If you’re the type of person who gets their heart pumping and adrenaline flowing when watching horror movies, you might also get a thrill from going to certain haunted places in real life. Whether you believe them or not, there are a lot of spooky tales that have been passed down through the ages in American towns. We have made a list of top 13 most haunted places in america. Continue reading to find out about them. 

Most Haunted Places In America

1. The San Jose Winchester House, California 

This sprawling Victorian mansion was built by Sarah Winchester, heir to the Winchester rifle fortune. After her husband and child died, a psychic told Sarah she was haunted by the spirits of those killed by Winchester guns. To appease them, she constantly built new rooms, stairs, and doors in the house. Strange occurrences like doors opening to blank walls and unseen footsteps are often reported there. 

2. The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park Colorado

The Stanley hotel is one of the most popular and most haunted places in America as this hilltop hotel was the inspiration for Stephen King’s novel “The Shining.” Room 217 is said to be haunted by a housekeeper electrocuted there. Guests have reported lights turning on, doors opening and closing, and music playing from empty ballrooms. The ghosts of founder F.O. Stanley and his wife Flora are also said to frequent the hotel.

3. The LaLaurie Mansion, New Orleans, Louisiana 

Socialite Delphine LaLaurie and her doctor husband tortured and murdered slaves inside this 1831 mansion. After a fire exposed the grizzly secrets inside, LaLaurie fled and the building sat empty for years. People claim the mansion is still haunted by victims of LaLaurie’s twisted crimes. Screams, apparitions, and cold spots are among the ghostly occurrences reported here.

4. The Lizzie Borden House, Fall River, Massachusetts 

In 1892, Lizzie Borden was accused of murdering her parents with an axe inside their home. Although acquitted, Lizzie was haunted by the crime until her death. The house is now a B&B where guests have reported seeing apparitions and feeling a “presence.” Tour guides have also captured unexplained voices, screaming sounds, and moving objects here.

5. The Myrtles Plantation, St. Francisville, Louisiana

Considered one of the most haunted places in America, paranormal experts say at least 12 ghosts inhabit this antebellum plantation. It was built over a Native American burial ground and slaves were also murdered here. Visitors report seeing handprints on mirrors, a piano that plays itself, and strange apparitions that roam the rooms and grounds. 

6. Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  

Once the country’s first true penitentiary, it was famous for the system of solitary confinement and torture of the inmates. The prison was also notorious for fatal diseases, suicides, and murder. People touring the abandoned cell blocks have felt unseen hands grab them and heard disembodied cries and laughter echo through the walls.

7. The Whaley House, San Diego, California

This haunted residence holds a violent history, including suicides, hangings, and murders. Those killed on the property reportedly still haunt it today. Tourists hear heavy footsteps, see apparitions in period clothing, smell cigar smoke, and feel cold spots. The ghost of a red-headed girl named Abigail is said to giggle and scream within the house.

8. The Queen Mary, Long Beach, California

Now a floating hotel, over 50 ghosts are said to linger aboard this ocean liner. Built in 1936, there were 49 confirmed deaths during its seafaring days. Guests and staff have reported seeing apparitions of sailors, women in white gowns, children, and a man in 1930s swimming trunks. Unexplained banging, knocking, and disembodied voices are commonly heard.

9. The Bell Witch Cave, Adams, Tennessee 

According to legend, a spectre called the Bell Witch tortured a farmer and his family in 1817 after a land dispute. She is said to still lurk in the surrounding cave, interacting with visitors. Some have reported having their hair pulled, hearing scratching sounds, and seeing unexplained apparitions within the cave.

10. The White House, Washington D.C.

With a history dating back to 1800, one of the most famous and most haunted places in America is said to be haunted by several former presidents and first ladies. Ghost sightings include Abigail Adams hanging laundry in the East Room, Abraham Lincoln pacing the halls, and Andrew Jackson’s ghostly laughter. President Truman wrote to his wife Bess of hearing mysterious knocks and footsteps.

11. The Amityville House of Horror, New York

This suburban home was the site of a mass murder in 1974, when Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot and killed six family members as they slept. A year later, the Lutz family moved in and claimed to encounter violent paranormal activity before fleeing after 28 days. Their story inspired the 1977 book and 1979 film “The Amityville Horror.”  

12. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Los Angeles, California 

Another one in the list of most haunted places in America is the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel. This iconic 1927 Hollywood hotel is said to be haunted by multiple ghosts, including its founding celebrity owners like Marilyn Monroe. Guests have reported seeing Monroe’s reflection in her former suite’s mirror and feeling cold spots. Other paranormal sightings include a little girl in a blue dress and a man in black.

13. St. Augustine Lighthouse, St. Augustine, Florida

Built in 1874, America’s oldest permanent lighthouse has a history of spooky events. Three girls tragically died when a cart overturned on the property. Visitors say the stairway inside the lighthouse emanates strange vapours, relentless banging sounds can be heard, and the girls’ giggling echoes late at night. The lighthouse’s ghostly reputation even earned it a spot on TV’s “Scariest Places on Earth.”

Overview

Now that you know about the top 13 most haunted places in America, you can visit the places. The popular sites offer thrilling glimpses into the nation’s most chilling ghost stories and paranormal phenomena. The spine-tingling tales behind these locations, compounded by countless eyewitness accounts of unexplained happenings there, create an irresistible allure for horror lovers.