15 Creepy Places In The U.S. You Can Actually Visit
Think your local haunted house is creepy? That’s cute.
Across the U.S., there are real places — not theme parks or movie sets — where the chill in the air isn’t just from a drafty window. We’re talking abandoned prisons where whispers still echo, crime scenes you can sleep in, and ghost towns literally on fire.
These are the spots that stay with you long after you’ve left — not just because of what happened there, but because of what still might be lingering. If you’re brave enough to step beyond the tourist traps and into America’s darker side, these creepy destinations are open to the public… and might just be waiting for you.
1. Eastern State Penitentiary – Pennsylvania
Once considered a revolutionary approach to incarceration, this former prison is now one of the most spine-tingling sites in the country. Opened in 1829, it introduced solitary confinement as a method of reform, a concept that quickly turned cruel and isolating.
Inmates spent 23 hours a day in silence, and some reportedly lost their sanity. The massive Gothic architecture only amplifies the unease, with crumbling corridors, rusted cell doors, and faded murals from past prisoners.
Today, visitors wander through abandoned blocks and listen to audio tours that recount not only famous inmates like Al Capone, but also the many unexplained sounds — whispers, footsteps, and distant cries — that some swear still echo through the halls.
2. The Stanley Hotel – Colorado
It’s not just the mountain views that make this historic hotel so unforgettable. Built in 1909, the Stanley’s elegant exterior hides a history that’s famously haunted — so much so that it inspired Stephen King to write The Shining after just one night’s stay.
Room 217, where a chambermaid was injured in a gas explosion in 1911, is still said to be visited by her spirit. But she’s not alone — guests report piano music in empty rooms, luggage mysteriously unpacked, and flickering lights.
The hotel leans into its eerie reputation, offering ghost tours, spirit-friendly events, and even a haunted whiskey bar.
3. The Myrtles Plantation – Louisiana
A grand antebellum home surrounded by Spanish moss might seem like a peaceful Southern escape — until you learn about its ghostly history. Built in 1796, this plantation is rumored to be one of the most haunted homes in America.
The story of Chloe, a former enslaved woman who allegedly poisoned the family she served, is just one of many legends tied to this place.
Visitors have captured eerie photos showing shadowy figures, and others have reported seeing faces in mirrors or hearing footsteps on empty staircases. Despite multiple historical inconsistencies in the popular stories, the energy here keeps believers — and skeptics — coming back.
4. Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum – West Virginia
Walking through this massive, decaying asylum feels like stepping into a different era. First opened in 1864, the facility was once meant to house 250 patients, but at its peak, it crammed in over 2,400.
Tales of lobotomies, abuse, and extreme overcrowding paint a grim picture of its operational years. Even without the ghost stories, the peeling paint, broken furniture, and abandoned wheelchairs are unsettling.
But ghost hunters don’t come for the décor — they come for the reported voices in the dark, shadowy figures darting down corridors, and the chilling feeling that you’re never truly alone inside.
5. Salem – Massachusetts
Salem doesn’t hide its dark past — in fact, it embraces it. This historic coastal town was the epicenter of the 1692 witch trials, during which 20 people were executed based on hysteria and superstition.
The haunting legacy lingers in its old buildings, graveyards, and museums. Tourists can explore the Witch House, which belonged to one of the judges, or visit the Salem Witch Trials Memorial, where flowers are still left for the victims.
It’s not the presence of ghosts that makes Salem eerie — it’s the weight of centuries-old injustice that still feels eerily present in its cobblestone streets.
6. Winchester Mystery House – California
Nothing in this house makes sense — and that’s the point. After inheriting the Winchester rifle fortune, Sarah Winchester began building her San Jose mansion non-stop for decades, believing she was haunted by the spirits of those killed by the weapon.
The result? A bizarre maze of over 160 rooms with staircases leading to ceilings, doors that open into thin air, and windows in floors.
While some say it’s an architectural oddity, others swear the house itself is a spiritual trap. Paranormal investigators report cold spots, footsteps, and strange feelings of disorientation — and it’s easy to see why once you’re lost in the layout.
7. St. Augustine Lighthouse – Florida
A towering beacon along Florida’s coast, this 19th-century lighthouse has become one of the most frequently cited haunted spots in the South. During construction, three children tragically drowned when a cart broke loose and tumbled into the water.
Their laughter is still said to echo up the spiral staircase, while shadowy figures have been spotted at the top of the tower. Staff and visitors alike report footsteps, the sound of slamming doors, and a sense of being watched. Even if you come for the view, you may leave with goosebumps.
8. Waverly Hills Sanatorium – Kentucky
This former tuberculosis hospital is often dubbed one of the scariest buildings in America — and for good reason. Thousands died within its walls during the early 20th century, and the “Body Chute,” a tunnel used to discreetly transport corpses, still exists.
Paranormal tours offer access to the massive structure, including the infamous Room 502, where a nurse reportedly took her own life. Shadow people, unexplained screams, and sudden drops in temperature are just a few of the eerie experiences reported by those brave enough to wander its dark halls.
9. The Villisca Axe Murder House – Iowa
In June 1912, a horrific and still-unsolved crime shook this small Iowa town: eight people, including six children, were found murdered with an axe in their own home. The case captivated the nation, but justice was never served.
Today, the house remains much like it was, with minimal modern updates, and is open for daytime tours and overnight stays. Visitors report hearing children’s voices, doors creaking open on their own, and even waking up to a heavy presence in the room. It’s not just a true crime scene — it’s an open invitation to the paranormal.
10. Moundsville Penitentiary – West Virginia
From executions and riots to solitary confinement in pitch-black cells, this towering Gothic prison has seen the worst of humanity. Operating from 1876 to 1995, it was notorious for violence — and many inmates never left.
Paranormal tours cover everything from the execution chamber to “the Sugar Shack,” a recreation room with an especially dark history. Cold spots, disembodied voices, and shadowy figures are common claims among visitors. Even in broad daylight, the place feels heavy.
11. Centralia – Pennsylvania
The ghost town that inspired Silent Hill is very real — and still burning. In 1962, a coal mine fire was accidentally ignited beneath this small Pennsylvania town. Decades later, the ground still smolders, vents release toxic smoke, and the once-busy streets are eerily empty.
With buildings demolished and only a handful of residents remaining, the town has become a chilling symbol of environmental disaster. Visitors describe the experience as apocalyptic — cracked roads, broken sidewalks, and the ever-present haze make it a truly unsettling place.
12. Lizzie Borden House – Massachusetts
Most know the rhyme — but few know you can actually stay in the very house where the infamous double axe murders occurred in 1892. Lizzie Borden was acquitted, but suspicion still lingers. Today, the home is a B&B and museum, carefully preserved to look just as it did that day.
Guests report hearing footsteps upstairs, doors opening and closing, and even feeling watched. Whether you believe Lizzie did it or not, spending the night here is enough to raise the hair on your neck.
13. The Ridges (Athens Lunatic Asylum) – Ohio
Creepy from the outside and unsettling within, this former asylum has long fascinated ghost hunters and urban explorers.
One of its most infamous stories is that of a patient who went missing — only to be found weeks later, decomposed on the floor of a locked room, leaving behind a body-shaped stain that still hasn’t faded.
The grounds also include a cemetery with hundreds of numbered (but unnamed) graves. Between the tragic past and eerie remains, this is one site that lingers in the mind.
14. Jerome Grand Hotel – Arizona
Originally a hospital serving a mining town, this building saw its share of death before becoming a hotel in the 1990s. Guests have reported ghostly apparitions in the hallways, strange medical smells, and phantom gurneys rolling past at night.
Some claim they’ve heard voices calling out from rooms no one is staying in. The hotel leans into its haunted reputation with historical displays and staff who openly share their spooky encounters — if you’re not scared of sleeping with the lights on.
15. Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery – Illinois
This tiny cemetery in the Chicago suburbs has become legendary in paranormal circles. Abandoned and overgrown, it’s been the site of dozens of reported hauntings, including a glowing orb, a phantom car, and the famous “White Lady,” said to appear cradling a baby.
Electronics often malfunction near the site, and many visitors say they feel watched from the woods. While it’s peaceful by day, by night the air feels noticeably heavier — and not just from the stories.