Spooky Season is well and truly here … and it is a BIG deal in the USA and Canada. To celebrate this most creepy of seasons, we wanted to share some of the best real haunted houses in North America with you.
Are you brave enough to incorporate any of these into your next road trip, or have you experienced any paranormal activity at any of these locations? We would love to hear!
Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, CA
According to legend, this rambling Victorian mansion is haunted by the ghosts of everyone killed by a Winchester rifle, the gun that was developed by the home’s owner William Winchester and his father before they died within 4 months of each other in 1880. To appease the spirits, William’s widow Sarah began creating a labyrinthine house filled with halls that lead nowhere, doors that open onto sheer drops, sloping floors, 47 fireplaces, 13 bathrooms and 9 kitchens.
Since her death in 1922, the home has hosted tours for those willing to walk among the Winchester ghosts. Would you dare explore one of America’s most haunted houses?
Villisca Axe Murder House, Villisca, IA
Back in 1912, the Villisca Axe Murder House in Iowa was the site of a horrifying crime that left an entire family dead by axe. There were several suspects, but no one was ever charged with the gruesome crime.
The family’s ghosts are said to remain in the house and visitors after a taste of the supernatural can book tours of the site. You can even spend the night in the home if you feel brave enough!
The Sallie House, Atchison, KS
This unassuming home in Kansas is rumoured to be the dark lair for a demon who takes on the form of a little girl. Several of the houses’ former residents reports strange phenomena including flickering lights, possessions, unexplained voices and even strange scratches, marks or burns on their bodies.
Today, the infamous house now offers self-guided tours or special overnight visits.
The Lizzie Borden House, Fall River, MA
The Borden family home, was the site of Andrew and Abby Borden’s brutal murder in 1892. It has now been turned into a museum and bed & breakfast. Guests can walk in the footsteps of the family and even stay the night in one of its reportedly haunted rooms.
Andrew & Abby’s daughter Lizzie was long suspected of committing the crime but was never charged, due to a lack of evidence.
Craigdarroch Castle, Victoria, BC
Built in the 1890s by Robert Dunsmuir, the castle is one of Victoria’s most loved tourist attractions. It is also one of its most haunted! Visitors have reported hearing a mysterious piano playing. Others claim to have seen a woman in white, supposedly Mrs. Dunsmuir, looking out the window. Many attribute the castles’ supernatural proclivity to Dunsmuir’s untimely demise just a year before the building was completed.
The house is now open for self-guided tours – visit and keep an eye out for any ghostly activity!
House of Death, New York, NY
The brownstone in Greenwich Village is said to be haunted by 22 people who have lived or died within the walls of the home, on West 10th Street. These include a 6-year-old child who was beaten by her adoptive father. There are also claims that author Mark Twain once called the address home. His ghost is said to visit from time to time.
Now home to apartments, you can’t tour the interior, but many ghost tours stop here.
The Whaley House, San Diego, CA
Back in 1852, James “Yankee Jim” Robinson was hung for the crime of grand larceny. A few years later, Thomas and Anna Whaley built a house on the spot where Robinson died. Ever since then it has been said that Yankee Jim’s footsteps can be heard clumping around the house. The Whaley’s and even their family dog are also said to haunt the home.
If you visit and tour the home on your travels, we’d love to hear about it!
The Keg Mansion, Toronto, ON
Now a Keg steakhouse in downtown Toronto, the mansion was once the home of industrialist Hart Massey and his family. Legend has it that after the death of Massey’s daughter in 1915, their maid was so distraught that she committed suicide in the building.
Many diners have reported having seen the maid and several other spirits. So much so, in fact, that the staff at the restaurant keep a ‘ghost log’ to document encounters.
To explore any of these haunted houses as part of your next road trip, contact us ! Our team will be happy to help you put together a spooky fly-drive for you.
