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The short answer
The most haunted places in America you can actually visit include Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia, the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose and the Queen Mary in Long Beach. Most of them run daytime history tours plus after-dark ghost tours, and many add Halloween events in October.
- Most haunted prison: Eastern State Penitentiary, Pennsylvania
- Most haunted house in America (by reputation): the Whaley House in San Diego or the Lizzie Borden House in Fall River
- Best haunted hotel: the Stanley Hotel in Colorado or the Crescent Hotel in Arkansas
- Overnight ghost hunts: Waverly Hills, West Virginia Penitentiary, Villisca Axe Murder House
- Most haunted city: New Orleans, with the LaLaurie Mansion, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 and French Quarter ghost walks
- Most haunted state for a weekend trip: Pennsylvania, from Eastern State and Fort Mifflin to Gettysburg
- Look only from outside: the LaLaurie Mansion in New Orleans is private property
1829
Year Eastern State Penitentiary opened
160
Rooms in the Winchester Mystery House
51,000
Estimated casualties at Gettysburg
8
Victims of the unsolved Villisca axe murders
In this article
Every October, Americans go looking for a good scare, and the best ones come with real history attached. This guide covers 17 of the most haunted places in America, grouped by region, with the documented story behind each legend and what you can actually book this fall. A “haunted place,” for our purposes, is a historic site with a long, well-recorded tradition of ghost reports. We make no claim that ghosts exist; instead, we tell you what really happened there and how to visit.
We checked every official website listed below in October 2026. However, schedules change quickly in the Halloween rush, so always confirm dates and tickets before you drive.
How Did We Choose the Most Haunted Places in America?
We picked sites that have three things: a documented, often tragic history, a decades-long reputation for ghost reports, and public access of some kind. As a result, the list leans toward old prisons, hospitals, mansions and hotels, because those buildings saw the most concentrated human suffering.
We also left out places you cannot legally visit. In addition, we flag spots where the famous ghost story conflicts with the historical record, since several legends fall apart under scrutiny. That said, the real history is usually darker and more interesting than the legend.
Haunted Places in the USA by Region
Here is our full list of the most haunted places in America, sorted by region. Use it to find haunted places near you or to sketch a regional road trip.
Most haunted places in America at a glance
| Place | State | Region | Why it is famous | Can you visit? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern State Penitentiary | Pennsylvania | Northeast | Solitary-confinement prison, 1829 to 1970 | Yes, daily tours; Halloween Nights |
| Gettysburg battlefield | Pennsylvania | Northeast | Bloodiest battle of the Civil War | Yes, national park; private ghost walks |
| Lizzie Borden House | Massachusetts | Northeast | 1892 axe murders of Andrew and Abby Borden | Yes, tours, ghost hunts, overnight stays |
| Waverly Hills Sanatorium | Kentucky | South | Former tuberculosis hospital | Yes, seasonal tours; Halloween haunt |
| Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum | West Virginia | South | Overcrowded psychiatric hospital, 1864 to 1994 | Yes, history and ghost tours |
| West Virginia Penitentiary | West Virginia | South | Gothic prison, decommissioned 1995 | Yes, day tours and ghost hunts |
| Myrtles Plantation | Louisiana | South | Plantation house and the disputed Chloe legend | Yes, day and evening tours (confirm) |
| LaLaurie Mansion | Louisiana | South | 1834 fire exposed abuse of enslaved people | Exterior only; private home |
| St. Augustine Lighthouse | Florida | South | 1873 deaths of the Pittee girls | Yes, ghost and paranormal tours |
| Crescent Hotel | Arkansas | South | Fake cancer hospital in the 1930s | Yes, hotel stays and ghost tours |
| Villisca Axe Murder House | Iowa | Midwest | Unsolved 1912 murder of eight people | Yes, tours and overnight stays (confirm) |
| Ohio State Reformatory | Ohio | Midwest | Shawshank Redemption prison | Yes, tours, ghost hunts, Blood Prison |
| Winchester Mystery House | California | West | 160-room maze built over 36 years | Yes, guided mansion tours |
| Queen Mary | California | West | Ocean liner turned hotel ship | Yes, tours; Dark Harbor in fall |
| Whaley House | California | West | Built on the Old Town gallows site | Yes, day, evening and paranormal tours |
| Alcatraz | California | West | Federal prison, 1934 to 1963 | Yes, ferry from Pier 33 |
| Stanley Hotel | Colorado | West | Linked to Stephen King and The Shining | Yes, ghost tours and stays |
Haunted places in the US by state
Looking for haunted places in the US close to home? This quick finder groups every site in this guide by state, including the extra New Orleans and Pennsylvania stops covered below.
| State | Haunted places in this guide |
|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | Eastern State Penitentiary, Gettysburg, Fort Mifflin, Pennhurst Asylum, Farnsworth House Inn, Jennie Wade House |
| Louisiana | LaLaurie Mansion, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, Muriel’s Jackson Square, Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, Old Ursuline Convent, Myrtles Plantation |
| California | Winchester Mystery House, Queen Mary, Whaley House, Alcatraz |
| West Virginia | Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, West Virginia Penitentiary |
| Kentucky | Waverly Hills Sanatorium |
| Ohio | Ohio State Reformatory |
| Massachusetts | Lizzie Borden House |
| Florida | St. Augustine Lighthouse |
| Arkansas | Crescent Hotel |
| Iowa | Villisca Axe Murder House |
| Colorado | Stanley Hotel |
What Are the Most Haunted Places in New Orleans?
The most haunted places in New Orleans are the LaLaurie Mansion, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, Muriel’s Jackson Square, the Bourbon Orleans Hotel, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop and the Old Ursuline Convent. Nearly all of them sit in or beside the French Quarter, the city’s oldest neighborhood, so one evening ghost walk can pass several. In fact, that density is why many people call New Orleans the most haunted city among the most haunted places in America.
| Place | Story or legend | Can you go inside? |
|---|---|---|
| LaLaurie Mansion, 1140 Royal Street | An 1834 fire exposed Delphine LaLaurie’s abuse of enslaved people | No; private home, exterior only |
| St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 | Opened in 1789; believed resting place of Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau | Only on an official guided tour |
| Muriel’s Jackson Square | The restaurant says Pierre Jourdan lost the house in an 1814 poker game and died upstairs | Yes; working restaurant |
| Bourbon Orleans Hotel | Former convent and Civil War hospital; tales of a dancing girl in the ballroom and a Confederate soldier | Yes; hotel stays |
| Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop | Built around 1772 and tied by legend to the privateer Jean Lafitte; often billed as one of the oldest bars in the US | Yes; working bar |
| Old Ursuline Convent | Completed in the early 1750s and, by some accounts, the oldest building in New Orleans | Yes; museum (confirm hours) |
Can you visit St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 on your own?
No. Since March 1, 2015, the Archdiocese of New Orleans has closed St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, the city’s oldest surviving cemetery, to the general public because of rising vandalism. Instead, you need an official guided tour, which current listings say meets at the Basin St. Station visitor center across the street and lasts about 45 minutes. Families who own tombs can still apply for a pass.
What is the story at Muriel’s Jackson Square?
According to Muriel’s own account, Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan lost his beloved home in an 1814 poker game and took his life on the second floor, where the Seance Lounges now sit. The staff still keep a table set for him with bread and wine. However, historians note that surviving records do not confirm the poker-game story, so treat it as house legend.
Haunted places to stay in New Orleans
The Bourbon Orleans Hotel is the best-known haunted place to stay in New Orleans. New Orleans & Company, the city’s tourism agency, describes the former convent’s reported dancing girl in its historic ballroom and a soldier from its days as a Civil War hospital. Alternatively, drive upriver to St. Francisville for an overnight at the Myrtles Plantation, covered in the South section below.
Pro tip. Since the LaLaurie Mansion is exterior-only and the cemetery needs a guide, a licensed French Quarter ghost walk is the easiest way to see the most haunted places in New Orleans in one night. Book the cemetery tour for daytime, then save the ghost walk for after dark.
What Are the Most Haunted Places in Pennsylvania?
The most haunted places in Pennsylvania are Eastern State Penitentiary and Fort Mifflin in Philadelphia, Pennhurst Asylum in Spring City, and the Gettysburg battlefield with its Farnsworth House Inn and Jennie Wade House. Together, they make Pennsylvania the easiest state for a haunted weekend, since Philadelphia’s sites sit a short drive from one another.
| Place | City | Why it is famous | Halloween 2026 access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern State Penitentiary | Philadelphia | Solitary-confinement prison, 1829 to 1970 | Halloween Nights, select nights through November 7 |
| Fort Mifflin | Philadelphia | Revolutionary War fort; the 1777 British siege killed or wounded about 250 defenders; later a Civil War prison | Candlelight Ghost Tours October 22 and 23; overnight hunt sold out |
| Pennhurst Asylum | Spring City | Former state school, 1908 to 1987, closed after a federal lawsuit over conditions | Haunted attraction select nights through November 7 |
| Gettysburg battlefield | Gettysburg | About 51,000 casualties in three days | National park by day; private ghost walks at night |
| Farnsworth House Inn | Gettysburg | Civil War-era house; owners claim up to 16 spirits | Bed-and-breakfast stays and ghost walks |
| Jennie Wade House | Gettysburg | Home where the only civilian directly killed in the battle died on July 3, 1863 | Museum; stop on many ghost walks |
Fort Mifflin: Philadelphia’s haunted fort
Fort Mifflin, a Revolutionary War fort on the Delaware River, went up between 1771 and 1776 and endured a brutal British siege in the fall of 1777. Later, the Union Army held Confederate prisoners there. For 2026, its Candlelight Ghost Tours run on October 22 and 23, starting at 7 p.m. every 20 minutes, at $20 in advance or $22 at the door, according to PhillyVoice. Meanwhile, the official site lists the October 24 Sleep with the Ghosts overnight as sold out.
Is Pennhurst Asylum a real asylum?
Yes. Pennhurst State School and Hospital housed people with intellectual and developmental disabilities from 1908 until 1987, when it closed after a federal lawsuit over abuse and neglect. Since 2010, part of the property has hosted a seasonal haunted attraction. The 2026 schedule runs select Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights through November 7 with four attractions: the Asylum, the Tunnels, the Morgue and the Catacombs.
Watch out. Pennhurst’s haunted attraction remains controversial with some locals and former staff, because real people suffered there. If you prefer history over jump scares, look for the property’s daytime history tours instead.
Haunted places in Pennsylvania you can stay overnight
The Farnsworth House Inn in Gettysburg runs as a bed-and-breakfast, so you can sleep in a reputedly haunted Civil War-era house. Similarly, Fort Mifflin and Pennhurst offer overnight paranormal investigations for adults, although Fort Mifflin’s October date has already sold out this year.
Haunted Places in the Northeast
The Northeast holds some of the oldest and best-documented haunted sites in the country. Moreover, all three below sit within an easy day of one another.
1. Eastern State Penitentiary — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Eastern State Penitentiary, the world’s first true penitentiary, admitted its first prisoner in 1829 and kept inmates in strict solitary confinement under the so-called Pennsylvania System. Designed for 250 people, it held about 1,700 at its mid-1920s peak, and the state stopped operating it in 1970. Today it is a crumbling, atmospheric museum, and its official site runs year-round tours.
- The ghost story: Decades of isolation and overcrowding; visitors report footsteps and voices on cell blocks
- Tours: Self-guided audio tour narrated by Steve Buscemi, daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entry 4 p.m.), plus 45-minute guide-led tours
- Halloween: Halloween Nights, the prison’s after-dark haunted event, runs select nights through November 7
2. Gettysburg Battlefield — Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
The three-day Battle of Gettysburg, fought July 1 to 3, 1863, produced about 51,000 casualties, more than any other Civil War battle, according to the National Park Service. Consequently, the town has become a hub for ghost walks and paranormal storytelling.
- The ghost story: Thousands of soldiers fell in the fields around town
- Tours: The park offers ranger programs and a museum; evening ghost walks come from private companies in town
- Tip: Visit the battlefield by day, then join a ghost walk after dark
3. Lizzie Borden House — Fall River, Massachusetts
On August 4, 1892, someone killed Andrew Borden and his second wife, Abby, inside this house at 92 Second Street. A jury acquitted his daughter Lizzie on June 20, 1893, and the case remains officially unsolved. Today the home operates as a museum and bed-and-breakfast, so you can sleep in the rooms where it happened.
- The ghost story: Guests report unexplained footsteps and voices
- Tours: Daytime house tours, evening ghost tours and ghost hunts, plus overnight stays
- Booking: Check the official Lizzie Borden House site for current times
Haunted Places in the South
The South has the longest list, partly because of its painful history of slavery, war and epidemic disease. Therefore, several of these sites ask visitors to hold ghost stories and real suffering in mind at the same time.
4. Waverly Hills Sanatorium — Louisville, Kentucky
Waverly Hills opened in 1910 as a small tuberculosis hospital, then added a five-story building on October 17, 1926, with room for more than 400 patients. It closed as a sanatorium in 1961, reopened as a nursing home and shut for good in 1980. Its 500-foot tunnel, nicknamed the death tunnel, once carried supplies and, by many accounts, bodies.
- The ghost story: Generations of TB patients died here before effective treatment arrived; visitors report shadow figures
- Tours: The official site lists two-hour history and paranormal tours, six-hour public investigations and private investigations, with the 2026 tour season running March 1 to August 31
- Halloween: In fall, a haunted house replaces the tours on Fridays and Saturdays, September 25 to October 31, 7:30 p.m. to midnight
5. Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum — Weston, West Virginia
This Kirkbride-plan hospital took patients from 1864 until a court order closed it in 1994. Built for 250 people, it held roughly 2,400 at its 1950s peak. Its owners call it the largest hand-cut stone masonry building in the country, and it reopened for tours in 2008.
- The ghost story: Severe overcrowding and harsh early treatments left a heavy legacy
- Tours: Heritage and history tours, ghost tours and paranormal investigations year-round; walk-in tours six days a week (closed Mondays)
- Halloween 2026: Haunted house, flashlight tours and a fall festival, per the official site
6. West Virginia Penitentiary — Moundsville, West Virginia
This castle-like Gothic prison, built in 1866, held inmates until the state decommissioned it in 1995. Its reputation for violence and executions makes it one of the busiest ghost-hunting sites in the East.
- The ghost story: More than a century of violence behind its walls
- Tours: 90-minute guided day tours from $15, a three-hour Twilight Tour, and six-hour public ghost hunts for ages 18 and up
- Halloween: The Dungeon haunted house opens from late September, per WV Pen Tours
7. Myrtles Plantation — St. Francisville, Louisiana
General David Bradford built this house around 1796, and it now markets itself as one of America’s most haunted homes. Its most famous ghost, an enslaved woman named Chloe said to have poisoned the family, has no support in the historical record; in fact, two of the supposed victims died of yellow fever in 1823 and 1824.
- The ghost story: The Chloe legend and stories of a ghostly mirror
- Tours: The National Park Service listing describes daily house tours plus candlelit mystery tours on Friday and Saturday evenings
- Check first: The plantation’s own website was unreachable when we checked, so call ahead
8. LaLaurie Mansion — New Orleans, Louisiana
On April 10, 1834, a fire broke out at Delphine LaLaurie’s home on Royal Street, and responders found the enslaved cook chained to the stove. Afterward, an angry mob ransacked the house and LaLaurie fled to France. Historians still debate how much of the later torture lore is true and whether today’s building at 1140 Royal Street is the original.
- The ghost story: Documented cruelty to enslaved people
- Can you visit? No; it is a private residence, so view it from the street
- Best option: Most French Quarter ghost walks stop outside
9. St. Augustine Lighthouse — St. Augustine, Florida
Workers built the current tower between 1871 and 1874. During construction, in July 1873, two daughters of construction superintendent Hezekiah Pittee and another child died in a tram-cart accident, and visitors have reported children’s laughter ever since.
- The ghost story: The Pittee girls and stories about early keepers
- Tours: Daily climbs 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., plus Dark of the Moon paranormal tours and ghost tours
- Booking: Reserve through the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum
10. Crescent Hotel — Eureka Springs, Arkansas
The Crescent has welcomed guests since 1886 and bills itself as America’s most haunted hotel. Its darkest chapter began in 1937, when Norman Baker, a man with no medical training, turned it into a cancer clinic that sold worthless cures until his mail-fraud conviction.
- The ghost story: Baker’s patients, plus Michael, a stonemason said to haunt Room 218
- Tours: Guided ghost tours run almost nightly and end in the old morgue
- Stay: You can book a room through the hotel’s website
Haunted Places in the Midwest
The Midwest has fewer famous sites, but two of them rank among the most visited haunted places in the country.
11. Villisca Axe Murder House — Villisca, Iowa
Overnight on June 9 to 10, 1912, an intruder killed eight people in this small house: Josiah and Sarah Moore, their four children and two visiting girls, Ina and Lena Stillinger. A traveling preacher confessed and later recanted, and a jury acquitted him in 1917. No one was ever convicted.
- The ghost story: An unsolved mass murder; guests report children’s voices
- Tours: Iowa tourism lists guided daytime tours, and the house rents overnight to brave groups
- Check first: Listings disagree on hours, so confirm directly with the house
12. Ohio State Reformatory — Mansfield, Ohio
The reformatory opened on September 15, 1896, and closed under a federal court order in December 1990. Movie fans know it as the prison in The Shawshank Redemption (1994), while ghost hunters know it from Ghost Hunters in 2005.
- The ghost story: Nearly a century of harsh prison life
- Tours: Self-guided and guided tours plus ghost hunts, run by the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society
- Halloween: The Blood Prison haunted house changes the tour route from August 31 to mid-November
Haunted Places in the West
Out West, the haunted sites skew toward grand mansions, hotels and a famous island prison. Plus, California alone has four entries.
13. Winchester Mystery House — San Jose, California
Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune, kept builders working on her home from 1886 until her death in 1922. When she died it had 160 rooms, about 2,000 doors and 10,000 windows. The popular legend that a medium told her to build for the ghosts of rifle victims has no evidence behind it, according to her biographer Mary Jo Ignoffo.
- The ghost story: Its maze-like, never-finished layout feeds the legend
- Tours: A guided 65-minute Mansion Tour covers 110 rooms; basement and attic access are add-ons
- Booking: Buy timed tickets from the official site
14. Queen Mary — Long Beach, California
The Queen Mary sailed her maiden voyage on May 27, 1936, served as a gray-painted troopship in World War II, and in 1942 sliced through the cruiser HMS Curacoa, killing 338 people. She has stayed docked in Long Beach since December 1967, and Time named her one of its top 10 haunted places in 2008.
- The ghost story: Legends of a girl at the old second-class pool and a haunted stateroom
- Tours: Guided ship tours and paranormal attractions, listed on the Queen Mary site
- Halloween: Dark Harbor, its 13th season, runs select nights from September 18 to November 1, 2026
15. Whaley House — San Diego, California
Thomas Whaley began building this brick Greek Revival home in 1856 on the site of Old Town’s gallows. Today it markets itself as America’s most haunted house and has appeared on Travel Channel and Ghost Adventures.
- The ghost story: Family tragedy and executions on the land
- Tours: Self-guided daytime visits 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., evening guided tours and two-hour paranormal investigations
- Booking: Evening slots need reservations via the Whaley House site
16. Alcatraz — San Francisco, California
Alcatraz served as a federal penitentiary from 1934 to 1963, and its isolation gave it a fearsome reputation. Visitors regularly report cold spots and clanging doors in the cellhouse.
- The ghost story: Harsh isolation on a windswept island
- Tours: All access is by ferry from Pier 33 through Alcatraz City Cruises, according to the National Park Service
- Tip: Bring layers, since bay weather changes fast
17. Stanley Hotel — Estes Park, Colorado
The Stanley opened in 1909 and became famous through Stephen King’s 1977 novel The Shining. Kubrick’s 1980 film did not shoot here; however, the 1997 TV miniseries did.
- The ghost story: Guests and staff report unexplained activity in the hotel
- Tours: After-dark Stanley Ghost Tours, history tours and a Shining tour, all about 60 minutes
- Halloween: A special Halloween Ghost Tour runs on October 31 only; see the Stanley tours page
Pro tip. Book Halloween-week tours at least two to three weeks ahead. Popular nights at Eastern State, the Stanley and Waverly Hills sell out first, while weekday tours in early October are easier to get.
What Is the Most Haunted House in America?
There is no official title, but the Whaley House in San Diego, the Lizzie Borden House in Fall River and the Villisca Axe Murder House in Iowa are the strongest contenders. In fact, the Whaley House trademarks the phrase America’s Most Haunted House, while the other two rest on notorious unsolved murders.
Which haunted houses in America can you sleep in?
You can stay overnight at the Lizzie Borden House and rent the Villisca house for the night. By contrast, the Winchester Mystery House and Whaley House are tour-only.
Which famous haunted house can you only see from outside?
The LaLaurie Mansion is a private home, so you can only see it from the sidewalk. Likewise, respect neighbors and never trespass at any private property linked to a ghost story.
Watch out. Several sites on this list, including the Myrtles and the LaLaurie Mansion, connect directly to the abuse of enslaved people. Treat these as places of real suffering first and ghost stories second, and choose tours that tell the full history.
Haunted Hotels in the USA You Can Book
If you want to sleep somewhere spooky rather than just tour it, these are the best haunted hotels in the USA. Meanwhile, you can still book tours at each one without staying the night.
| Hotel or stay | Location | The ghost story | Ghost tours? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanley Hotel | Estes Park, Colorado | The Shining connection and reported room activity | Yes, nightly ghost tours |
| Crescent Hotel | Eureka Springs, Arkansas | Norman Baker’s fake cancer clinic; Room 218 | Yes, almost nightly |
| Queen Mary | Long Beach, California | Second-class pool and haunted stateroom legends | Yes, paranormal attractions |
| Lizzie Borden House | Fall River, Massachusetts | 1892 axe murders | Yes, ghost tours and hunts |
| Myrtles Plantation | St. Francisville, Louisiana | Disputed Chloe legend | Yes, evening tours (confirm) |
How Do You Plan a Haunted Road Trip?
The easiest haunted road trip links two or three of the most haunted places in America within one region over a long weekend. For example, Eastern State and Gettysburg are both in Pennsylvania, so you can tour the prison one day and the battlefield the next.
Three haunted road trip routes
| Route | Stops | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Appalachian asylums and prisons | Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, West Virginia Penitentiary, Ohio State Reformatory, Waverly Hills | Overnight ghost hunts |
| Pennsylvania and New England | Eastern State Penitentiary, Gettysburg, Lizzie Borden House | History lovers |
| California coast | Whaley House, Queen Mary, Winchester Mystery House, Alcatraz | Mansions, ships and a famous prison |
Next, book the evening tours first, since they sell out fastest, and then fit daytime visits around them. Also check age limits, because many overnight ghost hunts are 18 and up.
Pro tip. Pack a headlamp with a red-light mode for dark cell blocks and tunnels, plus a portable phone charger, since long ghost hunts drain batteries fast.
If you would rather stay home this year, pair a scary movie night with ideas from our Halloween guide.
Our verdict
For a first visit to the most haunted places in America, start with Eastern State Penitentiary for history, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (or Waverly Hills in its spring and summer tour season) for a true night-time ghost hunt, a French Quarter ghost walk in New Orleans for atmosphere, and the Stanley Hotel if you want a haunted stay. Above all, book early in October and check each official site the week you travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the number one most haunted place in America?
There is no official ranking, but Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville and the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia top most lists. All three combine a long, documented history of suffering with decades of ghost reports, and all three open after dark for tours, ghost hunts or Halloween haunts, which is why paranormal fans rank them so highly.
What is the most haunted house in America?
The Whaley House in San Diego markets itself as America’s Most Haunted House and sits on the site of Old Town’s gallows. The Lizzie Borden House in Massachusetts and the Villisca Axe Murder House in Iowa are close rivals, since both carry notorious murder cases and both let guests stay overnight.
What is the most haunted place in New Orleans?
The LaLaurie Mansion at 1140 Royal Street is usually called the most haunted place in New Orleans, because an 1834 fire exposed Delphine LaLaurie’s abuse of enslaved people. It is a private home, so you can only see it from the street. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, Muriel’s Jackson Square and the Bourbon Orleans Hotel are popular alternatives you can actually enter.
What is the most haunted place in Pennsylvania?
Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia is Pennsylvania’s best-known haunted place, thanks to its 141 years as a solitary-confinement prison and its Halloween Nights event. Gettysburg is a close second because about 51,000 soldiers became casualties there in 1863. Fort Mifflin and Pennhurst Asylum also run popular ghost tours and haunted attractions each October.
Which state has the most haunted places?
No official count exists, but Pennsylvania, Louisiana, West Virginia and California each hold several famous sites. California alone has the Winchester Mystery House, the Queen Mary, the Whaley House and Alcatraz. Meanwhile, Louisiana adds the Myrtles and the LaLaurie Mansion, and New Orleans is known for its French Quarter ghost walks.
How do I find haunted places near me?
Start with your state tourism website and local historical societies, which often list historic jails, asylums and old hotels that offer ghost tours in October. Next, check reviews for recent tour dates, and only visit sites that sell tickets or welcome the public. Never trespass on abandoned buildings, which can be dangerous and illegal.
