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10 Most Haunted Places In The U.S. You Can Visit For Halloween

Spooky season is once again here and it’s time to frighten ourselves. If watching scary movies or reading the scariest books is not enough, then maybe you need to bring it to the next level. Sometimes, we all need a spike of adrenaline and a rush of fear and excitement. Where else can you get spine-tingling scares that the most haunted places in the US are known for? 

Are you looking to challenge yourself by visiting paranormal activity hotspots? Or are interested in the lore behind historical haunted sites? If so, these are some of the best scary places to visit in the US.

1. Bodie, California

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Let’s start off this list of Halloween destinations slowly with Bodie, California. The town was once a booming center during the gold rush in the 1870s and 80s, but that is over now. Today, the town stands in “arrested decay” where shops stand stocked with supplies, but gathering dust. It is one of the historical haunted sites that come with a long list of paranormal activity hotspots and reports of supernatural phenomena. 

Fair warning, never take anything from your visit to Bodie. Rumors are, that if you take anything with you, you will be cursed for life.

2. St. Louis Cemetery Number 1, Louisiana

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With its deep roots in voodoo and dark magic, Louisiana should be at the top of any ghost tour list. In particular, the St. Louis Cemetery Number 1. While there are three cemeteries for ghost hunting locations, Number 1 is the oldest and said to be the most haunted. With over 100,000 buried bodies and active ghosts roaming the area, St. Louis Cemetery earned its reputation as one of the historical haunted sites to visit in Louisiana. 

3. Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia

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No list of scary places to visit only has one cemetery. The Bonaventure Cemetery has an eerie peaceful calm about it. Visitors may recognize the cemetery if they read the novel: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. One feature that makes Bonaventure Cemetery one of the most haunted places US visitors love is because of Gracie Watson’s grave. Having only died at six years old, her grave was built with a life-size statue of the child. During your visit, don’t forget to leave a toy at Gracie’s grave and listen for the cries of babies and disembodies dog barks.

4. Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California

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The Winchester House in California is considered one of the most infamous haunted houses in the US. The confusing and macabre mansion was built between 1884 and 1922 by gun magnate, Sara Winchester. During her life, she believed she was plagued by a curse that compelled her to build her 160-room mansion with winding corridors and numerous doors. The Winchester House is known for its paranormal activity hotspots, most especially the Seance Room.

5. Calcasieu Courthouse, Lake Charles, Louisiana

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Another one of the most haunted places US visitors should see in Louisiana is the Calcasieu Courthouse. The story of Toni Jo Henry, a sex worker who murdered a man in cold blood back in the 1940s lives in infamy. Toni Jo was the first and only woman executed in the electric chair in the state of Louisiana. People believe her spirit stayed in the courthouse and continues to disrupt employees. The telltale sign that her spirit lingers is the scent of burning hair inside the courthouse.

6. Myrtles Plantation, St. Francisville, Louisiana

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Considered as one of the most haunted places US citizens and visitors flock to Louisiana. Aside from the cemetery and courthouse, one of the most visited historical haunted sites is the Myrtles Plantation. Built during the 1790s on what is reported to be a Native American burial ground, the house is home to at least 12 active ghosts. The mansion’s history is gory and tragic with deaths by murder, gunfire, hanging, and more. A visit to one of the most haunted houses in the country will surely keep you up at night.

7. St. Augustine Lighthouse, Florida

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One of the most active paranormal activity hotspots is found in Florida. The St. Augustine Lighthouse was built in 1870 and rises 165 feet above the sea level. It takes almost 220 steps to reach the top and is home to several ghosts. The lighthouse is one of the more popular ghost hunting locations which also draws in skeptics. Visitors claim that the children of Hezekiah H. Pitted who drowned are the most active spirits on location. Hearing disembodied laughter, voices, and shadows have all been reported.

8. Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado

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The Stanley Hotel in Colorado is a must-see. The hotel earned its popularity thanks to The Shining, and it lives up to its reputation. Staying the night at one of the most haunted places US ghost hunters proclaim is a must for those interested in the paranormal. The hotel offers ghost tours that highlight spooky phenomena that encapsulate the Stanley Hotel.

9. West Virginia Penitentiary, Moundsville, West Virginia

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If you are looking for scary places to visit and you are serious about finding paranormal activity spots, the West Virginia State Penitentiary is for you. The haunted prison housed the country’s most violent criminals from 1876 to 1995 giving it a rich and terrifying history. During its peak, the prison housed 2,400 inmates despite only being built for 480. Overcrowding led to many deaths, executions, suicides, and torture. The spirits here are angry and looking for revenge.

10. Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Weston, West Virginia

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Finally, to cap this list of most haunted places the US is known for, haunted hospitals are a must. No other ghost-hunting locations come close to the reputation of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. Built for 250 patients back in 1864, mainly to treat people with alcohol or drug addiction, and those with untreatable “mental defects”, the Asylum overreached and housed 2,400 patients in the 1950s. The lack of care and room resulted in abuse and mistreatment from the staff. Today, many restless and angry spirits are felt at the asylum. Only the bravest paranormal investigators will dare step foot at one of the most haunted hospitals in the US.

Most Haunted Places US Ghost Hunters Recommend

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Whether you’re looking for a thrill when searching for Halloween destinations or you’re serious about documenting paranormal activity hot spots, there are numerous spooky places in America. The only rule is to be respectful, whether you’re a believer or a skeptic. These are historical haunted sites that should be respected and preserved for future generations to scare themselves silly.