Spooky Cities to Visit | Spring Break Part 1

Spring break makes us think of sunshine, walks on the beach, and sitting by the pool, but that doesn’t mean ghosts can’t be involved. There are beautiful cities across the US that offer fun in the sun during the day and frightening finds after nightfall. Who says you can’t have it all?

Planning your spring break and want to make it spooky? We offer ghost tours in cities across the country, where you’ll learn about the history and hauntings of your vacation destination. Be sure to book a ghost tour with US Ghost Adventures wherever you decide to go!

What Are Some of the Best Spooky Spring Break Destinations?

Whether you’re heading to the West Coast or venturing down south, it’s not hard to find a spooky destination that offers the best spring break experience, too.

An obvious contender is New Orleans, which is already known as a spring break hot spot along with having a slew of haunted cemeteries, hotels, and shops. 

If NOLA isn’t your thing, you can find an array of haunted attractions in cities like Myrtle Beach, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Miami for a southern trip. If you head west, you can’t go wrong with Santa Monica, which features a haunted hotel, boardwalk, and basement tavern.

So grab your sunglasses and ghost-hunting gear for a spring break trip you’ll never forget.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade

Myrtle Beach’s Boardwalk and Promenade is a one-mile stretch of oceanfront property featuring endless tourist attractions. While the boardwalk and promenade are picturesque today, the land was a site of death and destruction not so long ago. 

In the early 1800s, a man and his horse drowned in quicksand. Since then, the man’s ghost, known as the Gray Man, has been seen walking the coastline. His spirit even warned his fiance of the deadly 1822 hurricane that claimed countless lives. The ghost of the notorious pirate Blackbeard has also been spotted along the Carolina shore.

Nightmare Haunted House

The folks who run Nightmare Haunted House understand that being scared isn’t just for Halloween. Open all year round, the attraction offers the most horrifying haunted house experience you’ll ever encounter. If you can’t wait for a ghost to show up, the monsters, ghouls, and zombies you’ll encounter in the Nightmare Haunted House will give you the jumpscare of your life.

The Bowery

The Bowery opened in 1944 and is one of Myrtle Beach’s oldest operating bars. Legend has it that a guy named “Barman Joe” died while drinking a beer at the bar but came back to life to finish it. 

In reality, Joe was a former bartender who passed out at the bar but was revived and continued drinking his beer. Joe worked at The Bowery for decades, and staff believe his spirit still lingers there. Unexplained sounds and sightings are attributed to Joe’s lively spirit.

New Orleans, Louisiana

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the most famous cemetery in New Orleans and possibly in the entire US. It’s also one of the most haunted. Spirits at the cemetery include chess prodigy Paula Morphy, whose ghost plays with the chess pieces left on his grave. A ghost named Alphonse is known to hold hands with unsuspecting visitors to the cemetery. 

The most revered spirit of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, whose spirit has been seen “jumping” over the cemetery walls and wandering the streets of New Orleans.

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop

Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop has stood in the French Quarter since the 1700s. Now a pub, this building was a blacksmith shop owned by Jean Lafitte, who used it as a front for smuggling goods. His territorial ghost is now seen lurking in the corners of the building or glaring at people through the fireplace grate. 

A female spirit also appears in a mirror in the second-floor bathroom. It seems that watchful eyes are always on those who visit Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop. 

The Bourbon Orleans Hotel

The Bourbon Orleans Hotel is one of the premiere hotels in NOLA and is home to a slew of hauntings. Formerly a ballroom and theatre, the building became a Catholic girl’s school and orphanage before turning into a hotel. Hauntings primarily include the ghosts of young girls and nuns who perished in the building during a Yellow Fever outbreak. 

A ghostly woman has also been seen dancing in the ballroom. For the bravest souls, Room 644 is said to be the most haunted room, and guests often hear unexplained screams late at night.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Hotel El Convento

Located in Old San Juan, Hotel El Convento was built in the 1640s and is the oldest historic hotel in America. The hotel was originally a mansion owned by Dona Ana de Lansos y Menendez de Valdez. After her husband died in war, Dona Ana became a nun and turned her home into a convent for Carmelite nuns.

Today, staff and guests hear the rustling of robes, indicating that ghostly nuns still walk the halls of her former home. Some guests have awoken to the vision of Dona Ana standing over their bed. This usually only happens if you oversleep.

Castillo San Felipe del Morro

Constructed in 1539, Castillo San Felipe del Morro is a historic fortress in Puerto Rico. The site of hundreds of deaths, the fortress is said to be home to the ghost of a woman in white who has been seen walking the ramparts of Castillo San Felipe del Morro. 

There is also a belief that a vortex is located inside the fortress, which could account for the countless paranormal encounters documented over the years. Its proximity to the historic cemetery could also be to blame for the haunted goings-on.

Teatro Tapia

The Teatro Tapia opened in 1832 and is home to two resident ghosts. Patrons sitting in box 105 have encountered the spectral presence of a woman in red who disappears as soon as she’s spotted. Other patrons have seen the woman in red standing behind the unsuspecting ticketholders in box 105 from across the theatre. 

The ghost of a young actress who allegedly died in the 1800s after falling off the stage is sometimes seen performing to an empty theatre. 

Santa Monica, California

The Georgian Hotel

Built in 1933, the Georgian Hotel sits at the end of Route 66 and was a hotspot for celebrities during Hollywood’s Golden Age. In addition to hosting Hollywood’s elite, it was also Santa Monica’s first speakeasy during Prohibition. In fact, much of the hotel’s paranormal phenomena take place in the Speakeasy Restaurant.

Staff have heard disembodied running, sighs, and gasps when the restaurant is completely empty. More than a few staff members have been terrified by a ghostly voice who calls out “Good morning” when the living enter the former speakeasy. 

Santa Monica Pier

Featuring a Ferris wheel, carousel, and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, the Santa Monica Pier is a top tourist destination. On a late-night walk along the pier, you might also see a shadow figure pacing along the rooftop of the Looff Hippodrome building. This unknown shadowy spirit has also been known to ride the carousel on the first floor of the building.

Basement Tavern

The aptly named Basement Tavern is located in the base of The Victorian, a classic Queen Anne-style home turned restaurant. The entire building was moved across town in 1973 and seemingly activated a ghostly presence. Staff have named the ghost “Delia” and even named a drink in her honor. Delia’s playful spirit will make the lights flicker and open and close doors. Disembodied footsteps are also heard late at night. 

Miami, Florida

Biltmore Hotel

The Biltmore Hotel has lived many lives and seen thousands of faces since it opened in 1926. Presidents, celebrities, and mobsters have all stayed at the hotel over the years. It also served as a military hospital during World War II. As a result, multiple ghosts haunt the building.

The ghost of mobster Thomas “Fatty” Walsh has been seen in his old room on the hotel’s 13th floor. He’s also known to make the elevators malfunction and will sometimes take a ride with guests before vanishing right in front of them.

A resident woman in white thought to be a jilted bride has been spotted wandering the hotel. The ghosts of soldiers in WWII uniforms have also been reported throughout the hotel.

Colony Theatre

The Colony Theatre is a stunning Art Deco building built by Paramount Studios at the dawn of talking pictures. Staff believe former theatergoers still roam the Colony since disembodied footsteps are often heard.

The most famous ghost at the Colony isn’t a person, though; it’s a dog. That’s right, a ghost poodle has been seen around the theatre for over 60 years and has become something of a legend.

Villa Paula

Villa Paula is named after acclaimed opera singer Paula Milord. She lived there with her husband Domingo who was the first Cuban consulate in Miami. After Paula tragically died from a botched leg amputation, she was buried in a concrete tomb in the house’s backyard.

Over the years, owners of Villa Paula have smelled fresh coffee when none has been made. There’s also a piano that is heard playing even when there’s no piano in the home. Both hauntings are attributed to Paula, whose spirit will appear now and then to residents of her beloved home.

Haunted Spring Break

Wherever you decide to spend your spring break, a haunting is likely close by. Learn about the ghosts and hauntings of your next vacation getaway by booking a ghost tour with US Ghost Adventures today! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real hauntings across the United States.

Sources:

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