Halloween originated from Samhain, an ancient holiday where people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. Since then, it has evolved to be a holiday best represented by trick-or-treating, pumpkin patches and telling scary stories. In light of the spookiest holiday of the year fast approaching, here are some haunted places that you can visit to get into the holiday spirit. Tip: do not go alone!
1. The Stanley Hotel in Colorado
The basis for Stephen King’s novel The Shining, the Stanley Hotel is a holiday resort with a haunting history. Multiple paranormal investigations take place here every year, and guests often leave with stories to tell. Some of the most haunted parts of the hotel are said to be room 217, room 401, room 428 and the grand staircase. Room 217 is the room where Jim Carrey had spent some time during his filming of Dumb and Dumber. According to hotel staff, he demanded to be moved to a different room midway through his first night because he didn’t feel safe. Guests often report hearing the sound of children playing or seeing the ghosts of women and cowboys in various parts of the hotel.
2. Isla de las Muñecas (Island of the Dolls) in Mexico
This is exactly what it sounds like: an island overrun with dolls that hang from trees and stare at anyone who dares to step foot on the island. The man who hung the dolls did so believing that the dolls were possessed by the spirits of dead girls. The first doll that he found was thought to be owned by a girl who drowned. Coincidentally, he later died in the same manner. To anyone who enters the island, the eerie atmosphere and its tragic history make it a very unnerving and haunting place to visit.
3. Super 8 International Drive in Florida
Specifically, room 206 in this roadside motel is said to be the site of strange occurrences. Guests report that this room is usually icy cold even with the heater turned on and the presence of people who are not there can be felt. There have been reports of human body imprints appearing on the bed just after it has been made, and many guests have allegedly felt bodies next to them while there is no one physically there. Some say that this is the scariest place in Orlando.
4. Winchester Mystery House in California
This is a fun house with a tragic history. Sarah Winchester, the house’s former owner, lost her husband and child and was later informed by a seer that they had been killed by the ghosts of gunshot victims. Overwhelmed with grief, she turned her home into a fun house to ward off evil spirits. While the house does not appear so spooky anymore, the tragic backstory coupled with the mysterious passageways in the huge house make it an eerie place to visit for anyone who knows the history.
5. St. Augustine Lighthouse in Florida
Thousands of visitors go to the lighthouse every year, and many report hearing the sound of children playing inside and around it. Historically, this has been the site of many tragedies, such as when the lighthouse keeper fell to his death while painting the tower and when three young girls drowned nearby. After so many tragedies happened here, the lighthouse is believed to be home to many lonely ghosts.
While most of us typically go to Halloween Horror Nights to be spooked, some brave souls might prefer to visit these ghostly places. Regardless of where you choose to spend your Halloween, remember to be safe and enjoy the holiday.
Happy Halloween!