Sometimes the history of a location and the events that once took place at a site can lead to stories about paranormal activity haunting a place. But often, stories are born from the real experiences of visitors who have had interactions with a paranormal presence at that location. While the stories might take on a life of their own - the experiences are still very real. So, when you're ready to ratchet up your interaction with the paranormal, there are creepy places you can visit that will definitely deliver on their spooky promise.
Many destinations are historical sites, like Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary where the city even celebrates the haunted history of the former prison. However, even small towns have supernatural places that, while not as celebrated, are worth the trip if only for the opportunity to challenge yourself to experience a genuinely terrifying visit to a haunted site. On your travels to any creepy location, you can even find creepy places to stay, so check out the list below for some haunted travel destinations of historical significance, international significance, or even little significance but haunted nonetheless.
Mary King's Close was a site of extreme death and suffering during the plague. As a result, the city of Edinburgh closed off the homes and alleyways leading to Mary King's Close. Since then, many have reported seeing ghosts and feeling a paranormal presence when at the site. Visitors to Edinburgh can get a tour of this location by authentically dressed guides who can explain the suffering that occurred at the location and the many haunted stories that have since lingered.
Pennsylvania has a long and significant history in the United States - maybe that's why so many haunted sites exist in the Commonwealth. Each Halloween, Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary is open for a "haunted house" visit called "Behind The Wall." However, the fun that surrounds the event doesn't cleanse the brutal history of Eastern State Penitentiary. During the 1800s through the early 1920s, the prison was the prototype for security and punishment. Inmates received punishments with the "Mad Chair" and "Iron Gag." Many visitors have recounted stories of paranormal experiences, and those who study the location have relayed stories of hearing screams and other similar sounds of suffering.
Opened on April 2, 1889, Derby's Opera House could fit 1,200 people in its theater. Although it's closed, many people have reported hearing the voices of children and seeing dark images in the theater. The Italianate Victorian architecture that once added to its beauty now adds to its creepiness. The TV show, Ghost Hunters, featured The Sterling Opera House, where the hunters recorded EVPs and voices.
Charlotte Brontë's mentally ill character was locked in an attic for 10 years by her husband. The "mad-woman" attic that inspired the story is open for public tours in Yorkshire, UK. The novel was apparently inspired by a real paranormal presence that Brontë experienced in the attic. Now, fans of Jane Eyre can visit and maybe feel the same presence the author had experienced in the attic.
The site of many violent battles, Old Fort Niagara, is allegedly haunted by those killed at the fort. Visitors can go to the site and sit around a bonfire to hear stories of the fort's haunted history. Graveyard tours are also available. Additionally, each year volunteers reenact the violent battles at Old Fort Niagara to provide context for tourists who seek to understand the fort's dark past. The fort's Executive Director has said of the location, "even if you are not afraid of the dark, you will be here."
The former site of an open-air tuberculosis treatment center, West Mountain Sanitarium is known for its ghost sightings and the painful past that surrounds it. The site of the former treatment center is rundown and torched, and weathered patient beds still exist in the dilapidated buildings from a fire that killed many of the residents. Unlike some of the other sites on this list, this location definitely does not have an open season for visitors. Nonetheless, the haunted history tempts many brave visitors who seek an uninhibited paranormal experience.
