The Grand Majestic Lodge markets itself as “the most haunted hotel in the Cragstone Mountains,” which is impressive, considering the competition consists mostly of abandoned ski chalets and outhouses with broken locks. Perched on a cliff like a rotting wedding cake, the Majestic lures in ghost hunters, paranormal thrill-seekers, and the occasional unfortunate skeptic (guess … Read more
There are historic hotels, and then there are “historic” hotels — places where the only thing authentic is the mold creeping up the bathroom grout. The Silverveil Hotel proudly belongs to the second category. Billed as “the most haunted establishment east of the river” — which, judging by the river in question, isn’t a particularly … Read more
Nestled high in the mountains of Guerrero, Mexico, surrounded by crumbling stone fences and optimistic goats, lies Valle Encantado — a village so proud of its alleged paranormal portal that they built a souvenir shack and two taco stands next to it before anyone could even prove it existed. According to local legend, a “doorway … Read more
Somewhere on the high, frozen plains of North Dakota lies Calaveras Junction, a town so stubbornly remote, I half-expected to dine by oil lamp and semaphore. But no. Nestled between a Cenex station and a taxidermist’s co-op, I found El Toro Borracho , the region’s only Spanish restaurant — and, I daresay, the only one … Read more
There are haunted mansions. There are haunted hotels. There are haunted abandoned asylums with grim nicknames, peeling paint, and badly edited YouTube documentaries. And then there’s Prairie Falls, Kansas’ claim to fame: a haunted post office. The Millstone Post Office looks exactly like you’d expect a building haunted by bureaucracy to look: square, beige, buzzing with fluorescent … Read more
Cemetery ghost tours have a certain morbid charm, in theory. The promise of tragic love stories, unsolved mysteries, shadowy figures lurking just beyond the flicker of a lantern — it’s all very atmospheric if you squint hard enough and forget that ninety percent of cemetery ghost tours take place in cemeteries where the only spirits … Read more
Catfish Jack’s bills itself as “the most haunted watering hole on the Mississippi.” Based on the smell alone, that seems entirely plausible. When I visited, the building looked like it had been condemned twice and then lost the paperwork. Faded neon signs buzzed half-heartedly in the cracked windows, and the floor inside had the sticky … Read more
Somewhere in the misty foothills of questionably named Mystic Valley, you’ll find the Crystal Caverns Healing Grotto — a site proudly advertised as “a rare confluence of natural energies, sacred vibrations, and ancient cosmic alignments.” What it actually offers is a damp cave, a thinly veiled gift shop, and an excellent opportunity to question your … Read more
Every town has its quirks. Greenfield, Georgia has the Blessed Gnome. According to the hand-painted sign propped up in Barb Jensen’s front yard (right next to a sun-bleached flamingo and a “God Bless America” wind spinner), this squat ceramic gnome has granted “over 400 wishes” since 2003. The ritual is simple: Rub the gnome’s nose, … Read more
The House of Eternal Echoes claims to be one of the oldest, most haunted mansions in the region. Which, in practical terms, means it’s a crumbling Victorian disaster filled with bad lighting, suspicious drafts, and a marketing team that believes any creaking floorboard is irrefutable proof of spectral activity. For a modest entrance fee — … Read more