You Are In For A Scare

There is no better time than Halloween to get in the ‘spirit of the dead’ and scare the jeepers creepers out of each other.   Allow me to share my experiences of the best places across America that will truly frighten you with strange and unusual tales of centuries past where people have reported ghostly encounters.

Best Haunted House:
Located in San Jose, California, the Winchester Mystery House definitely tops my list of creepiest haunted houses. In 1881, Sarah Winchester became convinced that she needed protection from evil spirits and added rooms to her mansion to confuse any ghosts trying to find her. The house was under construction for 38 years! A few years ago curiosity got the better of me and I toured through the 160 rooms and viewed the staircases that lead to no where, windows build into the floor and even rooms with the floor on the ceiling. In the end I couldn’t help but be creeped out by this monument to superstition and paranoia. Most would say that such a place must still harbor at least a few of the ghosts who came to reside there at the invitation of Sarah Winchester. The question is though, do they really haunt the place? Even though I cannot personally report any ghostly encounters you will just have to decide for yourself. Oh, and if you are really gutsy you can go on every Friday the 13th or Halloween for a midnight flashlight tour and séance.

Best Haunted Reenactments:
While ghost tours have sparked the imagination of many, I have found even a ghost reenactment can be fun. The town of Sleepy Hollow, NY located just 40 miles from New York City recreates the legend immortalized by the words of Washington Irving at Philipsburg Manor. This tour is full of ghosts, ghouls and of course a Headless Horseman.  The reenactment is fun, but it is not exactly the place for thrill seekers. For a more goose-bump inducing reenactment you can try the ghosts of Gettysburg tour. Besides being a famous historical site, Gettysburg is supposedly one of the most haunted places in America. The night tour takes you through the town and battlefield, which is said to be haunted by slain soldiers and where paranormal activity is reported every year.

Best Haunted Hotel:
While on a seemingly innocent ghost tour of Boston, my family and I found ourselves at the doorstep of the Omni Parker Hotel. The tour guide proceeded to tell the story of a wealthy sociality whose ghost now haunts one of the rooms (which we just happened to be staying in!) The sounds of a party can be heard and cigar smoke can supposedly be noticed when walking nearby. Even the elevator is said to ascend to the third floor without any buttons being pushed. While I am not usually one to buy into the hype, after being told your own hotel room is the site of a famous ghost, how could you not be sacred?!

For those of you who can’t get enough of unexplained images, ghostly shadows and eerie sounds in the night there is no end to the houses, gravesites and tours garnering serious attention as the most haunted places in America. If you’re a ghost skeptic, check out these places…you might not be when you leave.