Delta King Riverboat Hotel

The Delta King is a historic paddle-wheel riverboat permanently moored in Old Sacramento. Built in 1927, she and her sister ship Delta Queen transported passengers and cargo on overnight trips between Sacramento and San Francisco during the golden age of river travel. After a varied history including service in World War II, she was restored and reopened as a floating hotel, restaurant, and theater in 1984.

The Delta King, a meticulously restored 255-foot riverboat, has been an iconic fixture on the Sacramento River since 1927. Originally serving as a luxury passenger steamer between Sacramento and San Francisco, this floating palace offered opulent accommodations and entertainment during the Roaring Twenties. But beneath the glamour, tragedy stalked its decks—and the spirits of those who died aboard have never disembarked.

In 1933, a distressed Los Angeles dairyman named Leroy Deskin threatened his estranged wife and leaped overboard. His body was never recovered. In 1934, a man was found hanging in his cabin with a bottle of poison and heart stimulants nearby. He had registered under a false name, and the only clue to his identity—a business card from a San Francisco bottling plant—led nowhere. His true identity was never established. Countless suicides occurred aboard, with murder suspected in many cases.

Today, the Delta King operates as one of Sacramento's finest hotels, and three distinct spirits are known to walk its decks. The most frequently encountered is a little girl with long blonde hair wearing a full-length cotton dress, believed to have died aboard during the 1920s or 1930s. "There are two apparitions that show up regularly here on the Delta King," explains local paranormal expert Shannon McCabe. "One is a girl who's 8 to 10 years old."

Employees have heard her giggling in the hallways. One night, a patron complained to staff about a little girl playing in the corridor and keeping him awake—unaware she was a ghost.

The original captain of the vessel never left his post. Staff have spotted his apparition sitting in the balcony and heard footsteps on deck when they know they're alone. A former crew member named Pierre, who tragically lost his life in the engine room, also lingers on the boat, particularly active in the theatre rooms.

After 10 PM, the paranormal activity typically begins—unexplained footsteps, doors opening and closing on their own, flickering lights, sudden cold drafts. The Delta King remains a popular stop on Sacramento ghost tours, where the living can book passage with the dead.