There have been scary reports of a lonely young woman’s ghost, a headless friar, and many prehistoric ghosts in these haunted places in California. Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, these 7 scary places are sure to give you a thrill. Here are a few houses, hotels, ocean ships, and other places that people say are haunted. They are listed from north to south.
Fort Humboldt State Historic Park, Eureka
This old fort is in a remote part of Humboldt County. It looks out over a rough bluff in Humboldt Bay. The real draw, though, is the ghost of a general who died of malaria in 1897 and now stares out hospital windows as hikers walk past.
Preston Castle, Ione
The scary-looking front of the castle looks like it came straight out of a horror movie. The building was once a reform school for bad kids and kids who were left on their own. It has a dark past that includes corporal punishment, toxic dunking baths, and the murder of a maid. The Amador County castle is open for tours all year, but in October, it becomes a real spooky house.
Bodie State Historic Park, Bodie
Bodie is a ghost town from the time of the Gold Rush. It is on 500 acres in Mono County, about 75 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe. Both the ghosts of prospectors and more than 100 structures are still there. While it is possible to find dishware shards and nails on the streets, anyone who brings a souvenir home runs the risk of being cursed by the ghost of Bodie.
Moaning Cavern, Vallecito
This natural wonder in Calaveras County was named for the wailing sound air used to make as it went through the cave before it got bigger. It is also where some of the oldest human remains in America have been found. Bones that are up to 12,000 years old have been found here, and many people think that the tunnel is where strange things happened in the past.
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Los Angeles
If you stay at this swanky hotel, you might get a glimpse of one of the most beautiful ghosts ever. People say that Marilyn Monroe still walks through the halls. Strange trumpet music has also been heard by guests, which is thought to be the ghost of Montgomery Clift, who liked to practice in room 928.
The Queen Mary, Long Beach
Once known as the “Grey Ghost,” the Queen Mary gives people the creeps with screams from a headless sailor in the boiler room and visions of a lady in white walking the halls.
People can choose from a few different ghost tours or book a stay in Stateroom B340 to get spooked all night long. Note: Tours and stays on the Queen Mary have been canceled until at least 2022, but you can still see the huge ship from Long Beach’s Shoreline Village.
Hotel del Coronado, San Diego
In 1892, Kate Morgan, who was 24 years old, checked into this posh waterfront resort by herself and then killed herself on the hotel’s stairs. Many guests have felt strange breezes, seen lights blink, and heard footsteps that they think are caused by the young woman’s unease.