1. Eastern State Penitentiary – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
This abandoned prison was once home to some of America’s most notorious criminals, including Al Capone. Eastern State Penitentiary’s eerie architecture and dark history make it a magnet for paranormal activity. Visitors often hear unexplained footsteps, disembodied voices, and see shadowy figures in the dark cells. It’s a place that feels like the spirits of past inmates are still haunting the halls.
2. The Stanley Hotel – Estes Park, Colorado
Known for inspiring Stephen King’s The Shining, the Stanley Hotel has a long history of paranormal activity. Guests report hearing piano music from an empty ballroom, seeing ghostly figures, and even feeling a cold, invisible presence. One of the most infamous spirits is that of the hotel’s founder, F.O. Stanley, who reportedly still roams the halls.
3. The Queen Mary – Long Beach, California
Once a luxurious ocean liner, the Queen Mary is now docked permanently in Long Beach and serves as a hotel. But it’s far from your average tourist spot. Ghosts of former passengers, crew, and soldiers from WWII are said to haunt the ship. Some report hearing the sounds of babies crying, while others claim to have seen the ghostly image of a woman in a white gown walking along the deck.
4. The Lemp Mansion – St. Louis, Missouri
The Lemp Mansion is notorious for its tragic history. The Lemp family experienced a series of suicides and untimely deaths, and now their spirits are said to linger. Visitors often report seeing ghostly apparitions in the old family rooms, hearing voices, and feeling cold drafts. Some have even encountered a shadowy figure that appears to be the Lemp patriarch, William.
5. The Myrtles Plantation – St. Francisville, Louisiana
The Myrtles Plantation is often referred to as one of the most haunted homes in America. The plantation was built in the late 1700s and has a bloody history involving slavery and murder. A slave woman named Chloe is said to haunt the mansion, with reports of her ghostly figure appearing in photos and even in mirrors. The eerie atmosphere makes it one place most visitors steer clear of after dark.
6. The Waverly Hills Sanatorium – Louisville, Kentucky
Once a tuberculosis hospital, Waverly Hills Sanatorium has a dark past filled with death and suffering. Thousands of people died within its walls, and many believe their spirits are still trapped there. The “death chute,” where bodies were once slid down to be taken away, is rumored to be haunted, with visitors reporting ghostly figures and strange noises.
7. The Bell Witch Cave – Adams, Tennessee
The Bell Witch legend is one of America’s most terrifying folklore tales. In the early 1800s, the Bell family was tormented by a malicious spirit known as the Bell Witch. Many believe the witch’s spirit still haunts the cave today, with reports of disembodied voices, strange lights, and a heavy, oppressive atmosphere. Visitors often feel like they’re being watched.
8. The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum – Weston, West Virginia
This massive asylum, which opened in the mid-1800s, was home to thousands of patients over its long history. Many were subjected to brutal treatments, and some never left alive. Paranormal activity is rampant here, with reports of unexplained voices, eerie shadows, and doors opening and closing on their own. The unsettling energy here makes it a place few would dare to spend the night.
9. The Riddle House – West Palm Beach, Florida
The Riddle House is home to one of Florida’s most infamous hauntings. Once a funeral parlor, it’s said that the spirit of a former employee, named Joseph, still lingers in the house. Reports of doors slamming, disembodied voices, and strange cold spots are common. The most chilling encounter involves a spirit who is said to push people down the stairs.
10. The Gettysburg Battlefield – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg is infamous not only for its role in the Civil War but also for its haunted reputation. The battlefield where thousands of soldiers lost their lives is now a place where the spirits of the fallen allegedly wander. Visitors frequently report seeing ghostly figures in Union and Confederate uniforms, as well as hearing the sounds of distant battle cries and cannon fire.
11. The La Llorona Bridge – Albuquerque, New Mexico
La Llorona, the “Weeping Woman,” is a legend that haunts many places in the Southwest, but the bridge in Albuquerque is particularly notorious. The story goes that La Llorona drowned her children in a fit of rage and now cries for them, forever searching for their souls. Locals have reported hearing her mournful cries late at night and even encountering her spectral figure.
12. The Old Charleston City Jail – Charleston, South Carolina
The Old Charleston City Jail housed notorious criminals like the pirate Stede Bonnet and the “Dr. Death” of Charleston, who performed illegal surgeries. The dark history of this jail has created an environment ripe for paranormal activity. Visitors often report ghost sightings, strange noises, and the feeling of being touched by unseen hands. The spirits of former inmates are said to still haunt the jail’s cells.
