halloween - RVing with Rex

Halloween on the Road: 10 Fun Ways to Celebrate at the Campground

October is one of the most festive times of the RV year. As days grow shorter and the air takes on that unmistakable autumn chill, campgrounds across the country come alive with the sights and sounds of Halloween—glowing pumpkins, flickering lights, laughter echoing through the trees.

It’s a season when weekend campers, snowbirds, and full-timers all find common ground in celebrating the simple joys of the road. Whether you’re parked under desert stars, beside a mountain lake, or near a beachside palm grove, Halloween in a campground is pure magic.

Halloween may conjure images of costumed kids darting between suburban porches but RVers know that some of the best spooky fun happens right at the campsite. Across America, parks turn into playful little villages filled with decorations, games, and plenty of good food. Here are 10 great ways to celebrate Halloween in a campground wherever your travels take you.

Many campgrounds embrace Halloween as one of the liveliest times of the year. It’s a weekend filled with potlucks, costume parades, and laughter echoing through the pines. For park owners, it’s a season of full reservations; for campers, it’s a rare chance to combine fall travel with family-friendly fun.

Halloween decorations © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

1. Decorate your campsite

Use wind chimes to add soothing sounds

Halloween decorations can transform even the simplest site into a spooky showstopper. String orange and purple lights, wrap your picnic table in cobwebs, or set up a skeleton crew lounging in camp chairs. Full-timers often take pride in their seasonal displays—some RV resorts even host annual decorating contests with big bragging rights. For weekenders, it’s a great excuse to unpack those decorations and let your creativity shine, even if you’re only staying a couple of nights.

2. Host a campsite trick-or-treat

Hand out candy or treats from your campsite

Nothing brings the campground community together like trick-or-treating. Kids can go from RV to RV collecting candy while adults enjoy mingling with neighbors. Many parks designate an evening for trick-or-treating and encourage everyone to participate—whether you’re a retired snowbird with a bowl of candy or a family on a fall weekend getaway. Be sure to light up your site and set out a pumpkin so visitors know you’re open for business!

3. Organize a costume parade

Use decorations, music, and lighting along the parade route

A costume parade through the campground is pure fun for all ages. Campground hosts often coordinate one for kids and pets but adults can join in too. Snowbirds and full-timers sometimes turn it into a full-fledged event complete with music, golf carts decked out in Halloween themes, and small prizes for creativity. For weekenders, it’s an easy and spirited way to connect with the community and make new friends.

4. Carve or paint pumpkins

Carve away from your body and keep your non-carving hand stable to prevent injuries

Pumpkin carving never goes out of style. Set up a table outside your rig, invite neighboring campers, and enjoy the classic Halloween ritual. For traveling full-timers and snowbirds who may not want to deal with pumpkin mess inside the RV, painting pumpkins is a fun, cleaner alternative. Some campgrounds even hold contests for the most creative jack-o’-lantern—just remember to light yours at night for a festive glow along the road.

5. Plan a spooky potluck

Use creative spooky names and presentations for food

No Halloween celebration is complete without food! A potluck brings the whole campground together whether you’re grilling chili dogs, baking pumpkin treats, or brewing hot cider. Weekenders might bring simple campfire fare while long-term travelers often contribute favorite regional dishes they’ve picked up along their journey. Add themed table decorations and some eerie background music and you’ve got yourself a Halloween feast to remember.

6. Create a haunted trail

Decorate with Halloween props such as spider webs, hanging bats, skeletons, and scarecrows

If your campground has a wooded path or open space, consider teaming up with other campers to create a haunted trail. Use glow sticks, fog machines, or even recorded howls to set the mood. Snowbirds who stay in one park for the season often take the lead in organizing these larger community activities while weekenders can jump in to help set up or play a ghostly character. It’s an unforgettable way to bring campers together for some friendly scares.

7. Tell ghost stories by the campfire

Interject subtle, well-timed noises or sudden sounds to startle and heighten suspense

As the fire crackles and darkness settles in, ghost stories come alive. Share your favorite tales—classic campground legends, spooky local folklore, or even personal encounters that make everyone’s skin crawl just a little. Full-timers often have the best stories from the road while weekenders can bring the enthusiasm. Just don’t be surprised if every creak in the woods afterward feels a little… haunted.

8. Host a Halloween movie night

Choose a Halloween-themed movie suited to your audience

Outdoor movies have become a campground staple and Halloween is the perfect excuse to roll out a projector. Family favorites like Hocus Pocus, Casper, or The Addams Family are always crowd-pleasers while brave adults might prefer Sleepy Hollow or Ghostbusters. Full-timers often keep a portable projector handy while snowbirds can use the clubhouse or community room. Add popcorn, blankets, and lawn chairs—and maybe a few surprise scares—for the full effect.

9. Go on a nighttime scavenger hunt

Listen for animal sounds like owls, frogs, or crickets

A nighttime scavenger hunt brings a sense of adventure to the evening. Hide glow-in-the-dark trinkets, candy, or Halloween-themed items around the campground and hand out clues or maps. It’s great fun for kids and adults alike. For snowbirds and long-term guests, it’s a fun way to engage new arrivals while weekenders get to enjoy one more shared activity before packing up. Don’t forget to bring flashlights—and maybe a few “haunted” surprises along the way!

10. Enjoy a relaxed autumn evening

Take a leisurely walk outdoors to appreciate the crisp fall air and colorful foliage

After the festivities, take a moment to simply enjoy the atmosphere. Sit outside under the stars, sip a mug of cider or hot chocolate, and soak in the peaceful glow of flickering jack-o’-lanterns. For weekend campers, it’s a perfect way to end a short getaway. For snowbirds and full-timers, it’s a reminder of why this lifestyle is so special—community, connection, and the freedom to celebrate the seasons wherever the road leads.

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Quick tips for a safe & fun Halloween camping weekend

These tips help ensure a safe environment while letting the Halloween spirit shine

Before you light the lanterns and welcome trick-or-treaters, a little preparation can go a long way toward keeping the festivities safe and enjoyable for everyone. These quick tips will help you celebrate Halloween in the campground without any spooky surprises.

Light up your site: Keep pathways bright with lanterns, string lights, or LED candles to help trick-or-treaters move safely between RVs.
Mind the campfire: With extra decorations and costumes around, double-check that nothing flammable is near your fire pit.
Watch for cords: Many campers run power for lights or projectors—tape down or cover cords so no one trips in the dark.
Respect quiet hours: Some campers may turn in early, so keep noise levels down after official park hours.
Secure decorations: Wind gusts are common in fall; make sure props, inflatables, and lights are tied down.
Pet etiquette: Keep pets leashed and consider whether costumes make them anxious—Halloween can be noisy and exciting.
Stay neighborly: Remember that every camper celebrates differently—some love the festivities, others prefer to sit back and enjoy the view.

Final thoughts

Whether you’re a weekend camper, a snowbird escaping northern chills, or a full-time traveler calling your RV “home,” celebrating Halloween in a campground is a uniquely festive experience. It’s about more than candy and costumes—it’s about the joy of community, creativity, and laughter shared under an autumn sky. Wherever you’re parked this October, may your campsite be bright, your candy bowl full, and your spirits delightfully spooky.

Worth Pondering…

Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves. We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!

—Humbert Wolfe

23 Ghostly Quotes to Raise your Spirits

Ghost stories to haunt your dreams

We all remember the spooky stories we first heard while gathered around a campfire or snuggled in a sleeping bag. Those tales frightened and thrilled us, prompting screams, and exhilarated giggles.

The ubiquitous experience of sharing ghost stories can be traced back to the earliest oral traditions of many ancient cultures and a universal curiosity about death and the afterlife. Some scholars believe that an ancient Babylonian tablet from roughly 1500 BC shows the first known depiction of a ghost. In a collection of letters written during the first century, Roman writer and magistrate Pliny the Younger (61-c. 113) recorded one of the first ghost stories describing a “ghost rattling its chains over (a man’s) head.”

Stories about ghosts are grounded in the belief that our spirits are separate from our bodies and can continue to exist even after death. From novels and movies to podcasts and TV shows, pop culture is chock-full of paranormal tales about wandering spirits, haunted houses, and the supernatural.

Sometimes a ghostly narrative serves as a cautionary tale that unresolved conflicts in this lifetime may carry over into the next realm. Others, such as the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol serve as allegories that reflect the darker parts of society and warn of their consequences.

Here are some haunting and atmospheric quotes about ghosts—spectral, ephemeral, and even metaphorical—to remind us of the enduring and entertaining traditions they’ve inspired.

Ghostly encounters *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

From ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggety beasties and things that go bump in the night,

Good Lord deliver us.

—Scottish folk prayer

We are all the ghosts of yesterday, and the phantom of tomorrow awaits us alike in sunshine or in shadow, dimly perceived at times, never entirely lost.

—Daphne du Maurier, Myself When Young: The Shaping of a Writer, 1978

Our revels now are ended. These our actors,

As I foretold you, were all spirits and

Are melted into air, into thin air.

—William Shakespeare, The Tempest

The rain

Is full of ghosts tonight that tap and sigh

Upon the glass and listen for reply,

And in my heart there stirs a quiet pain

For unremembered lads that not again

Will turn to me at midnight with a cry.

—Edna St. Vincent Millay, Sonnet No. XLIII (1892-1950)

I don’t want to have to drive ten miles to see somebody else’s ghost. I want one of my own on the premises.

—Edith Wharton, Afterward, 1910

Millions of spiritual creatures walk the Earth

Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep.

—John Milton, Paradise Lost, 1667

The world is big enough for us. No ghosts need apply.

—Arthur Conan Doyle

And as to being in a fright,

Allow me to remark

That Ghosts have just as good a right

In every way, to fear the light,

As Men to fear the dark.

—Lewis Carroll, Phantasmagoria, 1869

Well, the highway is alive tonight

But nobody’s kidding nobody about where it goes

I’m sitting down here in the campfire light

Searching for the ghost of Tom Joad.

—Bruce Springsteen

To be haunted is to glimpse a truth that might best be hidden.

—James Herbert

Her beauty climbed the rolling slope, it came into the room, rustling ghost-like through the curtains.

—F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tender Is the Night, 1934

I know what a ghost is … And I know what it isn’t, too … it isn’t a scarification or a flapping sheet, so pooh and pish to all that bunkum. What’s a ghost? Unfinished business, is what.

—Salman Rushdie

Ghosts may be a part of the terror of Halloween, but our love of ghost stories betrays a far more fragile desire: that we do not fade so easily from this life.

—Katherine May

Nature is a Haunted House

but Art

a House that tries to be haunted.

—Emily Dickinson, The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson

“Go to the d—l!” said the disappointed ghost-hunter. An hour—two—rolled on, and still no spectral visitation… and when the turret-clock sounded at length the hour of three, Ingoldsby, whose patience and grog were alike exhausted, sprang from his chair, saying— “This is all infernal nonsense, my good fellow. Deuce of any ghost shall we see to-night…”

—Thomas Ingoldsby, The Spectre of Tappington, 1837

I don’t believe that ghosts are “spirits of the dead” because I don’t believe in death. In the multiverse, once you’re possible, you exist. And once you exist, you exist forever one way or another. Besides, death is the absence of life, and the ghosts I’ve met are very much alive. What we call ghosts are lifeforms just as you and I are.

—Paul F. Eno, Footsteps in the Attic, 2002

The moon is hidden behind a cloud…
On the leaves is a sound of falling rain…
No other sounds than these I hear;
The hour of midnight must be near…
So many ghosts, and forms of fright,
Have started from their graves to-night,
They have driven sleep from mine eyes away:
I will go down to the chapel and pray.

—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Neighbouring Nunnery (1807-1822)

Ye who, passing graves by night,
Glance not to the left nor right,
Lest a spirit should arise,
Cold and white, to freeze your eyes…

—James Russell Lowell, The Ghost-Seer (1819-1891)

Nature keeps herself whole, and…. suffers no seat to be vacant in her college. It is the secret of the world that all things subsist, and do not die, but only retire a little from sight, and return again…. Nothing is dead: men feign themselves dead, and endure mock funerals and mournful obituaries, and there they stand looking out of the window, sound and well, in some new and strange disguise.

—Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nominalist and Realist

And I saw a ghost wandering under the fading trees,
still clinging to life; tired of earth, unready for heaven—
I heard the quiet feet of a ghost stirring the fallen leaves,
and a sigh echoing the sighing in the stripped branches.

—Dallas Kenmare Browne Kelsey (1905–1970)

I’ve always believed in the paranormal. I mean, there is a paranormal. And there are spirits. And there are ghosts. And anybody who doesn’t believe there are is being silly, because what runs this vessel is energy. And you can’t kill energy, you can only displace it. It has to go somewhere. So there are spirits, as we call them, — of course there are.

—Eric Roberts, Celebrity Ghost Stories [S1, E6, 2009]

Usually, it seems, a genuine ghost is seen or heard but once or twice, and then, having accomplished its purpose, it departs to return no more. But there are plenty of well-attested cases in which a ghost attaches itself to a house or family, and keeps up its haunting for years, sometimes for centuries.

—H. Addington Bruce, Adventurings in the Psychical, 1914

At first cock-crow
The ghosts must go
Back to their quiet graves below.

—Theodosia Garrison, The Neighbors

Decorating Your RV for Halloween

If you enjoy fall camping then you might end up camping during spooky season (October) so why not decorate your RV and camping site for Halloween

It’s that time of year where the great debate of pumpkin spice vs apple cider plagues every coffee shop and candle store. You may be tempted to grab every festive decoration you see but I’m here to help you navigate holidays in your RV without running out of storage space (or money).

Halloween in an RV does NOT have to be boring; the space may be smaller but you can celebrate in BIG ways in fact with less space it’s a lot easier to deck out the whole place and transform your small space into that of a scary movie! Or keep it simple using small changes to make it feel warm, cozy, and full of fall scents.

Let’s dive in and take a look at all the ways Halloween and fall can be celebrated in an RV.

Decorations

First of all decorating doesn’t have to be expensive.

Most Dollar stores offer many fall and Halloween décor from crafts to mini pumpkins. It’s a really affordable place to find great items to decorate your tiny living space. The Dollar Store is a great place to pick up cheap decorations like plastic tombstones, ghost garland, googly eyes, and grim reaper decorations with a Halloween feel. These are good options for decorating around your campsite. Hang them from a tent canopy or a nearby tree or place them around the fire pit, in your drink cooler, on your tables and camp chairs.

Hobby Lobby also often has fall decor on sale if you check their website to see the dates of the sale you can snag some pretty awesome items for 40-60 percent off.

These three items can completely transform a small space:

Garland: Whether its fall leaves or one you made yourself with felt pumpkins, garland will add the perfect accent to your festive home on wheels
Throw rug: An easy to roll up and store away throw rug adds the perfect touch of Halloween at the center of your living space
Pillows: Just a few accent pillows will have your place feeling festive in no time

Hanging decorations

In an RV try to refrain from using things like nails and instead go for command strips. They’re easy to apply and remove without damaging the walls. Hanging fake spider webs is an extremely simple (and space saving) way to really make your space feel festive.

Changing out pillowcases is an amazing space saving option for holidays. You can change out the pillowcase of your everyday pillows to match each holiday then when the holiday is over just fold them up and store them away.

Using orange decorations or sticking to a fall theme allows the same decorations to be used for Halloween and for Thanksgiving. You can store your holiday decorations in bins that have a lid in the storage area under the bed. The bins keep it dry and safe until you need them again.

Spice up your linens

Using cute Halloween themed kitchen towels are fun and super easy decorating ideas that do triple duty.

First, they are cute and bring in the holiday theme to your Halloween camping experience.

Second, it is a functional decoration that you will actually use.

Third, it may even get you a little extra help in the camp kitchen with all of those fun Halloween camping food ideas you are bringing to life!

Frighten up your table

Using a bright fun Halloween themed tablecover is one of those easy ways to create a big impact really quickly.

Mini pumpkins and glow sticks are great additions to place on the picnic table. It is so much fun to decorate the pumpkins with a permanent black marker and let the soft light of the glow sticks illuminate them after the sun goes down.

Spook up your lights

Swap out your typical camping string lights for a set of spooky string lights with plastic skeletons, giant eyeballs, paper lanterns, or some with a seasonal autumn feel. You can use battery-operated lights for this purpose and you can also use solar lights.

Traditions

Traditions are what make holidays so much fun and memorable and Halloween is definitely one full of traditions. You can bring the same traditions into an RV as you would in a house. Baking themed desserts while playing your favorite Halloween playlist or watching one of your favorite Halloween movies together. Finding spooky crafts or going to fall festivals. No matter the location, the tradition being kept alive will create endless memories.

Take it to the picnic table. Take crafts, decorating and pumpkin carving out to the picnic table for more space and an easier clean up.

Trick or treating

Most campgrounds have so many amazing activities for kids and families including trick or treating around the campground. Many RVs will decorate the outside and some even decorate the inside to look like a haunted house.

Don’t forget the candy. Make sure you bring candy for the kids so they don’t miss out on the trick or treat fun of Halloween. If you get candy that is in a cute container, it doubles as a decoration at your campsite.

And don’t forget treats for the pets. Be careful, this is the time of year they can easily get into the candy bowl when nobody is watching and they can get very sick from eating real candy. So, it’s a good idea to have special holiday treats just for your furry friends.

Get crafty with pumpkins and more

Do some crafts and fun Halloween camping. activities and you’ll get cute decorations out of it too. Draw your own designs or use a pumpkin carving kit with stencils. Practice good camping safety tips to make sure everyone has a fun-filled camping adventure.

DIY camping Halloween events

Some campgrounds and RV parks have special events planned but if you do an internet search for “Halloween camping near me” and don’t find anything don’t despair. Become Halloween experts by creating a list of fun Halloween activity events for your group. Here are some ideas:

Spooky charades: Play the classic game but use Halloween-themed words. A heavily-wooded forest is the perfect place to camp with scenic views during the day and a slightly scary feel at night.
Pumpkin roll relay races: Break up into teams and see who can roll their pumpkin across the finish line the fastest.
Campfire spooky story hour: Gather around the campfire and create a story. Let one person start the story and go around the campfire so each camper can add their own twist to the story. This is a great activity for all campers to participate without needing any particular level of physical abilities.
Haunted house attraction: If you are camping near a Halloween attraction that is within a short drive, you can go to the experience and return to camp. Nearby special events are great ways to experience a fun weekend without having to do any of the work to make it happen. Just make sure you are not too scared to go back to camp!
Witching hour: Getting in the Halloween spirit can take a lot out of young kids so announce the witching hour at the beginning of the trip. It is the time of evening that all youngsters must be snuggled into their sleeping bags to get a good night’s rest for good times that are planned for the next day.
Halloween treats: Enjoy a cup of hot apple cider around the campfire, toast pumpkin seeds and sprinkle with a little salt and make homemade caramel apples.

Happy haunting!

Worth Pondering…

I’m just a ghost in this house
I’m shadow upon these walls,
As quietly as a mouse
I haunt these halls.

—Allison Krauss, Ghost in This House

Halloween Colors: The History and Meaning behind Orange, Black, Purple, and Green

Here’s when—and why—these hues became linked to the spookiest day of the year. Much like red and green at Christmastime, you can’t escape black and orange during the Halloween season.

In celebration of the spook-filled holiday, campers deck out their RVs with door decorations, painted pumpkins, and seasonal accents in the classic color combo. Then there are the Halloween costumes and candy offerings lining the store shelves most of which incorporate touches of black and orange in one way or another.

But when—and why—did these traditional Halloween colors become tied to the haunted happenings on October 31? And, at what point in time, did purple and green get thrown into the mix? Below, I break down the history and meaning of these festive hues so you can decorate, dress up, and celebrate with purpose this year. Or, at the very least, impress camping friends with some useful Halloween trivia.

Halloween colors and their meaning

Orange and black

While it might seem that black and orange have been around forever as the official colors of Halloween, that’s not the case according to Lisa Morton, author of Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween.

In the first few years of the 20th century, party guides were being published that called yellow and brown Halloween colors thanks to the holiday’s association with the fall harvest; yellow was for corn/maize, and brown was for hay and dried husks.

But make no mistake: Orange is in honor of the jack-o’-lantern which made its way into Halloween culture around 1910. According to Morton, it became the “undisputed king of Halloween” because of the jack-o’-lantern’s prominence on postcards and in advertising.

As for black, it likely came from black cats although bats contributed to that as well.

Purple and green

Purple and green have crept into the Halloween palette over later decades. The introduction of green may have been inspired by the emerald complexions of witches in film, notably Margaret Hamilton’s turn as the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

Before that witches were typically shown with just human skin tones and dressed in red.

Color expert Kate Smith wrote about the significance of purple on sensationalcolor.com: “Purple has long been associated with wealth and royalty as the purple dye was precious and expensive. If green is the color of spring then purple conjures up autumn, fading light, and shorter days.”

Smith also noted that the rich color is “associated with an escape from reality and magical images.”

According to Amber Dunford, design psychologist and style director at overstock.com, purple evokes mystery and spirituality which complements our modern interpretation of Halloween. Green is at the opposite end of the color wheel making it a nice contrast to purple.

These cooler color additions balance out the warmth of the orange harmonizing the two color temperatures nicely. The addition of green could be a nod to the external world as we transition into fall hues around this time and the last of the summer greenery might be found lingering in some landscapes.

The psychology of color

Color is the first thing we assess when viewing an object making it one of the most powerful and memorable design aspects from a psychological perspective, according to Dunford. People often react to color before they even respond to an object’s shape, texture, or scale. This tendency makes color a very powerful tool in marketing and one that becomes difficult to look past once it becomes ingrained in our psyche.

Whether you prefer the classic Halloween colors or enjoy the expanded palette that includes green or purple, one thing’s for sure: When you see these colors, you’ll think of Halloween.

More on colors

Researchers estimate that some 300 million people around the world are colorblind, most of them male. On the opposite end of the spectrum are those with an exceedingly rare genetic condition that allows them to see nearly 100 million colors—or 100 times as many as the rest of us. It’s called tetrachromacy or super vision and it’s the result of having four types of cone cells in the retina rather than the usual three. (Cones help our eyes detect light and are the key to color vision.) Because of the way the condition is passed down via the X chromosome, the mutation occurs exclusively in women.

One tetrachromat describes her ability this way: “If you and I look at a leaf, I may see magenta running around the outside of the leaf or turquoise in certain parts where you would just see dark green. Where the light is making shadows on the walls, I’m seeing violets and lavenders and turquoise. You’re just seeing gray.”

In short, tetrachromats see colors within colors and even the tiniest change in the color balance of a particular hue will be apparent to them. It’s estimated that 12 percent of women have a fourth retina cone but only a fraction of them experience tetrachromacy. In total, only about 1 percent of humans have the condition. The rest of us will just have to close our eyes and imagine what it’s like.

Numbers don’t lie

120: Current number of Crayola colors
23: Percentage of women whose favorite color is purple
164 million: Americans who wear glasses
63: Different colors on the world’s national flags

Worth Pondering…

Color is one of the great things in the world that makes life worth living to me and as I have come to think of painting it is my efforts to create an equivalent with paint color for the world—life as I see it.

—Georgia O’Keeffe, American painter, 1887-1986

8 of the Creepiest Place to Visit

From haunted hotels to abandoned asylums with a few clowns for good measure

You don’t need to wait for Halloween to visit a haunted house. There are plenty of sites and ghost towns that are reportedly haunted year-round in America. Every state has its own urban legends and places where only the brave tread (and ghosts are reported to patrol). We’re talking old state hospitals, murder sites, homes with talking dolls, and hotels so disturbing they’ve served as the setting for some of the most iconic horror movies.

No matter what scares you, there is a place to freak you out. Whether you want to take a guided tour or a bone-chilling solo walk into the darkness, I’ve got the spots for you. Here’s where you can go to truly embrace the Halloween spirit this year—no costumes required.

Jerome *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Jerome Grand Hotel, Jerome, Arizona

Located in the scenic hillside town of Jerome—an old gold mining hub once known as the Wickedest City in the West and today, one of Arizona’s coolest small towns—is the Jerome Grand Hotel formerly known as the United Verde Hospital. Originally built in 1917 (and rebuilt in 1926 after a mine explosion destroyed the first), the Great Depression caused the hospital to take a serious downturn; by 1950, it had been abandoned entirely.

The hospital sat essentially dormant until it reopened as the Jerome Grand in 1996. Much of the building’s original structure and facilities have been restored and many of its spirits still linger: the specter of a maintenance man found dead in the basement in the 1930s, human-shaped figures that roam the hall, children who run and laugh in the corridors, and even the spirit of a cat who scratches at guests’ doors at night begging to be let in.

The Clown Motel, Tonopah, Nevada

Long a destination for people who can’t say no to a dare, this old-school motel is home to a collection of 2,000 clown figures and some seriously ghostly vibes (owner Hame Anand says he’s seen ghosts but most of them are friendly, if that helps).

That’ll happen when you park a decades-old motel next to a dilapidated cemetery in a small town dotted with mining ruins. But hey, there’s a bonus: When Anand bought the motel a couple years ago he did some renovations to make the rooms more comfortable so at least you’ll be wetting a very comfortable bed. He also embraced the scariness by converting some rooms into horror themes, in case clown motel in the middle of the desert wasn’t creepy enough

Mount Washington Resort *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

The tale of Carolyn Stickney sounds like the worst Disney princess story ever: She married the hotel’s founder who died right before construction was completed. She then remarried into European royalty, but alas, she too passed soon after.

She never checked out of Mount Washington, though; she appears in people’s photos as a hazy apparition, floats around the hallways, and is a regular fixture in room 314, apparently her favorite place to challenge the notion of five-star accommodations. The four-poster bed she slept in remains in the room where you can still hear her voice, some say.

Newport *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

White Horse Tavern, Newport, Rhode Island

Like many a campfire tale, this one begins with two drifters. They showed up at the tavern in the 1720s looking for a room. The next day, the owners found one dead by the fireplace and the other completely vanished.

A specter now chills by the fireplace daring people to solve his mysterious death. There have also been encounters with a colonial-looking dude in the upstairs bathroom and mysterious footsteps all over the place.

The Alamo *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The Alamo, San Antonio, Texas

It might seem like an obvious pick but the Alamo is far more than just a place elementary school kids’ visit on field trips. During the infamous siege of 1836, thousands of men were killed and their bodies dumped unceremoniously into mass graves so it’s no wonder a few of their disembodied spirits remain pretty pissed off.

Several security guards have reported hearing footsteps in the middle of the night, some have seen a small blonde-haired boy wandering the gift shop, and a ghastly John Wayne—yes, that John Wayne—reciting lines from his 1960 film on the subject.

USS Lexington *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

USS Lexington, Corpus Christi, Texas

Known locally as the Blue Ghost—a nickname originally given to the ship during its service in World War II—the Lexington has long been considered by Corpus residents to be occupied by spirits. An engine room operator who was killed during one of the ship’s battles is said to roam the boat at night and visitors claim to have witnessed doors slamming and lights flashing on and off at random.

That’s right—flickering lights in a 75-year-old ship with absolutely no explanation whatsoever. Luckily, this national treasure doesn’t shy away from allowing curious guests to explore the grounds so be sure to check the website for admission times and safety precautions while the truly brave can even snag an overnight reservation via a special one- or two-night program.

Yuma Territorial Prison *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Yuma Territorial Prison, Yuma, Arizona

Yuma Territorial Prison‘s population was made up of thieves, murderers, and the occasional polygamist and over 111 inmates died here making it one of the more ghoulish state parks in Arizona. To this day, guides at the park report feeling a cold chill when passing by Cell 14—where John Ryan imprisoned for crimes against nature committed suicide.

Even more unnerving is The Dark Cell which is exactly what it sounds like: a dark crypt where rowdy convicts were sent for acting up. Accounts cite that two inmates who were literally chained to ring-bolts up here had to be urgently transferred an insane asylum upon their release from isolation. More recently, one reporter tried to spend two days in the Dark Cell. She didn’t make it past 37 hours and cited she felt she wasn’t the only one in the chamber.

Colonial Williamsburg *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg. Virginia

As an early American settlement, numerous historic houses in Colonial Williamsburg are believed to be haunted by past residents. One such property, the Peyton Randolph House housed the Peachy family who rented the property to many guests during their residency including a young unnamed soldier attending the nearby college, William & Mary.

Unfortunately, the young man fell ill during his stay and never recovered. He died in the home and today there have been multiple accounts of visitors spotting a young man walking sadly through the house or hearing heavy footsteps above their heads even though no one is upstairs. Take a complete tour of Colonial Williamsburg’s creepiest locations on the Colonial Ghost Tour, a roughly hour and a half moonlit tour of the haunted historic grounds.

Worth Pondering…

Her beauty climbed the rolling slope, it came into the room, rustling ghost-like through the curtains.

—F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tender Is the Night

Saintly Cities

There’s more to Halloween than goofy costumes and trick-or-treating. In fact, Halloween is actually a precursor to two other holidays: All Saints’ Day and Day of the Dead.

We celebrate Halloween on October 31 each year. Halloween (short for All Hallows’ Evening) is traced back to the Irish and Scottish ancient Celtic holiday Samhain (pronounced “sah-win”), a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture.

Halloween is a holiday that promotes fear of the dead but All Saints’ Day and Day of the Dead both celebrate the deceased. The dead (including Catholic Saints) are honored on All Saints’ Day on November 1. In Mexico, the Day of the Dead is a two-day celebration honoring both deceased children and adults. Some Mexicans make it a week-long celebration, beginning on October 28 and ending on November 2.

Since November kicks off with both All Saints’ Day and the Day of the Dead, both celebrated on November 1, I thought that I’d highlight some of America’s cities named for saints.

San Antonio, Texas

The third largest city in Texas, San Antonio (Spanish for Saint Anthony) was founded in 1718 when a mission was established here. For many years, it was the largest city in Texas. Today, this lively city has stayed true to its roots and is rich in culture and history.

San Antonio © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Visitors can stroll along the River Walk, a city park along the river offering shops, galleries, and restaurants. Of course, the most historic site to see here is the Alamo Mission to learn the history of the Battle of the Alamo. Other attractions include the San Antonio Zoo, Natural Bridge Caverns, and the Japanese Tea Gardens.

Bay St. Lewis © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

“A Place Apart” Bay St. Louis is a historic beach community with a quaint and funky Old Town. Bay St. Louis has been home to colorful characters, fanciful buildings, and unquenchable community spirit for over three centuries. Bay St. Louis was established in 1699 by French explorers d’Iberville and Bienville. Known for years simply as “the Bay of St. Louis,” the city was incorporated under the name of Bay St. Louis as the first act of the new Mississippi legislature in 1818.

In 2010 Bay St. Louis was listed as one of the Top 10 Beach Communities in the U.S. by Coastal Living Magazine. Budget Travel magazine named it one of the “Coolest Small Towns in America” in 2013 and Southern Living magazine named Bay St. Louis one of their 50 Best Places in the South in 2016.

Bayou Teche at St. Martinsville © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

St. Martinville, Louisiana

Bayou Teche, a waterway in south central Louisiana, meanders through St. Martinville where birds wade among cattails, streets are shaded by century-old mossy oaks, and people enjoy fishing, picnics in the parks, and visits to historic museums. The St. Martinville people are descendants of Beausoleil Broussard, an Acadian hero from the 1700s, and Bienvenu and the Duchamp families of French royalty, who fled the revolution.

St. Martinsville © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

As one of the oldest surviving towns in Louisiana, St. Martinville retains many buildings and homes reflecting the beautiful architecture of days gone by. The city’s Creole heritage is strongly represented by its inhabitants and is reflected in the cuisine, culture, and customs. Many of the buildings in its historic district are on the National Historic Register.

St. Marys © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

St. Marys, Georgia

Located on the easternmost fringes of the Florida-Georgia line, the city of St. Marys is perhaps best-known as the launching point for those visiting Cumberland Island, the largest of Georgia’s idyllic seaside isles. Though Cumberland’s sprawling sandy beaches and centuries-old ruins are truly a sight to behold, St. Marys is fully capable of holding its own as a fascinating destination packed full of historic landmarks, museums, wild horses, and dining venues.

Upon arrival, visitors should take a leisurely stroll along the St. Marys Waterfront, a charming promenade complete with a gazebo offering a spectacular view of the river.

Padre Island National Seashore © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Padre Island, Texas

Padre Island is the largest of the Texas barrier islands and the world’s longest barrier island. The island is located along Texas’s southern coast of the Gulf of Mexico and is noted for its white sandy beaches. Meaning father in Spanish, it was named after Father José Nicolás Ballí who owned the island and served as a missionary priest and collector of finances for all the churches in the Rio Grande Valley.

Encompassing 130,434 acres, Padre Island National Seashore is the longest remaining undeveloped stretch of barrier islands in the world. Visitors will find a variety of outdoor things to do including surf fishing, RV and tent camping, world-class flat water windsurfing, wade fishing, surfing, birding, kayaking, and of course relaxing the beautiful white sand beaches of Malaquite Beach. The undeveloped, preserved beaches, coastal grasslands, and wetlands of the Padre Island National Seashore are one of the most scenic coastal areas of the sub-tropical Texas coast.

Quail Creek State Park © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

St. George, Utah

The city was named for 19th-century LDS Church apostle George A. Smith (not the Roman martyr). From 1000 BCE to 1300 CE, Ancestral Puebloans traded their nomadic ways for rows of corn and squash. The Southern Paiutes were settled there when the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition passed through in 1776 and when 300 Mormon families founded a cotton mission in 1861.

Sand Hollow State Park © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Zion National Park is one of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks and many people travel to the state to see its natural wonders but Utah Dixie offers so much more for outdoor enthusiasts. Surrounding St. George are four superb state parks—Quail Creek, Sand Hollow, Gunlock, and Snow Canyon—all offering gorgeous scenery and plenty of ways to enjoy nature including hiking, camping, fishing, boating, photography, cliff diving, and swimming.

Corpus Christi © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Corpus Christi, Texas

Corpus Christi means the body of Christ in Ecclesiastical Latin, about the Christian sacrament of Holy Communion. The name was given to the settlement and surrounding bay by Spanish explorer Alonso Álvarez de Pineda in 1519 as he discovered the lush semitropical bay on the Western Christian feast day of Corpus Christi.

There’s no denying that Corpus Christi is one of the most beloved destinations in Texas, and for good reason. However, among the well-known ways to enjoy a day on the bay, Corpus Christi is packed with plenty of hidden gems and off-the-beaten-path surprises. Stroll along a scenic soft sandy beach. Watch sailboats glide on the bay. Step inside a legendary World War II aircraft carrier or tour an aquarium that provides insight into the creatures inhabiting the Gulf. These are among the many experiences you can have when you visit Corpus Christi, the largest coastal city in Texas.

Santa Fe © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe is one of the top destinations in the American Southwest. A city that embraces its natural environment, Santa Fe is a city whose beautiful adobe architecture blends with the high desert landscape. A city that is, at the same time, one of America’s great art and culinary capitals. Santa Fe draws those who love art, and natural beauty, and those who wish to relax.

At the heart of the city and the place where Santa Fe was founded, the Plaza is the city’s most historic area. Surrounded by museums, historic buildings, restaurants, hotels, galleries, and endless shopping, the Plaza is the place to start understanding Santa Fe.

Colorado River at Yuma © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

San Luis, Arizona

Founded in 1930 and named for the town across the border in Mexico in the state of Sonora, San Luis Rio Colorado. It is named after St. Louis IX. The town’s history is closely associated with the Colorado River which was once the main transportation artery before the advent of the railroads.

Historic Downtown Yuma © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

San Luis is now considered a suburb of Yuma. Home to a massive military base, Native American Reservations, and some interesting and unique historical sites, the surrounding desert is also one of the country’s produce centers—especially for watermelons and other fruits that are shipped from Arizona farms to markets when most of the country is firmly in winter’s icy grip.

Lockhart State Park near San Marcos © *Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

San Marcos, Texas

In 1689, Spaniard Alonso de Leon led an expedition from Mexico to explore Texas and establish missions and presidios in the region. De Leon’s party helped blaze the Camino Real (later known as the Old San Antonio Road. De Leon’s party reached the river on April 25, the feast day of St. Mark the Evangelist; the river was thus named the San Marcos.

Conveniently located in Central Texas between Austin and San Antonio, San Marcos truly is the center of everything. So no matter where you are, you won’t have far to go. The San Marcos River bubbles to life from hundreds of springs right in the City’s center. Always a refreshing 72 degrees, the river is enjoyed year round. Grab a tube and go for a float. Rent a kayak or stand-up paddle and navigate its length.

Worth Pondering…

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

—Francis of Assisi

6 Most Haunted Cities in America and the Ghosts That Call Them Home

Are you brave enough to visit the most haunted cities in America?

Strange sounds, ghost apparitions, and whispers—these are just some of the accounts told by visitors of haunted cities around the U.S.

Tales of the supernatural world are fascinating at any time of year but the Halloween season kicks the ghostly atmosphere into high gear in many places across the U.S. One of the best ways to celebrate the spooky season is on a bone-chilling ghost tour. Here are six cities with some of the coolest, spookiest, and most illuminating ghost tours you can take in America.

Gettysburg National Military Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: The Blood of the Battlefield

Areas, where historic tragedies took place, are often considered paranormal hot spots, and the site of the Civil War’s bloodiest battle is regarded as one of the world’s most haunted places. Some report seeing the ghosts of soldiers on the battlefield and inns and a farm in the area are haunted, too.

During the day, visitors can take a self-guided audio tour around the battlefield—an excellent way to get one’s bearings and visit such ominously named locations as Devil’s Den which feels spooky even in broad daylight. After dark, choose from the many walking tours that visit paranormal spots around town and share tales of the epic Civil War battle. The Farnsworth House Inn hosts several guided ghost walks which include a presentation in its haunted cellar a tour of the Confederate Hospital and a visit to the old Union Cemetery. For a more family-friendly tour, try the Gettysburg History and Haunts Tour which is also wheelchair-accessible and pet-friendly.

Savannah *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Savannah, Georgia: Southern Goth

Southern gentility has a ghostly past in Savannah. The Mercer House was the home of Jim Williams, a voodoo-practicing antique dealer and the main character in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The home is said to be haunted by the man he allegedly killed in a heated argument though he was acquitted in three separate trials.

Related article: Ghostly Experiences

Old Sorrel Weed House, Savannah *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Blue Orb Tours feature frequently on lists of best ghost tours in both the U.S. and around the world. Suitable for all ages, their 90-minute Savannah Shadows walk combines local history, Gullah folktales, and haunted sightings in the city’s otherwise charming downtown. The company also offers a two-hour Zombie Tour for adults only. Visitors to Savannah shouldn’t miss the Old Sorrel-Weed House (see photo above), a local landmark known for its paranormal past. Now a museum, it offers a popular Ghosts of Sorrel Weed Tour.

Louisiana cemetery *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

New Orleans, Louisiana: The Most Haunted and Haunting

They say that on Halloween, the line between the dead and the living gets thinner than ever. In New Orleans, you’re not that far from the dead as the city’s cemeteries hang above ground year-round. After colonial times, slavery, voodoo, many wars, and most recently, Hurricane Katrina, the city counts its ghosts as regular residents.

With dozens of reportedly haunted places, New Orleans is one of the country’s most haunted cities. By paranormal standards, New Orleans has it all: churches haunted by the spirits of former priests, former hospitals visited by soldiers who died but never truly passed on, and homes filled with ghosts of residents who died on the premises—not to mention all the vampire stories.

The city also has its share of notable ghosts including author William Faulkner whose spirit is sometimes spotted at his former home-turned-bookstore Faulkner House Books. Old Absinthe House, open since the early 1800s, is supposedly haunted by Voodoo practitioner Marie Laveau, Andrew Jackson, and pirate Jean Lafitte, among others. St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is another paranormal hot spot, said to be haunted by hundreds of ghosts.

In the evenings, the streets of the historic French Quarter are filled with guided ghost tours. French Quarter Phantoms have several options available—after visiting the grave of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau during their daytime tour of the cemetery join one of their evening rambles themed around “Saints and Sinners,” “Ghosts and Vampires,” or “French Quarter Voodoo.” Witches Brew also features several themed walks from vampires to ghosts or you can always join a haunted pub crawl—this is New Orleans, after all.

San Antonio, Texas: Angry Wraiths of the Past

San Antonio is considered one of the most haunted places in Texas because of the city’s history. Remember the Alamo? The ghosts of the Alamo will make sure you do. The Battle of the Alamo led to thousands of casualties and Alamo visitors and employees have reported seeing the ghosts of soldiers and hearing mysterious rally cries. The nearby Emily Morgan Hotel is one of the country’s most haunted hotels, too. The property was once a hospital and some guests now report seeing the apparition of a woman in white in the halls.

Mission San Juan *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Many buildings along the riverwalk are said to be haunted including the Alamo Street Restaurant and theater. Former actress Margaret Gething is said to watch performances from the balcony in a long flowing dress. A young boy named Eddie is said to bang around the kitchen and enjoys playing pranks.
A section of railroad tracks near the San Juan Mission is said to be haunted by the ghosts of children who were killed more than 50 years ago when their bus stalled on the tracks. It is said that any car that stops near the tracks will be pushed by unseen hands across the tracks—to avoid a similar fate.

Charleston *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Charleston, South Carolina: Hauntings in the Holy City

Charleston is one of those good ’ole Southern cities where there’s so much history—from the Civil War to pirates and voodoo—the ghosts never want to leave. Plus, two rivers run through it providing liquid fuel for a ghostly fire.

Related article: A Creepy, Spooky, Ghostly, Haunted Road Trip

The downtown area known as The Battery was an artillery installation during the Civil War. Guests at the Battery Carriage House Inn may find their room already taken—some male guests have reported waking to see a man standing by their bed while some female guests have reported a male ghost, ahem, in their bed.

The Dock Street Theatre is also said to have two eerie visitors from the past—the ghost of actor Junius Brutus Booth, the father of Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth, and the ghost of a prostitute the locals call “Nettie.”

In all, there are more than 20 places thought to be haunted and sure to send a tingle up your spine. With a tumultuous three centuries under its belt, Charleston has seen its fair share of paranormal activity. Combining ghost stories that are firmly rooted in local lore with more recent sightings, the Ghosts of the South tour is a wildly popular guided stroll through old Charleston. The tour delves into the city’s history, stopping at haunted hotels, houses, and graveyards throughout a mile circuit. It’s not recommended for children under 10.

Ashton Villa *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Galveston, Texas: A Port of Unfortunate Souls

Galveston has had pirates, hurricanes, murders, and more in its long history. The paranormal activity is off the charts in several spots around the city. The Bishop’s Palace survived the deadly 1900 hurricane, a source of many of the city’s ghosts, and now the building is haunted by its worried owner. The Ashton Villa Mansion has several ghosts-in-residence thanks to its Civil Era hospital roots.

Bishop’s Palace *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

This small island off the coast of Houston has not just one, but three ghost tour operators. The oldest and largest is The Ghost Tours of Galveston run by Dash Beardsley, “The Ghost Man of Galveston.” Beardsley runs four tours, the most popular of which explores the historic ghost stories of the Strand where Confederate soldiers are rumored to appear on rooftops.

Related article: Explore Arizona’s Spooky, Haunted Ghost Towns

The Strand *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

But ghosts are plentiful throughout Galveston—given the port city’s checkered history. Six thousand residents were killed here in the Great Storm of 1900 and during the Civil War wounded soldiers were treated in the buildings lining downtown. Add to that the odd unlucky gambler haunting the Tremont Hotel or the tragic (and dead) bride-to-be walking the halls of Hotel Galvez and you’ve got a bona fide haunted town. And head to the Haunted Mayfield Manor for a lighter Halloween-themed attraction.

Worth Pondering…

I’m just a ghost in this house
I’m shadow upon these walls,
As quietly as a mouse
I haunt these halls.

—Allison Krauss, Ghost in This House

Most Haunted Places in Arizona

Head to the state’s storied towns for autumn nights filled with eerie tales and ghostly apparitions. Plan your trip to the most haunted places here.

Wait…did you hear something? That creak? That rattle? That ghastly groan?!
In Arizona, you’ll find plenty of creepy noises—not to mention hauntings and paranormal activities—guaranteed to give you goosebumps.

Travel the state north to south to uncover everything from haunted hotels to ghost walks and ghost towns. Then see if you can still sleep with the lights off.

Jerome

Today, Jerome is known more for its liquid spirits, in particular, its award-winning wine; however, it remains one of Arizona’s most famous ghost towns and hauntings come with the territory. After all, it didn’t earn its reputation as the “Wickedest Town in the West” without reason.

During the annual October Jerome Ghost Walk, you can wander the narrow passageways and steep streets to find costumed performers reenacting the shootings, mysteries, and love triangles that marked this former mining town.
Can’t make it? Book a night at the Jerome Grand Hotel. Originally opened as the town’s hospital in 1927, the 25-room hotel has had reports of strange occurrences and occasional sightings including those of a bearded miner and a specter since dubbed “Claude” who met his demise in the elevator shaft.

Want dinner and drinks with more of the Jerome ghost town flavor? Enjoy a meal at the Haunted Hamburger followed by a nightcap and live music at the Spirit Room, a favorite watering hole where all the spirits are friendly.

Daytime delight: Steel your nerves for a night in a haunted hotel with an afternoon wine tasting at Caduceus Cellars where the pours all come from Arizona. Stop in earlier when the tasting room operates as a cafe for Italian espresso and lattes.

Prescott

Ghosts talk as you walk in Prescott while you learn about this town’s ghoulish past. Before Phoenix, Prescott reigned as the capital of Arizona (more specifically, the Territorial Capital) and it still retains much of its New World meets Old West charm as evident in its Victorian architecture and Whiskey Row saloons.

The Palace saloon—often said to be Arizona’s oldest bar—is one such Whiskey Row establishment and Prescott’s most haunted spot. Multiple ghosts have been spotted here including one Frank Nevin who lost his business in a poker game and still haunts the bar and maybe hoping for a chance at a better hand. The Palace’s basement briefly even served as a temporary jail and those who have visited have reported feeling a “heavy presence” making it difficult to breathe.

Related article: Ghostly Experiences

During A Haunting Experience, a weekend walking tour of historic downtown Prescott, you’re likely to visit The Palace while you explore the town’s spiritual side. The Trost & Trost-designed Hassayampa Inn is another. Here, it’s said a young bride—abandoned by her husband on their honeymoon in 1928—hanged herself from her balcony room. Perhaps she remains, waiting for his return.

Watson Lake *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Daytime delight: Just four miles from town, Watson Lake is a serene landscape that beckons hikers, kayakers, and rock climbers. Or fill up on the town’s history before hunting its ghostly residents at the Sharlot Hall Museum housed in the former Governor’s Mansion.

Bisbee *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Bisee

Halloween is one roving street party in eccentric, artsy Bisbee. Throw on a costume and you’ll fit right into this southern Arizona town, once a copper mining center. (You’d probably be the other 364 days of the year, too, if we’re being honest.)

Copper Queen Mine *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Not sure where to start your ghostly hunt? Acquaint yourself with Bisbee’s past as a mining boomtown with a stop at Queen Mine Tours. You’ll head deep underground into the former Copper Queen Mine with former miners as they navigate the abandoned equipment and explain how turn-of-the-century mines operated. This is one tour best avoided by anyone with claustrophobia.

In the evening, join one of Old Bisbee Ghost Tour’s numerous offerings including a walking tour of haunted spots and a haunted pub crawl during which “spirits” are guaranteed. Along with your share of ghosts, you’ll hear tales from Bisbee’s wild history and learn why so many of its former residents still haunt this mountain town.

After all the walking, spend the night at a Bisbee haunted hotel such as the landmark 1902 Copper Queen Hotel. Guests and ghost hunters often try to prowl the upper floors in search of the hotel’s resident spirits—a tall caped gentleman, an ethereal dancing woman, and a young giggling boy.

Daytime delight: Main Street in Old Bisbee is peppered with charming stores and boutiques, perfect for art collecting and thrift shopping.

Tombstone

Among the stories guests on the one-hour Tombstone Ghost & Murder, Tour will hear is that of 1888 ill-fated lovers George Daves and Petra Edmunds. One night, Daves spied Edmunds walking down Third Street with another guy. He shot at her and thinking he had killed her fatally shot himself (Edmunds survived). In death, Daves’s ghost is said to hang out on Third Street perhaps hoping for a reunion. Traveling aboard the original Tombstone Trolley Car, this tour shows there’s a lot more to Tombstone than the 1881 shootout at the O.K. Corral.

Ghost City Tours offers two options in Tombstone: one for all ages and another just for adults. The Bullets and Bordellos Ghost Tour delves into Tombstone’s seedier past with tales of murder, suicide, and its infamous “houses of ill repute.”

Cochise County Courthouse *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Daytime delight: The two-story Cochise County Courthouse designed in the Victorian style was constructed of red brick in 1882. The courthouse, a splendid example of territorial architecture, continued to serve as a county facility until 1931 when the county seat was moved to Bisbee. Today, visitors can enjoy a museum full of authentic interpretive exhibits on the history of Tombstone and Cochise County.

Tucson *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Douglas and Tucsom

Want more southern Arizona ghosts? Have a drink to calm your nerves at the tavern of The Gadsden Hotel in Douglas. The hotel, built in 1907, features a magnificent lobby and Italian marble staircase not to mention a few live-in ghosts including the members of a love triangle.

In downtown Tucson, Hotel Congress built in 1919 is best known for the capture of the notorious Dillinger gang. Although the gangster John Dillinger isn’t one of them, ghosts do seem to roam the hotel including a woman who smells of roses and a gentleman who peers out the windows of the second floor.

Perhaps ghosts are to be expected here—the hotel offers plenty of reasons to linger from live music at Club Congress to drinks in The Tap Room to a meal at Cup Café.

Saguaro National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Daytime delight: A trip to southern Arizona isn’t complete without visiting Saguaro National Park where vast forests of the region’s iconic cactus stretch as far as the eye can see.

Globe

In 1910, by the time the Gila County Jail and Sherriff’s Office in Globe was completed vigilante violence was more likely to claim the lives of inmates than the hangman’s noose. In one case, an unknown assailant shot and killed a suspect awaiting trial by hiding in a second-floor window in the courthouse across the alley.

Though closed in 1981, the old jail remains a haunting place. Guides with AZ Ghost Tours take guests on a 3-hour tour through the jail’s sordid past and its history of infamous inmates. The jail is one of four locations tour guests can choose from with each one hosting up to 12 people for three hours.

Related article: Celebrate Halloween RV Style

One final note of caution before you head out searching for Arizona’s ghosts: Many events and activities are unsuitable for young children or have age restrictions.

Worth Pondering…

I’m just a ghost in this house
I’m shadow upon these walls,
As quietly as a mouse
I haunt these halls.

—Allison Krauss, Ghost in This House

Ghostly Experiences

A demon haunted world!

Well, this is my last post before you wander down the dimly lit corridor of Halloween. I don’t have any advice other than “don’t talk to strangers” and “a pumpkin spice jello shot is never a good idea.”

The Beasts of Borrego Springs © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Are you going on a trip somewhere scary? Are you hosting a party for close friends in a graveyard? Are you locking the door and pretending it’s Thanksgiving and gorging yourself? Whatever path you may be taking, I hope you have a wonderful ghostly experience. I will be going to Tombstone and asking everyone who will make eye contact with me if they know where the “ghost section” is located. We all have our own unique paths!

The Superstitions © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

May your Halloween be spooky and fun as hell!

It’s no wonder that so many ghosts haunt the lonely trails, mountains, and landmarks of the forbidding Sonoran Desert. Desert lore, stories, and quests for loot and gold have made men greedy. Gunfights, murders, and death from starvation and dehydration have left many dead on barren desert trails. Their ghosts still walk the mountain ridges, gullies, and deserted locations where they once traveled or lived, spirits with unfinished business, who cannot rest. Some guard buried treasures and lost mines while others battle perpetually until death, forever replaying their last moments of life.

Anza-Borrego © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

The Ghost Lights of Borrego

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and the Borrego Springs area of southeastern California is notorious for the many legends, ghost stories, and unexplained phenomena occurring there over the years. The region of the Sonoran Desert is home to the Vallecito Stage Station, Yaqui Well, in addition to the mysterious “Ghost Lights” of Oriflamme Mountain.

The first account of the “Phantom Lights” of Borrego was reported in 1858 by a Butterfield Stage driver. Since then soldiers, prospectors, and explorers have reported seeing similar lights. The sightings have been reported near Oriflamme Mountain, over Borrego Valley, and other nearby areas. The occurrences are always slightly different but the general descriptions of the sightings are similar.

In 1892, a prospector by the name of Charles Knowles and two other men were camping near Grapevine Canyon at the entrance to the Narrows where they reported their sighting of “Fire Balls.” Knowles described the “lights” as balls of fire that rose up approximately 100 feet in the air and then exploded.

Knowles compared the fireballs to fireworks. He saw three fireballs rise and cascade upon explosion before they stopped. About 30 minutes later the lights started again but this time they were different. The lights rose into an arch pattern returning to the ground without exploding. The light would then reverse itself and go back to the place where it started.

Haunted Tombstone

It probably wouldn’t surprise you that Tombstone is considered one of the most haunted towns associated with the Wild West. After all, with all of the lawlessness, the murders, and seedy behavior, it would be more surprising if Tombstone wasn’t haunted.

We’ve put together a list of the most haunted places in Tombstone. Some of them, you may be familiar with especially if you watch any of the Ghost Hunting TV shows like Ghost Adventures or Ghost Hunters. They’ve all been to Tombstone!

Tombstone Courthouse © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

If the town’s name and wild past doesn’t convince you that this place is haunted then a tour through its neighborhoods might turn you into a believer. The Tombstone Gunfighter and Ghost Tour start at Big Nose Kate’s Saloon, once the elegant Grand Hotel.

O.K. Corral © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

A stroll down Allen’s street takes tour-goers to sites of some of the bloodiest Old West gunfights; guests are advised to be vigilant for spirit sightings. Of course, the tour includes a stop at the infamous O.K. Corral, the place where lawmen led by Virgil Earp gunned down three outlaws in 30 seconds in 1881. Whet your whistle at Doc Holliday’s Saloon after a day spent walking with ghosts.

The Bird Cage Theatre may be the most well-known haunted location in Tombstone. Thanks to being featured on many TV shows, it seems like everyone who comes to Tombstone knows about the ghosts of the theatre.

In 1882, the New York Times declared that Tombstone’s Bird Cage Theatre was the “roughest, bawdiest, and most wicked night spot between Basin Street and the Barbary Coast.” 26 deaths and 140 bullet holes later, this American icon is packed with poltergeists (German for loud ghost or noisy spirit). Bird Cage Theatre’s most peculiar poltergeist is the “Woman in White.” This apparition is said to appear as a “proper lady,” a rarity for a brothel.

Boothill Graveyard © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

For the “Town Too Tough to Die,” Tombstone is ironically known for the dead. Gunslingers, sharp-shooters, stagecoaches, saddle bums: even the streets of this city conjure tales of the dearly departed.

Boothill Graveyard isn’t Tombstone’s first cemetery but it’s Tombstone’s most notorious. Named for those “buried with their boots on,” Boothill interred outlaws from 1878-1884. Notable markers include Marshal Fred White, killed by Curly Bill Brocius, and Tom and Frank McLaury, buried alongside Billy Clanton. Curly Bill and the McLaurys were lost to the “Gunfight at the OK Corral,” the famous 30-second shootout.

Travelers report spectral shadows, strange lights, and spooky sounds. If you make it over to Boothill, remember those two-bit criminals are known to still be around the boneyard. And I’d be ever so obliged to hear if you meet up with one.

Superstition Mountain © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Phantoms of the Lost Dutchman Mine

The old prospector of the Lost Dutchman Mine fame, Jacob Waltz, left quite a legacy when he died in Phoenix on October 25, 1891. His death marked the beginning of a period of mystery, intrigue, and myth about a rich gold mine in the Superstition Mountains, more commonly referred to by locals, as the Superstitions. Standing majestically at the forefront of this rough terrain is Superstition Mountain, a 3,000-foot high monolith that seemingly stands guard over the rest of its territory.

Old mining equipment at Superstition Mountain Museum © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

The mine has never been found despite many expeditions. Some believe the mountains are haunted by the spirits of the miners who died in search of the goldmine. Over a dozen men were killed in the 1800s in pursuit of this gold. According to legend, they may be the phantoms that still protect this treasure today.

Old mining equipment at Goldfield Ghost Town © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

So be forewarned modern-day prospectors―if the Arizona heat or the Superstition Mountains’ rugged terrain does not get to you, a ghost or two just might.

Worth Pondering…

I’m just a ghost in this house
I’m a shadow upon these walls,
As quietly as a mouse
I haunt these halls.

—Allison Krauss, Ghost in This House

A Haunting Good Time: Your Guide to 5 Ghostly Cities Across America

We’ve got spirits, yes we do

We know America as the land of spacious skies and amber waves of grain but it also happens to be the land of a million ghost stories. Take a coast-to-coast tour of the most haunted cities in the U.S. where lingering spirits roam through the halls of mansions, authentically haunted hotels, a haunted theater, a retired battleship, and more of the scariest places scattered across the country. Haunted? Quite possibly. Storied history? Absolutely!

And if ghosts aren’t your go-to travel companions, fear not—these sites offer enough culture, history, and beautiful scenery and architecture to keep you firmly planted in this realm.

Texas: Galveston

Since Galveston has been the scene of much death and many tragic events, it is no wonder that Galveston is as haunted as it is.

Ashton Villa was built by James Moreau Brown in 1859. The ghost of Brown’s daughter Bettie is said to reside there today. In life, she was reportedly an eccentric, free-spirit, and her ghost seems to be the same. Her spirit has been reported to be seen in various areas of the house. Odd happenings have frequently been reported including Bettie’s bed refusing to stay made. Bettie is not the only haunt in the house. Visitors and caretakers also claim to hear piano music playing at times. It is thought to be Bettie’s sister Tilly since Bettie never learned to play the piano in life.

The Bishop’s Palace, a beautiful Victorian home was built in 1892 by Walter and Josephine Gresham. It is widely regarded as one of the most prominent Victorian architecture examples in the United States today. Perhaps this is why Walter’s ghost roams around inside and outside the home, according to legend. Visitors widely suspect that Walter is protecting the property. On stormy nights Walter’s spirit seems to be more active, pacing the front porch. Perhaps he remembers the fright of the Great Storm?

Jekyll Island Club © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Georgia: Jekyll Island

Jekyll Island is a stunningly beautiful stretch of sun-soaked sand, trees, and grass on the Georgia coast. Rich in history, it is one of the crown jewels of the Golden Isles. In addition, some say it may be one of the most haunted islands in the world!

Goodyear Cottage © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

A vacation resort populated by some of the most powerful men and women of its day, the Jekyll Island Club thrived from 1886 until World War II. Its members included the Morgans, Vanderbilts, Pulitzers, Rockefellers, and Vanderbilts. The magnificent “cottages” of the club’s wealthy members still stand in the Jekyll Island Historic District as does the Jekyll Island Club itself.

Moss Cottage © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

It is so well known for its amenities and service that stories prevail of guests who checked in—but never checked out! Among the ghosts said to haunt the hotel is railroad magnate Samuel Spencer. Killed in a 1906 train collision, Spencer still returns to enjoy his coffee and morning newspaper. Room 3101 of the Annex is said to be haunted by the benevolent spirit of Charlotte Maurice. She has encouraged guests to enjoy their lives.

Related: Celebrate Halloween RV Style

Indian Mound © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

One of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel’s most famous ghost stories involves the son of club member and railway magnate Edwin Gould who was shot and died in a hunting accident in 1917. The hotel is also said to be haunted by a bellman mostly seen on the second floor.

duBignon Cottage © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Suite 2416 on the second floor of the main Club House has been the subject of much talk of supernatural events. During a visit by one couple, they were stunned when a balcony door suddenly burst open and an explosion of light illuminated their room. Just as quickly, the light went out and the door closed with a slam.

Arizona: Tombstone

On a trip to southeastern Arizona, you just might want to bring your infrared film, an open mind, and plan to spend a night or two in Tombstone. Tombstone is home to many ghosts and haunted places.

In its day, one of the wildest places in the west with its saloon, casino, dance hall, prostitutes, and theater; the famous Birdcage Theater has had hundreds of visitors recount hearing people singing and talking in the box seats above the stage. There are dozens of testimonies by both tourists and employees of the theatre of seeing people wearing clothing from the 1800s and numerous sightings of a man wearing a visor walking across the stage.

A number of other buildings in Tombstone are also haunted. There have been sightings of ghosts in the Aztec House Antique Shop, Big Nose Kate’s Saloon, Nellie Cashman’s Restaurant, the Wells Fargo Bank Building, Shieffelin Hall, and Boot Hill Cemetery to name a few.

Sign at Boothill Graveyard © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

This graveyard, filled with colorful characters who lost their lives under less than peaceful circumstances, boasts a number of spirits that just couldn’t take death as the final word. Perhaps this is how Tombstone became known as “The Town Too Tough To Die.”

Mobile © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Alabama: Mobile

Mobile has over 300 years of hauntings that are just waiting to be explored by those brave enough to dare! From ghost hunts to the dark secrets woven into Mobile’s history, the Azalea City has no shortage of spine-tingling experiences for those looking to get spooked.

Hear tales of darkness, death, and dismemberment on Mobile’s Dark Secrets History Tour that explores pre-Civil War mansions, overgrown gardens, and an old church with a mysterious past. Or, book an evening tour exploring Mobile’s mysterious spirits and strange happenings on Mobile’s Own Ghost Stories tour. Your guide will share stories of Mobile’s ghostly residents, folklore, and other strange events from our city’s past!

USS Alabama © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Don’t forget to pay a visit to the USS ALABAMA where aboard this historic battleship several people have reported hearing ghostly footsteps, strange voices, and the slamming of hatches.

Arizona: Bisbee

Fifteen miles north of the Mexico border, Bisbee was at one time one of the world’s most productive gold, copper, zinc, and lead mines. For thrills and chills in the “Most Haunted Town in America” check out the Bisbee Seance Room set in Magic Kenny Bang Bang’s Victorian Parlor where you’ll hear about the historic haunted history of Bisbee.

Celebrating over 14 years of bringing you haunted and macabre stories, the Old Bisbee Ghost Tour is a great way to experience the town after dark. Or, be spirited away on a haunted walking tour of Bisbee’s most spooky bars. Before you enter each of the five locations your Spirit Guide will regale you with tales of the haunted history of the location. As you sip at your drink of choice your host will recount tales of Bisbee and its unique and interesting characters. The tour is estimated to last approximately 3 hours with 35 minutes spent at each location. Don’t forget that your spirits will not materialize unless you tip your bartender and Spirit Guide!!

Worth Pondering…

I’m just a ghost in this house
I’m a shadow upon these walls,
As quietly as a mouse
I haunt these halls.

—Allison Krauss, Ghost in This House