If you’re drawn to the eerie allure of haunted inns and ghost tours, you’re in for a treat. America boasts some of the most spine-chilling and historically rich locations.

From the Crescent Hotel & Spa in Arkansas, where spirits from the past linger, to the majestic Queen Mary in California, your curiosity will be piqued.

Each destination offers unique experiences that blend history with the supernatural, promising tales that captivate and intrigue.

Crescent Hotel & Spa, Arkansas

Since its grand opening in 1886, the Crescent Hotel & Spa in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, has captivated visitors with its rich history and haunting legacy.

Originally built as an upscale Victorian resort, it used native limestone to craft a stunning yet eerie structure. Over the years, the hotel has worn many hats, including a luxury resort, a college for young women, and infamously, the Baker Cancer Hospital in the 1930s.

Today, the Crescent Hotel embraces its past, earning the title of “America’s Most Haunted Hotel.” Guests and staff frequently report ghostly encounters, including apparitions of Norman Baker, a nurse with a gurney, and a young boy in vintage clothing.

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Sayre Mansion, Pennsylvania

Constructed in 1858 by Robert Heysham Sayre, this Gothic Revival mansion in Bethlehem’s affluent Fountain Hill neighborhood stands as a reflection of the wealth of the steel industry era.

The Sayre family lived here for 50 years, with the mansion’s history now intertwined with tales of the supernatural. Notable for its preservation efforts, Bethlehem has evolved into a top travel destination, maintaining a deep appreciation for its history.

Visitors have reported shadowy figures, mysterious noises, and playful spirits—possibly the six Sayre children who died in the home.

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Belle Grove Plantation, Virginia

Nestled in King George, Virginia, Belle Grove Plantation holds a rich history that dates back to 1670, offering a glimpse into both America’s past and its supernatural folklore.

Originally home to Major Isaac Hite, Jr., this historic site spans 694 acres along the Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail. During the Civil War, it served as Union General Philip Sheridan’s headquarters, adding layers to its haunted lore.

Today, Belle Grove functions as a bed and breakfast and museum, welcoming visitors to explore its storied halls.

This plantation is known for its ghostly inhabitants, including over 83 reported spirits. Documented apparitions feature Union soldiers and a mourning woman dressed in black.

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1852 Linville Manor, Maryland

Linville Manor in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, offers its own rich tapestry of history and supernatural intrigue. Known initially as the Bowie-Johnson House, the property dates back to the late 1600s, with the current mansion built in 1854 on Thorpland’s original tract.

The manor’s dark past includes a mysterious fire that destroyed the original house, with the present structure standing atop the charred remains. Steeped in paranormal folklore, the site was once a tobacco and hog farm worked by enslaved individuals, echoing its haunting legacy.

At Linville Manor, spirits reportedly stir at 1:11 AM, especially in the lounge. Visitors have heard arguing voices, mysterious thuds, and moving furniture.

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Queen Mary, California

The iconic Queen Mary, moored in Long Beach, California, isn’t just a retired ocean liner but a storied vessel of intrigue and mystery. Launched in 1934, she commenced her maiden voyage in 1936, connecting Southampton and New York.

Larger and more opulent than the Titanic, the Queen Mary served as a military transport during World War II, ferrying thousands of soldiers. After retiring in 1967, she became a hotel, museum, and renowned ghost tour destination.

The Queen Mary is famed for its paranormal reputation, with up to 150 spirits reportedly lingering aboard. Notable haunted spots include Room B340, infamous for ghostly activity, and the engine room, home to spectral crewmen.

Williamsburg Ghost Tours, Virginia

Although Williamsburg is a city steeped in history, it’s also a hotspot for ghostly encounters. Known as Virginia’s most haunted city, Williamsburg’s ghost tours are a must for paranormal enthusiasts.

You can explore its eerie past with tours that highlight colonial ghost stories and real paranormal activity.

The Haunted Williamsburg tour allows you to enter colonial buildings, providing an immersive, candlelit experience. Guides in period costumes share authentic 18th-century ghost stories, blending real history with spooky tales.

Spooks & Legends focuses on the most haunted sites like Peyton Randolph House, incorporating themes of witches and pirates.

Savannah Ghost Tours, Georgia

Savannah’s ghost tours captivate visitors with a blend of eerie history and Southern charm. You’ll find a variety of tours, each offering unique experiences.

The Beyond Good and Evil Tour, adult-only, has been the highest-rated since 2012, merging macabre history, voodoo, and dark humor.

Haunted Savannah Ghost Tours offer options like the Original Haunted Savannah Tour and the Haunted Hops Pub Tour, perfect for those interested in ghost stories tied to local lore.

The Ghosts & Gravestones Tour stands out with nighttime access to haunted venues like the Andrew Low House.

Salem Ghost Tours, Massachusetts

While exploring the haunted history of Salem, Massachusetts, you’ll find a variety of ghost tours that delve into the city’s eerie past.

Spellbound Tours offers Salem’s longest-running ghost tour, led by a certified parapsychologist since 2000. You’ll uncover locations tied to the Salem Witch Trials and other phenomena like vampirism and voodoo.

For a unique experience, Witch City Walking Tours’ “Spirits & Superstitions: a Friday the 13th Tour” reveals superstitions and ghostly tales specific to that day.

Salem Haunted Happenings provides themed tours, from family-friendly to adult-oriented, ensuring engaging storytelling for all interests.

Galveston Haunted Harbor, Texas

Galveston Haunted Harbor offers a thrilling journey into the eerie depths of the city’s maritime history. Departing from Pier 21, a site already steeped in ghost lore, this 90-minute nocturnal tour immerses you in the haunted tales of Galveston’s shoreline.

You’ll encounter the USS Texas, where ghostly presences are rumored to linger, and the Tall Ship Elissa, an 1877 sailing vessel with its own maritime ghost stories. Guides expertly weave historical facts with engaging storytelling, blending humor and chills to captivate audiences.

A highlight of the tour is the “Ghost Face” at the University of Texas Medical Branch, a spectral figure known to haunt the area.

Eureka Springs Ghost Tours, Arkansas

Eureka Springs in Arkansas offers an experience like no other with its enthralling ghost tours. Beginning at the downtown Courthouse, these guided walking tours lead you through actively haunted sites up Spring Street, rich with tales of gamblers, bootleggers, and cons.

The tours culminate in the eerie underground tunnel network known as “the Catacombs,” providing an unforgettable brush with the supernatural.

The 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, dubbed “America’s Most Haunted Hotel,” is a highlight. Its tragic history as a 1930s cancer hospital run by the notorious Norman Baker adds depth to its haunted reputation.

Spirits of past patients, including “Theodora” in room 419 and a spectral nurse in the morgue, continue to intrigue visitors

Walking Tours in Historic Towns

In Savannah, Georgia, commence on a haunted walking tour with AfterLife Tours or Savannah’s Ghost Research Society.

You’ll explore sites like Colonial Park Cemetery and Sorrel-Weed House, immersing yourself into chilling stories of Yellow Fever, Civil War hospitals, and a 1990s serial killer.

Paranormal reports include shadow people and poltergeist attacks, adding an eerie twist to your visit.

Head to Alton, Illinois, one of the most haunted small towns in America. Tours inspired by Troy Taylor’s book provide an in-depth exploration into its haunted past marked by death, disease, and Civil War violence.

Baltimore, Maryland, offers ghost tours through historic neighborhoods like Fells Point, spotlighting maritime history and immigrant stories.

Ghost Hunts and Overnight Stays

Venturing into the domain of ghost hunts and overnight stays promises an exhilarating experience for those intrigued by the paranormal.

At places like the Lizzie Borden House in Massachusetts and the Villisca Axe Murder House in Iowa, US Ghost Adventures offers a chance to immerse yourself in the eerie past.

You’ll stay in rooms steeped in history, where tragedy once unfolded, and use real paranormal equipment to seek out disembodied voices or shadowy figures, guided by experts in the field.

Trolley and Boat Tours

Door County’s “Trolley of the Doomed,” for instance, invites you to uncover haunted lighthouses and sunken ships from May to November.

Raleigh’s Haunted Trolley Tour, available in October, starts at Mordecai Historic Park, perfect for families with children aged six and up.

Sarasota ups the ante with a 75-minute nighttime tour combining history and entertainment, including musical elements and costume contests.

Most tours operate in the evening, heightening the ghostly atmosphere. Remember, advance booking is essential as these tours sell out quickly, and tickets are generally non-refundable, emphasizing the need to plan ahead.

Expert Paranormal Investigations

Even though some may view paranormal investigations with skepticism, they require a methodical approach and specialized tools to explore the mysteries of the supernatural.

When you’re part of an expert team, you’ll utilize EMF meters to spot electromagnetic fluctuations, possibly indicating ghostly presence.

Digital recorders play an essential role, capturing EVPs as you question the environment, hoping for unexplained sounds.

Full-spectrum and infrared cameras, along with motion sensors, document visual and movement anomalies in low-light settings.

Family and Kid-Friendly Tours

In Savannah, the Witching Hour Paranormal Tour provides children with dowsing rods to interact with spirits, guided by a humorous host in the Historic District.

Colonial Williamsburg’s ghost walks start at 7:00 p.m., offering storytelling suited for kids aged 6 and up. Tours in Boston, Philadelphia, Nashville, and St. Augustine engage younger participants with history and hauntings without intense scares.

Family-friendly tours, typically lasting 60–120 minutes, are often scheduled during daylight or early evening to balance engagement and comfort.

Gilded Age Experimentation and Hauntings

Family-friendly ghost tours introduce you to the world of spirits in a gentle way, but the Gilded Age‘s fascination with the supernatural takes a deeper, more experimental turn. During this period, Spiritualism surged, inspired by the Fox sisters’ claims of spirit contact in 1848.

This era embraced talking boards, séances, and mediumship, blending psychic phenomena with popular culture, which still influences modern ghost hunting practices like spirit rapping and table turning.

The Gilded Age also saw the rise of horror fiction, heavily influenced by British Victorian literature, shaping America’s haunting lore.

Gothic themes and superstition aesthetics became integral to ghost stories, often reflected in the architecture of mansions like Burn Brae Mansion in Glen Spey, NY.

Revolutionary War and Presidential Ghosts

The Revolutionary War era in America left behind more than just historical landmarks; it also bequeathed a legacy of ghostly apparitions and supernatural tales.

Near Georgetown, headless British officer ghosts reportedly haunt roads and plantations, accompanied by unsettling hoofbeats and clanking chains. Witnesses describe these spectral dragoons riding or staggering, often appearing around Halloween before vanishing swiftly.

In historic homes like New York’s Jumel Mansion, apparitions of Revolutionary soldiers gather as if reliving social settings, possibly joined by figures like Aaron Burr. These encounters highlight wartime memories persisting in preserved locales.

At Mount Vernon, George Washington’s spirit is said to linger, particularly in his death chamber, symbolizing enduring leadership.

Similarly, Morristown National Historical Park, with its spectral soldiers and drum music, evokes the Revolutionary struggle.

Tragic and Melancholy Spirits

Tragic and melancholy spirits often linger in historic inns and haunted locales across America.

These spirits, often connected to romantic tragedies, haunt the halls of many renowned hotels. On the 2024 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America list, several inns are known for the ghostly brides who died waiting for their weddings.

Their unresolved hopes and heartbreak manifest through wraith-like figures or heartrending cries, adding depth to these haunted venues.

In places like the Moss Beach Distillery in California, the Blue Lady, a result of a tragic Prohibition-era affair, embodies sorrow and mischief by stealing items from guests.

Phantom Staff and Otherworldly Portals

While exploring historic inns across America, you might encounter the intriguing phenomenon of phantom staff, spectral employees who continue their duties beyond the grave.

Many inns report sightings of these ghostly figures, like bellhops and engineers, still serving guests. Described as helpful, they open locked doors and wear uniforms from their era. These spirits add a unique charm to the inns, enhancing the atmosphere with supernatural lore.

Guests and staff often report unexplained footsteps, voices, and a persistent sensation of being watched.

In some inns, paranormal activity intensifies around certain otherworldly portals. These are believed to be thin spots between dimensions, often found in specific rooms or hallways.