7 Haunted Places Where You Can Have a Supernatural Encounter

Describing a city as a ghost town usually isn’t a good thing. But if you love the supernatural, a ghost town’s a great starting point for a vacation. Whether you’re into real-life haunted houses, UFO sightings or just the unexplainable, these are the haunted places to visit for a close encounter of the strangest kind. Even if you don’t witness a mysterious incident first-hand, you’ll at least come home with a good story.

Denver is no stranger to unidentified flying objects; declassified Air Force documents show a slew of reports of strange sightings in the Mile High City from the 1940s through the 1960s, and there were reports of a UFO flying over the Winter Park Ski Area as recently as 2017. Want to see one for yourself? Mysterious lights and flying objects are frequently spotted in downtown Denver, particularly in the North Capitol Hill neighborhood. When you go, stop at The Fainting Goat Pub—you can keep an eye on the sky while you relax with a pint on its rooftop patio.

With a past that includes a massive fire, the Civil War and a yellow fever epidemic, Savannah has experienced its fair share of tragedy. Perhaps that’s why Savannah is said to be one of the most haunted places in the U.S., drawing ghost enthusiasts to destinations like Bonaventure Cemetery and the Olde Pink House Restaurant and Tavern. The Owens-Thomas House, cared for by the Telfair Museum, should also be on every ghost-seeker’s must-see list. One of the ghosts spotted most often here is a man with black hair, wearing clothes from the early 1800s, who likes to stand in the front parlor room.

There are so many ghosts in Pittsburgh that the city might need to adjust its population estimates. Even cultural institutions like the Pittsburgh Playhouse have their share of spirits. Whether you’re there to catch a show or hoping to witness a supernatural encounter, be on the lookout for resident ghosts such as The Lady in White (supposedly the ghost of a bride who killed her groom and his lover and then took her own life) and the Bouncing Red Meanie (a ghost dressed entirely in red), and listen for the crying of Weeping Eleanor, who died in a fire in one of the rowhouses where part of the Playhouse now stands.

Surprisingly, New Mexico doesn’t lead the country in UFO sightings. That honor is California’s. Though there have been reports of sightings in nearly every county in the state, Los Angeles is the hotbed of the unexplainable—even if you don’t count celebrity gossip. More than 3,200 UFO sightings were reported in Los Angeles County between 2001 and 2015. You have the best odds of spotting one in Hollydale Park, reportedly one of the nation’s biggest UFO hotspots.

More than a few unexplainable things have happened in this famously weird city. Some Austin residents reported a formation of UFOs over the city in January, but most of the otherworldly occurrences here trend toward the ghostly encounter. Even harmless spots aren’t immune to having a haunting tale or two. Take the Austin Pizza Garden, which is presumed to be home to a playful poltergeist. Workers and visitors have reported hearing eerie footsteps, spotting flying silverware or seeing doors open and close on their own.

One of the most famous UFO sightings ever occurred in Washington, D.C. in 1952, when a mysterious flying object was picked up on the radars of Andrews Air Force Base and the Washington National Airport. Since 2006, 234 sightings have been reported here, including reports of UFOs flying over the Capitol and near the White House. There have also been a number of strange sightings reported in the Logan Circle neighborhood, so be sure to look up in the sky when you’re sampling one of the more than 500 craft brews offered at ChurchKey.

While most New Mexico visitors travel to Roswell for a chance to spot flying objects, Albuquerque has had its fair share of sightings, too. UFO spotters frequently report sightings of mysterious flying objects around the Sandia Mountains. And if you're traveling here, be sure to pass by Kirtland Air Force Base. It's the site of an alleged UFO landing in 1980. After all, the aliens might come back.

Ready to search for the supernatural? Find hotels in Denver, Savannah, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Austin, Washington, D.C., Albuquerque.

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