9 of the Spookiest Cities in the US

New Orleans is known for its wild Mardi Gras celebrations, Gallic architecture, and tasty Creole and Cajun culinary traditions. But that's not all: The Big Easy is also famous for its dark side, and its abundance of beautiful above-ground cemeteries and allegedly haunted spots make it one of the best places in America for a ghost tour. Many tours visit the famously gruesome LaLaurie Mansion, and some add in a bit of the city's voodoo and vampire lore into the mix for good measure.

Savannah’s charming Historic District has been drawing in travelers for generations, but its most recent popularity boost came from the success of the best-selling book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and its film adaptation. While many people come to Savannah to see shooting locations, the southern city has a dark secret that makes it particularly appealing to ghost hunters: It’s incredibly haunted.

Savannah ghost tours run the gamut from traditional tours that visit haunted spots such as the Bonaventure Cemetery to lighthearted ghost-themed pub crawls that put a ghoulish spin on a night out on the town.

Did you know?: Savannah is widely considered “the most haunted city” in the US, due to its history during the Civil War, numerous epidemics, and its role in the slave trade.

Charleston has all of the trappings of a quintessential southern town, down to its cobblestoned streets and its colorful row houses. However, it’s not all rainbows in this pretty city, and there are plenty of tales of hauntings and ghastly events that are almost as old as the city itself. Popular spots include the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon and the Powder Magazine, which is allegedly haunted by the ghost of a pirate woman. Visit on your own (if you dare), or play it a little safer on a ghost tour.

Perhaps the best-known creepy city in America, Salem is nearly synonymous with the 1692 witch trials that resulted in some pretty gruesome accusations—and executions. Salem today certainly doesn’t shy away from its infamous past, and many of its top attractions—including the Salem Witch Museum and the Salem Witch Trials Memorial—highlight this dark period in history. Several ghost tours and historical tours also focus heavily on the notorious era. The Salem Satanic Walking Tour is a particularly fantastic option, and is led by a satanist historian who takes a serious, but lighthearted approach to storytelling.

Like most older US cities, Baltimore has its fair share of ghoulish lore that you can learn about on ghost tours. However, what really makes this city a great spot for a bit of spooky fun is the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, where the author of The Raven once lived (bonus: his gravesite is a few minutes’ walk away). While you’re in town, stop by the American Visionary Art Museum, home to a fabulous collection of works by artist Edward Gorey, known for his endearingly morbid illustrated books.

You don't need to believe in the supernatural to agree that Centralia, Pennsylvania, is a frightful place to be. Once a thriving mining community, this town has been nearly abandoned—it had only five residents at the 2020 census—thanks to a subterranean fire that has burned just below the city's surface since 1962. Toxic smoke and steam occasionally rise up from Centralia’s vents to this day. While it’s not the best place for a relaxing vacation, Centralia is certainly an interesting place to visit, with abandoned roads and a cemetery worth checking out.

Did you know?: Experts estimate the fire will continue to burn for more 200 years.

While many of the best haunted places in the US are found in the eastern parts of the country, you’ll find plenty of eerie spots out west, too. Denver has a particular reputation for paranormal activity, from the Molly Brown House—allegedly haunted by Titanic survivor Molly Brown and her husband—to Cheeseman Park, which was built atop an old cemetery. In fact, you can get a taste of this city's spooky energy from the moment you touch down, as the Denver International Airport is purported to be haunted.

Roughly 65 miles (104 kilometers) from Denver, Estes Park makes for a great day trip, as it’s home to the Stanley Hotel, which inspired the Overlook Hotel in Stephen King's The Shining.

While many people come to Portland, Oregon to check out its restaurant scene, this unabashedly quirky city is also a great place for seekers of the supernatural. Here you’ll find eerie pioneer cemeteries and haunted pubs, plus a subterranean network of “Shanghai Tunnels.” According to local legend, these tunnels—which stretch under part of Portland’s Old Town—were allegedly used for an elaborate kidnapping scheme that involved capturing young, drunkenly passed-out men from local bars and smuggling them onto ships where they’d be forced to work.

Did you know?: The tunnels were also used during Prohibition, when bootleggers would hide their stash deep within the subterranean network.

San Francisco is full of spooky spots. Alcatraz Island—a former high-security prison island in the San Francisco Bay—is among the city’s best-known haunted destinations, with numerous accounts of ghostly experiences and general bad vibes coming from everyone from tourists to climate researchers. However, the notorious isle isn’t the only creepy spot in the Bay Area, and there are plenty of ghost tours that showcase lesser-known haunted hot spots that most visitors don’t know about.