Introduction
Ready to chase ghosts while relaxing at historic homesteads? Across the United States certain houses, inns, bed and breakfasts and even farmhouses invite bold guests to test their courage. Each property carries whispered legends and recorded chills.
This article presents eight REAL haunted places for an overnight stay, plus one infamous bonus spot. Visitors have heard phantom footsteps, felt icy drafts, and glimpsed shadowy figures. These are just some experiences at these locations. Book a room, keep your camera ready, and see if the night reveals anything beyond explanation.
Are you ready to spend a night in a haunted house? Here are America’s spookiest sleepovers.
First, Are Haunted Houses Real? Yes, and Here Is Why
Surveys show many Americans accept the supernatural. One national poll found almost half believe ghosts exist. Another revealed that one in five people claim to have seen an apparition. Numbers like these push curious travellers to search for proof.
Professional investigators add weight to those beliefs. Teams have spent nights in famous haunted accommodation with high-grade cameras, audio kits and thermal scanners. Their hard drives now hold shadow photographs, unexplained voices and heat signatures that move without a body. Each file strengthens the case for real hauntings.
Ghost stories also live in local archives. Newspapers from every state record footsteps in empty corridors, cold spots on warm days and rocking chairs that sway unaided. These reports stretch back more than a century.
So, are haunted houses real? The evidence says yes for many who visit them. We recommend booking an overnight stay at the following famous residences and decide for yourself. Pack your bags, let’s travel across America.
Villisca Axe Murder House – Villisca, Iowa
Address: 508 E 2nd St, Villisca, IA 50864
Built in 1868 as a modest farmhouse, this white clapboard home masks a grim past. The unsolved 1912 axe murders of eight occupants still echo through rooms furnished with iron bedsteads, lace curtains and period oil lamps. Visitors tour by daylight, examining imagined blood‑red markings left for storytelling effect.
By lamplight, brave guests spend a night in the haunted Villisca Axe Murder House, expecting hushed childlike giggles and phantom footfalls soon to reward their courage.
Hauntings
At the site of an unsolved 1912 family massacre, overnight guests report spine-chilling phenomena. Many feel sudden waves of dread or anger, and some hear disembodied giggles or screams echoing through the rooms. Around 2:00 a.m. when a train whistle blows in town, witnesses have seen a mysterious fog drift from room to room, seemingly reenacting the night of the murders. Photographs often capture ghostly orbs, and unseen children’s voices answer paranormal investigators’ questions.
Rooms and Features (Overnight Stays)
- The Stillinger Room: This room is located on the first floor and is good for 1 guest.
- Mr. and Mrs. Moore’s Room: A small space close to the attic entrance. Can occupy 2 guests.
- Children’s Room: The room is the biggest and can sleep 3 people. It is located on the 2nd floor next to Mr. and Mrs. Moore’s Room.
- Ghost Tours: Daily tours are held with the option of using ghost hunting equipment.
Villisca Axe Murder House Review
“Had a great time staying overnight. Had the Rempod going off a couple times. The other 2 reasons I traveled the 10 hours (other than the house) was the chance to meet Church (the cat), and the man himself, Johnny. Johnnys knowledge of this houses history is incredible, and he couldn’t have been more of a cooler guy to meet in person. I plan to go back again in the future.”
– Kevin Petroski (Google Review)
Want to book a ghost tour or room?
Brickhouse Inn Bed and Breakfast – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Address: 452 Baltimore St, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Two blocks from Gettysburg National Cemetery, an 1898 brick Victorian pairs with the 1830s stone Welty House to welcome travelers under deep porches and gingerbread trim. Inside, polished pine floors, stained‑glass transoms and marble fireplaces create genteel comfort after battlefield tours. Koi ponds ripple in the back garden while rocking chairs await cider‑sipping guests.
This cherished haunted accommodation sometimes reverberates with distant bugle notes and marching footsteps, quietly adding intrigue without disturbing its warm hospitality.
Hauntings
In Gettysburg’s historic Brickhouse Inn (the 1830s Welty House), Civil War spirits reportedly linger. One guest awoke to a deafening crack and a ghostly voice warning, “Keep your head down, ma’am,” followed by the acrid smell of gunpowder in an empty room. Others have seen a spectral soldier at an upstairs window, known to nod in acknowledgement before vanishing. Overnight stayers have also heard phantom gunshots and glimpsed shadowy figures recreating the chaos of the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg.
Rooms and Features (Overnight Stays)
- Contains 14 rooms: Some of the rooms consist of the Alabama Room, Delaware Room, Georgia Room, Illinois Room, Kentucky Suite and more.
- Tours & Packages: Conveniently book paranormal related tours such as the Civil War Ghosts of Gettysburg Tour, Ultimate Dead of Night Ghost Tour, Boos & Booze Haunted Pub Crawl and more.
- Optional Breakfasts: Have the option to enjoy breakfast at the historical inn.
Brickhouse Inn Bed and Breakfast Review
“Enjoyed our stay at the Brickhouse. Stayed in the Tennessee room which was decorated beautifully. Location was walkable for dining and most sites. The staff was very friendly. Sam greeted us when we arrived and showed us to our room. Melanie served us a delicious breakfast. We also did the ghost hunt that meets in front of the house and that was a fun time”
– Joley (Google Review)
Want to book a ghost tour or room?
Lizzie Borden House – Fall River, Massachusetts
Address: 230 2nd St, Fall River, MA 02721
Built in 1845, this Greek Revival residence sheltered Lizzie Borden’s family until the sensational 1892 axe murders shocked America. Victorian parlours showcase floral wallpaper, polished sideboards and flickering kerosene lamps that transport guests to Gilded Age New England.
The inn now offers a coveted haunted house overnight stay, letting visitors sip tea where detectives once stood before retiring to maple‑framed beds. Sleep in the very same room where the legendary mystery unfolded. Each creak reminds storytellers why the mystery still fascinates historians and paranormal buffs alike.
Hauntings
The site of the notorious 1892 Borden murders is now a bed-and-breakfast buzzing with ghostly activity. Guests claim the spirits of the victims and even phantom children from next door roam the house. The third-floor attic, once the maid’s quarters, is said to be the most active: visitors have heard playful giggles of unseen children and watched toys or marbles roll across the floor, even seeing a rocking chair sway with no one in it.
Rooms and Features (Overnight Stays)
- Lizzie & Emma Suite: Two adjoining second‑floor bedrooms once occupied by the Borden sisters; queen and full beds; shares a bathroom with the murder room.
- Andrew & Abby Suite: Former master suite plus Abby’s sewing room; only guest suite with a private bathroom; queen and full beds.
- John V. Morse Room: Second‑floor chamber where Abby Borden was killed in 1892; full bed; shares bath with the sisters’ suite.
- Bridget Sullivan Room: Third‑floor room once used by the family maid “Maggie”; full bed; shares hallway bath with other attic rooms.
- Andrew Jennings Room: Third‑floor bedroom named for Lizzie’s defence lawyer; full bed; shares hallway bath.
- Hosea Knowlton Room: Third‑floor bedroom honouring the trial prosecutor; full bed; shares hallway bath.
- Optional Breakfasts: Have the option to enjoy breakfast at the historical house.
- Tours & Ghost Hunts: Treat yourself to a tour or cheeky paranormal investigation at the historic Lizzie Borden House.
Lizzie Borden House Review
“We had a great night. The Lizzy room was very active and our ghost meter went off all night. The overnight ghost hunt was awesome. Many ghost balls were activated and had some interesting responses on the ghost box. The guide was knowledgeable and had great ghost equipment.”
– JM (Google Review)
Want to book a ghost tour or room?
Mason House Inn – Keosauqua, Iowa
Address: 21982 Hawk Dr, Bentonsport (near Keosauqua), IA 52565
Built in 1846 by Mormon craftsmen as a steamboat hotel, Mason House Inn overlooks the Des Moines River in Iowa’s oldest county. Walnut staircases, patchwork quilts and wide pine floors celebrate frontier hospitality, while veranda rocking chairs invite stargazing above gentle currents. A former Civil War hospital and Underground Railroad waypoint, it now promises a haunted overnight stay. Where lantern walks share tales of soldiers and freedom seekers, adding gentle thrill to the inn’s calm.
Hauntings
For a ‘friendly’ haunted inn, Mason House doesn’t disappoint. Visitors have seen a lady in a white Victorian gown drifting down the stairs. Some have felt invisible children tugging at their hair or playfully slapping their behinds at night. Guests also tell of a ghostly cat curling up on beds and phantom footsteps in empty halls. Evidence of the many spirits still call this 1840s inn home.
Want to book a haunted room?
Visit Mason House Inn Official Website
Farnsworth House – Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Address: 401 Baltimore St, Gettysburg, PA 17325
Our second Gettysburg location, the Farnsworth House Inn which was built in 1810. It faces Gettysburg’s historic streets with brick walls still peppered by more than one hundred battle bullets. Inside, embroidered wallpaper, canopy beds and oil portraits conjure nineteenth‑century elegance, while the tavern serves hearty fare once enjoyed by weary soldiers.
Rock gently on the candlelit porch as bugle echoes ride twilight breezes, or remain inside for potential overnight paranormal moments that mingle seamlessly with the inn’s warm storytelling and battlefield lore.
Hauntings
With an estimated 16 ghosts roaming its halls, the Civil War era Farnsworth House is a paranormal enthusiast’s dream. Guests often smell phantom cigar smoke and hear disembodied breathing or whispered voices of long-dead soldiers. Shadowy apparitions are frequently spotted in the dim dining room or even sitting at the foot of beds before vanishing. On especially quiet nights, some visitors have even heard a ghostly jaw harp twanging a tune from the empty attic.
Want to book a haunted room?
Visit Farnsworth House Official Website
Parks-Bowman Mansion – New Orleans, Louisiana
Address: 1415 Third St, New Orleans, LA 70130
In the oak‑lined Garden District, the 1884 Parks‑Bowman Mansion dazzles with Queen Anne turrets, stained glass and gingerbread railings. Crystal chandeliers sparkle above a sweeping cypress staircase leading to suites draped in velvet and anchored by claw‑foot tubs.
Daylight invites beignets in the fountain‑cooled courtyard; nightfall can reveal a more spooky involvement. Such graceful encounters enhance this luxurious haunted accommodation without ever compromising New Orleans hospitality or leisurely porch conversations.
Hauntings
Beneath the charm of this Victorian Garden District mansion lies a gentle haunting. The ghost of a little girl from the 19th century is said to wander the halls in a flowing yellow dress. Guests occasionally hear her soft lullabies after dark or wake to see her quietly watching over them, only to blink and find she’s vanished. Thankfully this resident spirit is known to be very shy and harmless.
Want to book a haunted room?
Fainting Goat Island Inn – Nichols, New York
Address: 131 Burke Hill Rd, Nichols, NY 13812
This upstate New York inn, a 1850s railroad hotel, peers over the Susquehanna River with blue clapboards and gingerbread eaves. Inside, themed rooms feature tin ceilings, quilted spreads and curiosities like bellhop trunks, balanced by fridges and streaming Wi‑Fi.
Guests greet the friendly goats grazing outside before gathering around a potbelly stove for board games. A cheerful haunted house sleepover might include two polite spectral tea drinkers quietly joining evening conversation beside the fire. Keep an eye out.
Hauntings
This quirky inn teems with ghostly happenings. Guests have awakened to find two spectral women calmly sipping tea by the bedside. Others catch furniture or items moving on their own, such as a child-sized chair sliding across the floor or a jar of gumballs tipping over with no one nearby. In the dead of night, unseen footsteps echo on a long-gone staircase. Bed Covers are also yanked off sleepers by invisible hands.
Want to book a haunted room?
Visit Fainting Goat Island Inn Official Website
James Fairfield House (Captain Fairfield Inn) – Kennebunkport, Maine
Address: 8 Pleasant St, Kennebunkport, ME 04046
Raised in 1815 by sea captain James Fairfield, this Federal style mansion overlooks Kennebunkport’s harbour through white clapboards and proud pilasters. Nine light‑filled guest rooms pair original pine floors and brick hearths with plush linens, rainfall showers and blueberry scones at breakfast.
Renovated as boutique lodging, it charms travellers seeking coastal elegance. Evenings sometimes bring a friendly phantom captain checking windows, adding gentle suspense to an otherwise restful haunted overnight visit along Maine’s rugged shore.
Hauntings
This Federal-style sea captain’s home harbors a friendly ghost. The spirit of Captain James Fairfield is said to “co-host” the inn, filling the rooms with a warm and welcoming aura. Guests often sense a comforting presence checking in on them, as if the Captain is ensuring everyone is comfortable during their stay. Staff members have even glimpsed his apparition. The kindly captain materialized in a dark basement corner during renovations, before fading into the shadows.
Want to book a haunted room?
Visit James Fairfield House Official Website
BONUS LOCATION: Sallie House – Atchison, Kansas
Address: 508 N 2nd St, Atchison, KS 66002
This modest mid‑nineteenth‑century cottage in Atchison may look ordinary, yet it’s nursery toys and an antique medical bag hint at legends. Visitors book guided tours, then attempt overnight paranormal vigils hoping to meet the restless child spirit called Sallie.
Vintage wallpaper, creaking stairs and a flickering hallway light create suspense, while offerings placed on the floor invite interaction. Guests depart at dawn with tales of cold spots, whispered names and curious scratches on untouched wrists.
Hauntings
Dubbed one of America’s most haunted homes, the Sallie House had to be engraved on our list of haunted overnight stays. It gained infamy in the 1990s when an unseen force terrorized its residents. The male occupant was repeatedly scratched by invisible claws, and even unexplained fires would ignite without cause. To this day, visitors report objects moving by themselves, sudden cold spots, and strange scratches or bruises appearing mysteriously. Even trained dogs refuse to enter the former nursery, hinting at a dark presence within.
Want to book a ghost tour or room?
Visit Sallie House Official Website
Practical Tips for an Overnight Ghost Tour
Planning an overnight ghost tour takes some care. You will want to stay safe and aware. Here are two sections with tips that may help.
Preparing Before You Arrive
- Choose a reliable location: Seek official websites that let you plan a haunted house overnight visit. Read reviews and learn house rules. (All of the links above lead to the official websites of these locations)
- Go with friends: It is safer and more fun when you can compare odd moments.
- Pack basic needs: Bring snacks, water, and warm layers. Old houses can be cold at night.
Research the hauntings: Know the home’s backstory. This helps guide your focus and escalates your experience. - Set realistic goals: Supernatural events are rare. Stay alert but do not expect something on cue.
While on an Overnight Stay, Paranormal Investigation or Ghost Tour
- Respect the property: Keep voices low and do not break anything.
- Listen for clues: Remain still sometimes. Wait for faint knocks or hushed sounds.
- Log each event: Write down times and details. This helps you remember unexplained moments.
- Stay calm: If you feel anxious take slow breaths. Remind yourself this is a choice and it’s highly unlikely you will be hurt by a spirit.
- Follow house rules: Most locations will have rules. They will usually be mentioned at the beginning of your arrival. If there are restricted areas, avoid them. Safety comes first.
- Listen to the guide: Your guide will be knowledgeable. When on your guided ghost tours listen carefully and absorb the information.
- Have fun: This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. You are most likely at a famous haunted place, so enjoy the moment and buzz out!
You may also like: 8 Real Haunted Plantations in Louisiana
Essential Ghost Hunting Equipment To Consider
To spend a night in a haunted house can feel exciting. When you join overnight ghost tour groups or plan your own investigation, it helps to pack a few tools to get some personal evidence. Ghost hunting does not need fancy gear, but you will want some basics. Here are some baseline tools:
- Flashlight: Dark corners may hide hazards. Carry fresh batteries.
- EMF Meter: Some ghost hunters track changes in electromagnetic fields.
- Voice Recorder: Capture possible EVPs (electronic voice phenomena).
- Camera: Photos or videos might reveal orbs or hazy figures.
- Notebook: Write down times, temperature changes, or unusual feelings.
Some travelers bring motion sensors or thermal devices. Others rely on personal senses. No matter which method you prefer, remember that respect and caution come first.
Note: Some locations will provide paranormal equipment. It’s probably best to confirm this before packing your Ecto Trap.
See our more extensive article – The Complete Ghost Hunting Equipment Checklist
Final Thoughts
Haunted accommodations let travellers sleep where history and paranormal activity meet. Many of these haunted places have their own official booking sites or as haunted houses on Airbnb, inviting guests who want a ghost tour and a warm bed in the same trip.
Each stop on this paranormal road trip has its own character. Mason House Inn whispers with riverside floorboard creaks, while Brickhouse Inn carries faint Civil War steps. True‑crime fans favour the Lizzie Borden house; Parks‑Bowman Mansion offers a gentler spirit; Villisca challenges the bravest visitors.
Bring curiosity and respect. Join a guided walk or sit alone with a recorder. Cold drafts, soft taps or drifting shadows might give you the overnight paranormal proof you seek. Whatever happens, the mix of story and mystery keeps guests coming back to these infamous haunted accommodations. Now it’s your turn to spend the night in one.
The post Spend the Night in a Haunted House: 8 Real US Haunted Places appeared first on Haunt Scout.
