Manistee’s Ghost Ship haunted car ferry: final nights Oct. 23-31, tickets, a $5 lights-on Halloween session, and what to know before you go

MANISTEE, Mich. — One of Michigan’s best-known Halloween haunts is not in a house or a barn. It is aboard the S.S. City of Milwaukee, a 360-foot railroad car ferry built in 1931 and docked on US-31 in Manistee, and it has five nights left this season.

Manistee’s Ghost Ship sends visitors through four to five decks of the ship, each with its own theme, using live actors, props, animatronics and special effects, according to the attraction’s website. Organizers say the sets and paths change every year.

When it’s open. The Detroit Free Press, citing the attraction, lists hours of 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 31, plus Sunday, Oct. 25. That leaves Friday, Oct. 23; Saturday, Oct. 24; Sunday, Oct. 25; Friday, Oct. 30; and Saturday, Oct. 31. Listings differ on Sunday’s hours: the Free Press says 7:30 to 10 p.m., while Michigan Haunted Houses lists 7 to 10 p.m. If you are going Sunday, plan to arrive by 7 and check the Ghost Ship’s page first.

A lighter option on Halloween. On Saturday, Oct. 31, the ship hosts a “Kid’s/Scaredy Pants Night” from 3 to 6:15 p.m. for $5 a person, with the lights on and the scares off, the Ghost Ship says. At 7:30 p.m. the regular haunt reopens for the last night of the season.

Tickets. General admission is listed at $15/$20 a person and covers the whole ship, with no extra attractions or upcharges. Tickets are sold only at the entrance, on board, and the ship takes cash and cards. A Fast Pass that skips the general line is listed at $25/$32, sold online only and good only for the night you buy it; it doesn’t have to be bought in advance. Children 6 and under get in free. There are no refunds, including for guests who get too scared and ask to be walked out. A new $85 “Fright Club” pass allows return visits all season.

Is it for little kids? Michigan Haunted Houses rates it “Scary” and says it is not recommended for children under 7, and MLive reported last year that organizers advise against anyone under 7 entering except during the Scaredy Pants hours.

Know the ship before you go. Because this is a real vessel, the attraction warns of extremely steep stairs and high steps, narrow passageways, low ceilings, uneven floors and complete darkness in places, plus fog, scents, loud sounds and strobe lights. It is not wheelchair accessible. Guests with heart or breathing conditions, claustrophobia, seizure disorders or light sensitivity, recent surgery, mobility limits or pregnancy are told not to enter. Wear flat, closed shoes; heels, sandals and flip-flops are not allowed. Leave bags in the car, keep phones in your pocket, and don’t bring food, drinks or vapes. Anyone under the influence will be turned away.

Parking. Free parking at 99 Arthur St. is limited, with overflow across the street. Organizers ask visitors to carpool, use the marked crossing point on US-31 and watch for volunteers in safety vests.

Where the money goes. The haunt is the biggest yearly fundraiser for the nonprofit Society for the Preservation of the S.S. City of Milwaukee and USCGC Acacia, which owns and maintains the car ferry and the former Coast Guard cutter Acacia, MLive reported. The group also runs ship tours and a “boatel” on board.

What this means for you. If your family wants a haunt but has younger kids or someone sensitive to flashing lights, the $5 Halloween afternoon is the safer bet; the regular nights use strobes and darkness throughout. If you are making the drive from Traverse City (about 1½ hours) or Grand Rapids (about 2 hours), arrive early or consider a Fast Pass online; the Ghost Ship says it can’t promise a long general admission line, but on busy nights the pass skips the wait. The ship posts drive times of about 35 minutes from Ludington and 1 hour from Cadillac.

Sources:
Manistee’s Ghost Ship, official page (description, Oct. 31 Scaredy Pants session, prices, Fast Pass, Fright Club, safety rules, parking, contact), https://www.carferry.com/ghostship
Detroit Free Press, “5 haunted attractions from U.P. to state line. Where to get spooked,” Oct. 15, 2026 (dates and hours), https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/nightlife/2026/10/15/michigan-haunted-houses-hancock-niles-westland-manistee/92261502007/
Michigan Haunted Houses, Manistee’s Ghost Ship listing (Oct. 25 hours, age guidance), https://www.michiganhauntedhouses.com/halloween/manistees-ghost-ship-mi.html
MLive, “Michigan’s ‘most awesome’ haunted house is set aboard a 1931 car ferry,” Oct. 6, 2025 (nonprofit owner, fundraiser, age advice), https://www.mlive.com/news/2025/10/michigans-most-awesome-haunted-house-is-set-aboard-a-1931-car-ferry.html
Photo: Iulus Ascanius at English Wikipedia, “CityOfMilwaukee.jpg,” Wikimedia Commons, public domain, cropped and color-adjusted, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CityOfMilwaukee.jpg

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Tags: Up North · Manistee · Halloween · Haunted Houses · Things to Do · S.S. City of Milwaukee