If you're like many Americans, there's nothing you enjoy more than a good scare. From blockbusters like The Conjuring to televisions shows like Ghost Hunters, our country is veritably obsessed with the supernatural, the paranormal, and the undead, entities that hold sway over many people even in the days and months after Halloween.
In honor of that fascination we have listed, below, five of the spookiest sites in the United States, places that are haunted by "real" ghosts all year round, providing plenty of scares for every visit.
5. Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum
One of the longest-running haunts on the list, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia (formerly known as the Weston State Hospital) operated from 1864 to 1994, 130 years that gave it enough time to collect a pretty impressive catalogue of ghosts. Plus, the facility has tons of accommodations for those who want to go looking for them. From two-hour daytime tours of the main hotspots to eight-hour overnight paranormal expeditions, chances are more likely than not that a trip to the Asylum will have you losing sleep for days to come.
4. The Stanley Hotel
Sitting in the middle of beautiful Estes Park, Colorado, the Stanley Hotel may seem more like a rustic vacation spot than a ghost-filled mansion. And yet, the hotel has its own secret history for those guests willing to look for it. Indeed, the alleged paranormal activity in this hotel is what inspired Stephen King to write his landmark novel "The Shining," a book that is certainly responsible for its fair share of scarred readers. In other words, not only would a visit to this legendary hotel be spooky, it would also be historic, a double-whammy that draws visitors in droves every year.
3. The Myrtles Plantation
If you're interested in a more Southern vibe, look no further than the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana, a place that's literally built on top of an old Native-American burial ground. Sightings at this old home include unexplained finger and handprints in the mirrors, apparitions of women and children in the halls, and loud rattling sounds that have reportedly woken visitors up in the middle of the night. In other words, The Myrtles Plantation is a kind of paranormal playground, just the place to go to test whether or not you actually believe in ghosts.
2. The Villisca Axe Murder House
Perhaps the darkest item on the list, this old house in Villisca, Iowa has seen its share of violence, most notably the mass killing of a family in the titular axe murder of 1912. Now, the recently renovated house is one of the most notable haunts in the world, home to a variety of chilling unexplained activities like screaming children, shaking bed frames, and even the occasional sighting of an apparition. In short this house is not for the faint of heart. Enter only if you dare.
1. The Winchester Mystery House
Finally, rounding off the list is the 160-room, Victorian style Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California, a mansion that gets the nod for its unbelievably bizarre origin story. Built after the death of Mr. Winchester (inventor of the famed Winchester Revolver), the purpose of the house was to construct a literal "home for the spirits," a project taken up by the widow Mrs. Winchester to remove the supposed curse upon her family. While it's unclear whether or not the solution worked, what remains is a mansion unlike any other, full of maze-like hallways, unsettling dead-ends, and enough space to get lost in (maybe even forever!). Which is why the Winchester Mystery House is the archetypical haunted house, just the place to go on your next vacation if you're really trying to get spooked.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
