most scariest haunted house in nyc

The 10 Best Haunted Houses in and Around NYC

Spooky season has officially arrived! And few cities are as dedicated to all things creepy, gorey and Halloween -adjacent as NYC . If you love a thrill, a jump scare, and lots (we’re talking lots ) of fake blood, you’ve got to stop by one of the Big Apple’s haunted houses, mansions and asylums this October. For kids, adults and horror connoisseurs, we’ve found shrieks, screams and horror-filled experiences fit for everyone. Below, you’ll find the scariest, creepiest, and overall best haunted houses in and around NYC

The 17 Most Haunted Places in and Around NYC

1. Blood Manor

• Location: Tribeca
• Ages: 14+; children under 14 permitted with a parent or guardian
• Dates: September 30 to November 5

Ready to be spooked? There’s no better place to start than Blood Manor, by far one of the scariest spots on this list. With both classic favorites and all-new spine-chilling features, like the Crypt, Maggot Invasion, Hannibal’s Hell, Killer Clowns and more, owner Jim Lorenzo says that Blood Manor is “a theatrical quality production, with trained actors, set designers, and make-up artists—the difference is that the audience walks right onto the stage and into the performance.” For the extra courageous guests, stop by for one of the Lights Out Nights on November 4th or 5th where each group travels through the house with minimal lighting and only one glow stick. Halloween aficionados may already know that the location is believed by many to be actually haunted , and this is the first year they’re incorporating their own historic battlefield into the show.

2. The Horseman’s Night of the Shadows

• Location: Ulster Park, NY
• Ages: 13+; 1+ for children’s days
• Dates: September 30 to October 30; children’s days are October 8 & 22

Located just up the Hudson River in Ulster County, Headless Horseman’s Haunted Attractions were named the No. 1 Haunted Attraction in America by USA Today —and they deserve it. Celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, the new theme highlights the shadows of those who have walked through Crow Hollow Cemetery before, and, of course, the undead have been summoned to spook those who dare enter. But that’s not all! Once you make it through the cemetery, you can traverse through nine other equally gorey attractions: the Lunar Motel, the Nightshade Greenhouse, Glutton’s Diner and Slaughterhouse, Mama Rose’s Swamp Shack, Evil Reaping: Dark Harvest Corn Maze, Dr. Dark’s Black Spider Side Show, the Horseman’s Tomb, The Feeding: Blood Thirsty, and Two Ravens Manor.

3. House of Spirits: A Haunted Cocktail Soirée

• Location: Financial District
• Dates: October 1 to 31

Now this is how adults trick-or-treat. At House of Spirits, guests are treated to an immersive, theatrical cocktail party located in a 40,000-square-foot haunted mansion in Downtown Manhattan, known as Volkov Manor. Guests will spend two hours freely roaming the house, finding spooky magic in every nook, from tarot readings to secret games to a disturbed hypnotist-psychiatrist, all while sipping on craft cocktails inspired by different rooms in the house. There are three ticket tiers: Standard ($70, comes with four mini cocktails); Plus ($75, comes with five mini cocktails); and brand new this year, Premier ($90, comes with five mini cocktails, French chocolate truffles, expedited check-in and first entry). And don’t forget to dress up, be it in costume, cocktail attire, or your favorite time-period clothing!

4. Nightmare: Gothic

• Location: Lower East Side
• Ages: 12+; if 16 or under, a parent or guardian is required
• Dates: October 17 to 31

NYC’s longest-running haunted house is back in the Lower East Side and is better than ever. The story follows a rural town where a young boy has gone missing—and it’s every visitor’s task to help find out what happened to him. With a focus on intimacy and ambience over crowds and spectacle, every guest receives a headset with audio triggered based on your location in the space and story. Worried it’s too tame? Trust us—the space is filled with gore, eerie characters, intense emotional storytelling, shocking twists, and plenty of horror. Save $5 by purchasing tickets online in advance.

5. Brighton Asylum

• Location: Passaic, NJ
• Dates: October 1 to November 5

Named “The Scariest Place on Earth” by The Today Show , you know you’re in for a spooky time with this New Jersey attraction. The actual Brighton Asylum shut down in 1952 due to intolerable living conditions and countless staff and patient disappearances—and now, the cursed grounds are open once again. With three award-winning haunted houses, live entertainment, immersive escape rooms, larger-than-life photo experiences (and even snacks!), it’s worth the trip to this series of old, decrepit warehouses that once housed the mentally unstable, psychologically damaged and extremely violent. What’s the worst thing that could happen? Make sure to plan your trip soon, as it’s known to sell out every night!

6. Frightmare Farms Haunted Scream Park

• Location: Fulton, NY
• Ages: Not recommended for kids; children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult
• Dates: September 30 to October 29

Nestled in the backwoods of Central New York, Frightmare Farms Haunted Scream Park offers a premiere, immersive Halloween experience perfect for the horror-obsessed. With four award-winning attractions—the Haunted Estate, Twisted Labyrinth, Condemned Mine Trail, and Frightmare Forest Hayride—plus two brand new adrenaline rooms, visitors only pay for the attractions they want to see, and there’s sure to be something for everyone looking for a fright. With intensely detailed sets and scarily creepy professional actors, nightmares are basically guaranteed!

7. A Haunting in Hollis

• Location: Hollis, Queens

Navigate through the dark with flashlights and laser guns as zombies, demons and ghouls lurk in the shadows and lunge at you at every wrong turn at this Queens haunted house. With over 250 walls creating an 80-foot double maze filled with deadends, the brave souls who make it past the first one will traverse through an intense five-story haunted house from the basement to the attic while being chased by the living dead—in the dark. The only way out? Satan’s Slope: a new 20-foot slide that drops into yet another dark, eerie maze. Boasting 13 rooms, 20 live actors and two outdoor mazes, the frights at A Haunting in Hollis are as real as they get. But don’t worry, there’s a safe word (“peanut butter”) if you really need it! Footage of your ride down Satan’s Slope is available for purchase.

8. Darkness Rising

• Location: Copiague, NY
• Ages: All ages
• Dates: September 30 to October 31

This Long Island haunted house features two extremely sinister attractions: The Haunting of Black Gulch, an old, ghost-ridden western town; and Gentec Laboratories, a genetic experiment gone wrong (hint: you’ll have to make it past a few violent psychopaths). For $35, you can get into both attractions, and for $50, you get to skip the line—plus, this year there’s a snack bar, a café, reserved ticketing, photo ops, and even a gift shop. What’s more? A portion of the proceeds go to the YES Community Counseling Center , which focuses on personal and community issues, preventing and treating substance abuse, and promoting healthy families and a safe community. Get scared for a good cause!

9. Madhouse on Mulberry

• Location: Little Italy
• Ages: All ages, but 21+ to enter the bar; kids under 13 must be accompanied by an adult
• Dates: October 1 to November 6

Known as Manhattan’s only proper boozy haunted house, this Madhouse is exactly that: mad! Enter an elaborate 5,000-square-foot labyrinth of spooky rooms ripped out of your worst nightmares that’s said to be an actual abandoned asylum that housed patients over 200 years ago. Scared yet? Walk (or run) through the phobia area, the butcher’s area, the doll area, the demon area, and finally, the bar area for a little liquid courage to finish off the night. Enjoy a well-deserved cocktail, beer, or other alcoholic beverage—or opt for the V.I.P. package that offers adults an additional welcome beverage upon arrival.

10. Bronx Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo & Dinosaurs in Darkness: The Hatching

• Location: The Bronx
• Ages: Boo at the Zoo is all ages; Dinosaurs in Darkness: The Hatching is 13+
• Dates: Boo at the Zoo is October 1 to 30; Dinosaurs in Darkness: The Hatching is October 7 to 29

While neither event is technically a haunted house, these are great picks for families. Boo at the Zoo is back again for another year with professional pumpkin carving demonstrations, magic and mind-reading shows, trick-or-treating, a spooky extinct animal graveyard, costumed stilt-walkers, and plenty of live animals up-close and personal. And for the first time ever, the Bronx Zoo has introduced an after-dark haunted experience, Dinosaurs in Darkness: The Hatching. This walk-through event transforms the fan favorite Dinosaur Safari into a spooky nighttime extravaganza centered around a rare dinosaur egg that’s finally ready to hatch, sending guests on an adventure that brings them up close with prehistoric creatures in a whole new way. Note that Dinosaurs in Darkness is ticketed separately from the zoo’s admission.

The 26 Best Haunted Houses for a Seriously Scary Halloween

Freelance PureWow Editor

More stories you'll love.

10 Must-See New York Haunted Houses in 2023

If you love Halloween haunted house attractions , then you’ve come to the right place! We currently have 77 spooky haunts listed in New York including twisted trails , haunted hayrides , home haunts , corn mazes , and more!

Here’s a list of some of the most popular haunted houses on our website that you don’t want to miss this season!

10. Hallows End – Staten Island, NY

Hallows End will take over “Staten Island Ferry Hawk’s City” in September and October, starting September 30th. This year, they offer three terrifying attractions: Witches Coven, Total Darkness, and Freak Show.

9. Pure Terror Scream Park – Monroe, NY

Pure Terror Scream Park has been the Guinness World Record’s longest horror attraction since 2015. For 2023, the park will unveil three all-new attractions: Jungle Rot, Pumpkin Alley, and the Monster Midway. The screaming begins September 23rd.

8. Slaughterland Screampark – Binghamton, NY

Slaughterland Screampark opens September 29th to unveil its 5th and most terrifying attraction! Will you survive… The Bloodshed? With a street number of 666, you’re sure to get your scare on here!

7. Terror Field – Clyde, NY

Terror Field is a highly energetic, high-intensity, in-your-face haunt experience. Mature audience advised. This is a hands-on show – you will be touched!

6. Blood Manor Haunted Attraction – New York, NY

Blood Manor is celebrating their 20th season in 2023! NYC’s premier haunted house will open its doors on September 29th.

5. Frightmare Farms – Fulton, NY

Frightmare Farms Haunted Scream Park is a theatrically detailed haunted attraction that creates a true sense of fear in central New York’s backwoods.

To read more about the experience, check out Team Skelegore ‘s 2022 review HERE .

4. Grimsley’s Gorge – Phoenix, NY

Grimsley’s Gorge is a free home haunted house attraction. One can hear screams coming from the area on dark and windless nights. Are you brave enough to face Dr. Grimsley? Be careful; if you become his next medical malpractice victim, the sounds of screaming locals hear will be your own!

3. Cayo Industrial Horror Realm – Rome, NY

Cayo Industrial Warehouse of Horror is a walkthrough-style horror attraction within an industrial warehouse. Beginning September 30th, “the world shifts into a new era. Human hands cast the horizon of a new reality. The sun soon sets over clouds created by man.”

To read more about this haunting experience, check out Team Skelegore ‘s 2022 review HERE .

2. Crooked Descent – Herkimer, NY

Crooked Descent is a unique, immersive indoor haunted house attraction. This haunt is said to push the creative boundaries of the traditional haunted house.

1. Frightworld America’s Screampark – Buffalo, NY

Frightworld features multiple award-winning haunted houses at this indoor scream park!

For a full list of all scary attractions in New York, please visit our New York Haunted House Directory

Now get out there and STAY SCARY!

Note from the editors: This list is not a top haunts list. We are not saying these are the best or scariest haunts in the state or the only ones you should visit. It would be best if you considered these when making your Halloween season plans, as they are some of the most popular amongst our reviewers and our site visitors.

The Scare Factor provides reviews and directory listings for Halloween haunted houses, haunted trails, haunted hayrides, scream parks, and other types of haunted attractions.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2023©️

[email protected]

The scariest Halloween attractions in Upstate NY: 20 best haunted houses and more

• Updated: Sep. 21, 2023, 9:23 a.m. |
• Published: Sep. 21, 2023, 9:11 a.m.

A scene from the Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Houses at 778 Broadway, Route 9W, Ulster Park, N.Y. Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Houses

• Geoff Herbert | [email protected]

What are the best haunted houses in Upstate New York? The scariest Halloween attractions in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and everywhere in between include spooky hayrides, bone-chilling trails of terror, scream parks, escape rooms and truly terrifying zombie zip-lining.

There are plenty of real-life haunted places across the region, including documented instances of paranormal activity and ghost sightings, but if you want a fun scare this October, check out our list of 20 must-try horror experiences and events for 2023.

Note: Check official websites for hours, pricing; some may require reservations in advance. Also, beware: Some places are not recommended for younger audiences and may require cash only.

Headless Horseman

Featured on the “Today” show and named the No. 1 horror attraction in America by hauntworld.com and USA Today, this Catskills Region collection of 10 attractions changing every Halloween season includes a theatrical one-mile hayride, corn maze, escape rooms and more.

Location: 778 Broadway, Route 9W, Ulster Park, NY

More info: headlesshorseman.com

Frightmare Farms Haunted Scream Park

Frightmare Farms’ Haunted Scream Park, located half an hour outside of Syracuse, features a haunted house, twisted labyrinth, a condemned mine trail, and a haunted hayride through the forest. Voted scariest experience by syracuse.com readers.

Location: 4816 State Route 49, Palermo, N.Y. 13069

More info: frightmarefarms.net

Dark Matter Scream Works

Rochester’s indoor haunted attraction promises to chill your spine with five attractions: Blood Manor, Circus of the Damned, Phobias, Contagion and House of Krampus. A “Scare Cam” also captures photos of people getting scared and posts them on Facebook .

Location: 296 Greece Ridge Center Drive, Greece, NY

More info : darkmatterscreamworks.com

Nightmare Manor

Another nightmare in Rochester: Try not to freak out as you face toxic zombies in the Undead Zone, the Sinister Sewers beneath the manor, and Hillbilly Hell, an old abandoned ranch filled with (gulp) serial killers.

Location: Southtown Plaza, 3333 West Henrietta Rd., Rochester NY

More info : nightmaremanorhauntedhouse.com

Cayo Industrial Horror Realm

An intense haunted house experience geared for adults featuring a labyrinth of twisted walls with horrific encounters plus real-world conspiracies, conflicts, pandemics and hidden agendas. Children under 12 not recommended.

Location: 530 Harbor Way, Rome, N.Y.

More info: cayoindustrial.com

Frightworld: America’s Screampark

Five terrifying attractions include the Carnival Boneyard, Nightstalkers Reloaded, Eerie State Asylum, Grindhouse and... Insanity. Named the third best haunted house in the U.S. by BuzzFeed.

Location: 1001 Hertel Ave, Buffalo, N.Y.

More info: frightworld.com

Field of Horrors

Things that go bump in the night creep around every corner on attractions like Dr. Morbid’s Haunted House, Return of the Mummy’s Curse, and the Condemned Manor. Voted the scariest attraction in the Capital Region; not recommended for children under 10.

Location: 100 Farrell Rd, Troy, NY

More info : fieldofhorrors.com

Zombie Zip-Lining

Zombie Zips? This tour is not for faint of heart. Your nightmare begins with a corpse-guided tour along a serial killer infested forest to then be hauled into the trees among complete, utter horror. Once in the trees you will be launched in complete darkness … alone, afraid and vulnerable … along a screaming steel cable hundreds of feet along Mountain Ridge Adventure’s awesome Zip Line Park.

Location: 300 Weatherwax Road, Schenectady, NY

More info : mountainridgeadventure.com/zombie-zipline-adventure/

Fright Nights

Formerly known as “Fright Nights at the Fair,” the expanded location in an 82,000 square foot factory near Carrier Circle features five haunted attractions. The “greatest haunt on earth” was named one of the 20 best haunted attractions in the Northeast by USA Today.

Location: 1 LePage Place, Syracuse, N.Y.

More info: thefrightnights.com

Rolling Hills Asylum

Do you dare roam the halls alone? Get committed to a 3-hour psych hold, go on a ghost hunt or take a flashlight tour around the “authentically haunted” institute seen on “Ghost Hunters,” “Ghost Adventures” and “Paranormal Challenge.”

Location: 11001 Bethany Center Rd, East Bethany, NY

More info : rollinghillsasylum.com

The Trail of Terror

Volney’s trail of terror features a cursed forest and a 5,000-square foot haunted house filled with old school horror fun.

Location: 475 Clifford Rd, Fulton, N.Y.

More info: Facebook or the-trail-of-terror.business.site

Demon Acres Haunted House & Hayride

Less than 40 minutes outside of Syracuse, Hannibal’s extreme hayride in the “Depths of the Dark Forest” and a “Demon’s Den” promise scary fun. Other attractions include “Jail Break,” dropping brave souls in the middle of a prison riot, and an “Insane Asylum” escape room.

Location: 341 County Route 36, Hannibal, N.Y. 13074

More info: demonacres.com or Facebook

13th Hour Rising Haunted Hayride

An immersive haunted hayride event delivers high-octane fears, phobias and carnage that will make you scream, plus a twisted mind maze dubbed “The Passage.” Not recommended for children under 8.

Location: Chengerian’s, 84 Merrit Road, Fulton, N.Y. 13069

More info: 13thhourrising.com

Fright Fest at Six Flags Darien Lake & Great Escape

The Six Flags theme parks get creepy on the weekends in October with zombies, scare zones, haunted mazes, haunted houses and more.

Location: 9993 Allegheny Road, Corfu, NY (Darien Lake); 1172 State Route 9, Queensbury, NY (Great Escape)

More info: sixflags.com/darienlake (Darien Lake) and sixflags.com/greatescape (Great Escape)

Double M Haunted Hayrides & Haunted Houses

For over 25 years, ghost cowboy Scary Harry and the rest of the gang have been haunting Saratoga County with a Double M haunted hayride through dark woods filled with “spirits and creatures of unimaginable beings.” Other fun includes Brutality, Blood Moon Farm and the Last Inn, where they check in and sometimes don’t check out.

Location: 678 NY-67, Ballston Spa, NY

More info: doublemhauntedhayrides.com

Trail of Terror, Hunt

Take a wild ride on a haunted bus, get dropped off in a cornfield and follow the path through multiple shacks, trailers and woods for a unique haunted experience.

Location: 10042 S. River Road, Hunt, NY

More info: facebook.com/TrailofTerrorr

Night Terrors Haunted Farm

As you pass through the farm you’ll feel the presence of the many restless souls waiting in the darkness at attractions like Maize Mayhem, the Hive, and Spellbound.

Location: 4193 Rte 7 Schoharie, NY

More info: nightterrorshauntedfarm.com

Freak at the Peak

Greek Peak Mountain Resort’s mountain coaster will turn into a haunted thrill ride, plus a zombie zip line will soar over the undead.

Location: Greek Peak Mountain Resort, 2000 State Route 392, Cortland NY

More info: greekpeak.net

Wood Creek Hollow

Hollows Hayride is a “journey through a desolate town,” a Psycho Path walking trail features horror icons, and the Crypt Keepers Courtyard offers food, artisans and a tarot reader. All guests must be 18+ or accompanied by an adult over 21.

Location: 3851 Wood Creek Rd, Rome, NY

More info: Facebook

Tagsylvania

The fear of the Southern Tier features four haunted attractions, including the Orphan House, the Jerkus Circus and Motel 666.

Location: 3037 New York 352, Big Flats, NY

More info: tagsylvania.com

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8 Scary Haunted Houses for Halloween on Long Island

By Lon Cohen Published: September 27 2021

Get the bejeezus scared out of you at these frightening spots.

Photo: Shutterstock.

Love a good scare? These haunted houses on Long Island are sure to make even the most hardened Halloween enthusiast’s heart skip a beat!

NASSAU COUNTY

Bayville Scream Park - Bayville Scream Park is where dreams go to die and nightmares come to thrive. The most macabre, unsettling, and disturbing images in the back of your mind come alive in this one-of-a-kind Halloween theme park. With themes ranging from a haunted mansion to an army of clowns and then to a coven of witches, there is no telling how many times you’ll turn white and utilize those vocal chords of yours. Location: 8 Bayville Avenue, Bayville.

Darkness Rising - Set in the mid 1600's, your group will journey through a cursed village whose people are either dead, missing or worse. As you search for the survivors, something becomes disturbingly clear - there is ​evil in the darkness. This season is going to blow your mind! Location: 800 Chettic Avenue, Copiague.

Dreams & Nightmares at Sands Point Preserve - This Halloween, the Sands Point Preserve Conservancy invites you to Hempstead House with a new immersive horror experience. Far beyond the typical haunted house attraction, a new kind of horror unfolds with you and your companions as a part of the story. Visitors to this primal world will delve into the madness which resides beyond the veil of sleep, as performers transport the audience – sometimes alone – into the bizarre, beautiful, and grotesque world of DREAMS and NIGHTMARES. Location: 127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point.

SUFFOLK COUNTY

Deepwells Haunted Mansion - Deepwells Mansion - circa 1845 - Is known for an abundance of paranormal activity throughout the year. A favorite place for mediums and psychics to gather for ghost hunts and seances. In October they open the doors and welcome you in, to tour the screamingly horrific Deepwells Haunted Mansion. Enter the front door and explore room after room, floor after floor, of horrific scenes and creepy clowns, spiders galore and keep your eye out for the scientific experiments gone wrong. Location: 2 Taylor Lane in Saint James.

Darkside Haunted House - The Darkside Haunted House is over 14,000 Scare ft and has over 30 of the most detailed scenes of fright! The Darkside Haunted House is two attractions in one with an outdoor attraction "The Village" and an indoor attraction "The House.” Location: 5184 NY-25A, Wading River.

Chambers of Hell - Featuring three haunted attractions, a horror stage show, intense lighting and sound as well as over 40 live actors. Location: 1745 Expressway Drive North, Hauppauge.

Restless Souls Haunted House - Offering four horrifying haunted attractions, along with nightly entertainment and a phantom plaza midway, you get so much value for your ticket price, it's scary. The haunted attractions utilize a time-tested combination of interactive and up-close actors, Hollywood-quality props and audio-animatronics, elaborate sets and controlled lighting and audio design to ensure your time is as immersive and realistic as can be. Location: 301 W Hills Rd. Huntington Station

Gateway’s Haunted House - Gateway’s 100 year old Estate provides the setting for the scariest night of your life. As a division of The Gateway, Performing Arts Center of Suffolk County, Gateway’s Haunted Playhouse utilizes the numerous theatrical designers and staff at the Gateway – Long Island’s oldest professional theatre. Dozens of professionally trained actors prepare and rehearse each character that inhabits the haunt, giving it a unique, theatrical quality unrivaled on the island. Location: 215 South Country Road, Bellport.

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Looking for a Fright? 10 Haunted Houses Near You

From scary mazes to frightening haunted paintball hayrides, here's a list of some of the halloween-centric attractions in new york, new jersey and connecticut, published october 13, 2022 • updated on october 13, 2022 at 12:00 pm.

Halloween is full of frightful fun for children and adults to enjoy -- and there is no better way to get into the Halloween spirit than visiting a haunted house attraction.

Haunted houses are full of thrills and chills that will shake you to your core. So put down that hot apple cider and scroll down for a list of some of the scariest haunted houses in the tri-state area.

BLOOD MANOR

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Location: 359 Broadway, New York, 10013

Considered by some to be New York City's most haunted house, Blood Manor showcases a myriad of zombies, monsters and other creatures are spread across a 5,000-square-foot building.

The attraction is so horror-ific that it is deemed too scary for children under 14.

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For more information, or to get tickets, click here .

HALLOW'S END HAUNTED HOUSE

Location: 4350 ArthurKill Road, Staten Island, NY 10309

Hallow's End Haunted House is one of the newest attractions on Staten Island.

Hallow's End Haunted House is only open on the weekends and tickets must be purchased at the door. Note that there is a cash-only policy.

NIGHTMARE GOTHIC

Location: 107 Suffolk St., New York, NY

If you are looking for a theatrical immersive experience with a Victorian Gothic-themed decor, look no further than Nightmare Gothic on the Lower East Side.

Grim monsters, scary characters and terrifying scenery as well as immersive headsets are part of this haunted house experience.

"Nightmare Gothic" is produced by Psycho Clan. The legendary Nightmare Haunted House in the LES in 2002. However, since then, Psycho Clan has produced over 16 haunted houses.

For more information, click here .

TERROR HAUNTED HOUSE

Location: 234 W 42nd St., New York, NY

This is one of New York City's largest haunted houses, boasting around 20,000 square feet of spooky-filled thrills.

The attraction is located right in the heart of Times Square.

Terror Haunted House organizers warn that the attraction may be too intense for children under 13.

BRIGHTON ASYLUM

Location: 2 Brighton Ave., Passaic, NJ 07055 (border of Clifton)

Brighton Asylum is New Jersey's most visited Halloween destination for more than a decade, according to the attraction's website.

The award-winning attraction has been featured on The TODAY show, Buzzfeed and other media outlets from across the word, the website reads.

13TH HOUR HAUNTED HOUSE (FORMERLY THE HAUNTED SCAREHOUSE)

Location: 105 W Dewey Ave., Suit 5, Wharton, NJ 07885

13th Hour features three haunted house attractions with special effects. Additionally, 13th Hour also offers 60-minute escape rooms and a "haunted hatchets" attraction -- a hatchet throwing activity with custom targets and glow-in-the-dark hatchets.

For more information on any of the attractions, click here .

NORZ HILL FARM -- SCARE FARM HAUNTED HOUSE

Location: 120 South Branch Road, Hillsborough Township, NJ 08844

Norz Hill Farm is family-owned and operated by the Norz family. While the farm is known for its hayrides, pumpkin picking and farm animal visits, it also hosts its popular Scare Farm.

This year Scare Farm will feature three horror-filled attractions: Creepy Hallow, Paranoia Walking Trails, and the Slayride - Hayride.

NIGHT OF TERROR AT CREAMY ACRES FARM (FEATURING A HAUNTED PAINTBALL HAYRIDE AND HAUNTED HOUSE)

Location: 448 Lincoln Mill Rd, Mullica Hill, NJ 08062

Creamy Acres Farm converts into a 100-acre park filled with zombies, killer clowns and other terrifying sights.

However, Night of Terror stands apart from other haunted house attractions by featuring a haunted paintball hayride where visitors ride a wagon and use mounted paintballs guns to defend the wagon crew against a zombie invasion!

For more information, click here.

CONNECTICUT

LEGENDS OF FEAR HAUNTED HAYRIDE & TRAIL

Location: Fairview Tree Farm, 2 Saw Mill City Rd, Shelton, CT 06484

Legends of Fear located in Shelton, Conn., features a number of scary Halloween-centric attractions, including: Melonhead Revenge Trail, Pine Hills Parish, The Dark Harvest, Hemlock Manor Mortuary and the Funhouse of Fear.

However, Legends of Fear also hosts Spooky Night Lights, a family-friendly, non-scary event featurin sights, sounds, music and NO frightful sights.

TRAIL OF TERROR - REAWAKENING

Location: 60 N. Plains Highway, Wallingford, CT 06492

Trail of Terror is a winding outdoor haunted trail in the woods of Wallingford, Conn.

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The 8 most haunted houses in new york (photos).

Writer, The Bowery Boys: New York City History

New York is a city of eight million stories, and many of them are about ghosts.

You can't stroll down a sidewalk in New York without tripping over an old ghost story, whether it be the restless spirit of Peter Stuyvesant over at St. Mark's Church-In-The-Bowery , Gilded Age-era spirits roaming the halls of the Dakota Apartments or even the apparitions of suicide victims at the Empire State Building . Our parks are haunted, our bars and restaurants, our churches and theaters. Some even claim the Brooklyn Bridge is haunted, although I pity that mournful apparition on a crowded Saturday afternoon.

Old places generally accumulate their share of ghost tales, and New York is certainly old indeed -- over 400 years old. But that's not the only reason the Big Apple is so frightfully haunted.

The city's first great writer, Washington Irving , both popularized and satirized urban legends, spinning his most famous yarn The Legend of Sleepy Hollow out of the misty superstitions of Westchester County.

With the dawning of second Great Awakening -- centered in western New York state -- the American religious experience became deeply personalized, revising views on the afterlife. New Yorkers of the late 19th century became entranced by the tools of spiritualism -- mediums, magicians, séances, even Ouija boards. Other realms became accessible, and it seemed believable for some that those who had died might have left unfinished business behind.

The preservation of old historic structures -- on streets named for the long-dead -- has given certain areas of New York a sense of being trapped in time, ample setting for a spooky story about the people who once inhabited these places.

Many parks were once cemeteries. Yes, below that bench you're sitting on? Most likely a grave. Washington Square Park has thousands of bodies potentially buried underneath it. In knowing the history of a place, our minds sometimes draw artificial conclusions. If the bodies are there, could their spirits still be hanging around?

But mostly, ghost stories are generally good for business. When has saying some famous landmark was haunted ever driven anybody away from it? In the end, we all fashion ourselves ghost hunters.

For six years now, The Bowery Boys: New York City History podcast (which I record with fellow Huffington Post travel writer Tom Meyers ) has featured a special Halloween show focusing on some of New York City's scariest tales. You can find our back catalog of ghost story podcasts here .

In our new show, Mysteries and Magicians of New York , we recount the tales of couple old haunted houses with stories that stretch back into New York's Colonial era.

Even though New York City has very few free-standing spooky mansions in the traditional horror-movie vein, the city nevertheless possesses a disturbing variety of haunted private residences. Here are eight of our most haunted houses according to legend, many still standing and many still used as private homes and businesses. If you ever get a chance to stay in any of these places overnight, my advice would be -- don't.

The 'House of Death' 14 West 10th Street, Manhattan This simple brownstone is often considered the MOST haunted place in Manhattan, as a variety of spirits have appeared in the building's stairwells, including that of a former inhabitant -- Mark Twain!

For more information: the podcast Spooky Stories of New York

The Phantom of Gay Street 12 Gay Street, Manhattan

This charming home on quiet, curvy Gay Street in the West Village was a former speakeasy, the home to Mayor Jimmy Walker's famous mistress. And the creator of Howdy Doody even lived here. But many believe the party never truly stopped, as ghostly revelers have been seen and heard, including a spirit in an opera cloak affectionately known as 'the Gay Street phantom'. Pictured: A gloomy Gay Street

For more information: the podcast Haunted Tales of New York

James Brown House 326 Spring St, Manhattan This former home of a Revolutionary War veteran is most famous for the taverns that have occupied its ground floor, including today's jovial Ear Inn. But several decades ago, a sailor named Mickey was killed in an accident in front of the building, and many believe his mischievous spirit still harasses patrons to this day.

For more information: the podcast Mysteries and Magicians of New York

Morris-Jumel Mansion 65 Jumel Terrace, Manhattan This lovely home, open to visitors, also has Revolutionary War connections - George Washington even slept here -- but it's the ghost of the scary old crone Eliza Jumel that frightens children today with her occasional appearance.

For more information: the podcast Ghost Stories of New York

The Haunted Penthouse 57 W. 57th Street, Manhattan Dorothy Parker (whose ghost is famous for haunting the Algonquin Hotel ) used to live in a building at this address, but the tony tower standing here today holds a shocking secret in its penthouse -- the ghosts of two warring lovers who both bickered themselves to death.

For more information: the podcast Supernatural Stories of New York

The Merchant's House 29 E. 4th Street, Manhattan Poor Gertrude Tredwell. A spinster who lived her entire life here may still haunt this museum which exhibits many of her original possessions. Trust me, she doesn't like it when you rearrange things.

Kreischer Mansion 4500 Arthur Kill Road, Charleston, Staten Island The Kreischer Mansion was once mirrored by a twin house that stood next door, both constructed by a brick manufacturer for his sons. One burned down several decades later, but the remaining manor is notorious for its many ghostly apparitions. A bloody, mob-related murder in the past decade further lends to the house's devilish reputation.

For more information: the podcast Haunted Histories of New York

Melrose Hall Flatbush Avenue, between Winthrop and Clarkson Streets, Brooklyn One of Brooklyn's most terrifying stories involves a former mansion in the Flatbush area, a Colonial-era home full of secret passages, hidden staircases and even a dungeon. For decades during the 19th century, people whispered of a female ghost named Alva who haunted the mysterious house, a woman locked in a room who had died of starvation. The house may be gone, but the spectre may still be hanging around.

Greg Young, Contributor

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The 15 most haunted places in nyc you need to visit.

Nov 24, 2019

By Rich Weidman

“The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?” – Edgar Allan Poe

Horror movies filmed on location in New York City run the gamut from established classics such as Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and more offbeat cult films like Basket Case (1982) and Jacob’s Ladder (1990) to total turkeys such as the execrable Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989). In addition, we would be remiss not to acknowledge the NYC-based 1984 horror-comedy classic Ghostbusters! However, for a real taste of the macabre, nothing beats visiting actual ghoulish and creepy landmarks throughout the Big Apple that reportedly have exhibited paranormal activity of one form or another over the years. Whether you wish to try your hand at ghost hunting and explore haunted mansions, sinister townhouses, scary Escape Rooms , ghostly theaters, spooky restaurants, possessed hotels, creepy churches or even Harry Houdini’s gravesite, here are the 15 most haunted places in NYC you need to visit (note that some of these sights are private residences and not open to the public, so you will only be able to catch a glimpse of those ghostly sites from outside) – And if you survive the terror, unwind with your favorite adult beverage at any of the best rooftop bars in NYC!

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1 | Morris-Jumel Mansion | Built in 1765 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Morris-Jumel Mansion (AKA “Mount Morris”) in Washington Heights is the oldest house in Manhattan and originally served as the summer house of Colonel Roger Morris (1727-94), a highly decorated British Army officer. In the fall of 1776, the mansion briefly served as the headquarters for General George Washington and his officers during the Revolutionary War. In 1810, Eliza and Stephen Jumel purchased the Georgian-style mansion. Eliza reportedly had an affair with Aaron Burr (the former vice president who had killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel) and soon thereafter Stephen died mysteriously from a “pitchfork accident.” According to popular rumors of the time, Eliza actually buried Stephen alive! Eliza and Burr divorced three years later, Burr soon died and Eliza eventually had a mental breakdown that lasted until she died in 1865 at the age of 90. Today, the Morris-Jumel Mansion is allegedly haunted by at least five spirits, including Eliza (in 1965 she allegedly shushed a group of rowdy schoolchildren who were taking a tour of the mansion), Stephen Jumel, Aaron Burr, a servant girl who reportedly committed suicide by jumping out of a window and even the painting of a Revolutionary War soldier that occasionally comes to life (a la the talking portraits that populate Hogwarts Castle!). If you’re interested in possibly running into any or all of these restless spirits, the Morris-Jumel Mansion is open for self-guided tours every day but Monday.

WHERE: 65 Jumel Terrace, New York, NY 10032 | WHO: (212) 923-8008

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2 | The Dakota | Not only is the Gothic-style Dakota building, which first opened its doors in 1884, one of the most exclusive residences in Manhattan, but it’s also reportedly one of the most haunted buildings in NYC! Tragically, John Lennon of Beatles fame was murdered outside of the Dakota on December 8, 1980 (Yoko Ono still lives at the Dakota and claims she once viewed Lennon’s ghost sitting at his legendary white piano). When he was alive, Lennon apparently told Ono he witnessed a “Crying Lady Ghost” in the Dakota. Other ghosts witnessed by Dakota residents over the years include a playful girl in a yellow dress and a very creepy looking short guy donning an ill-fitting wig. In addition, paranormal activity reported at the Dakota includes phantom footsteps, mysterious noises and objects moving on their own. By the way, scenes from the 1968 horror movie classic Rosemary’s Baby directed by Roman Polanski were shot at the Dakota, which is located at Central Park West on 72nd Street for the morbidly curious.

WHERE: 1 W. 72nd Street, New York, NY 10023 | WHO: N/A

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3 | “House of Death” | Few buildings in NYC have a more sinister reputation than the so-called “House of Death” near Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village that has become widely known as “the most haunted building in New York.” According to legend, the 19th-century brownstone got its macabre name due to the myriad of mysterious and violent deaths that took place in the building over the years, along with an extraordinary level of reported paranormal activity reported here. Legendary author Mark Twain lived in the building for a year (1900-01) and his ghost – clad in his signature white suit and coolly smoking a cigar – has been spotted here. In fact, a plaque outside the building states, “In this house once lived Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens), author of the beloved American classic The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” In 1987, the building was also the site of the tragic murder of six-year-old Lisa Steinberg by her father, Joel Steinberg, a former criminal defense attorney. Last but not least, Jan Bryant Bartell, an off-Broadway actress/poet and longtime resident of the “House of Death,” wrote a compelling 1974 memoir about her paranormal experiences there titled Spindrift: Spray from a Psychic Sea.

WHERE: 14 W. 10th Street, New York, NY 10011 | WHO: N/A

4 | One if By Land, Two if By Sea | An immensely popular West Village eatery, One if By Land, Two if By Sea is housed in a former carriage house built in 1767 that once belonged to Aaron Burr (1756-1836), who served as vice president under Thomas Jefferson (and is also notorious for fatally wounding Alexander Hamilton in a duel). Not only is Burr said to haunt the dining establishment, but also the spirit of his daughter, Theodosia, who disappeared at sea while aboard the schooner Patriot somewhere off the coast of North Carolina in 1813. Diners and restaurant employees have reported such paranormal activity as getting shoved by an invisible hand, paintings falling off walls, flickering lights, plates flying across the dining room and even earrings pulled from ears. By the way, the eatery appears at No. 5 on Architectural Digest’s list of the “Most Romantic Restaurants in the World.” Movie buffs will want to know that the private upstairs dining area at One if By Land, Two if By Sea reportedly once served as actor Steve McQueen’s apartment.

WHERE: 17 Barrow Street, New York, NY 10014 | WHO: (212) 255-8649

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5 | New Amsterdam Theater | Now leased by Disney Theatrical Productions and currently home to the hit musical Aladdin, New Amsterdam Theatre boasts a rich history as Broadway’s oldest theater and an official New York City Landmark that is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1902-03, the New Amsterdam Theatre also features a resident ghost, none other than Ziegfeld Follies chorus girl and actress Olive Thomas, who was known as “The Most Beautiful Girl in New York City” before dying in Paris in 1920 at the age of 25 after swallowing a lethal dose of mercury bichloride pills (which her husband, Jack Pickford, brother of actress Mary Pickford, was using to treat his syphilis). The ghost of Thomas has often been spotted hanging out both onstage and in the backstage of the theater.

WHERE: 214 W. 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036 | WHO: (212) 282-2900

6 | Kreischer House | A creepy Queen Anne Victorian-style mansion that sits empty on Staten Island, the allegedly haunted Kreischer House contains 25 rooms and was built around 1885 by German immigrant and “brick-factory baron” Balthasar Kreischer. One of Kreischer’s twin sons later committed suicide in the mansion. In 2005, the property’s caretaker Joseph “Joe Black” Young (who was also a hitman for the mob!) murdered a fellow mobster named Robert McKelvey inside the mansion, dismembered his body and burned it in the basement furnace. Over the years, visitors have reported strange voices and lights emanating from the house, along with sightings of the ghosts of both Kreischer song, as well as a former cook. By the way, the Kreischer House served as a filming location for HBO’s period crime drama Boardwalk Empire and was also featured on the reality TV series Paranormal Lockdown. In addition, actor Aaron Paul (“Jesse Pinkman” from Breaking Bad) visited the Kreischer House during an episode of the TruTV series Super Into.

WHERE: 4500 Arthur Kill Road, Staten Island, NY 10309 | WHO: N/A

7 | The Manhattan Well | The infamous “Manhattan Murder Well” trial took place in 1799 after carpenter Levi Weeks was accused of the strangulation murder of his girlfriend Gulielma “Elma” Elmore Sands and throwing her body into a well in an area of Manhattan that was then known as “Lispenard Meadow.” Wells, the brother of influential builder Ezra Weeks, was later acquitted in a controversial verdict. Today, the remains of the notorious well can be found inside the COS SoHo clothing store on Spring Street. Elma’s ghost can allegedly be heard shrieking from deep down in the well, as well as sometimes wandering around the streets of SoHo. The Travel Channel has included the Manhattan well as one of its “10 Most Haunted Places in America.”

WHERE: 120 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012 | WHO: N/A

8 | St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery | The ghost of Peter “Peg Leg” Pete Stuyvesant, the last Dutch colonial governor-general of New Amsterdam (the original name of New York), reportedly haunts St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, which dates to 1660 and is the second-oldest church in Manhattan. Visitors to the landmark East Village church have witnessed Stuyvesant roaming the church grounds, ringing church bells, singing hymns loudly in Dutch and committing other assorted acts of mischief. Self-guided walking tours of St. Mark’s are available, so you may be able to get the opportunity to document a personal encounter with old “Peg Leg” Pete!

WHERE: 131 E. 10th Street, New York, NY 10003 | WHO: (212) 674-6377

9 | Merchant’s House Museum | A National Historic Landmark, the Merchant’s House Museum is housed in an 1832 Federal-style brick townhouse in the East Village often referred to as the “Most Haunted House in Manhattan.” The dwelling is allegedly haunted by the ghost of a miserly spinster named Gertrude Tredwell, who rarely left the house from her birth in 1840 until she died in 1933 at the age of 93. In addition to witnessing Gertrude wander around the house in a shabby brown dress, visitors have reported unexplained sounds, lights and smells throughout the Merchant’s House Museum.

WHERE: 29 E. 4th Street, New York, NY 10003 | WHO: (212) 777-1089

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10 | Hotel Chelsea | Immortalized by singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen in his 1974 song “Chelsea Hotel #2,” the legendary Chelsea Hotel has served as a celebrity haunt (no pun intended!) over the years for the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Andy Warhol, Madonna, Bob Dylan, William S. Burroughs, Dee Dee Ramone, Patti Smith, Dylan Thomas (who actually died here in Room 106), R. Crumb, Tennessee Williams, Stanley Kubrick, Arthur Miller, R. Crumb and many others. In addition, many ghosts reportedly haunt the Chelsea Hotel – including Dylan Thomas himself, as well as a survivor of the Titanic known as Mary, who haunts the fifth floor. In addition, Nancy Spungen, girlfriend of Sex Pistols’ bassist Sid Vicious, was stabbed to death in Room 100 of the Chelsea in 1978 (although Vicious was charged with the murder, he died of a heroin overdose before standing trial). By the way, the Chelsea was featured on an episode of Celebrity Ghost Stories featuring actor Michael Imperioli (“Christopher Moltisanti” from The Sopranos).

WHERE: 222 West 23rd Street, New York, NY 10011 | WHO: N/A

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11 | Machpelah Cemetery | No list of haunted places in NYC is complete without an eerie graveyard and the creepy Machpelah Cemetery (a Jewish cemetery founded in 1860) in Queens ranks right up there since it’s the final resting place of none other than legendary escape artist Harry Houdini (real name: Erik Weisz), who died on Halloween night in Detroit at the age of 52 in 1926. Houdini’s wife, Bess, held a séance at the grave every October 31 until her death in 1943 in a desperate (and ultimately unsuccessful) attempt to contact the famed illusionist from beyond the grave. As you might expect, Houdini’s grave draws significant crowds every Halloween night.

WHERE: 8230 Cypress Hills Street, Ridgewood, NY 11385 | WHO: (718) 366-5959

12 | White Horse Tavern | In addition to haunting the Hotel Chelsea (see No. 10), the ghost of Dylan Thomas gets around and is also known to hang out at the White House Tavern, where the legendary Welsh poet allegedly drank 18 straight whiskies on the night of his death at the age of 39 in 1953. Thomas has been witnessed lounging around his favorite table at the famous watering hole and even stealing shots from the bar on occasion. A notable “bar for writers,” the White Horse Tavern, which was established in 1880, has been certified as a National Poetry Landmark by the Academy of American Poets.

WHERE : 567 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014 | WHO: (212) 989-3956

13 | Washington Square Park | A bustling gathering place in the heart of Greenwich Village and surrounded by New York University, Washington Square Park has a rather dark history that dates to its use as a hanging ground during the American Revolution (the 350-year-old “Hangman’s Elm” still stands in the northwest corner of the park as the oldest known tree in Manhattan). The patch of land where Washington Square Park now sits was later used as a public burying ground and an estimated 20,000 bodies are reportedly buried here. Needless to say, visitors to Washington Square Park have often reported paranormal activity such as ghostly figures wandering around late at night (often mistaken for inebriated college students making their way home from the bars!).

WHERE: At the base of 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10012 | WHO: N/A

14 | Empire State Building | The ghost of a woman dressed in 1940’s attire and sporting bright red lipstick reportedly haunts the observation deck on the 86th floor of the world-famous Empire State Building, which rises 1,454 feet above the Midtown Manhattan skyline. The ESB specter apparently is none other than Evelyn McHale, who committed suicide at the age of 23 by jumping from the observation deck and landing on a limousine parked at the curb in 1947. Because of the calm demeanor of her body resting peacefully atop the crushed car, McHale was labeled “The Most Beautiful Suicide” after a photo of the gruesome act appeared in Life magazine. Pop artist Andy Warhol later used the photo in one of his works titled Suicide (Fallen Body).

WHERE: 20 W. 34th Street, New York, NY 10001 | WHO: (212) 736-3100

15 | McCarren Park Pool | Plenty of strange occurrences have been documented late at night at the McCarren Park Pool, which first opened in 1936 at McCarren Park in Brooklyn. According to legend, the ghost of a young girl who drowned in the pool can be seen roaming around and crying out for help. Of course, there doesn’t seem to be any public records of the alleged death, but the rumors persist – making McCarren Park Pool one of the most haunted places in Brooklyn! By the way, the McCarren Park Pool was featured during a chase scene in the low-budget 1983 movie Vigilante (AKA Street Gang), which starred Robert Forster and Fred Williamson.

WHERE: 776 Lorimer Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222 | WHO: (718) 218-2380

BONUS | Sleepy Hollow/Tarrytown | Just 30 miles north of New York City lies the tiny village of Sleepy Hollow and adjacent Tarrytown, the area where author Washington Irving (1783-1859) set his acclaimed gothic short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” which features the infamous ghost known as the “Headless Horseman.” Considered one of the “Most Haunted Places in the World,” Sleepy Hollow hosts an annual Halloween event called Horseman’s Hollow that boasts 15 days of “haunted mayhem.” Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery serves as the final resting place of Irving and also was a filming location for the Ramones’ 1989 “Pet Sematary” music video.

WHERE: Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591 | WHO: N/A

ROAD TRIP | Amityville Horror House | A tiny village on Long Island located about an hour’s drive from Manhattan, Amityville is home to the notorious haunted house that spawned the seemingly endless Amityville Horror franchise of books and horror movies. The site of a gruesome mass murder in 1974, the eerie Dutch Colonial-style house was then purchased by the Lutz family, who claimed that the intense amount of paranormal activity – including mysterious noises, green slime oozing down the walls, swarming flies, a secret room painted blood red and a demonic red-eyed pig named “Jodie” – drove them out just 28 days later. The Lutz’s horrifying (and controversial) account of their experience was documented into a bestselling 1977 book authored by Jay Anson entitled The Amityville Horror, which was turned into a 1979 supernatural horror film of the same name in 1978 and followed by the churning out of a multitude of mediocre sequels, including Amityville 3-D (1983), Amityville: A New Generation (1993) and Amityville Death House (2015), among many others. Since the house is a privately owned residence, please just drive slowly by and gawk or take a photo from the sidewalk, so you do not in any way disturb the current residents.

WHERE: Amityville, NY 11701 | WHO: N/A

Ready to Begin your Spooky Quest?

Use our handy map to discover the scary side of NYC! From haunted hangouts, frightening tours to peculiar sights and so much more, visit these famous attractions to see these creepy spectacles in Manhattan.

Have a Fiendishly Fun Time Exploring NYC’s Most Haunted Destinations!

An exploration of the most haunted places in New York City is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to bucket-list activities in the Big Apple! When you’ve had your fill of chasing ghouls throughout the five boroughs, enjoy all of the other fun things to do in New York City such as enjoying your favorite cocktail at one of the many rooftop bars in Manhattan or historic NYC taverns , as well as checking out some of the most weird things to do in NYC at night! In addition, be sure to take advantage of New York City hotel discounts , so you can enjoy incredible savings while experiencing all the best that NYC has to offer!

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At Westgate Resorts , when you Check-In, there’s a LOT to Check-Out! Your New York City vacation awaits! Explore our New York City hotel today or talk with a vacation planner at 888-852-2959 or 407-355-2690 .

* Westgate Resorts is in no way affiliated with the locations/markets featured in this article. Menus, services and products listed are current as of the publishing date of this article. Please call or visit the respective market for the most up-to-date offerings.

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‘Guaranteed to make you scream’: 5 of the scariest haunted houses in Fort Worth, Dallas

The season for fright is upon us and North Texas has its share of scary haunted houses.

The business of haunted houses is a lucrative one, raking in between $300 to $500 million in ticket sales a year, according to americahaunts.com. Hauntworld, a haunted house industry publication, estimates there are over 4,000 paid Halloween attractions in the U.S., pulling in thousands of visitors each year.

Here are five of the scariest haunted houses in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and what to expect at each of them.

Haunted Shadows Lake Trail

Website: hauntedshadowslaketrail.com

Cost: $30 admission

Hours: Open from 7:30 to midnight on Fri. and Sat. in October, 7:30 to 10 p.m. on Sun. in October and on Halloween

Age: There are no minimum age requirements. Most elementary aged children will find the trail too scary, but Haunted Shadows has the ability to adapt the experience to a PG version at the request of a parent.

Location: TOCA Soccer/Blue Sky , 7801 Main, The Colony

Duration: The trail is a little over a mile and should take 40-45 min.

“Finally, pegging the scary meter is the Haunted Shadows Lake Trail in The Colony. This is definitely for older kids. It’s sort of a Blair Witch Project style trail walk through the woods and weeds along the shore of Lake Lewisville in The Colony,” one reviewer says. “Your group has to pick your way through the dark, winding, marked trail …and (CUE SCARY MUSIC) to uncover the various creatures that you’ll meet along the way…the Lady of the Lake, a werewolf or two, and the undead in the Lakeside Cemetery. BAH HAHAHA!!! Isn’t Halloween fun?”

Hangman’s House of Horror

Website: hangmans.com

Cost: Entry into all three attractions via the general admission line is $34, and entry into all three attractions via the fast pass line is $44. Another ticket provides a reserved time to get into a reserved line for all attractions for $59.

Hours: Oct. 6 and 7: 8 p.m.. to midnight. Oct 8: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 13 and 14: 8 p.m. to midnight. Oct. 15: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Scaredy Cat). Oct. 15: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Regular Show). Oct. 20 and 21: 8 p.m. to midnight. Oct. 22: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Scaredy Cat). Oct. 22: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Regular Show). Oct. 26: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 27 and 28: 8 p.m. to midnight. Oct. 29 and 30: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 31: 8 p.m. to midnight. Nov. 4: encore performance: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Location: 4400 Blue Mound Rd., Fort Worth

Hangman’s House of Horrors, the main haunted attraction at the Fort Worth haunted house, tells the legend of Hezekiah Jones, aka “The Hangman.”

“Guaranteed to make you scream, this haunted walk through will have you wondering if these legends are folklore or legit!” the website says.

Creekside Manor

Website: creeksidefright.com

Cost: Tickets are $21.95 for adults and $16.95 for kids.

Hours: Open every Friday and Saturday in October from 7:30 p.m. until midnight. Open Sunday Oct. 29, Monday Oct. 30 and Halloween from 7:30 to 10 p.m.

Location: 2411 Plainview Road, Midlothian

“Surrounded by haunted woods and sinister waters, Creekside Manor watches for new guests,” the website says. “Will you dare walk through its gates, pass its cemetery and enter its narrow, winding halls? Are you ready to face fear itself? Then by all means, come in! Once inside you may never, ever leave.”

Cutting Edge Haunted House

Website: cuttingedgehauntedhouse.com

Cost: $39.95 for timed ticket and $60 for speedpass

Hours: Open Oct. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28, 30-31 and Nov 4, starting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. depending on day.

Age: Children must be at least 40” tall. No children under 12 admitted without a guardian.

1701 E. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth

Duration: It takes visitors an average of 55 minutes to explore Cutting Edge Haunted House.

A Guinness World Record holder, Cutting Edge is a multi-story, multi-themed haunted attraction located in a century old abandoned meat packing plant in Fort Worth. It features terrifying live actors, special effects and monsters.

Dark Hour Haunted House

Website: darkhourhauntedhouse.com

Cost: General admission is $35 and fast pass is $55. On Halloween and peak days of Oct. 21, 27 and 28, general admission is $60 and fast pass is $80.

Hours: Oct 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29 and 31. Open 7-10 on Sundays and Thursday, 7-11 on Halloween and 7 to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Age: Dark Hour is recommended for ages 10 and older. They do not allow anyone under the age of 5. Each guest must be able to walk on their own, not carried.

Location: 701 Taylor Dr., Plano

Duration: Most groups spend 30-35 minutes.

The Dark Hour Haunted House is undergoing an expansion in 2023 that includes more terrifying scenes, creatures, horrors and nightmares. “This year the 13 witches of the Dark Hour Coven have gathered to cast the most terrifying spell ... your worst nightmares come to life,” the website says.

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The 13 Most Haunted Buildings in New York City

New York has been called the most haunted city in the world, and with good reason. Every single street is steeped in history, and in the four-hundred-plus years of cycles of expansion, construction, destruction, and rejuvenation, you're bound to hear more than a few legends and tales of the otherwordly. So, in the spirit of Halloween, we're proud to present this map of the most haunted buildings in town, from the southernmost tip of Staten Island , all the way up to the hills of Washington Heights . We've got ethereal authors, pesky poltergeists, creepy colonials, phantom flappers, and even a mysterious mayor or two. And hey, if a skeptic you remain, a lot of these locales are open to the public, so by all means, check them out yourself if you think you ain't afraid of no ghost. You might just learn something too!

Special thanks to The Bowery Boys and Forgotten NY .

· Curbed Maps [Curbed]

The Morris-Jumel Mansion

One of the oldest houses in Manhattan, this stately Georgian mansion in Washington Heights was built by Roger Morris—a colonel in the British army—in 1765. It served as military headquarters for both sides of the Revolution, with George Washington retreating here after the disastrous loss of the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776. In 1810, the house was bought by Stephen Jumel and his wife Eliza, and after his suspicious death, she remarried in 1832 to a haunted figure in his own right: Aaron Burr, the former Vice President and killer of Alexander Hamilton. Since at least the 1960s, rumors of the supernatural have persisted, when a group of rowdy schoolchildren allegedly saw the ghostly visage of Eliza Jumel, who told them to quiet down before gliding away. Other sightings include a talking grandfather clock and a Hessian soldier who’s been known to emerge from paintings on the wall, Hogwarts-style.

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The Dakota is renowned for its featured role in Roman Polanski’s 1968 horror classic Rosemary’s Baby and as the site of John Lennon’s assassination, but the legendary Central Park West building has a long history of supernatural encounters in its own right. Over the years, workers and residents have reported seeing a friendly little girl dressed in turn-of-the-century clothing, an adult with the face of a small boy, and even the ghost of Lennon himself.

57 West 57th Street

In 1922, Albert Champion, a former cyclist and inventor of the spark plug, married showgirl Edna Crawford. The May-September romance quickly soured when Edna took the younger, dashing Frenchman Charles Brazelle as a lover. In 1927, Brazelle allegedly murdered Champion in a Paris hotel, but Edna and Brazelle convinced authorities he died of a “weak heart” and were set to inherit his fortune, with which she and Brazelle bought the penthouse at 57 West 57th Street. Brazelle was jealous, keeping Edna a prisoner of the penthouse and eventually beating her to death with a telephone, after which her bodyguards threw him out the window. The penthouse lay vacant for years, but subsequent owner Carlton Alsop claimed to hear Edna’s clicking high heels and the couple’s violent arguments, and his guests often reported seeing horrific, unexplainable sights. His wife left him, his dogs had nervous breakdowns, and things got so bad for Alsop that he eventually had himself committed, before abandoning the penthouse forever.

The Campbell Apartment

A few years ago, our friends at Eater reported on the supposed haunting of The Campbell Apartment—the lavishly appointed cocktail lounge in Grand Central Terminal, which was once the office and salon of financier John W. Campbell, who died in 1957. According to owner Mark Grossich, employees have felt strange presences, including something pushing them from behind and bursts of cold air, and some have even reported seeing “an old, fashionably dressed couple sitting and having a cocktail on the balcony when the place was completely closed.”

The House of Death

This beautiful townhouse on quiet West 10th has been called the most haunted building in New York, with as many as twenty-two ghosts calling it home, earning 14 West 10th Street the sobriquet “The House of Death.” Mark Twain lived here from 1900 to 1901 and claimed that he himself had experienced supernatural incidents. Throughout the twentieth century, 14 West 10th was the site of several gruesome incidents, including a murder-suicide and the beating death of six-year-old Lisa Steinberg at the hands of her adopted father, prominent attorney Joel Steinberg, in 1987. The specter of Twain himself—white suit and all—has been seen ascending the staircase.

12 Gay Street

Located right around the corner from bustling Sixth Avenue, Gay Street is arguably one of the most picturesque blocks in New York, and the quaint brick townhouse at number 12 is no exception. The building served as a speakeasy called The Pirate’s Den during Prohibition and was purchased by the corrupt (yet wildly popular) Mayor Jimmy Walker as a home for his mistress, Ziegfeld girl Betty Compton. Neighbors insist that ghostly flappers and the Gay Street Phantom—a dapper gent in a cloak and top hat—still lurk around late at night, and if that’s not creepy enough, the property was later bought by Frank Paris, the creator of notorious hell-puppet Howdy Doody.

St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery

St. Mark’s Chruch in-the-Bowery is the second-oldest church in Manhattan, splitting from Trinity Church in 1799. Built on Dutch colonial governor Peter Stuyvesant’s family farm, legend has it that the cantankerous, peg-legged Dutchman still haunts the area. He’s been known to harass clergymen and parishioners, ring the bells, and loudly interrupt services by stomping around and singing Calvinist hymns in Dutch. Apparently, English Episcopal hymns simply don’t agree with him.

The Merchant's House

While some haunted houses might attempt to shed their notorious reputations, the East Village Merchant’s House Museum all but relishes it. Built in 1832 and later bought by wealthy merchant Seabury Tredwell, the museum is an immaculate look into the personal domestic lives of the nineteenth-century cultural elite, but the ghost of Tredwell’s daughter, Gertrude—a lonely, sheltered spinster whose life was supposedly the basis of Henry James’ Washington Square Park —still haunts the place.

The Manhattan Well

In the winter of 1800, the body of a young woman named Gulielma Sands was found at the bottom of the Manhattan Well at what is now 129 Spring Street. The ensuing trial was one of the great scandals of nineteenth century New York, with Levi Weeks (brother of influential builder Ezra Weeks)accused of her murder after he reportedly impregnated and promised to marry her. Weeks retained the city’s top attorneys (including Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton) and was acquitted, despite growing public outrage. In 1817, the Manhattan Well was filled in and built over, but it was rediscovered in 1980 and has since become a notorious destination for paranormal enthusiasts claiming that the ghost of Gulielma Sands still haunts the area.

85 West 3rd Street

Now part of NYU’s Furman Hall, 85 West 3rd Street was once occupied by Edgar Allen Poe for eight months in 1844 and 1845, where he wrote his classic story “The Cask of Amontillado" and at least part of “The Raven.” Nowadays, the only part of the original residence that remains is the banister and Poe’s ghost has been seen climbing it by spooked law students.

84 West 3rd Street

Right across the street from 85 West 3rd is another haunted building—a disused fire station converted into a private residence (and home to Anderson Cooper! ). The building is apparently haunted by the ghost of “Firefighter Schwartz,” who hanged himself from the rafters after learning of his wife’s infidelity in 1930. Over the years, firefighters have reported strange noises coming from the attic, and have even seen his hanging corpse.

The Lefferts-Laidlaw House

In Wallabout, an 1840 Greek Revival home a stone’s throw away from the Brooklyn Navy Yard may hold a sinister secret. One December evening in 1878, resident Edward F. Smith reported hearing a knock at his door, but when he went to answer, there was no one to be found. Of course, the knocking persisted, while the backdoors and windows were violently rattled and banged. The unseen tormentor continued harassing Smith until he called the police. While the cops staked out the area, someone (or something) hurled a brick through the dining room window . . . despite the fact that multiple officers were standing right outside. The New York Times later reported on the incidents, and 136 Clinton Avenue became something of a hotspot for curious ghost hunters and spiritualists, who held séances on the sidewalk. This prompted Smith to boldly proclaim, “They won’t get in here . . . We consider ourselves perfectly able to take care of any ghost that comes along.”

The Conference House

Located at the southernmost tip of Staten Island, this colonial manor was used by loyalist Colonel Christopher Billop as a way station for British forces during the Revolutionary War. It also hosted the unsuccessful Staten Island Peace Conference on September 11, 1776, with Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Edward Rutledge in attendance. In 1779, Billop suspected a fifteen-year-old serving girl of spying for the rebels and allegedly killed her by throwing her down a flight of stairs, and supposedly her ghost can still be heard screaming today. As a side note, the area was also used as a Lenape Indian burial ground thousands of years before European contact, so take from that what you will.

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Creepy Places and Real Haunted Houses in New York

Sep 07, 2023 by Ross D. Levi

For those who seek it, New York State has a darker side to show off to fans of the offbeat, eerie, or macabre. Discover ghosts, haunted hotels, and creepy graveyards when you check out these spooky spots. 

Masks are encouraged, but optional in most settings per New York State guidelines . Individual businesses or attractions may require mask wearing. Call ahead and check websites and social media to make sure attractions and amenities are open and available. 

Originally published: 9/2/22

Discover the paranormal on the  haunted history trail.

The best collection of all things paranormal is the Haunted History Trail of New York State, with opportunities to discover over 400 years of history and maybe make some disembodied friends along the way. Their website is chock full of creepy locations, spirit hunts, guided tours, haunted inns, ghostly events, and even other-worldly dining all across New York State for the paranormal-curious, even some locations that cater to spectral investigation teams.

Stay in a haunted hotel

Credit: amityphotos.com.

The Sagamore Resort on Lake George (pictured) has been recognized as one of the Best Haunted Hotels in the US. Visitors have been said to come across a ghostly couple in the restaurant, a woman in a pinkish-brown dress on the porch, a young child on the golf course who pranks golfers, and a ghost in the elevator, among other spirits. Ghostly stories have also been reported at Fainting Goat Island Inn in Nichols and Belhurst Castle in Geneva.

Tour a historic asylum

Rolling Hills Asylum  in the Greater Niagara town of East Bethany is not a theatrical attraction—it is an actual historical asylum and one of the most haunted locations in the world, featured on shows like  Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures . There are two-hour historical flashlight walking tours, plus private and group Ghost Hunts. There are a variety of events and tours to book, including a two-hour historical flashlight walking tour, plus private and group Ghost Hunts.

Medical museums to make you shiver

Medical practices that were once considered cutting-edge can now seem outlandish. The  Dr. Best House & Medical Museum  in Middleburgh is a step back into a historic Victorian home and medical office. The site features a myriad of preserved items, including antique medical equipment like Dr. Best's bottles of potions that range from Hemlock Oil to Digitalis to Calamine Powder. Special paranormal programs are held at various times of the year as well. In addition, the Saranac Laboratory Museum tells the fascinating story of Saranac Lake's role in the treatment of tuberculosis.

Explore castle ruins

On an island just off the shores of the Hudson River are the mysterious, ornate, still-standing remains of  Bannerman Castle . It was once an ammunition storage facility modeled on a Scottish castle. Now the Bannerman Castle Trust hosts tours , special dinners , theatrical experiences , and outdoor film screenings .

Find great graveyard tours

Graveyards are inherently creepy for some, but they can also be educational and even serene. A number of cemeteries across the state offer tours that run the gambit from the historic to the chilling.

During the day, the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (pictured) offers a guided walking tour focusing on Washington Irving and his famous story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, as well as ones focusing on all the important people buried there. They include steel titan Andrew Carnegie and industrialist William Rockefeller, among many others. There are also nighttime tours by lantern-light like "Murder & Mayhem" available for advanced purchase.

The Mischief, Murder and Mayhem Tours of Mount Hope Cemetery include intriguing stories from Rochester's history, as do daytime themed tours that focus on the luminaries who are interred there, like Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony.

Elmira GhostWalk tours of Woodlawn Cemetery in the Finger Lakes include "appearances" by notable tenants of the cemetery. This event sells out so grab your tickets in advance.

The 269-acre Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo has unique offerings like Civil War history and Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. Experience it with walking and trolley tours .

Jamestown is the final resting place of Lucille Ball and home of the Lucy-Desi Museum and the  National Comedy Center ; the Fenton History Center (pictured) offers tours of Lake View Cemetery .

Famous New York City cemeteries with tours include: Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, home of Leonard Bernstein, Boss Tweed, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, with trolley and walking tours and concerts; and Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx (pictured), with residents like Miles Davis, Robert Moses, and Joseph Pulitzer, and tours like "Illuminated Mausoleums."

Share New York State adventures with us on  Instagram  and  Twitter  with #ILoveNY and #iSpyNY, and tag us on  Facebook !  

Author: Ross D. Levi

Ross D. Levi is the Executive Director & VP, NYS Division of Tourism / Empire State Development. He also did marketing in the film industry for studios including Universal, Miramax and 20th Century Fox, and is a published author and lecturer on cinema.

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Frightmare Farms Haunted SCREAM Park in Fulton, New York

Frightmare Farms Haunted SCREAM Park located in Central New York is the regions most award winning haunted attraction. We feature FOUR haunted attractions; The haunted estate, twisted labyrinth, Condemned Mine Trail, and The Forbidden Frightmare Forest haunted hayride. Professor Whitaker has been searching endlessly across the globe for supernatural antiquities, objects that any man would be ... [ Read more ]

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Hotel of Horror in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania

The Pocono Mountains Premier Haunted House Attraction Welcome to The Legendary Lake House Hotel of Horror  Saylorsburg, Pa 18353 The Hotel of Horror and Altered Nightmares Halloween Haunted House Attractions are both housed inside the Legendary Lake House Hotel in the picturesqe Pocono Mountains. Intertwined and breathing next to one another, sharing organs and a circul... [ Read more ]

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Haunted House in Long Island New York in a small town called Bellport, Gateway's Haunted Playhouse is one of the best and scariest haunted houses in America.  Hauntworld rates and reviews this haunted attraction located in Long Island in New York. Learn more at www.hauntworld.com  

The Scariest haunted house and simply the best haunted house in the Buffalo area is the House of Horrors and Haunted Catacombs.  Prepare to go deep inside on of America's scariest haunted houses. Click here and read all the details.

Haunted House in New York Headless Horseman is located in Ulster Park, NY which features multiple haunted houses in one location including a haunted hayride, haunted houses and much more.  Learn all the secrets in this new 2011 Review.

New York Haunted House located in Buffalo, Fright World is one of the best haunted houses in America.  Read a complete featured article on this amazing haunted house reviewed by Hauntworld Magazine

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20 Most Haunted Places In NYC To Visit This Spooky Season

We still have about two months until Halloween, but there's never a bad time to add a little mischief to our lives!

Halloween season is right around the corner, and we’re ready to get our spook on! Nothing pairs with fall quite like the eeriness of crisp air, darkness, and maybe even…ghosts? Sure there’s haunted houses in NYC , but what about the “normal” place around the city that give off that same feel? These 20 haunted places in and around New York City are great to check out and get yourself into the spooktacular spirit.

1. Woodlawn Cemetery, The Bronx

Woodlawn Cemetery is one of New York City’s largest cemeteries and is also a Natural Historic Landmark. Although the cemetery is located in the Bronx, it seems as if it’s located somewhere in the countryside. Spanning over 400 acres, the cemetery is forever home to quite a few famous people, including Miles Davis and Duke Ellington.

Where: 4199 Webster Ave, Bronx, NY

2. Washington Square Park, Greenwich Village

We know the idea of a city park being haunted because it was built on a burial ground sounds like something you might read on the back of a horror story book, but this is the real deal. City planners threw caution to the wind and built the recreation area on top of 20,000 dead bodies. New Yorkers now tell tales of ghostly goings on, like a spirit that watches silently in the Northeast corner.

👻 Buy tickets to the Greenwich Village Haunted Ghost Tour here!

3. Machpelah Cemetery, Queens

Machpelah Cemetery is located in Queens and is the final resting place of Harry Houdini. At the time of his burial, there were rumors that there was a secret compartment inside his grave. It’s yet to be proven…

There were also many seances that occurred at the grave after his death, and local police are known to still patrol the site on Halloween.

Where: 82-30 Cypress Hills St, Queens, NY

4. The Algonquin Hotel

Many say The Algonquin Hotel still reigns supreme as one of the spookiest hotels left in NYC, where legend has it that poet Dorothy Parker, performer Harpo Marx and playwright George Connell still posthumously hang out. Some have even said that a photo of Ms. Parker has fell off the wall and that children could hear her shushes for being too noisy.

Where: 59 W 44th St

5. White Horse Tavern, West Village

This bar was a regular haunt (pun intended ) for poet Dylan Thomas, who one day decided it’d be worth seeing what would happen if he drank 18 shots of whiskey. Can you guess what happened? The ghost of Thomas is said to sit at his regular table where empty glasses appear from time to time.

Where: 567 Hudson St

6. House of Death, Greenwich Village

The “house of death” is one of the most famous haunted houses in New York City. Located on 14 West 10th Street, this brownstone is said to be haunted by at least 22 ghosts. The brownstone was also once home to the author Mark Twain and his ghost has been said to still wander throughout the stairwell of the home.

Where: 14 W 10th St

7. St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, East Village

Churches can be pretty spooky places at the best of times. So, a church with the spirit of a one-legged Dutchman is not somewhere we’re really psyched to go on a Sunday. The building rests on the burial ground (when will people learn?) of New Amsterdam governor Peter Stuyvesant, who is said to disrupt Sunday services by ringing bells, singing hymns in Dutch, and hearing the sound of his peg-leg walking throughout the church.

Where: 131 E 10th St

8. Morris Jumel-Mansion, Washington Heights

This house might have the most eclectic collection of ghouls, including a talking grandfather clock and a soldier who steps out of a painting like in Harry Potter! But by far the most spine-chilling tale is that of Eliza Jumel, who after being rumored to have murdered her first husband, died after divorcing her second husband, former vice-president Aaron Burr.

Most ghost stories hang on the testimony of one, perhaps not-so-reliable person, but a whole field trip of schoolchildren witnessed Jumel dressed in a violet gown appear and tell them all to be quiet. She apparently seemed delusional when she appeared, which is put down to the dementia she suffered in life.

Where: 65 Jumel Terrace

9. The Campbell Apartment

What was once the office of John W. Campbell now sits a luscious cocktail bar that serves great drinks and a unique ambiance. Passed down through his family from the 1920s-50s, legend has it is that well-dressed older couples sharing drinks is quite the popular presence. Since it’s nestled into Grand Central Station, you may never know who may travel through there…

Where: 15 Vanderbilt Ave

10. Kings Park Psychiatric Center, Long Island

Kings Park Psychiatric Facility on Long Island is actually a very disturbing example of what went on in psych wards years ago and provides a chilling Halloween experience for those that choose to check it out. The facility ran from 1885- 1996 where the remaining patients were then transferred to a new clinic. It’s been abandoned since then, making it one of New York’s spookiest spots.

Where: Nissequogue River State Park, 799 St Johnland Rd, Kings Park, NY

11. New Amsterdam Theatre, Midtown

The ghost of actress Olive Thomas is said to walk around this NYC theatre clutching the bottle of pills she overdosed on. Actors and stagehands at the Broadway theatre pay their respects to Olive by saying goodbye to a photo of her that hangs by the stage door. Why do they do this? Because Olive is known to have a bit of a temper, causing malfunctions in stage equipment and flirting with men before disappearing through a wall.

Where: 214 W 42nd St

12. Sleepy Hollow , Westchester

Everyone is familiar of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow and that creepy headless horsemen. Well, just around an hour away from Grand Central on the MetroNorth is the town that plays home to the legend itself. Take a haunted hay ride, or immerse yourself in the world of Washington Irving by taking a walk around the town.

Where: Sleepy Hallow, NY

13. Brittany Hall, NYU

One of NYC’s most haunted places is actually an old hotel turned NYU dorm. Legend has it, an eight-year-old girl named Molly fell down an elevator shaft in 1929 and has been roaming the dorms ever since. People have seen antiquated chairs blocking doors, ghostly faces and heard mysterious knocking. One building manager recommends saying, “Don’t play with me, Molly” if you see her and everything will be fine. Yeah, like we’d hang around long enough.

Where: 55 E 10th St

14. The Dakota, Central Park West

Famously the place where former Beatle John Lennon was shot dead by Mark Chapman, the Dakota actually has a longer history of the paranormal. While Lennon was reportedly seen by Yoko Ono playing the piano, the musician himself reported seeing a crying lady in the building (but then again, he also said he was the “walrus coo coo ca choo”, so…). Others have spotted a little girl and an adult man with the face of a child. Yeeesh.

Where: 1 W 72nd St

15. Hotel Chelsea, Chelsea

The most famous ghosts at this establishment are Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen. The punk rock couple were staying at the hotel when Spungen was found with a stab wound to the abdomen thought to have been the work of Vicious (who died of a heroin overdose shortly after). Another famous spook here is Dylan Thomas who died in the hotel after suffering alcohol poisoning at the nearby White Horse Tavern (remember?), making him one of the most prolific ghosts in NYC.

Where: 222 W 23rd St

15. One If by Land, Two If by Sea, West Village

This restaurant was once the carriage house of Alexander Hamilton and his daughter Theodosia, and their spirits still haunt the house. Staff members and diners alike have reported weird occurrences; lights flickering, patrons being shoved by spirits, and the earrings of women sitting at the bar repeatedly disappearing.

Where: 17 Barrow St

16. Blood Manor, Tribeca

This building, which is now home to one of the scariest haunted houses in New York City, has its own terrifying stories. Pioneering photographer Matthew Brady photographed some of the country’s most famous (and infamous) people there in the 1850s, along with war soldiers…and when he developed the film on the third floor, every photo came out with apparitions floating above the subject’s head, and those who were closer to the lens appeared with full black eyes. Over the years, other tenants of the building have said they could hear the faint snapping of a photograph, screaming from young men, and other hauntings, and some even resulted in mysterious deaths and accidents.

17. Billop Conference House, Staten Island

British loyalist Christopher Billop built this home back in the 1700s, and allegedly killed a female servant suspected of spying for the Patriots. Now, many say that both parties of the killing lurk around, as well as patrolling red coats from time to time.

Where: 7455 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, NY

18. Merchant’s House Museum, NoHo

Merchant’s House Museum was once owned by the Tredwell family, which Gertrude Tredwell (the last Tredwell) occupied until her death in 1933. Now nearly 100 years later, legend says that she still pokes her nose around the premises from time to time. So much so that they even offer group ghost tours.

Where:   29 E 4th St

19. Belasco Theatre

Midtown’s Belasco Theatre isn’t just home to some quality entertainment, but also some ghostly visitors. Owner David Belasco and “The Blue Lady” not only used to live in 10-room duplex penthouse apartment above the theater, but many sources have claimed they’ve seen him on stage, watching afar from the balcony, and in the elevator.

Where: 111 W 44th S

20. Dr. Best House & Medical Museum, Upstate New York

If you’re really on the hunt for something spooky and want to get out of the city, the Dr. Best House & Medical Museum in Middleburgh is worth the trip. Located about three hours upstate, the Dr. Best House is a Victorian home and medical office that once served small town America during the Civil War. The home, however, was the place of death of the doctor’s son, young wife, and Dr. Best himself. Investigators have captured recordings of piano playing and distant voices. That in combination with the old medical equipment? Enough to keep you running.

Where: 1568 Clauverwie Rd, Middleburgh, NY

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Top 10 Scariest Haunted Attractions Around the World. Do You Dare to Visit?

The world is full of thrill-seekers. Some satisfy their thrill cravings by watching horror movies, while others like the in-person experience. On an online platform, people have shared the scariest haunted attractions worldwide that will give you jump scares and goosebumps. Are you ready, thrill-seekers? Let’s dive in. 

1. The Butcher – UK

The Butcher is a horror-themed escape room in which they lock you up in the serial killers’ den. The spooky part is that the serial killer can come back to his den at any point, and you get only 1 minute to hide. A user shared a thrilling experience in the Butcher. He said that when he was hiding behind a huge bin in a den, the serial killer came in dragging his steel bar and started beating the bin. He further added that the noise was scary and thrilling.

2. The Blackout – Los Angeles, California

The Blackout is another haunted attraction not made for the faint-hearted folks. A regular visitor of haunted places shared his thoughts on the internet. He said he and his friend have been to many haunted houses, but the Blackout was rough. Moreover, he said they did it as an experience but will never do it again.

3. Fright Land – Delaware

Fright Land is a fear-themed scream park. Once you enter the scream park, you will get a spine-chilling ambiance. In addition to this, you will get food, fun games, and rides. On an online platform, a user recommended people visit Fright Land and shared his thoughts on it. He articulated his experience by saying that Fright Land is a must-visit haunted attraction and is filled to the brim with good scares.

4. Field of Screams – Lancaster, PA

Field of Screams claims to be America’s number one haunted attraction, and they also fulfill this claim. The attraction is famous amongst locals and visitors for giving terrifying thrills and spine-tingling chills. A thrill-seeker shared on the internet that Field of Screams is a fun experience and has some really good scares.

5. McKamey Manor – Summertown, Tennessee

McKamey Manor is considered to be the most disturbing haunted house of all time. Unlike a normal haunted house where you go in and out, the visitor becomes a part of the haunted house for 4-8 hours. There are a few prerequisites as well. A visitor should be above 21 years old and physically healthy. Furthermore, they have to sign a waiver to be able to spend time in the horror house. People on the internet have called this haunted attraction a torture chamber.

6. St. Albans Sanatorium – Virginia

St. Albans Sanatorium is another haunted attraction for thrill-seekers. Apparently, this spooky building has ghosts, and there are also many reports of paranormal activities. If we talk a little bit about the backstory of this building, there was a Lutheran school that was notorious for bullying that led students to jump off a building. Therefore, this attraction is not for faint-hearted people.

7. Blood Manor – New York

Next up on the list is Blood Manor, which is another intense haunted house attraction. Blood Manor boasts being the scariest and the most spine-chilling haunted house attraction. They have several fear-themed rooms, neon clowns, scary zombies and whatnot. People who walk through the attraction experience jump scares and chills.

8. Terror Behind the Walls – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

While most haunted house attractions fabricated their backstory, Terror Behind the Walls has the real one. The place is built within Eastern State Penitentiary’s walls, considered the country’s most haunted place. Back in the day, it was an open prison where prisoners reported experiencing strange stuff like hearing and seeing paranormal things within the walls.

9. New Orleans Nightmare – New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans Nightmare comprises three haunted house attractions that are completely different from each other. Moreover, they have a series of mini escape room games for folks to experience. Not to mention, the games are scary and thrilling. The best part is that they change their attractions every year so that even regular visitors won’t know what happens next.

10. The Dent School House – Cincinnati, Ohio

The last but not the least is the scary Dent School House. What’s scariest is their backstory. This attraction was a fully functional school back then, but several students vanished out of nowhere. After a few days, decays of the disappeared students were found in the school’s basement. After that, the school was left abandoned, and today, it’s a haunted house attraction.

Source:  Reddit

The Most Haunted Places in Each of the 50 U.S. States

From historic hotels and battlefields haunted by the spirits of the past to eerie asylums and abandoned prisons, the allegedly haunted places on this list have one thing in common: a long history of unexplained occurrences and chilling legends.

Read more: The Most Haunted Places in Each of the 50 U.S. States

The 13 Most Terrifying Places on Earth

In the far corners of the world, there exist places that seem to defy the boundaries of reality, where darkness and mystery converge to create an eerie, spine-tingling atmosphere. These are the 13 scariest places on Earth, each with its own haunting tale to tell.

Read more: The 13 Most Terrifying Places on Earth

Adventurers’ Top 13 Picks for the Creepiest Places in America

Adventure lovers are everywhere around us. Many of them will gain an adrenaline rush by doing some simple hiking, sky diving, or things as such for their thrill and adventure. But many others are most likely to get the thrill from creepy places. America has many creepy places that will open your eyes wide open and provide a serious thrill. Read to find the 13 ever-seen creepiest places in America.

Read more: Adventurers’ Top 13 Picks for the Creepiest Places in America

10 Bone-Chilling Stories of Exploring Abandoned Buildings

Exploring creepy and abandoned places has been a common hobby for some people. But sometimes, these explorations leave people with bad experiences that they remember throughout their life. Individuals have recently shared some horrible experiences they had exploring abandoned places on an online platform.

Read more: 10 Bone-Chilling Stories of Exploring Abandoned Buildings

10 Horror Stories From Hiking Trips Shared by Adventurers

Hiking through lush forests, scaling rugged peaks, and forging paths through untamed wilderness can be exhilarating and transformative. Brace yourself as we unravel the eerie and unsettling experiences that continue to haunt those who dared to explore the unknown.

Read more: 10 Horror Stories From Hiking Trips Shared by Adventurers

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The 11 Most Haunted Places in NYC

One of the greatest cities in the world, the bright lights of New York also hide plenty of dark secrets and entities. From the echoes of long ago-fought battles, to the spirits of strange and sometimes friendly, sometimes protective, and often traumatized, beings.

The history of New York dates back to around 10,000 B.C. It was discovered by an Italian in 1524, and by the 18 th century had become a major trading point. New York City boasts fabulous architecture and some of the grandest buildings in the world. It also has more than its fair share of ghostly cemeteries, still-tortured insane asylums, and infamous homes.

Let’s take a closer look at some of these haunted places in NYC below…

1. 14 West 10 th Street, Greenwich Village

A townhouse looking like many others in the area, but this one has plenty of gruesome history, it is often called “The House of Death.” It carries the title credited by some, as the “most haunted building in New York,” and could have as many as 22 ghosts. At 14 West 10 th Street six-year-old Lisa Steinberg was beaten to death by her reportedly illegally adoptive father, well-known attorney Joel Steinberg, in 1987. It is also the location of murder-suicide.

Mark Twain lived at 14 West 10 th Street between 1900 and 1901 and said he had experienced supernatural goings-on at the house, over a century ago. Some report having seen the ghost of Mark Twain himself, in his signature white suit, climbing the staircase in the building and on the first floor. A mother and daughter reported having seen the author sitting in a chair in the 1930s, he spoke to them and then vanished.

The brownstone home in Washington Square Park was built in the 1850s and transformed into 10 apartments in 1937. One resident, actress Jan Bryant Bartell, wrote of the paranormal goings-on in her 1974 book including her experience of a presence at the house she describes as a “monstrous moving shadow.” And, seven years of what she says was psychological and sometimes physical torment inflicted by the property’s otherworldly inhabitants. Bartell also writes of hauntings at 16 West 10th Street, when she lived in that house, next door.  The actress and author died just weeks after completing the manuscript for her book about the house and as per the New York Post felt the house had poisoned her.

Paranormal investigators and mediums confirm the presence of a lady in white, a young child, and the specter of a grey cat. A musician and photographer who has lived next door to the house for 20 years have had guests run out after seeing a lady in a gown…and a cat. There have also been ghosts reported nearby at No 17 and No 18.

2. Grand Central Station, Midtown

A popular destination for ghost walks, Grand Central Station is a maze of underground tracks and tunnels some of them very secret ones. Along with these secrets are spooks and even the specter of an old locomotive.

At Grand Central Station there is a platform with a secret entrance and an elevator that leads straight into the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. This is said to be President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s private entry into the city where he could avoid the press. The door to the elevator is welded closed but it’s said that Roosevelt’s faithful hound Fala can be heard barking and that the ex-President himself is not far behind.

Another story from the Manhattan landmark is that one night a gray-haired man in a black hat approached the on-duty station agent declaring, “the midnight train to hell is coming for me. I have committed too many crimes against man and sins against heaven.”

The agent told the man there was no such train only the 11:58 PM from Croton-on-the Hudson and the 12:02 AM from New Haven. Yet then, the agent said a steam whistle blew and a steam locomotive chugged along the electric tracks. He says he felt the rush of hot air from the engine and the gray-haired man vanished, leaving his black hat on the floor of the terminal.

3. New Amsterdam Theatre, Midtown

Frequented by the rich and famous and with its vibrant movie and theater scene it is no surprise that New York City has celebrity ghosts. Olive Thomas, a Ziegfeld Follies showgirl who performed between 1916 and 1920 and who died on her honeymoon in Paris, is said to have returned to the place she was most happy – The New Amsterdam Theatre.

Thomas died in Paris when she took what she thought was a sleeping draft, and was actually mercury bichloride, her husband’s syphilis medication. It’s said her spirit returned to the theater and there are numerous reports of a beautiful young lady strolling its aisles.

One report is from a night-time security guard who sensed a presence behind him. He turned and saw a woman in a green dress with a flask in her hand who moved across the stage, blew him a kiss, and walked right through the wall.

Dana Amendola, vice president of operations at Disney Theatrical Group, told the New York Post he felt a tug on his shirt one night when he left the theatre, but there was no one there.

Today there is a photo of Thomas at every exit, theater performers and staff blow her a kiss when they leave the building.

4. Hotel Chelsea, Chelsea

This haunted New York hotel has seen more than its share of tryst and tragedy. Its most infamous incident was the stabbing of Nancy Spungen in room 100 in October 1978. Her boyfriend was Sid Vicious, the Sex Pistols bassist and he was arrested and charged with her murder. Before the case ever went to trial Vicious died of a heroin overdose.

Potentially the most active ghost at the Hotel Chelsea is instead a woman called Mary. As per the New York Post, “The Sopranos,” actor Michael Imperioli saw Mary hunched over crying at the end of a hallway. He called out and asked if she was okay, then behind him a lightbulb exploded, and the hallway was plunged into darkness. Mary had vanished.

Mary is said to be the spirit of a lady who waited at the hotel for her new husband, returning from a trip to England. Sadly, Mary’s husband had booked passage on the ill-fated Titanic and he perished with over 1,500 others when the ship hit an iceberg in 1912. Mary went back to the Hotel Chelsea and hung herself in her room.

See more haunted hotels in NYC

5. Staten Island

A place in New York with a lower human population, but possibly a higher population of ghouls. The Willowbrook Asylum and The Conference House are now part of the island’s college, but their hauntings persist, according to reports.

There’s also the Moravian Cemetery, home to the Vanderbilt Tomb. The Vanderbilt family were once the richest family in America and the crypt is said to be haunted by an unknown woman and the specter of a man in gray who could be the great Cornelius Vanderbilt himself.

There is also Richmond Road in Graniteville where another man in gray appears in trees to the side of the road. The route is where Polly Bodine allegedly murdered Emeline Van Pelt and her 18-month-old child in 1843.

6. The Dakota Apartments, Upper West Side

An imposing building that once stood alone in an empty area of Manhattan after it was built in the 1880s. The Dakota is the site of John Lennon’s assassination in 1980. Lennon was shot outside the building four times by Mark David Chapman. The killer remained at the site reading J.D Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye,” until he was arrested.

There are numerous reports of Lennon’s ghost but most markedly that of Yoko Ono who lived at the Dakota for 20 years after his death. She says she saw Lennon sat at his piano where he turned and said “don’t be afraid. I am still with you,” before disappearing.

Lennon himself had claimed a number of spooky sightings at the Dakota, including a spirit he called “The Crying Lady.” This specter is said to be the ghost of Elise Vesley who managed the Dakota from the 1930s to the 1950s and who believed she had psychokinetic powers. Vesley’s son was hit and killed by a truck, also right outside the Dakota.

These are just two of the ghosts of the Dakota, there are many other reports of spirits there, including a young girl and short man with a wig who could be Dakota’s builder, Edward Cabot Clark.

7. The Manhattan Well, Soho

No list of New York City’s most haunted locations is complete without a mention of the Manhattan Well. This well has been a location of tragedy, controversy, and paranormal activity since 1800. It now sits within Soho’s COS store and is a feature of the retailer’s location.

Yet two centuries ago Elma Sands was allegedly killed by her lover Levi Weeks in the Manhattan well. The trial of Weeks became one of America’s most sensational and has led to hundreds of theories about the incident. Both visitors and historians report having heard the ghost of Elma Sands screaming in the well, and she is also said to wander the streets of Soho.

8. Merchant’s House Museum, Greenwich Village

Dubbed “Manhattan’s most haunted house,” the Merchant’s House Museum was home to the Tredwell family for 100 years. It is believed that Gertrude Tredwell, born in the house in 1840 and who died there in 1933, at aged 93, still walks its rooms. Gertrude never married and never left.

The paranormal activity started soon after she died and the house became a museum in the late 1930s. Unexplained phenomena have been reported by museum staff, visitors, neighbors, and even passers-by and include sounds, sightings, and smells. The previous home’s ghost stories are collated into a booklet titled, “Some say they never left.”

Merchant’s house is New York City’s only completely preserved 19 th century home. It’s near-perfect preservation and it allows visitors to step back in time entirely. As a museum, it contains many of the Tredwell family’s possessions, and now potentially the spirit of Gertrude. Visitors report a lady in a brown dress moving around the house and even interacting with them.

9. The Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn

The bridge opened in 1883 and its fantastic construction, like many such bridges, is intertwined with tragedy. The Brooklyn Bridge reportedly has both the ghosts of some of the workers who built it as well as the spirits of those who have committed suicide from its heights.

In 1875, during the bridge’s construction, a cable snapped creating what some describe as a “steel whip,” which sliced an unsuspecting worker’s head clean off. Tour guides report hearing footsteps and seeing a man whose face is shadowed, closer inspection shows the man is not a man but a spirit and he’s headless.  The man was not the only worker to die during the bridge’s construction, a total of 27 died in accidents.

The bridge’s designer John Roebling, died of a tetanus infection while the bridge was being built, his son took over but fell ill to decompression sickness, becoming invalid.

A few days after Brooklyn Bridge was opened, a traffic jam led to a stampede and 12 people were trampled to death.

Many report screams and unexplained splashes below whilst on the bridge. And, since the 1950s a beautiful blonde in a white dress often appears ready to jump, panicking watchers before and after they realize she’s not completely there at all.

10. The Empire State Building, Midtown

McHale’s ghost has been seen by Empire State Building visitors, she left her fiancé in New York and a note that said she wouldn’t make a good wife. Her spirit might sometimes be confused with another a red lipstick wearing, the 1940s attired beauty, who talks about the death of her fiancé during the war in Germany, before throwing herself over the barrier.

The Empire State Building has also seen shootings and plane crashed into its highest floors in 1945 and killed 13.

11. Ellis Island Immigration Museum, Ellis Island

Not only one of New York City’s most haunted places, but the Ellis Island Immigration Museum is also said to be one of America’s most haunted locations. Between 1892 and 1924 over 12 million immigrants were processed at Ellis Island, over 3,500 died including many children.

On arrival at Ellis Island, one out of five immigrants were marked with chalk to indicate they were sick and were sent to Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital. Many never recovered, between 1909 and 1911, 420 died, most (85%) of these were children under the age of 13 who died without their parents, in quarantine. The parents likely never knew where their children were buried.

Many National Park Service employees report strange experiences at Ellis Island. From doors opening and closing, furniture moving, to children’s voices and crying, the reports are extensive.

The hospital, for obvious reasons, is the most haunted place on Ellis Island. It was closed and derelict for 60 years before opening up to hard hat tours. One visitor says they were being possessed by a spirit that made them say “get out, get out,” over and over, leaving them weak after the experience. One of the photos from that tour, when studied, reveals a gaunt man with sunken eyes and protruding cheekbones who couldn’t possibly have been there.

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‘Most haunted hotel in America’ honor goes to Upstate NY inn for second year in a row

• Updated: Oct. 04, 2023, 12:50 p.m. |
• Published: Sep. 29, 2023, 4:23 p.m.

The front entryway to the Fainting Goat Island Inn in Nichols, NY. It has been repeatedly voted one of the most haunted hotels in America. Sunny Hernandez | [email protected]

• Sunny Hernandez | [email protected]

If you’re looking for a ghostly getaway this Halloween season, an Upstate New York inn has been once again named America’s most haunted hotel for the second consecutive year.

The repeat honor goes to the Southern Tier ’s Fainting Goat Island Inn , ranked #1 in USA Today ’s 10Best list of best haunted hotels in the country.

This five bedroom inn that sits between Elmira and Binghamton has been in the top five of the annual rankings for at least the past five years and is the smallest lodge on the list.

The Victorian home has also been featured on the Travel Channel’s “Hotel Paranormal ” and is part of the New York state Haunted History Trail .

The Fainting Goat Island Inn in Nichols, N.Y. was voted the most haunted hotel in America by USA Today readers. Katrina Tulloch | [email protected]

Built in 1850, the Fainting Goat Island Inn was a former railroad hotel built along the Erie/Lackawanna line. In its heyday it was filled to the brim with guests and travelers. Guests report some of the hotel’s occupants are still there, walking the halls, laughing and playing with the dolls and phonographs in the rooms.

Other spectral encounters at this haunted haven involve seeing two women enjoying tea, while the apparition of a young man donning a Civil War uniform is a common occurrence.

This charming, albeit eerie, establishment is just one of two haunted hotels in Upstate NY that made the list.

Hotel Saranac in the Adirondacks was ranked #3 on the 10Best list. The publication notes that the historic hotel dates back to the Roaring ‘20s and is on the grounds of a former high school.

Locals say that Howard Littell, the school’s former superintendent in the early 1900s, is believed to continue to walk the basement. Other reported ghosts include a young girl on the fourth floor, eerie singing on the sixth floor, and unexplained scratching noises on the third floor.

Souls brave enough to book at stay at the Fainting Goat Island Inn or the Hotel Saranac can find more details on their respective websites.

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Yelp’s 20 Scariest Haunted Houses

To celebrate this year’s scary season, here’s Yelp’s list of the most spine-tingling haunted houses and terrifying attractions across the US

If you’re a thrill-seeker with a penchant for heart-pounding scares, you’ve come to the right place. Join us on a journey through the darkest corners of the US, as we unveil Yelp’s list of the scariest haunted houses to fuel your 2023 nightmares.

With each spine-tingling scream and whispered warning, Yelp reviewers have helped separate the truly terrifying from the mildly menacing. From historic mansions with sinister secrets to immersive Halloween attractions that blur the lines between reality and the supernatural, this list showcases the most highly acclaimed, scariest haunted attractions that American ingenuity has to offer. So gather your courage, bring your bravest friends, and prepare to embark on a Halloween-season adventure like no other. 

Ready to achieve your ghouls this Halloween season? Read on to learn about the haunted places near you, and save the collection on Yelp .

Did your favorite haunt make the list? Let us know on Twitter , Instagram , and TikTok with #YelpHauntedHouses. We only know how scary a haunted house is if you take the time to review it , so share your thoughts on Yelp! 

How we did it: This is an all-time list of the top haunted houses in the United States, according to Yelp. We identified businesses in the haunted houses category on Yelp, then ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews. All businesses were marked on Yelp as open or soon to reopen as of September 25, 2023. 

1. Reign of Terror Haunted House , Thousand Oaks, California

Step into your worst nightmares at the largest professional indoor walk-through haunted house in Southern California. In operation since 1999, Reign of Terror covers an enormous 28,000 square feet of floor space and features more than 130 custom rooms in 10 different themed sections. Inside it’s a no-phone zone, and the exact exhibits are always a mystery. But you’re guaranteed a wide selection of terrifying scenes, monstrous characters, scary props, and spectacular special effects, all designed for a thrillingly fun time. 

Yelpers say: “A high-alert sensory horror wonderland of sweat, gore, and seeming danger…The moment the door opens, you’re in for thrills and chills. Reign of Terror is a SoCal must and Halloween-season thrill.” —Yelp Elite Quintin E.

2. Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre , North Hollywood, California

Immerse yourself in the macabre and bizarre at another LA-area attraction. While Zombie Joe’s Underground Theatre hosts a variety of themed activities throughout the year, their Halloween event is uniquely shocking, twisted, and irreverent. After walking through a brief maze, you’ll watch a staged production called Urban Death Tour of Terror that changes every year. It’s a series of vignettes, as quick as 1 minute per scene, that depict a range of horrors and controversial interactions. Please note: These shows are not meant for an underage audience nor the faint of heart, as they typically contain nudity, profanity, and fetishes.

Yelpers say: “Every single time I go, Zombie Joe’s steps up to the plate and hits it out of the park! If you enjoy the bizarre, the unusual, the absolute fringe, then this is the experience for you! Just entering is fun and the staging is small and intimate. I love the dedication of the actors and the fantastic use of lighting. Be warned, though… if you have delicate sensibilities, this is not the venue for you. It is esoteric times 100!“ — Grace C.

Find more haunted houses in Los Angeles.

3. Haunted Mansion , Lake Buena Vista, Florida

Embark on a chillingly delightful adventure at the Haunted Mansion in Lake Buena Vista—better known as the Magic Kingdom, Disney World! At this attraction, guests climb aboard a gloomy Doom Buggy for a grave journey through a labyrinth of haunted chambers. While the ride is dark and contains some mildly frightening scenes, there’s no gore, the ghostly residents are friendly, and the ride is slow-moving, making this the sort of family-friendly attraction you’d expect from the Disney folks.

Yelpers say: “From start of the line to end of the ride, the Haunted Mansion is an entire mood, and I never wanted it to end. Iconic wallpaper, iconic stretchy room, iconic views of all the ‘haunted’ attractions throughout the ride… I loved every minute!” —Yelp Elite Amanda L. 

Find more haunted houses in Orlando.

4. 13th Hour Haunted House & Escape Room , Wharton, New Jersey

Prepare for the ultimate adrenaline rush at The 13th Hour, where three haunted houses, 8 escape rooms, and an axe-throwing venue converge to deliver spine-tingling excitement. The Darkside is their newest haunted house experience, where guests navigate through pitch darkness with live actors and animatronics providing scares at every turn. The escape rooms, which run year-round, have been recognized as some of the most original and immersive in the country. When the haunted house opens in fall, live actors join in on the escape room fun after 6 pm for extra thrills. 

Yelpers say: “I loved this place! I’m an October baby so every year I look for the best haunted houses and this one is definitely in my top 3! The haunted houses had so many cool props, almost like movie sets…My group did the escape room and haunted house combo, and I am so glad we did! It’s unlike any other escape room I have done!” —Yelp Elite Carla O.

5. Mysterious Mansion of Gatlinburg , Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Discover the spine-chilling secrets of Gatlinburg’s oldest and scariest haunted house , Mysterious Mansion. Guests embark on a self-guided journey through a classic turn-of-the-century, 3-story haunted mansion. There are secret passageways, winding staircases, and creepy dark corridors to explore, and you never know what might be lurking around the corner in each room ahead… or behind you! 

Yelpers say: “I loved every minute of it. They have done SUCH an outstanding job on this place. The design and decor of the house is impeccable. The music and sound effects were on point and added so much to the scare factor. I was honestly blown away! I don’t scare easily, but I absolutely, uncontrollably shrieked multiple times.” — Daniel D.

Find more haunted houses in and around Knoxville.

6. The Bernal Scream , San Jose, California

From a backyard thrill to a legacy of fright, The Bernal Scream’s journey continues in 2023. Father-and-son duo Abel and Mike Barrera started The Bernal Scream as a free show at their home in 2013. For the next 3 years, The Bernal Scream would attract thousands of people, countless terrifying scares, lots of TV news coverage, and numerous online articles. Since the passing of his father, Mike has continued building out the dream the duo started together. Now located in a parking lot, the Bernal Scream is back for 2023, with the “brand new high-endurance Lucifer’s Wrath haunted attraction.” Are you ready?

Yelpers say: “These guys gave me the longest and most terrifying 10 minutes of my life! This is a well-run, well-executed, well-done-everything kind of a haunted house. They only let a small group in at a time, which is a huge plus in my opinion, because you get to experience the whole thing without bumping into other people or getting distracted by their screams…You’ll have an unforgettable experience while also supporting a local family business at the same time—win-win!” — Heba K.

Find more haunted houses in San Jose.

7. Lewisburg Haunted Cave , Lewisburg, Ohio

Descend into darkness and explore the depths of fear as you venture 80 feet below ground into a real limestone cave at the World’s Longest Haunt! The cave takes about 45 minutes to walk through and shoes with good traction are recommended. Photos aren’t allowed in the cave, but attendees can expect a genuinely creepy atmosphere, effective actors, awe-inspiring animatronics, and realistic sound effects. By the way, the 30,000 live bats aren’t paid actors—just cave residents who may zoom past your head.

Yelpers say: “I travel all over the United States to experience haunted attractions, and Lewisburg Haunted Cave is one of my new favorite haunts. It’s a perfect balance of ‘fun fear’ meets ‘real fear’!” —Yelp Elite Christine L.

8. The Dead End Hayride , Wyoming, Minnesota

Haunted house or a hayride? This Minnesota attraction combines the two for an experience like no other. First, you’ll get on a tractor-towed wagon for 20 minutes of cool scenes, special effects, and frights. Then, you’ll hop off and walk back through spectacular, scary, and different-themed haunted sets—and a post-attraction beer garden with fire pits and several food trucks!

Yelpers say: “This is a Minnesota fall must-do! Most haunted experiences are you blink and miss it, but this is a great long length! It starts with a 20-minute scary hayride and then continues to keep going with 3+ haunted houses deep in the woods.” —Yelp Elite Jon H.

Find more haunted houses in the Minneapolis area.

9. Hotel of Horror , Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania

Delve into the eerie mysteries of the Hotel of Horror and Altered Nightmares, where the past and the paranormal converge in a 200-year-old “abandoned” resort. These indoor, walk-through haunted house attractions feature live actors and, they claim, actual paranormal activity. According to their website, “The sinister subconscious of the Hotel of Horror feeds off the dark energy that stains the lumber skeleton of this once pristine mountain resort known as the Lake House Hotel, while Altered Nightmares celebrates the chaos that grows stronger as each soul travels through its decaying halls and abandoned rooms.” It’s open rain or shine with a covered wait line, so don’t let the weather scare you—that’s their job! 

Yelpers say: “Halloween wild times in a haunted hotel. This place rocks—I’ve been going here for a couple of years now and it gets better every time. You enter the basement and slowly make your way to the staircase up to the hotel proper. From there it is pure mayhem…and who knows what you will find around that next pitch-black corner? Since there are a load of rooms and doors, you never know what is going to pop out of where. Absolutely worth the trip, especially if you have a group of fun peeps with you.” —Yelp Elite Franco C.

Find more haunted houses in nearby Bethlehem .

10. Darkside Haunted House , Wading River, New York

For a quarter-century, The Darkside Haunted House has been the epicenter of spine-tingling terror. Celebrating 25 years of fear in 2023, it features more than 30 incredibly detailed scenes in 14,000 square feet. The attraction immerses guests in an eerie ambiance, starting with the desolate field that surrounds the haunted domain. They promise to deliver an unforgettable experience that will leave guests trembling.

Yelpers say: “There is nothing better than getting scared out of your wits…Darkside Haunted House gives you all the thrills and chills that one asks for in a scary good time. You’ve got a whole month to get over there so do it while you can. Ain’t nothin’ like screaming your head off to round out an October evening.” —Yelp Elite Josh G.

11. Reaper’s Revenge Haunted Attraction , Scranton, Pennsylvania

Do you have what it takes to brave a haunted hayride, a dark forest, a pitch-black maze, and the zombie apocalypse? If so, venture into Reaper’s Revenge for a 60-acre haunt featuring several terrifying attractions and more than 90 minutes of scare time. Board the hayride to begin your journey into the woods, but don’t get too comfortable—you’ll have to leave the safety of the wagon to face deranged clowns, mutant zombies,and more. Be careful where you go, because turning back may not be an option.

Yelpers say: “This is an all-around 5-star attraction. I think it takes a lot to impress me after all these years, but Reaper’s Revenge did the job! Color me impressed! Everything is spot on, from cast commitment, to costumes and makeup, to ambiance, to special effects and animatronics.” —Yelp Elite Vlora P.

Find more haunted houses in Scranton.

12. The Thirteenth Hour Haunted Attraction , Indianapolis, Indiana

Prepare to step into the chapters of an epic horror story at The Thirteenth Hour. Multiple immersive haunted attractions, movie-quality set design, elaborate makeup and costumes, and high-tech lighting and sound make this locally owned and operated event one of Indy’s favorite things to do each fall. Check out their “sacrifice” ticket, often secretly purchased for a friend or family member, which prompts actors to target the ticket holder through the entire haunted house. 

Yelpers say: “All I can say is wow…! This haunt is not your typical gory, cliché attraction. It follows a storyline with actors who give “cut scenes” every so often throughout. They only let one party in at a time, so it’s paced well for the performances. The quality of the costumes, make up, and theming is excellent! Overall, it’s very creative and well done!” — Carlie C

Find more haunted houses in Indianapolis.

13. Purgatory Scream Park , Kingwood, Texas

Houston’s ultimate haunt experience awaits! Purgatory Scream Park features 27,000 square feet and 40 minutes of terror, making it the biggest and longest attraction in the metro area. Owners Shane and Ryan Glasgow went pro in 2014, after many years of running a highly technical backyard production. Over the years, they’ve built out multiple themed areas, including the Kingwood Asylum, Hallowed Grounds, Asphyxia, and Hysteria Now. They have been voted Best Haunted House in Texas by Haunted Rooms America.

Yelpers say: “A hidden gem in Kingwood! Just when you think the haunt is over, there is another door to pass or a tight hall to walk through what seemed like a never-ending experience. I’ve been to many haunted houses around Houston…Scream Park [is] one of my top choices to visit [and] recommend to everyone.” —Yelp Elite Jose L.

Find more haunted houses in Houston.

14. Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail , Plant City, Florida

Brace yourself for a night of thrills and chills at this outdoor attraction, where the legendary phantom Sir Henry awaits the bravest souls. Established in 2014, it’s a one-of-a-kind fright-fest featuring 3 haunted trails, laser tag, an escape game, and a new-in-2023 hayride. They also offer roaming scare actors, axe throwing, delicious food vendors, and diverse merchandise. Brave your fears and see if you have the courage to face the legendary phantom Sir Henry!

Yelpers say: “This is my 2nd year in a row attending Sir Henry’s Trail and it did not disappoint. The attraction consists of 3 VERY LONG outdoor haunted trails in the woods…All 3 haunted trails are super scary and the props, cast, smells are on point. The trails are set in the woods which makes it extra dark and scary.” —Yelp Elite Lisa M.

15. The Haunted Farm , Hendersonville, North Carolina

Enter an eerie realm, where screams from a dark wooded path beckon the brave to follow… if they dare. The legend of the Haunted Farm surrounds young lovers Missy Mae Lively and Billy Joe Tate. Born to a rival family, Billy was murdered before he could meet Missy in her delicate white dress at Clear Creek for an elopement. Inconsolable, Missy disappeared into the woods near her family’s farm. Strange, scary things began to happen, as visitors learned very quickly.

Yelpers say: “Had the best time at The Haunted Farm tonight!…For those that haven’t been before, you’ll be blown away with all the new [scares] and sets! Topnotch set design, trails, and staffed with plenty of people in costume so that there were haunts around every corner! Everyone in our group had a blast. One of the best haunted attractions I’ve ever been to!” — Olivia T.

Find haunted houses in Charlotte.

16. Dark Hour Haunted House , Plano, Texas

Scream loud, scream often. That’s the tagline of Dark Hour, a movie-quality attraction that has been delivering intense, heart-pumping thrills and chills to Texans and visitors since 2013. Their state-of-the-art lighting and audio systems, in-house production facility, and talented staff of artists and technicians allow them to offer new immersive experiences for each unique production. In 2023, the 13 witches of the Dark Hour Coven have gathered to cast the most terrifying spell, in a haunted house that’s been expanded to add more terrifying scenes, creatures, horrors, and nightmares that are sure to thrill all who enter.

Yelpers say: “I have to say, I think Dark Hour is my new favorite haunt!…Dark Hour is all about high tech and more than your average costumed jump scare. They had a fully realized theme and backstory, so it wasn’t like just walking into a hodgepodge of different scenes that weren’t connected in any way…Give Dark Hour a try, you won’t be disappointed.” — Amanda P. 

17. Trail of Terror , Wallingford, Connecticut

Join the sinister celebration at the Trail of Terror, where maniacal merrymaking meets a heartwarming mission. The Trail of Terror is run entirely by volunteers who are as dedicated to community charities as they are to dreadful delights. This haunted house has donated close to $2 million to local charities, individuals in need, and community projects since it began in 1995. An outdoor walk-through haunt, it takes 50-60 minutes to traverse the trail. This year’s theme is centered around The Harvester, a being constructed from an amalgam of the town’s collective fears. Don’t worry about the panic setting in…it’s just time for the harvest.

Yelpers say: “So I am a professional haunt attraction enthusiast, I’ve been to haunts all over the world, and Trail of Terror did NOT disappoint! Their entry line was organized with lots to look at and monsters to entertain you.…The maze itself was long! In a good way! Detailed with great scare actors and very creepy scenery.…If you’re looking for a haunt in the Connecticut area, this is for you! Absolutely worth it.” — Ash C.

18. Fright Factory Haunted House , Buckley, Washington

Enter if you dare into The Fright Factory, where screams reign supreme and terror knows no bounds. Leave the little ones behind, as this haunt is not for the faint of heart. A master class in terror, the owners of this haunted house make no claims of being “family friendly.” Most adult patrons who make it out the back door are usually screaming! This haunt might break your spirit, but it won’t break the bank at just $20 a ticket. Receive a $1 discount with a canned food donation. 

Yelpers say: “The haunted house itself was AWESOME. There were tons of times that truly scared the hell out of me, so that was cool. Outside of being scared a ton, a few times I got to breathe and really pay attention to the detail and work they put into each setting. They really did such an awesome job!…If you haven’t given this place a try, it’s DEFINITELY worth it!” —Yelp Elite Lauren P.

Find more haunted houses in Seattle.

19. Nightmare Haunted House , Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Prepare to be petrified at Myrtle Beach’s scariest after-dark attraction! This creature-themed haunted house places you in the middle of a terrifying zombie outbreak. See if you can survive more than 4,000 square feet of scares. You can’t be sure what lurks ahead or behind, above or below.

Yelpers say: “Scariest thing that I’ve experienced in a while. I loved it. There was never a dull moment in this haunted house. It was really really scary but in a fun way. You can tell the people who worked there not only did their job but performed it in an excellent way. I would totally go back again and I recommend it for anyone!” — Victoria M.

20. Netherworld Haunted House , Stone Mountain, Georgia

Get ready for a scream-filled 27th season at Netherworld! Debuting this year are 2 epic new haunts: In Primordial, witness the battle between beings of water, wind, earth, and fire against the spawn from the Netherworld. Meanwhile, Cryptid Chaos brings to life living nightmares like the chupacabra, mothman, yeti, banshee, and more. Beyond the scares, you can enjoy photo ops, food choices, games, and a monstrous museum filled with movie props and the bizarre. Plus, the escape rooms are open year-round.

Yelpers say: “Hands down, Netherworld is my favorite haunt. The main walk-through is egregiously lengthy and elaborate, and the second one is just as terrifying though shorter. Netherworld’s effects are outrageous with so much detail…This haunt is an addiction!” —Yelp Elite Lori B.

Yelp’s 20 Scariest Haunted Houses was written and reported by Yelp Senior Community Manager Sarah Crawford .

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The 20 most haunted places in the world

Do you prefer your spooky season to be as real as it gets? The most haunted places in the world are waiting for you...

The world is a terrifying place. Even the most rudimentary glance at the news will tell you that much, and that's without taking all the ghouls and ghosts into account. Spirits inhabit every corner of the planet, lost between this world and the next, searching for peace, serenity, or maybe just some living people to scare (we don’t want to second guess the motives of ghosts, after all). 

The most haunted places in the world are a spine-tingling mixture of classic spooky spots and some less predictable points, from old hospitals and mansions to mountain pubs and abandoned villages. Spooky season celebrations are well underway, but these chilling cemeteries and frightening fortresses can make the fear all too real. Footsteps? Whispers? The sobs of long-dead widows? We don’t know what you are talking about…

RECOMMENDED: 👻 The coolest abandoned places you can visit around the world 🎃 The best halloween songs of all time 🔪 The best halloween movies of all time

John Bills is a writer for Time Out Travel. At Time Out, all of our  travel guides  are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our  editorial guidelines .  This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our  affiliate guidelines . 

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The most haunted places in the world

1.  Poveglia, Italy

Venice might be the most romantic place in Europe, but it is also one of the most haunted. You can insert your comment about cursed love here, but good luck finding your voice in the chill of Poveglia. This abandoned island was used as a quarantine station for over a century before housing a mental hospital, which closed in 1968. It is so scary that visitors are actually prohibited, presumably for fear of, well, fear.

2.  La Isla de la Muñecas

Hard no, hard, hard no. La Isla de la Muñecas loosely translates to ‘Island of the Dead Dolls’, which is actually more terrifying than the name suggests. The island’s hermitic owner began hanging dolls from trees in the 1940s, ostensibly to ward off evil spirits, possibly by creating a scene too creepy even for demons.

3.  Bhangarh Fort, India

Once a mighty fortress in Rajasthan , legend has it that Bhangarh Fort was completely abandoned overnight. Why it was abandoned isn’t entirely clear (some say a hermit cursed it), but myths surround the 16th-century fortress, and its spooky status is so strong that it is illegal to be there after dark.

4.  The Skirrid Inn, Wales

The Welsh love a pub almost as much as they love a story, and the oldest pub in Wales is packed with chilling tales. Located in the hills near Abergavenny , The Skirrid Inn doubled up as a centre for hangings over the centuries, and the spirits of the executed still stalk the corridors. Not exactly first-pint small talk.

📍 Check out the  most haunted Airbnbs in the UK

5.  Port Arthur, Australia

Let’s be honest; it would be weird if a 19th-century penal colony wasn’t haunted, right? Port Arthur  in Tasmania (Australia’s most haunted state, for the curious) is a spine-chilling spot, a place of misery where more than 1000 people died in grim circumstances, where psychological torture was more common than physical.  

6.  Lizzie Borden House, USA

The credibility of a haunted house might crumble somewhat under positive overnight reviews, but this is America, baby! Moreover, Lizzie Borden’s acquittal didn’t back up the house ’s reputation as a double-murder scene, but how do you explain the strange noises at night? That couch wasn’t there when you went to bed, was it?

📍  Check out the most  haunted Airbnbs in the US  

7.  Chuuk Lagoon, Micronesia

The Chuuk Lagoon may be a tropical paradise, but dark secrets hide under its waves. The lagoon is home to the world’s largest ghost fleet, making it a magnet for wreck-diving enthusiasts eager to find the remains of the Japanese South Pacific fleet. Looking for the world’s most beautiful haunted spot? Get yourself to Micronesia, pronto.

8.  Banff Springs Hotel, Canada

A stay at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel  is only for the bravest (and wealthiest) souls. Constructed in the late 19th century, the imposing hotel is haunted by many spirits. The most notable among these is former bellman Sam Macauley, but the hotel also has a burning bride, a secret room with no windows or doors, and more. The spirit of Macauley will supposedly vanish if you attempt to tip him, which is at least one positive.

9.  Tower of London, England

Let’s be honest, it would be weird if the Tower of London wasn’t haunted, wouldn’t it? This 11th-century castle on the north bank of the Thames was a place of oppression from the start, a fortress where unruly elements were brought to the brink of death through cruel means. Today, the tower is haunted by precisely 13 ghosts, from queens to explorers to anonymous souls. If you feel a tap on your shoulder, don’t turn around.  

10.  La Recoleta Cemetery, Argentina

Packing this list with cemeteries would be simple, but spirits wandering graveyards isn’t exactly news. The paranormal activity at La Recoleta ( Buenos Aires ) is on another level entirely, with many of Argentina’s most influential personalities buried here. Its crypts struggle to contain the restless souls underneath, giving rise to a star-studded ghost get-together of the celebrity kind.

11.  Castle of Good Hope, South Africa

Ignoring that the name suggests bad hope exists, South Africa’s Castle of Good Hope is a seriously spooky place. The bastion is cursed, to cut a long story short, a hex that began when 18th-century governor Pieter van Noodt condemned to death seven men for desertion. Hearing voices and footsteps is par for the course in every section of the fortress.

12.  Aley Grand Hotel, Lebanon

The Grand Hotel was the first luxury hotel in Lebanon’s fourth largest city, but its days of entertaining the rich and famous are long gone. Instead, troubled spirits wander its abandoned corridors in search of peace, overlooking the city known as the Bride of the Summer Resorts. Aley is also called the City of Fog, which sounds decidedly more ghost-friendly.

13.  Dragsholm Castle, Denmark

A gorgeous 13th-century castle in Zealand , Dragsholm is home to three ghosts, although that could rise to four depending on whether you see the Earl riding through the courtyard. The existence of these ghosts isn’t speculation; it has been backed up by psychics and mediums, so keep your wits about you if you are staying here. One spirit is called The Lingering Bishop, a name full of symbolism and sinister foreboding. Just us?

14.  Lawang Sewu, Indonesia

The grandiose House of a Thousand Doors was the headquarters of the Dutch East India Railway Company between 1919 and 1942, passing into the hands of the Japanese occupiers in World War II. If all of that sounds like a recipe for a haunting, you are on the right track. Lawang Sewu is Indonesia’s most haunted building, with its basements particularly fertile ground for ghosts. If you are going into the basement of a neglected building, you are asking for trouble.  

15.  Eastern State Penitentiary, USA

Once the most expensive prison in the world, the bars and walls of Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary now house only the incarcerated spirits of bodies long gone. The prison closed its doors for the final time in 1971, but its story has taken on a life of its own, and the penitentiary is now a popular place for haunted walks and spooky adventures.

16.  Chase Vault, Barbados

You don’t need to be an expert to understand that coffins aren’t supposed to move. The whole ‘final resting place’ thing suggests as much. That isn’t the case at Chase Vault in Barbados , however, as the family crypt has a history of moving coffins as the members of the Chase family undertake a macabre game of musical chairs. Or musical tombs. Either way, it is pretty spooky.

17.  Al Jazirah Al Hamra, UAE

Around 2,500 people left the tidal island of Al Jazirah Al Hamra overnight in the late 1960s. The mass desertion officially came due to local politics, but ghosts are notoriously stubborn when it comes to packing up and moving on. The houses and mosques of the abandoned village are said to be haunted, with the evil spirits supposedly the real reason for the desertion.

18.  Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle is scary enough without considering its long history of unexplained voices, footsteps and mysteries. Visitors to the castle often speak of weeping phantoms and musical apparitions, but it is the so-called ‘Unluckiest Prisoner’ that sticks in the memory. Imprisoned with the rats in the dungeon, he tried to escape in a wheelbarrow filled with excrement, only to be dispatched onto the battlements below. Not the best death, to say the least.

📍 Check out our essential guide to Edinburgh

19.  Teatro Tapia, Puerto Rico

There are countless haunted mansions, hospitals and cemeteries around the world, but there is something about a haunted theatre that really excites ghost hunters. San Juan’s oldest theatre is an engaging house of performative culture, but the actors on stage share the spotlight with restless spirits eager for one last standing ovation.  

20.  Paris Catacombs, France

This doesn’t need too much of an explanation. The remains of more than six million people rest under the streets of Paris in a vast network of tunnels and skulls that spooks even the most hardened of visitors. Half a million people visit the Catacombs annually, but even that massive number is outnumbered by the wraiths, ghouls, spirits and lost souls that wait patiently to take their revenge on the city.

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Top 13 places in Russia where you may face a ghost

1. Kusovnikov House in Moscow

In the 19 th   century house № 17 on Myasnitskaya street in central Moscow was inhabited by a rich, but very greedy couple – Pyotr and Sofya Kusovnikov, who scrimped on almost everything. Extremely suspicious, they used to hide money from their servants in different places. Once they hid some in the fireplace, but the janitor accidentally burned it when lighting the fire. When she found out, Sofya died instantly of a broken heart, her husband passed away a little later. Since then, the ghost of a hunched old man in a coat has routinely appeared on the street near the house – this is Pyotr Kusovnikov mourning his lost money.

2. Sokol metro station

During WWI, not far from the modern Sokol station of the Moscow metro, a cemetery for fallen soldiers was located. In 1918, mass executions of White officers and priests by the Reds were held there. All this led to the appearance of ghosts in the dark tunnels of the station. Early in the morning diaphanous figures with festering wounds can be seen there.  

3. St. Michael’s Castle in St. Petersburg

This castle was a royal residence built by order of Tsar  Paul I. On March 21, 1801, he was killed there by a group of conspirators. It is considered that the restless spirit of the tsar was unable to leave the castle. It appears there in the corridors with a burning candle in its hand.

4.   Znamenskaya Tower in Yaroslavl

During the Civil War in Russia (1917-1922), a group of White troops held positions in the Volkovsky theater in Yaroslavl. The Red commissar in command of the siege promised to spare their lives. However, he lied and all the Whites were executed at the Znamenskaya Tower. Since then, the ghost of the commissar who didn’t keep his promise has been seen at the place of his crime.

5. Igumnov House in Moscow

The house at 43 Bolshaya Yakimanka Street in Moscow, also known as “Igumnov House,” serves today as the residence of the French ambassador. It was built at the request of the industrialist Nikolay Igumnov in the late 19 th   century. He settled his young mistress here, but one day caught her with a lover. The lover was kicked out, but the girl was never seen again. It is believed that the outraged Igumnov bricked her up in a wall. During Soviet times, people often saw the ghost of a young girl walking through the walls with deep, plaintive sighs.     

6. House of Rasputin in St. Petersburg

The flat on the second floor at 64 Gorokhovaya street in St. Petersburg is today a usual residential apartment. However, in the early 20th century it was home to one of the most mystical figures in Russian history – Grigory Rasputin. His ghost sometimes appears here, scaring inhabitants with its clunking steps and grunting in dark corners.

7. House on the Embankment

This house at 2 Serafimovicha Street, simply known as “House on Embankment,” is among the most famous in the Russian capital, known as the place of residence for the Soviet   crème de la crème : writers, artists, actors, generals, athletes. However, it also has a dark history. During the Great Purge, a campaign of political repressions in the USSR, dozens of the house’s inhabitants were arrested and executed. Today, the house is full of the ghosts of those victims, who sometimes appear in their old dwelling place. 

8. Tower of the old hospital in Ryazan

Among the high-rise modern buildings at 15 Gorky Street in Ryazan is an old tower – all that remains of the old hospital. At night, a lonely dark figure can be seen walking in this tower. This is the ghost of Alexander Smitten, who administered the hospital more than a century ago.

9. Griboyedov Canal in St. Petersburg

During a misty night in March, one can see the ghost of a young girl near the Griboyedov Canal in St. Petersburg. Her face is blue because of asphyxiation, and there is a big red mark on her neck caused by a rope. This is famous revolutionary Sophia Perovskaya, who assassinated Tsar Alexander II and was hanged for her deed. To meet this ghost is a bad omen, and can cost nocturnal pedestrians their lives.

10. Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin

There is a legend that when the Kremlin in Nizhny Novgorod was being built, the constructors were unable to finish one of the towers. It kept falling down. In the end, they decided to make a sacrifice and to build the tower on the blood of the first person who passed by. It happened to be a pregnant woman hurrying to the river for water. She was seized and bricked up in the tower alive. The ghost of a pale woman holding a baby has appeared near this place ever since.

11. Oldenburg Palace near Voronezh

Built in the late 19th century, the palace belonged to Princess Eugenia of Leuchtenberg. Today her ghost rises from the deep casemates of the palace to wander through its rooms and corridors. There is also another ghost there, much older — the ghost of a young peasant girl. It is even said that Princess Eugenia saw it when she was alive.

12. Stalin’s country house near Sochi

Stalin’s ghost can be seen at his country house, located today within the Green Groove hotel near Sochi. The “father of the nations” walks in his white jacket, smoking his trademark pipe.

13. Psychiatric hospital near Nizhny Novgorod

Near the modern psychiatric hospital in the village of Lyakhovo near Nizhny Novgorod, one can see an abandoned old building. Several dozen years ago a young girl hanged herself there because of unrequited love. At night it is possible to see a white silhouette and hear the moaning and cries of the “love-stricken schoolgirl” as the locals call her.

And if you want to see a UFO, here are several places in Russia where you will have a chance.

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From the Bijou to Brushy Mountain: 9 of the most haunted spots in Knoxville, East Tennessee

(A version of this article was originally published in October 2022.)

October is the spookiest month of the year. What better time to hunt up the haunted locations around you?

From a downtown theater to a former prison to local restaurants, historically haunted spots can be found in and around Knoxville. A few brave Knox News staffers have even ventured to look for ghosts themselves!

For those curious about visiting any of these sites in Knoxville and East Tennessee, be careful not only for the sake of the lost souls, but also because some locations are privately owned.

It never hurts to check to see if ghost tours are available, so ghost hunt responsibly.

Alexander Inn in Oak Ridge

In a city filled with history and intrigue, the Alexander Inn (otherwise known as the Guest House) fits right in.

The inn first opened in the 1940s and housed several members involved with the World War II Manhattan Project , including J. Robert Oppenheimer and Gen. Leslie Groves. It fell into disrepair in the 1990s before getting a renovation and reopening as a senior living home.

The haunted aspects of the location have been investigated by local paranormal services , but it's unclear how truly spooky it is. Legend says it's got some ghosts, though; stories tell of visitors seeing blood on the walls, hearing footsteps or spotting someone looking out of the windows, according to Knox News reports.

It's now privately operated, so ghost hunters won't be able to explore the premises, but can appreciate its history.

"Downright scary": Why this Gatlinburg mansion made Yelp's list of Top 20 scariest haunted houses

Baker Peters House in Knoxville

Heading west in Knoxville, one building stands out from the rest: the Baker Peters House at 9000 Kingston Pike.

Built in 1830, the house was used by Confederate supporter Dr. James Harvey Baker . He died in 1863 when Union soldiers raided his house. Baker's son Abner was fighting the war at the time, but was later hanged by an angry mob in downtown Knoxville for shooting a former Union soldier named William Hall.

In the late 19th century, George Peters purchased the house. It is currently the site of Finn's Restaurant and Tavern.

Past tales of the house being haunted involve unexplained noises, voices, whistling and laughter, lights turning off and on and glasses flying from racks, according to Knox News reports.

With a dead Confederate supporter looming over it, the house has become a historical landmark in Knoxville. Finn's offers ghost tours of the house, with one coming up Oct. 22, 2023. Tickets are available now .

The Bijou Theatre in Knoxville

The Bijou Theatre on Gay Street is one of the best-known haunted buildings in Knoxville.

The building was completed in 1817 , a year after owner Thomas Humes died. It changed hands and operated as a hotel called The Lamar House.

In 1857, the building was owned by Col. William H. Sneed and became a hospital during the Civil War, according to the Bijou website. Famously, Gen. William P. Sanders died in the hotel's bridal suite in 1863.

The building became a theater in 1909, but operated in disrepair for most of the 20th century. It was renovated in 2005 and has operated as a thriving artistic center ever since.

With its more 200 years of history as a hotel, brothel, Civil War hospital and a theater, souls must be trapped within the Bijou's walls and backstage nooks and crannies. Several local ghost hunters have explored the building, including the Tennessee Wraith Chasers in 2020. The theater has hosted its own ghost tours in the past because of the intense curiosity, but isn't currently hosting paranormal teams due to the number of shows on its schedule, according to the Bijou website.

So definitely look around next time you catch a show there!

Brushy Mountain in Petros

Brushy Mountain is arguably one of the most recognizable haunted locations in East Tennessee.

Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary was built in 1896 and served as one of Tennessee's high-security prisons. Notable parts of the prison's history include supplying inmates for the Coal Creek Company and housing high-profile inmates including Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassin James Earl Ray. It was classified as a maximum-security prison in the 1960s. Some inmates died within the walls of the penitentiary.

It closed as a prison in 2009.

Now, Brushy Mountain operates as a tourist draw with a store, restaurant, distillery and even a concert venue. The former prison also hosts ghost tours . Knox News conducted its own investigation into the prison's paranormal activity with reporter Ryan Wilusz .

During his tour, Wilusz said it's "not a place I'd want to be back then, not a place I want to be now."

Daugherty Furniture Building in Clinton

In historic downtown Clinton, one building stands out along Main Street.

The Daugherty Furniture Building at 307 Main St. was first built in 1942. It was owned and operated by J. R. Daugherty, who also lived in the building until his death in 1985.

In 2018, Craig Hansen, who had an antique shop in the building, told The Courier News about ghost sightings he had witnessed, including furniture moving on its own, lights turning on after he locked up and footsteps echoing down the hallway.

Drummond Bridge in Briceville

This bridge in Briceville might just be one of the most frightening spots in East Tennessee

The Drummond Bridge is named after Richard Drummond, a coal miner who got caught up in the Coal Creek War of 1891-1892 . The conflict began as a wage dispute and turned into an armed fight with the Tennessee State Militia stepping in. Drummond was a 25-year-old miner who killed Private William Laugherty. Drummond was lynched and hanged from the bridge, according to a New York Times article from 1893.

The website gatlinburghaunts.com reports that you can hear gasping and that animals refuse to go near the site.

The Greenbrier Restaurant in Gatlinburg

It's one thing to visit a haunted location, but it's something else to eat at one.

The Greenbrier Restaurant is quite lovely, but it holds a dark past. It opened in the 1930s as a lodge before functioning as a restaurant. In the 1930s, a guest named Lydia took her own life on the second floor after being stood up at what was supposed to be her wedding, according to gatlinburghaunts.com .

It's said her spirit still haunts the Greenbrier and you can sometimes see her on the second floor. The restaurant has acknowledged her presence and has further immortalized her by naming a drink after her on the menu.

Greystone Camp House in Knoxville

The Greystone Camp House along North Broadway even looks like a haunted mansion.

The house was built in 1890 and was owned by Major Eldad Cicero Camp Jr. He moved to Knoxville after the Civil War and eventually was appointed as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, along with organizing the Coal Creek Company. He died in 1920. The home was sold in 1935 and used as apartments until WATE-TV purchased it in 1965.

WATE-TV still operates within the Greystone Camp House, and offers tours of the studio. The news station has looked into the paranormal aspects of the property , with investigators staying in the mansion overnight. Workers at WATE-TV reported incidences of hair pulling, ghost sightings and being pushed down the stairs. The investigators said they contacted a ghost: Camp's mother Minerva!

Wheatlands Plantation in Sevierville

In the heart of Sevierville, a historic home bore witness to atrocities.

Built in 1791, the Wheatlands Plantation was originally owned by Timothy Chandler. The land was a plantation with slave labor until the end of the Civil War. Before that, the grounds were the site of the Battle of Boyd's Creek , a 1780 Revolutionary War battle between white settlers and Cherokee natives. There's a mass Native American grave along with several rows of headstones on the property.

According to nashvilleghosts.com , the dark history of the property is filled with around 70 murders. Visitors have reported ghost sightings, including a girl wandering in a blue dress, bloodstains that appear on the floor and enslaved children running around.

The property is now listed as an Airbnb. But the historic site is included on the Boyd's Creek Fall Driving Tour .

Keenan Thomas  reports for the Knox News business growth and development team. You can reach him by email at [email protected].

Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks at  knoxnews.com/subscribe .

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