America’s Most Haunted Cities

by Noreen Kompanik
Last updated: 8:00 AM ET, Sat October 11, 2025

It’s no wonder that we have so many haunted places in the U.S. given our history of war, disease, slavery, mining, and other notable traumas throughout the years.

Though hunting for paranormal activity happens all throughout the year, there’s something about the Halloween season that brings a more chilling and spine-tingling experience to the forefront in some of our most haunted cities where restless spirits have never left.

Bodie, CA

Lawlessness and violence were at its peak in the late 1800s in this once-booming Gold Rush Town. Many miners died in cave-ins, explosions and other tragic mishaps and the brutal winter of 1878-1879 claimed hundreds of lives due to exposure and disease.

Unexplained phenomena in this abandoned ghost town stuck in time include the Lady in White, said to haunt the cemetery searching for her lost child, Tall Man, wandering the streets at night and believed to have been a miner who died in an accident, the spirit of a child who died in a fire, and piano music coming from empty buildings.

Charleston, SC

Known for its cobblestone streets, antebellum architecture and Southern charm, Charleston is also considered one of the most haunted cities in America. Underneath its romantic appeal, there lies a chilling legacy shaped by centuries of war, tragedy, slavery and epidemics.

Some of the most haunted places in Charleston are the Old City Jail, Room 8 and 10 at the Battery Carriage House Inn, the John Rutledge House, Poogan’s Porch Restaurant, the Angel Oak Tree, Blind Tiger Pub, a Prohibition-era speakeasy, Dock Street Theatre, Fort Sumpter and the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon.

Gettysburg, PA

It’s no wonder that Gettysburg is considered eerily haunted due to the infamous Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 that resulted in over 51,000 casualties during the Civil War.

Other than numerous reported visual apparitions such as ghosts of soldiers on the battlefield itself, the town, other places in town such as Devil’s Den, Sachs Covered Bridge, Tillie Pierce House Inn and Daniel Lady Farm are hotspots for ghostly encounters.

New Orleans, LA

By paranormal standards, NOLA wins the top haunted award as the city is steeped in tragedy, voodoo and vampire legends. With its history of slavery and violence, yellow fever epidemics and natural disasters, you’ll find ghostly figures everywhere.

Some of its most haunted locations include St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, the resting place of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, LaLaurie Mansion, home to the horrific torture and treatment of enslaved people, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop, one of the oldest bars in the U.S., Pirate’s Alley, The Old Absinthe House, Bourbon Orleans Hotel, and many others.

Philadelphia, PA

Surrounded by almost 400 years of history, Philadelphia is packed with ghost stories, tragic tales and eerie landmarks that attract paranormal enthusiasts from around the world.

One of the most notorious prisons in America, creepy Eastern State Penitentiary is renowned for its solitary confinement practices and harsh punishments. Now a museum and haunted attraction, the prison reports ghostly faces, shadowy figures, eerie laughter and cell doors slamming shut on their own.

Other legendary sites include the Betsy Ross House, Christ Church Burial Ground, the final resting place of Benjamin Franklin, Washington Square and Elfreth’s Alley, America’s oldest residential street where visitors have reported orbs, apparitions and choking sensations.

Cell Block 14, Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia

Portland, OR

The city known for its craft beer and artsy vibes is also a top destination for paranormal experts with a long list of historic buildings with ghostly legends.

Beneath the city, a network of Shanghai Tunnels was once used to kidnap and smuggle sailors and laborers onto ships —a practice known as "shanghaiing." Many believe the spirits of those who suffered still linger, as evidenced by reported cold spots, disembodied voices and shadowing figures. Two hotels, the Heathman and Benson and two theaters, the Bagdad and Roseland are also linked to ghostly apparitions, along with the White Eagle Saloon and Lone Fir Cemetery.

Salem, MA

Best known for the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, a dark and dramatic chapter in American history, the town is notorious as 200 town residents were accused of witchcraft and 19 were hanged.

Today, the spirits of the departed still remain in places like The Witch House with direct ties to the trials, the Joshua Ward House, House of Seven Gables, Old Burying Point and Howard Street Cemeteries and Proctor’s Ledge believed to be the actual site of the hangings. Visitors report eerie sensations, shadowy figures, cold spots, ghostly whispers and mysterious happenings.

San Antonio, TX

Home to the Battle of the Alamo which led to thousands of casualties in 1836, this Southwestern city is also home to lingering souls and eerie legends. Many believe the spirits of fallen soldiers still roam the grounds of the Alamo.

The Emily Morgan Hotel, once a medical facility, psychiatric ward and morgue is reportedly known for its ghostly hospital scenes, phantom touches and elevators that run at will.

One of the many squares rumored to be haunted in Savannah, Georgia

Savannah, GA

Southern Gothic-charmed Savannah is one of the oldest cities in the U.S. and ranked among the most haunted places in the country. Spirits that never fully left the earthly realm haunt historic places such as the Mercer-Williams House (made famous by the film Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil), the Andrew Low House, and a spooky stretch of sealed off tunnels known as Factors Walk.

The Marshall House is known as one of the most haunted hotels in the U.S. because of its history as a hospital during the Civil War and yellow fever epidemics. Guest have reported seeing apparitions in hallways, hearing ghost children running down the halls at night, unexplained noises and faucets turning on by themselves.

St. Augustine, GA

The nation’s oldest continuously inhabited European-founded city has its share of ghost sightings and paranormal activities making it one of America’s most haunted destinations.

At Castillo de San Marcos historic fort, visitors have reported seeing apparitions and experience cold spots. The Old Jail, infamous for its inhumane conditions and prisoner executions has experienced rattling chains, heavy footsteps and mournful moans. Flagler College is said to be haunted by the spirit of Henry Flagler’s mistress and Tolomato Cemetery is known for its lurking shadows and whispers among the gravesites.

The Castillo de San Marcos at sunrise, St Augustine, Florida.

Washington D.C.

Our nation’s capital is steeped in history that includes the darker side of its storied past with layers of calamity and turmoil given its military battles, duels, assassinations and untimely deaths.

The U.S. Capitol is said to be haunted by Revolutionary War officers, former lawmakers and a mysterious demon cat that seems to appear before national tragedies. The White House is reportedly haunted by Abraham Lincoln, Grace Coolidge, Harry Truman and Winston Churchill. The National Theatre is often frequented by actor John McCullough, murdered in the 1880s, while The Octagon House is said to be one of the most haunted buildings in Washington, D.C. with ghostly sightings of its builder, Colonel Tayloe’s daughters and slaves who once lived there.

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