sit in (and use their own equipment as well). We attended these sessions and I appreciated the effort for the most part. They did seem hokey and exaggerated though. They placed two flashlights on each side of the room and the flashlights would turn off and on based on questions asked by the guides. They were clearly rigged/on a timer, etc. They also had a music box that would play continuously once it was set up. If the guide moved it, it wouldn't play at all until the guide moved it again (which it'd play continuously again). They had a spirit box that played random voices/sounds. Of course people picked out words they heard to make make sense of the questions asked. I felt a little sad about the building because windows have clearly been replaced and are current to this era. Additionally, they spray painted the walls for the Halloween haunt. Kind of sad to see a beautiful historical building ruined by spray painted skulls on the wall. You have to go through this to get through the body chute. Overall, we enjoyed the stay and freedom of choice to free roam or take a tour. There did seem to be some tension between certain guides that was a little awkward. But the guides are clearly passionate and knowledgeable about the building, paranormal experiences, and it's history.
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Teri W.

Yelp
Driving up the hill into the grounds was part of the experience for me!!! Tour was 100% worth it. There is so much history here, more than just The Body Chute! If you have an evening while visiting Louisville, spend that night here!!! Must have reservation!!

Cody L.

Yelp
Great staff that keep the area updated, educational tours where they answer any questions you may have, and a creepy ambiance that is sure to draw you in if you're into the creepy crawlies. Thank you waverly staff for keeping this place alive!
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Calliope F.

Yelp
Had a trip to Kentucky a few weeks back and now I'm catching up with reviews from the trip. The star of the road trip was, without a doubt, our night at Waverly. We were given a tour of the building before being able to go off on our own and really enjoyed the tour guide (Ernie). He was fun, knowledgeable, and was not far if we needed him through out the night. The building yielded many interesting experiences that are hard to explain. It did not disappoint. We will be back to Kentucky just for Waverly!
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Ken D.

Yelp
Waverly Hills has always been a perfect setting for their annual haunted house tours. I want to return for a visit to the actual building without all the effects, but the haunted house is always very well done. As others have pointed out the ride up the hill will take you two or more hours as they stay extraordinarily crowded and parking is limited. On our last trip, it took us 2:20 to get to the parking area from the time we pulled off of Dixie Highway. Once you do park, we have done the regular line and the VIP, but both lines will take you at least another hour. Once you get into the bleacher area, they provide entertainment which is very well done using a lot of digital media. Bleacher sections are called by zone to begin the tour. The tours are done very well and organized well. Once you get inside you, forget how many people are a part of your group, and it feels like you are part of a much smaller group. While they do an excellent job in organizing the large volume of people and getting your through once you are inside, they do stop you, and you have to wait for the group in front of you to exit each room versus just a continual walking tour. The tour ends in the gift shop, and they take pictures to commemorate your venture. Definitely worth the money and wait, go with friends and enjoy the adventure.
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Amy S.

Yelp
I am not the kind of person who goes to Haunted Houses at Halloween. I hate having "things" jump out at me and even when I watch scary movies I have to cover my face and only watch through my fingers. So I guess you could say I am an unlikely person to go on a tour of of a place called "The Most Haunted Place in the Country". I went on the 8:00 historical tour with a couple of friends. Waverly does several different kinds of tours. This is not the Haunted house that they do at Halloween time. Nor is it the daytime Sunday tour that they do a couple of times a month. This tour started out during daylight hours and quickly turned dark. The guides seem to be very knowledgable about the history but they also have some experience as ghost hunters or supernatural aficionados (as least ours was). While I didn't see anything while I was there that I thought was supernatural, I was a little spooked and my friend and I did end up holding hands for parts! It's also a tour you could probably do multiple times because different guides will take you to different parts of the building. The tour was a nice mixture of spooky and history. There is also a 10 pm tour that would be all dark. My other friend liked it so much she wants to come back and do an overnight tour/stay. I'm not really down with that but I'm glad Waverly offers so many different tour options. Be aware that they only have tours Spring through Fall because the building is unheated so it's just too cold to have it in the winter. Their tours sell out quickly. So right now there are no more openings in 2018. So get your tickets early!
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Michele W.

Yelp
Waverly is one of the most haunted places, in the U.S. That alone should make you want to go for a visit. We did the Paranormal Tour from 7:30-10 pm, on a beautiful Friday night. Unfortunately, none of us saw any paranormal activity, but it was still worth the visit. The history, of this facility is extremely interesting. From Tuberculosis Hospital to Geriatric Center to the present-day there are incredible stories about this facility. Our tour guide did a great job keeping up the mystical aspects of the facility, and took us on a great tour, while telling us many ghost stories and historical facts. We visited the famous Room 502, the operating room, and the body tunnel, plus many more areas. Maybe you will see a ghost, I know people that say they have.

Karen K.

Yelp
We were visiting from LA and had so much fun on the paranormal tour! All creepiness aside, the history was fascinating. Jason, our guide, was awesome! It was clear that he had a respect and personal connection to Waverly. He made it a great experience for us!

Jennifer B.

Yelp
Awesome tour!!! Lots of history and great tour guide. Love that they provide a tour of the entire building.
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Christine S.

Yelp
I can't tell you how many times I'd seen Waverly on TV growing up with the Halloween specials on haunted places or following my favorite paranormal shows. There are few places on my haunted bucket list that top this place and to be able to finally tour it was an absolute dream! We booked the 8-10 PM which was nice because you got to see the building and get some good pictures in front of it. Once the sun sets, it gets quite dark! However, I was also kicking myself because the 10 - midnight tour seemed so fun since we all know activity is really going to start kicking up closer to midnight! I couldn't have to done both so oh well. It was real easy to locate the place following the website's directions. We had Chelsea as our guide which I was so grateful for. She made claims at the beginning that she gets the most activity of the guides...well she delivered! Thank you ma'am! You get to tour all the floors and the body chute but the tour is only 2 hours so keep in mind it will go quick. I also thought the temperature would drop a lot at night but it was actually pretty warm in the building so don't worry about layering up in June like I did! Each floor was a mix of history and paranormal with a heavy emphasis on the paranormal (perfect!). I was shocked at how quickly stuff started to happen. While in the body chute, my husband and I were the last people in the group and we were all listening to the guide. On my left side where there is nothing but a brick wall, I distinctly felt/heard someone loudly sigh into my ear in an out of breath tone. I thought it was the other guide standing too close to me that stays at the back of the group to prevent people from splitting up, but when I looked back he was YARDS behind us. I was floored! It was physically impossible for that to come from him or anyone else since no one was around me by my left ear. It also distinctly felt like there had been someone behind me. My husband said he didn't hear or feel anything, and there was definitely no drafts coming through the shaft on that hot evening. The other experience we had as a group was seeing a shadow figure. We were on the 3rd floor I believe and it was just starting to get dark. My husband and I were again at the end of the pack and the group was approaching a bend in one of the long halls. As each and every person rounded that bend, they all jumped like they'd been poked with a hot rod and scrambled back against the farthest wall of the bend. Our entire group witnessed a shadow figure sticking its head around the corner of a door at the far end of the hall. I was proud we all kept our cool and no one tried to snap a picture for "the gram" which allowed us to creep a little closer to it before it flitted away. Keep in mind this building is barren. There is nowhere for someone or something like a projector to hide to create a shadow figure effect. This is real deal stuff right here and our whole group saw it for a good minute. I was super disappointed in the time spent on the 4th floor which is my only negative of the tour. I'm glad it was saved for last (not the case with all tours) but it was the one area I was most interested in seeing! The vibe up there is instantly different compared to other floors. I felt totally safe everywhere else but that floor had sort of a paniced electricity. I even lost my husband because he had to play bodyguard to two/three ladies that could not move two steps without holding onto him because they were so scared. However, you just walk down the hall to the surgical unit and then pretty much leave. It was way too fast but I also know I'm spoiled as heck. If the whole 2 hours had been spent there I probably would've said the same thing and I also wouldn't trade the time or stories from the other floors because those were really interesting. I'd 100% want to try all the other tours here but mostly the overnight ones. My husband is a bit freaked and not as keen but luckily living in CA prevents me from forcing him to take me. Aside from the paranormal aspect, the buidling and it's history are fascinating. They don't make places like this anymore, especially in America and especially that you can tour. After I returned home I actually learned my great grandmother had survived tuberculosis and had lived in a sanatorium in Colorado like this one. I felt a whole new appreciation for what she went through having learned about the white plague here at Waverly. Do yourself a favor and book a tour!
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Teufel H.

Yelp
I am a realist and skeptical about everything supernatural. As a Marine and a close to be retired Cop in Metro Detroit I've seen a lot of things that were crazy. I have never seen or felt something that was plausibly supernatural. I was in Louisville on vacation with my wife and kids and all they wanted to do is go to Waverley Hills, but only if I went. Well, we went to a late tour. The building is very historical and ornate. The guide was well organized and the tour started right on time. Upon entering into the X-ray room on the third floor we made a semi circle. I was on the left end of the circle with no one to my left but an open doorway about 10' away. Behind me was a concrete wall. As the guide told the story, I felt a squeeze on my left bicep. I quickly turned to see nothing. My wife's arms were around my daughter to my right and there was no way they could have done it. A minute later l felt a stronger squeeze. The hairs on my neck stood and I turned to fight nothing but empty air. I instantly tried to dissect the situation and to this day I'm left with the belief that it definitely happened. I retire in two years and we are going to stay overnight. I want to face this haunting Conundrum again.

Chrysonthia H.

Yelp
We had such a special private investigation experience at the Waverley in early December (8 hour overnight private lock-in). The staff was very helpful and gave us freedom to roam the whole facility. Jenny, our host, was an absolute professional and ensured we had access to everything we needed to make our investigation run as smoothly as possible. We experienced some legitimate phenomenon we could not explain on the 5th and 4th floors. Such a special place and very thankful to the spirits of the Waverly for letting us inhabit their space with them for the night!
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Kara G.

Yelp
This place was awesome! I did the 10PM tour till midnight and it was cool! It was only REALLY SCARY in one part. I never felt in danger or anything. It is pretty dark and at one point it is pitch black. It's so fun though cause your with a large group at all times. There is only one part where your allowed to explore a floor alone and that part was fun. Well worth it!
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Versa O.

Yelp
Not worth the $40. As you can see from the previous reviews that it used to cost $20 to see the sanatorium. It's haunted, yes but it's used for a money making scheme, pathetic and sad.

Keegan S.

Yelp
We went on the 2 hour historical tour and it was great! The history is intriguing and I highly recommend it. Our tour guide was Michelle and we enjoyed her paranormal stories as well as her take on the history. Cool place for anyone to visit!
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Jo K.

Yelp
I had been to Waverly Hills before several years ago and returned Friday August 27th for an overnight public investigation. They split the group in two and our group went with Jason and Josh. Jason walked us through the whole building givong a detailed tour of the history and haunted/active areas. Both Jason and Josh told us about experiments they were doing using sound waves. After the tour we stopped in the gift shop and then returned to Waverly for the investigation and were allowed to free roam so we could go to different areas on our own schedule. Sometimes depending on the group size they are unable to do that and will have designated times on each floor. As we were walking on the second floor we ran into Josh and some of the others on the public investigation. Josh was using some of his personal equipment to investigate with them. What was very clear to us was that the staff Jason,Josh, and others that were there care about the building and the spirits who are still there.

Wm P.

Yelp
My wife and I went for the historic tour at noon not knowing anything about the paranormal. Our tour guide, Vincent was very accommodating when many of the other tour members asked him to give us information about both. He showed us areas and told us what they were used for then what paranormal things had happened that he knew of or was involved in. It was a very interesting and informative. When on the 4th floor he had one of us walk to the end of the hall and back to see if it might stir something up. I wanted to see what might happen so I walked the hall and when I got back to the group the service dog of one of the other guest started growling... at something behind me. There was nothing visible behind me. Really interesting. It was a very interesting tour. I would love to go on one of the night tours. Maybe next time.
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Jennifer V.

Yelp
My husband & I went for the 2 hour paranormal tour last Saturday and it definitely did not disappoint! It was our first visit & our anniversary present to one another. Our guide, Ernie, was amazing! He did a great job telling the ins & outs and the rich history of Waverly Hills. We can't wait to go an overnight investigation. I highly recommend the tour

Angie M.

Yelp
We attended the sanatorium's 10p tour tonight as part of a group. First, we were highly excited for this experience. The other part of our group attended last night (Friday), and we had heard amazing things. Our tour guide, Allie, was very knowledgeable and did an amazing job - as did the rest of the staff. I was thoroughly impressed with the tour, the information, the history, and the stories and legends. The sanatorium itself is incredibly creepy - and it's hard to scare me at all. But, with a 2-hour tour, I found myself jumping more than once. With that said, the two hours flew by. I wish we could have stayed all night! It's definitely a repeat visit in the near future. The ladies working in the gift shop were absolutely wonderful. Kind, fun to chat with, and left us all with a great ending to our night. The cat that was rescued and hanging out in the gift shop, Karma, is absolutely adorable and sweet, and I pray the feline is a permanent fixture in the gift shop. It would be amazing to see Karma on future trips. Overall, it was two hours of my life that I will never forget. I cannot recommend The Waverly Hills Sanitorium enough!