Stephanie is a cherished member of the Sampling America writing team, dedicated to crafting captivating narratives that transport readers to thrilling adventures across the country and beyond.
Seeking out haunted locations for a vacation is more common than you might think. Hundreds of locations around the U.S. have been reported to be haunted or have some sort of paranormal activity.
Follow our list of the top 10 most haunted places in the United States to visit if you want to participate in one of these spooky sightseeing trips.
New Orleans, Louisiana
The rumors of New Orleans‘ hauntings date back centuries. The city has played host to several voodoo practitioners and famous authors.
It’s said that the ghosts of Andrew Jackson, pirate Jean Lafitte, and William Faulkner haunt several city areas.
The city does have a long history with death, though it’s been home to churches and hospitals when diseases like tuberculosis and dysentery were high in the U.S., it’s hosted wounded soldiers from wars and has many rumored voodoo priests and priestesses who have supposedly raised the dead.
Chicago, Illinois
Although Chicago is home to world-famous restaurants, bars, and sports, it’s also the host to many tragedies through the centuries.
In 1903, a fire killed hundreds of people at the Iroquois Theatre. The city has also played host to several prolific serial killers, along with many tragic mob-related killings, such as the St. Valentine’s Day massacre, often attributed to Al Capone.
Because of this long list of unfortunate deaths and ultra-creepy prisons, thousands of ghost sightings have been reported.
Pine Barrons, New Jersey
The notorious Jersey Devil is said to reside in the Pine Barrens. The cryptid is said to have been born to a woman but was actually a demon with bat wings and hooves.
The creature has been reported to be sighted throughout more rural areas of the state, especially near farms where livestock are killed in strange and brutal ways.
The RMS Queen Mary, California
The Queen Mary is now a docked cruise liner that sits in the bay in Long Beach. It’s also one of the most haunted hotels in America.
When staying at the Queen Mary, staff will offer a tour of all the haunted sightings and common ghosts on board. Many guests also claim to see these ghosts on board and can match up to previous reports.
Shoshone Ice Caves, Idaho
In the backwoods of Idaho is an interesting ice cave made up of a previous lava tube with four and a half miles of caverns.
When visiting, you can still see these strange pieces of ice moving throughout the cave. Also, hundreds of visitors have reported hearing footsteps and moaning. Many believe it to be the ghosts of old explorers and miners.
The Stanley Hotel, Colorado
Horror fans will know this hotel in Colorado is where the enigmatic novel The Shining by Stephen King was written and based on.
The author stayed in room 217, where he and his wife were the only guests at the time. The book is based on actual events at the hotel that King experienced and dreamt of. Much of the background information of the hotel is also based on reality, including a voice that yells “get out” late at night in the concert hall.
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, California
Los Angeles has been home to many tragedies through the decades. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is one of the most haunted places.
Guests state they have seen Marilyn Monroe, who was once a frequent guest at the hotel, although she didn’t die there.
There are also several frequent ghosts that guests report seeing, such as a little girl, along with other old Hollywood stars who lived at the hotel: Carole Lombard, Errol Flynn, and Montgomery Clift.
The Biltmore Estate, North Carolina
The Biltmore Estate sits in Asheville, North Carolina, and is the city’s major attraction.
Once belonging to the prolific Vanderbilt family, who made their money from the 19th-century shipping and railroad business.
Completed in 1895, the mansion is said to play host to a number of specters, including dead members of the family. Specifically, the ghost of Edith Vanderbilt can be heard calling out for her husband, George.
Salem, Massachusetts
Most people will already know that this city was home to the infamous Salem witch trials, which killed 19 men and women.
Many people say that some of the killed women still haunt the town. There are reports of women in 19th-century dresses calling out for young children in a crowd and then vanishing.
The city offers many ghost tours of the city if you’d like to visit around their busy season near Halloween.
San Antonio, Texas
Home to the Alamo, San Antonio is said to be one of the most haunted cities in America. The Battle of the Alamo led to thousands of deaths, resulting in reports of soldiers on both sides of the conflict haunting the town.
The nearby Emily Morgan Hotel is known as one of the country’s most haunted hotels as well.
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