Haunted Tourist Attractions
Haunted tourist attractions are everywhere, and I mean everywhere. So where do you go if you’re looking for a truly spooky destination? We’ve found the most haunted cities in the U.S., full of haunted hotels, attractions, tours, and more.
Congress Plaza Hotel & “Death Valley” - Chicago, Illinois
Chicago has so much to offer, but we’re here for the haunts! Deemed one of the most haunted places in the state, the Congress Plaza Hotel is a great place to stay with multiple ghost stories to investigate during your stay. The hotel was rumored to be the headquarters for mobster Al Capone during the 1893 World’s Fair. If you’re lucky enough to check into room 441, there are frequent reports of a female silhouette that has moved objects and turned lights off and on. The Drake is another haunted hotel option for your stay in Chicago.
Now that you’ve got somewhere to stay, let’s talk about some places to visit! “Death Alley” behind the Netherland Theater is an area with many reports of noises, sights, and even feelings of being touched or pushed. The theater had a fire in the early 1900s killing hundreds that were locked inside. Another awesome place for haunt and horror lovers is the post office that now occupies the land where H.H. Holmes’ murder castle was located.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is one of the most fun and unique cities you could travel to, whether you’re looking for haunted tourist attractions or not. Before jumping into all the fun, you have to find somewhere to stay! Hotel Monteleone is one of our top picks. The hotel has multiple supernatural stories, including a locked door that opens and closes on its own almost every night. Hotel Monteleone has also been visited by the International Society of Paranormal Research. Some other haunted hotel options are Lafitte Hotel and Bar and Hotel Provincial.
You could spend days visiting all of the haunted attractions in New Orleans, so we’re only going to cover a few here. The LaLaurie Mansion is said to be one of the most haunted houses in the city. The hauntings are attributed to the mistreated slaves of Delphine LaLaurie. Muriel’s Restaurant in Jackson Square is said to be haunted by a previous owner that lost the property in a game of cards and hung himself on the second floor. Of course, you also have to visit the house of Marie Laveau. If you would prefer, there are several tour options that will take you to various haunted sites around the city and explain the history of the hauntings.
The Witch House - Salem, Massachusetts
Everyone is familiar with Salem’s history with witches in the 1600s, so it should be no question why this is one of our destinations. The Hawthorne Hotel is one of our recommendations for a haunted hotel in Salem. The hotel’s six fires are the reason attributed to the strange hauntings. The second recommendation is the Salem Inn. While many encounters have happened in all areas of the Salem Inn, ask for room 17 if you’re really in it to encounter something supernatural.
Now for the good stuff! Our first haunted tourist attraction is, of course, The Witch House. The Witch House was the house of Judge Jonathan Corwin and is the only remaining building that was associated with the Salem Witch Trials. The house is now a museum it is a must-see in your visit to Salem. Proctor’s Ledge is another go-to haunted tourist attraction in Salem, as it is the site of the hangings in the Salem Witch Trials. This town full of eerie history offers tons of tours that will show you all of the important locations. There is even a tour that visits some of the Hocus Pocus movie locations.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco is another city full of history and fun. We recommend checking out Queen Anne Hotel for your stay. Queen Anne is home to a very friendly ghost that is rumored to be the headmistress of the old girls boarding school that used to occupy the building. There have been stories of guests being tucked in and having some help unpacking. Some other great options are the Nob Hill Inn Hotel and Hotel Union Square.
The first place on our list of haunted attractions to visit in San Francisco is Alcatraz Island. The infamous island has seen plenty of terror and is sure to start your trip off in the right direction. There have been reports of voices and footsteps from visitors, even when no one else is around. The Winchester Mystery House is another must-see. The house belonged to the widow of rifle maker William Winchester, after she was told that her family was cursed by anyone killed with a Winchester rifle. A psychic told her to move west and begin building a home in honor of the spirits, the catch was that she could never stop building. Visitors of the house still witness paranormal activity.
St. Augustine, Florida
Claimed to be the oldest city in Florida and full of history, St. Augustine offers plenty of haunted locations and ghost stories. Begin your visit to St. Augustine by staying at Casa de Suenos. This Spanish-style bed and breakfast wasn’t always a nice place for guests to spend the night. Before it was a bed and breakfast, Casa de Suenos was actually a funeral home. The St. Francis Inn and the Casa de Solana also offer the potential for paranormal experiences.
The Old Jail is a good place to start in St. Augustine. It is listed in Florida and National Registers of Haunted Places and inhumanly housed and killed prisoners in the 1800s. The St. Augustine Lighthouse Park is another great haunted tourist attraction that has appeared on Ghost Hunters. The lighthouse is said to be haunted by one of the lighthouse keepers that fell to his death while painting. Two young girls also drowned here and there are multiple reports of visitors seeing and hearing one of the girls. The Spanish Military Hospital also offers guests a chance to hear voices and feel the presence of darkness. When the city had to replace some water lines that ran under the Spanish Military Hospital in the 1800s, the construction workers found thousands of buried bones. There are also loads of tours to check out!