Haunted California – Ghosts of California

The state of California is rich in history. From the California Gold Rush, to its theme parks, and of course Hollywood, not to mention beaches and of course San Francisco, there are numerous places for tourists to travel to. Of course, this also means that California has its fair share of haunted locations.

Ghosts of California

Beginning in the northern part of California is the Battery Point Lighthouse located in Crescent City in which items move by themselves and cigar smoke is frequently detected, not to mention voices heard when no one is around.

Donner Pass, the ill fated final destination for the Donner party, is said to have its fair share of ghosts. The members of the Donner party had to endure a brutal winter; they were forced to cannibalize other party members.

Haunted San Francisco

The City by the Bay is a hot spot for paranormal activity. Alcatraz has many interesting ghost stories to be told. This former prison is open for tours. If looking for a luxury hotel to stay in, the Fairmont Hotel is said to have quite a bit of paranormal activity, particularly on the 5th and 6th floors.

Visiting San Francisco wouldn’t be complete without a ghost tour. Try the San Francisco Ghost Tour which brings visitors through Chinatown which is the oldest Chinese community in the United States. The tour is offered on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Winchester Mystery House

One of the most mysterious homes ever to be built is that of the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose. The widow of William Wirt Winchester, whose father invented the Winchester Repeating Rifle, Sarah Winchester was told by a medium that the spirits were angry and that she must build a home and continue to build it non-stop, in order to please the spirits.

There are stairs that lead to nowhere and doors that open up to drops. Building went on round the clock for thirty-eight years, until the death of Sarah Winchester. This strange haunted location offers daily guided tours and is a must for ghost enthusiasts!

Haunted California

Along the coast is Monterey, a city known for its aquarium and Cannery Row. One of its most haunted locations is the Robert Louis Stevenson House. On the inland side and out in the desert is Calico Ghost Town. Located just outside of Barstow, Calico is a real ghost town with its own ghosts.

Southern California is a popular tourist destination due to theme parks such as Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, and Universal Studios. It also has great beaches and is home to the movie capital of the world: Hollywood. However, Hollywood is known for much more than its movies. It’s also quite haunted.

Hollywood Ghosts and Haunted Tours

The ghost of Marilyn Monroe has been claimed to be seen in a mirror at the Roosevelt Hotel. The spirit of escape artist Harry Houdini has been felt at what is left of his estate on Laurel Canyon Boulevard. The Hollywood Forever Cemetery has had numerous reports of sightings of spirits including Rudolph Valentino and Clifton Webb.

Tour companies such as Haunted Hollywood Tours and Dearly Departed offer tours to some of Hollywood’s most notorious and tragic locations, including destinations which are haunted. Although claimed to be haunted, there is no guarantee that any paranormal activity will take place.

Haunted Places to Stay

Located in San Diego is the most haunted house in America. The Haunted Whaley House Tour takes guests through this home where visitors often report paranormal activity. For those who wish to stay in a haunted hotel, the Hotel del Coronado is a good choice.

The Queen Mary not only offers tours, but, guests can stay the night on board in one of the ship’s cabins. Tour companies such as San Diego Ghost Tours can take visitors to some of San Diego’s hottest spots for paranormal activity.

When traveling to California, there’s no shortage of spirited places to visit. The above is only a small sampling of the many haunted locations throughout the state. If traveling with children, check to make sure tours aren’t too frightening or intense and don’t forget the digital camera.