As we get closer to Halloween, haunted houses and scary attractions start popping up all over the place eager to lure thousands of spooky entertainment enthusiasts all over the country. What is it that we like so much about being scared and wait with glee for this time of the year?
There is some beauty about visiting those old mansions or derelict buildings that hide so much history within their walls. How much of it is true? What did really happen inside those rooms that make the imagination fly and have us wonder if there is in fact, some true to the mystery? For this article, here at Royal Holiday Travel we want to explore some iconic locations in the United States that become once again popular during this time of the year and help you see why they are so sought after. Do you dare to visit and bring your loved ones along?
The list goes on and on, but for this occasion, we picked just eight out of hundreds of great locations to visit this year.
The Winchester Mystery House – San Jose, California
The beautiful and elegant Victorian mansion built by Sarah Winchester is very famous amongst lovers of the paranormal and regular folks alike. The mansion is open all year round, but during October they have special candlelit tours for those daring enough. According to the legend, the souls of all of those killed by the Winchester rifles haunted Sarah and forced her to build more and more of the mansion without stopping until the day she died. The home has many strange rooms, staircases that lead nowhere and doorways that should better be left unopened.
The Lemp Mansion – St. Louis, Missouri
The Lemp family were said to be amazing brewers who at the height of their success were recognized as some of the best in all of Missouri. When prohibition came around, the family was struck by tragedy and many of its members began to die by mysterious causes or by suicide. The legacy of the Lemps lived through some of its heirs and the mansion eventually became a place of interest by investigators of the paranormal. Today The Lemp Mansion is a restaurant that gives tours to the curious who want to find out if the home is truly haunted.
The Ridges – Athens, Ohio
The Ridges, formerly called the Athens Lunatic Asylum, was a mental hospital operated in Athens, Ohio from 1874 until 1993. The place was known for its cemetery filled with soldiers who suffered PTSD after the Civil War. Today visitors may book tours to see the huge asylum inside accompanied by a guide who can fill them in on the stories about the hauntings, the famous “stain” and the overall history of the building.
West Virginia State Penitentiary – Moundsville, West Virginia
Image courtesy of Taber Andrew Bain at Flickr.com
What makes this building so alluring is perhaps the beautiful gothic architecture that makes it seem more like a castle than a prison. The place was closed down because of all the lawsuits from its prisoners who used to be grossly mistreated while they did their time here. Today it is said to be inhabited by the ghosts of those who perished here and are regularly visited by a curious tourist who wants to find out if the legends are real.
Shockoe Bottom – Richmond, Virginia
Shockoe is considered the oldest and most haunted neighborhood in Richmond. The place is filled with bars, restaurants, and shops that all have their own story and apparently their own private ghost as well!
People say there are many reasons for this and mostly it is due to the rich history of the town that dates about 400 years in which many things have happened including a great theatre fire, a tunnel collapse and many who died during the Civil War.
Myrtles Plantation – St. Francisville, Louisiana
The Myrtles Plantation is the stage that gave life to the legend of Chloe, a slave girl who killed her ruthless masters with a poisoned cake she baked herself. She was hanged but it is said that her spirit never left the plantation and has been hunting it since the early 1800’s. The place is said to be haunted by as many as 12 different ghosts. A great location to go and explore, if you dare.
Whaley House – San Diego, California
The Whaley House is a museum located in what once was the first public gallows of San Diego. Needless to say, people believe this type of energy is what keeps ghosts and spirits coming back and greeting the many visitors who swear the have felt their presence. The museum offers guided tours with special events around Halloween.
Eastern State Penitentiary – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
What it once was the most expensive and famous prison in the world, opens its doors today to greet visitors for the 2016 season of Terror Behind the Walls, the biggest haunted attraction in the United States. Many believe is really haunted but still wish to try their door by walking the seemingly never-ending hallways with more than 200 actors waiting around the corner to scare them.
So while you are out hunting for ghosts, check out our deals for hotels and rooms all around the country. We promise they will not scare you!