North America Chevron. United States Chevron. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. We know the United States as the land of spacious skies and amber waves of grain, but it's also the land of ghosts. In the most haunted places in America, lingering spirits roam through the halls of hotels , abandoned asylums, Broadway theaters, and even a city zoo.
If you want to get up close and personal with the paranormal, many of these sites offer guided tours through the spookiest of spaces—as well as overnight stays in the most haunted rooms in some of these hotels.
That's one way to capitalize on spirits stuck on our plane of existence, at least. If ghosts aren't your go-to travel buddies, fear not. Many of the below sites and the destinations where they are found offer enough culture, history, architectural wonders, and beautiful scenery to keep you firmly planted in this realm. Just be sure not to provoke the spirits as you go about your journeys.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. In the s and '80s, Bodie boomed when gold was found in the hills surrounding Mono Lake —at one point, it was home to 10, people. It's now a State Historic Park , with some parts of the town preserved in a state of "arrested decay"—think tables with place settings, and shops eerily stocked with supplies.
It's not surprising that there are many reports of supernatural activity here, including ghost sightings and music playing from shuttered bars. There is also a legend that any visitor who takes anything from Bodie—even a rock—will be cursed with bad luck and health problems upon leaving.
