Ghoulish getaways
With spooky season upon us, step up your game from searching Netflix for scary movies and book a stay at a haunted hotel. Ghost hunt in Gettysburg, stay in a haunted cabin in Connecticut, or visit with friendly spirits in Tennessee — whatever your fancy, we’ve rounded up plenty of opportunities to commune with the beyond all across the U.S.
Lemp Mansion, St. Louis, MO
The onetime home of beer baron William J. Lemp, the Lemp Mansion is both luxurious and spooky. Take the Haunted History tour to learn more about the ghosts that mark the Lemp family’s downfall. Ramp it up a notch with the full-on Lemp Experience, including paranormal activity detecting equipment and light appetizers (because a hungry ghost hunter is no ghost hunter at all).
The Historic Farnsworth House Inn, Gettysburg, PA
History and hauntings go hand in hand in Gettysburg. Take your pick of haunted tours at The Historic Farnsworth House Inn, from the Confederate Hospital Walk, which includes the Farnsworth haunted cellar, to the all-night Paranormal Night experience, complete with equipment with which to discover the beyond. Want something a little more lowkey? Enjoy a light evening stroll that highlights the area’s history on the East Cemetery Hill Walk.
Captain Grant’s, 1754, Preston, CT
Live the ultimate horror movie trope with a stay at a haunted cabin in the woods at Captain Grant’s. Book the Talking with Spirits package to get an education in communicating with the beyond on your woodsy getaway, and prepare to hear things that go bump in the night with strange knocks at all hours.
The Queen Anne Hotel, San Francisco, CA
Originally Miss Mary Lake’s Finishing School for Girls, the building was renovated and reopened as the elegant Queen Anne Hotel in 1980. Miss Mary Lake didn’t leave so easily though; she’s said to still haunt the bed and breakfast, spending particular time in room 410, which was her office.
The Historic Anchorage Hotel, Anchorage, AK
The only historic hotel in the city, the Anchorage Hotel is also steps from where Anchorage’s first Chief of Police was killed in 1921. It’s said that his ghost returns to the scene of the crime each year in February. All year between his visits, curtains rustle, pictures fly off the walls, and ghost sightings are so frequent that the staff keeps a ghost log of encounters shared by guests.
Prospect Hill Bed and Breakfast Inn, Mountain City, TN
Where ghosts are more of the Casper than killer variety, Prospect Hill lays claim to quirky ghost “sightings” like the mysterious smell of muffins in the air and spilled bourbon. Other encounters include a Civil War soldier outside a window, disembodied sounds of a baby crying, and spontaneous glass explosions (dangerous? We’re not sure).
