12 Real-Life Haunted Houses with Chilling Histories That You Can Visit This Spooky Season

These harrowing homes are open for tours — or even an overnight stay — if you’re brave enough

What's the best way to get in the Halloween spirit? Hanging out with the undead, of course!

If you've ever wanted to visit the real-life site of the Conjuring films, you'll want to take a trip out to Harrisville, R.I., where you can book an overnight stay at the spooky home that inspired the horror movie franchise. Not afraid of spirits? Put your fearlessness to the test at the Burn Brae Mansion bed-and-breakfast and book a private paranormal investigation.

Care to continue carousing with centuries-old witches or explore the location of rumored ghost sightings? Here's a list of the top 12 haunted houses across the country, from New York to California, all of which can be toured or even booked for an overnight stay.

Related: 18 Celebrities Who Say They've Lived in Real Haunted Houses

Winchester Mystery House

Location: San Jose, Calif.

Why it's spooky: The Winchester Mystery House is the creation of Sarah Lockwood Pardee, who — following the death of her husband, firearms mogul William Winchester, in 1881 — began making all sorts of renovations to the two-story farmhouse for reasons still unknown. She added 40 staircases, 2,000 doors and several nods to the number 13. Construction started in 1886 and stopped after her death in 1922, leaving the house unfinished to this day.

Speaking with PEOPLE in 2018, Winchester Mystery House historian Janan Boehme suggested Pardee’s obsessive construction could have been an effort to "disconcert bad spirits she didn't want to have in her house" or simply the result of a "really bad architect." Its eerie history and architectural oddities even inspired the movie Winchester (2018), starring Helen Mirren.

Who haunts it? Visitors have claimed to feel Pardee's presence in the house, especially psychics, who have said they can "sense" her, according to Boehme. "Generally, it's kind of good energies, though often sad," she added. Some say the "wheelbarrow ghost," a figure dressed in overalls pushing a wheelbarrow, haunts the basement and is believed to be one of Pardee's loyal employees. Book a tour to see for yourself!

The Conjuring House

Location: Burrillville, R.I.

Why it's spooky: For horror movie enthusiasts, seeing the opening words "based on a true story" is an absolute dream. That's probably why fans are drawn to the Conjuring franchise, as the house that inspired the movie is an actual place in Rhode Island that can be booked for overnight stays.

Built in 1736, the farmhouse is notorious for its haunted history — most notably when paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren performed a séance for its inhabitants, the Perron family, during the 1970s, after the family reported harrowing encounters there. PEOPLE's own Julie Jordan even spent a night on the chilling property, where she sensed various paranormal activity, such as tables moving on their own, balls of light flashing in the corner of her eye and loud creaks in the living room during her stay.

Who haunts it? Although Bathsheba Sherman, the famous witch in The Conjuring (2013), was an actual person who lived in Harrisville, R.I. (a village in Burrillville), during the 1800s, the Perrons remain unconvinced her spirit caused the real-life hauntings. Though no specific spirit has been confirmed, visitors have reported books randomly falling from shelves and sighting "shadow figures" in the upstairs bedrooms — the same room where one of the Perron daughters was tormented by an unseen force.

Related: How to Watch the Conjuring Movies in Order (Chronologically and by Release Date)

Hobo Hill House

Location: Jefferson City, Mo.

Why it's spooky: Don't let the cozy interior fool you, the Hobo Hill House is reportedly as haunted as they come. One hundred years after it was built in 1910, the historic home caught the attention of Aaron and Erin Clark, who purchased and renovated the property in 2017.

The home seemed perfect until strange occurrences began, such as the kitchen sink and other appliances frequently turning on unexpectedly. The creepiest part may have been when their 8-year-old daughter started experiencing sudden night terrors and bouts of sleepwalking.

"It seemed as if she was possessed because she would be really wide-eyed and shaking," Aaron told the News Tribune in 2019.

Who haunts it? The Clarks would often see a tall man in a suit and top hat out of the corner of their eyes and hear strange voices whisper "Hi" whenever they entered the house. After seven spooky months on the property, the couple chose to leave the house and turn it into an Airbnb for paranormal fanatics to rent at $325 a night.

The Witch House

Location: Salem, Mass.

Why it's Spooky: The Jonathan Corwin House, popularly known as the Witch House, is the "only structure you can visit in Salem with direct ties to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692," according to its official website. The home was purchased in 1675 by Jonathan Corwin, who was responsible for charging and executing 19 people suspected of witchcraft. It's said to harbor the "Corwin Curse," which was supposedly responsible for the premature deaths of all five of his children, according to Ghost City Tours.

Who Haunts It: While it's still unclear whether the accused witches or the Corwin family themselves are still hanging around the property, countless visitors have reportedly felt the presence of unseen spirits and heard disembodied voices during their visit.

Villisca Ax Murder House

Location: Villisca, Iowa

Why it's spooky: Villisca, a small Iowa town of 1,107 residents as of 2024, proves that not all small towns are boring. The sleepy spot actually holds a chilling history dating back to 1912, when two adults, Josiah and Sarah Moore, and six children were brutally slain in what is now known as the Villisca Ax Murder House. While the murderer was never caught, historians have pointed to four possible suspects — with Frank F. Jones, an Iowa state senator at the time, and Josiah's former employer, being at the top of the list.

Who haunts it? The Moore family ghosts are said to haunt the property. Visitors claim to have sensed Josiah and Sarah’s presence, along with those of their four children and two friends who were murdered in their beds. Horror enthusiasts can book an overnight stay at the white farmhouse to see for themselves.

John Bell's Cabin and the Bell Witch Cave

Location: Adams, Tenn.

Why it's spooky: Just 40 minutes outside of Nashville, Tenn., lies the creepy farm where John Bell and his family once lived, including an eerie on-site cave that's been the site of much paranormal activity. The haunting dates back to the early 1800s, after Bell purchased the plot of land on the Red River. He started seeing oddly shaped animals and hearing whispers from phantom entities. His youngest daughter, Betsy, received the worst of the haunting, as she allegedly felt an unseen force pulling her hair and slapping her. She was even said to wake up with hand prints all over her face and body.

Who haunts it? The spirit supposedly responsible is known as the Bell Witch. Though her identity has never been confirmed, some believe that an "eccentric" late neighbor named Kate Batts was behind the haunting, according to the home’s official website. The legend became known as "America's Greatest Ghost Story," even catching the attention of then-Maj. Gen. Andrew Jackson, who traveled to Adams, Tenn., to see the witch for himself. Fans of the paranormal can book a tour of the Bell family's farm and see artifacts from when they lived.

Related: Halloween Horror Nights 2023: Check Out All the Haunted Houses, Ranked from Least to Most Scary

The Grove

Location: Jefferson, Tex.

Why it's spooky: The hauntings of the Grove begin with a woman named Louise Young who lived on the property in the early 1900s until her death in the '80s.

According to Haunted Rooms America, Young frequently talked about the "haints" that occupied the home with her, including shadow figures that walked the house at night. Following her death, subsequent owners have reportedly heard faint voices and footsteps and smelled "unpleasant" odors. Wet footprints and strange puddles were also found in the house under completely dry conditions. Plan a tour if you're brave enough to see for yourself!

Who haunts it? Former resident Patrick Hopkins, who tried to convert the home into a restaurant, claims to have witnessed a woman he'd never seen before walk down the stairs and enter the powder room. After she didn't come out for a while, he went to check on her and found the room empty. A similar occurrence happened while prepping for a dinner theater when one of the light technicians felt a presence behind her and turned to see a woman dressed in all white. She followed the mysterious woman around the corner of the house only to see she had vanished.

The Campbell House

Location: Spokane, Wash.

Why it's spooky: Rumor has it that Amasa B. Campbell and Grace Fox, who moved into the then-newly built Campbell House in 1898, witnessed three of their children murdered and one kidnapped on the property. However, in her book Ghosts and Legends of Spokane, Deborah Cuyle debunks the theory, pointing out the lack of news coverage of the incident, especially since Amasa was a prominent investor at the time. The couple's only confirmed child was Helen Campbell, who died in 1964. Still, that doesn’t mean Cuyle thinks the house isn’t haunted.

Who haunts it? Visitors have claimed to see ghostly figures of young children and hear strange noises at the property. Cuyle guesses this may be the Campbell family themselves. "Icy cold spots can be felt throughout the mansion, and the eyes in the portrait of [Amasa] are said to follow you as you walk by," she wrote in her book. Some have seen a woman's figure lurking in the upstairs sewing room, while another apparition was spotted in the old carriage house. Explore its dark history on a self-guided tour to experience all the peculiarities of the Campbell House.

Burn Brae Mansion

Location: Glen Spey, N.Y.

Why it's spooky: Now operating as a charming bed-and-breakfast, the Burn Brae Mansion was once home to Margaret Ross MacKenzie Elkin and her husband, Charles Elkin. The couple built the house in 1907 on her father's $3.5 million estate after he acquired great wealth as president of the Singer Sewing Machine company. Now under the current ownership of Mike and Pat Fraysse, the bed-and-breakfast allegedly guarantees a spooky stay and even offers private paranormal investigations for groups.

Who haunts it? In addition to hearing disembodied children's voices and witnessing doors open and close on their own, guests have spotted all kinds of ghostly figures. Some have seen apparitions of a woman in all white, a man dressed in old-fashioned clothing and another man wearing more modern clothing. Eerie sounds of an organ playing have also been reported, despite the fact that there is no organ on the property.

The Hermitage

Location: Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J.

Why it's spooky: The Hermitage is a historic New Jersey mansion first purchased in 1767 by Ann Bartow DeVisme. According to the mansion’s official website, the Hermitage briefly hosted a few famous figures from the Revolutionary War era, including Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr and even George Washington. After DeVisme's death, the house was sold to an Elijah Rosegrant, who kept the estate in his family for 163 years until the last surviving family member died. It now belongs to the state of New Jersey and serves as a museum and is said to be haunted by many spirits.

Who haunts it? With more than 250 years of occupants on the property, it's no surprise visitors have encountered an excess of paranormal activity. Ghostly presences are so strong that the house has even attracted local medium Craig McManus, who hosts ghost tours and gatherings every year on Halloween. During these tours, people reportedly saw a woman in the upstairs window and heard disembodied voices. McManus claims to help visitors connect with spirits from the Victorian era all the way back to the Revolutionary War. Those who are brave enough to try and spot some ghosts during the day can take a regular tour of the house on weekends.

Sallie House

Location: Atchison, Kan.

Why it's spooky: Built in the mid-1800s, the unassuming Sallie House is notorious for its violent hauntings. It earned its dark reputation after a panicked mother rushed her 6-year-old daughter, Sallie, to the residence of a local physician after the child complained of acute abdominal pains. After diagnosing her with appendicitis, the doctor hastily performed an appendectomy on the young girl before her anesthesia set in. Unfortunately, Sallie died on the operating table, believing the doctor was "torturing her," according to the house's website.

Who haunts it? Many believe Sallie’s spirit harbors anger and resentment, making the atmosphere increasingly hostile. Although hers appears to be the main entity, many visitors and investigators suspect something darker lurks within the house. Several accounts mention a shadowy male figure and an oppressive presence in the basement, leading some to believe that Sallie may not be the only spirit trapped within its walls. Self-guided tours are available to book during the day, while paranormal enthusiasts can schedule overnight stays to explore the home and its chilling history.

Franklin Castle

Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Why it’s spooky: Nestled in the Forest City, Franklin Castle is notoriously known as one of the most haunted houses in Ohio. Constructed by Hannes Tiedemann in 1881, the unsettling Gothic mansion has been the site of various tragedies, including the deaths of Tiedemann’s family members, which have fueled rumors of dark secrets within its walls. From reports of cold spots and mysterious disembodied voices to shadowy specters peering from windows — visitors and paranormal fanatics alike should brace themselves for a night of heebie-jeebies sleeping at the Franklin Castle.

Who haunts it? The spirits said to haunt Franklin Castle are believed to include Tiedemann’s deceased wife and children, as well as a mysterious woman in black who stalks the halls. Some visitors claim to have heard crying and whispering from behind closed doors, and there have even been sightings of ghostly figures lurking in the corners. The castle’s tragic past and spectral inhabitants make it a must-visit destination for those intrigued by the paranormal.

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