Visit these haunted spots that have inspired famous movies or sign up for a ghost tour to experience some of America’s creepiest places!
Chicago and New York both are said to harbor ghostly theater fire sites as well as H.H. Holmes’s notorious “Murder Castle.” And in New York City there’s a park built upon burial ground believed to be haunted.
Pine Barrens
New Jersey’s “backwaters” is home to rare and unique species, making this remote area ideal for adventurers seeking to connect with nature.
Pine Barrens contain many abandoned towns and villages, such as Astion, Batsto Village and Harrisville with their abandoned iron furnaces; Friendship Cranberry Plant in Pasadena; as well as Friendship and Pasadena Cranberry Plant ruins – creating an eerie feel at nighttime in these dark, empty landscapes.
Pine Barrens is also home to a mythical creature known as “The Jersey Devil”. This mythical monster has been described as being somewhere between a horse, goat and prehistoric bird – its name coming from short pitch pine trees that grow in acidic soil in this region. Legend has it that an Estellville woman cursed this demon upon finding out she was pregnant for thirteenth time by screaming out, “Let it be the devil!” Upon giving birth she exclaimed the words: “Let it be the devil!” It is said this devil was cursed upon her thirteenth child being cursed upon becoming pregnant for thirteenth time while crying out “Let it be the devil!” upon finding herself pregnant again with thirteenth child: “Let it be the devil!”.
Chicago
As we approach Halloween, now is an opportune time to plan a haunted adventure. From ghost tales and horror films to real life hauntings in Chicago, there are countless locations guaranteed to provide goose bumps or give rise to goosebumps – enough so that even children won’t escape its terror!
From the site of a horrific fire to the hotel that was once home to mobster Al Capone, this city offers many supernatural sites. Take your pick from hotels, restaurants and even cemeteries that promise an extra bit of creepiness for a haunting Halloween experience!
One of the Museum of Science and Industry’s most beloved exhibits — the German U-505 submarine — is also one of its most haunted sites. According to reports, Inez Clark still roams her ghostly ship during thunderstorms. Other locations have also reported mysterious activity such as Dirty Dan’s Western Saloon or even cemeteries where statues depicting children holding parasols appear and vanish as people enter or leave them.
St. Augustine
Florida’s oldest city is an epicenter for ghost activity. Filled with historic locations that recount centuries of conflict, tragedy, and death.
Cemeteries in the city — Tolomato and Huguenot among them — are home to haunted ghost tours that explore these locations, telling tales about those buried here as well as those still roaming freely around.
This historic home once included two houses before they were joined together into one restaurant and bar. According to local legend, Bridget Barry haunts this building now, causing guests to hear footsteps, banging sounds, and witness apparitions.
The St. Francis Inn in St. Augustine is said to be haunted, with guests reporting flashing lights, odd noises, items appearing dry when they should be wet, moving pictures and full-body apparitions being witnessed here. As it was previously used as a funeral home, some spirits that inhabit this inn may be mischievous.
New York
New York may be best known for the glitter of Manhattan, its picturesque Adirondack and Catskill mountains and Niagara Falls – but don’t underestimate New York as an oasis for haunted sites. Take a tour through New York State’s most haunted mansions, sinister townhouses, thrilling Escape Rooms, haunted hotels, creepy restaurants and other mysterious destinations for a thrilling fright!
Visit Emma Lazarus House in Greenwich Village for an authentic scare, then continue your visit at nearby Washington Square Park where victims from Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire still live on.
Take a ghost tour of Buffalo’s Central Terminal, once a hub for transit. Clarissa who leapt from her fifth-floor balcony and Oscar the stagehand are said to still haunt this Art Deco landmark; don’t miss the haunted haunts of Buffalo’s Prohibition-era speakeasies; spirits lurk behind every corner and behind-the-scenes story!
