Call me crazy, but I actually want to visit these haunted places. It might be my fascination with the unknown and history or maybe I’m a little macabre? When John asked where I wanted to go on vacation, my answer was “San Jose”. He looked at me a little odd and said, “To see the Sharks?”. I shook my head and told him that I wanted to go to the Winchester Mystery House. That place is on my bucket list!
Will he humour me and go? I don’t know. In the meantime though, I’ve dug up a few other haunted places in the USA that are worth a further look. If you’re into that sorta thing, of course!
Most Haunted Places in the USA
1. Alcatraz Island, located in San Francisco, is quite possibly one of the most famous haunted attractions in the United States. Visit Alcatraz Island and you’ll get an up close and personal look at the site of the world famous haunted penitentiary.
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2. Another famously haunted location, the Stanley Hotel is popular because it was the inspiration behind Stephen King’s, The Shining. Eerily enough, guests and staff often claim to hear someone (presumed to be the owner’s wife) playing the piano, and hosting parties in the empty ballroom.
3. The Seaside Sanatorium is located in Connecticut, and is said to be haunted by past mental patients. When it was open for business, the Sanatorium had a very high suicide rate, which might explain the hauntings…
4. It’s believed that the Idaho State Penitentiary was a rather peaceful location until ghosts started haunting the place, inciting violent behavior in the inmates. Known as the most haunted prison in Idaho, this is a “must visit” if you’re looking for a real haunt.
5. If you’re feeling really brave, you can stay overnight at the Villisca Ax Murder House, for about $500 a night. If you’re unable to visit Iowa in person, you can also take an online virtual tour for free. I did, and it’s pretty creepy if you ask me! Be sure to click on the stars – they show photos of the family while they were still living.
6. Known as one of America’s most haunted homes, the Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana is a place that’s rich with history. Said to be haunted by slaves of the past, Myrtles Plantation is spooky but majestic. When you visit the plantation you’ll see why people like to take pictures – the scenery is great. Once you step inside, however, you’ll get a different feeling. Whether you’re there for a guided tour, or to stay the night at the Bed and Breakfast, you’ll get that eery vibe from the hauntings of Myrtles Plantation any time you visit.
7. One reviewer calls the Lizzie Borden House “one of the most haunted places” she’s ever stayed. It’s a Bed and Breakfast, and one of the more famous places on this list. The B&B’s website suggests the spirits are harmless and just like to make their presence known. Open to the public since 1996, the ax murderer’s house is one of the haunt’s I’d put on the “must visit” list!
8. Looking for poltergeist activity? You’ll find it at the Lemp Mansion in Missouri. The Bed and Breakfast slash Dinner Theatre has a long history of tragedy, including three suicides of Lemp family members in the building itself.
9. Pine Hill Cemetery, also known as Blood Cemetery, is where you’ll find ghosts sitting on their own tombstones – and one is even said to glow at night! You might say that all cemeteries are haunted, but with a name like this, I’d venture to guess this is a good one.
10. The Winchester Mystery House, located in San Jose, California, has many tour options available – and even an annual pass. If you’re lucky (or not so lucky?) you’ll see the phantoms lurking about the mansion while you visit!
11. Last but certainly not least, the oh-so-famous haunted Amityville Horror House is the subject of movies, books, and lots of Hollywood gossip. The entire DeFeo family – with the exception of one of their children – was shot execution style back in the 1970s.
Have you visited any of these haunted places? Which ones would you like to visit?
Mike Gismondi says
these would be great for halloween visits!
Diana So says
These sound fantastic! Would love to visit them, but I don’t know anyone game enough to tag along with me.
Clay Cassin says
After two run-ins with ghosts in my life, I have NO desire to purposefully walk into a known haunting. Yes, Stacie… your being crazy. It all sounds like fun and thrills until it really starts happening. Trust me.
Deborah Taylor says
Completely agree with you. I have had 3 really bad experiences. Their are haunting, and there are HAUNTINGS! Those are not to be trifled with. Frankly, I can’t imagine opening myself up to either criminals in a prison or insane people from an asylum. Just not something I think anyone should do.
Pamela K. Kinney says
Been to plenty haunted spots in Virginia and to famous haunted places in California where I grew up and lived as an adult until 1985 *like the Whaley House in Old Town, San Diego.). Actually after writing five ghost books for Schiffer Publishing and investigating for fun and now for Paranormal World Seekers paranormal show. Petersburg and the Tri-Cities area are the most haunted area of Virginia (and I’ve done a book for Williamsburg and the Historic Triangle area too). Like Centre Hill Mansion in Petersburg that has a ghost tour once a year on January 24th, due to ghost soldiers marching into the place that happens each year. They have a female spirit that haunts there all year long too. There’s Henricus Park in Chester-where the second English settlement settled after Jamestown. It is very haunted and people had experiences day or night (well, night if they have a ghost tour in October or due to other night events). The Civil War battlefields and batteries-this is where the Siege happened before the final battle that Lee fought before he went to Appomattox and signed surrender. My book, Paranormal Petersburg, and the Tri-Cities Area has five images in it. And you can visit these places, though one is a privately own home (Sutherland Tavern).
Tough a city that is famous for its ghosts in Virginia and has ghost tours aplenty-Colonial Williamsburg. There are many more in Virginia. And Clay, sometimes if the area is haunted and you don’t know that and even have mediumistic abilities, you can’t always avoid a haunting.
Angie S. says
A couple years back my boyfriend took to see the amityville house. I wouldn’t look at the house I could feel the evil. He made me snap a photo of the house so I closed eyes an went to taking them. Well got home put them on computer you wouldn’t believe what I seen in one of the pictures. It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. There is a face in the downstairs window on side of the house. Very creepy I still have the picture. So yea I’m a believer.
K Davis says
My sister inlaw, mother inlaw, and myself stayed at the Stanley Hotel. I ended up with a perfect picture of a little girl in pink looking straight at me, several evp’s, one of these evp’s was a woman laughing out last going “BOOO” you can hear atleast to other voices. My mother inlaw stopped me on the stairs saying how good one of the pictures of a orb I got, I accidently left a small video recorder on and caught the woman laughing at us (You got to ask yourself how smart was she to let me catch what she was doing). My goal is to return and confront this woman.
Note: The video recorder can prove no one was around us, no one alive.
Gigi says
You can’t have a Top 10 most haunted places without one of the most haunted…Eastern State Penitentary in Philadelphia PA.
DORIS Crotty says
I have been to Lizzie Borden’s house, quiet as a mouse.