As Halloween creeps closer, there’s no better place to be than the South, where a deep reverence for storytelling and eerie swamps and moss-draped trees set the mood for a good scare. We’ve rounded up seven haunted sites that will bring you face to face with some of the region’s most troubled characters and twisted tales.
Climb a haunted lighthouse in St. Augustine, Florida
It should come as no surprise that America’s oldest continuously inhabited, European-founded city comes with some ghostly lore. Hear a few of those stories during the “Dark of the Moon Ghost Experience” at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum. Led by the light of a glow stick (yes, really), a guide leads you through the grounds, which date back to the 16th century, and up to the top of the state’s first lighthouse, said to still be haunted by the ghosts of lightkeepers past.
Hunt for ghosts on a World War II battleship off Wilmington, North Carolina
Unexplained happenings and sightings are regularly reported on board Battleship North Carolina, the most decorated American battleship of World War II, which is now permanently berthed in Wilmington’s harbor. With the help of Haunted Rooms America, which leads ghost hunts of the battleship, you may experience one of those ghostly apparitions or paranormal activities yourself. The tour includes daytime entry to the ship as well as a guided late-night paranormal investigation (equipment included) with exclusive access to restricted areas of the ship.
Get the insider scoop on Charleston’s dark history
It’s no secret that Charleston’s history is complicated, and that’s the highlight of Walk & Talk Charleston’s “Skeletons in the Closet: Charleston’s Ghosts” tour. Expect juicy bits of gossip mixed with historical retellings during this 1.5-hour stroll around Charleston’s Downtown Historic District, which runs year round (so you can get your fill of Southern Gothic stories any time of the year).
Sleep next to ghosts in Savannah, Georgia
Pirates, centuries-old cemeteries, and haunted mansions make Savannah an obvious choice for the title of America’s most haunted city. And while there are an abundance of ghost tours on offer here, why not just make a night of it? Some of Savannah’s scariest spots are its hotels — like The Marshall House, where sightings of ghostly soldiers have been reported on the first floor (the hotel operated as a hospital for Union soldiers during the Civil War). At 17Hundred90 Inn & Restaurant, specific rooms are said to be frequented by friendly spirits — like Anna, who likes to cheekily move guests’ belongings around in room 204.
Photo: Bienville Bites Food Tour
Sip and stroll through Mobile, Alabama’s spookiest sites
Fancy a bit of sustenance with your ghost stories? Bienville Bites Food Tour’s “Bites and Frights” haunted food tour delivers both with a four-hour walking tour of Mobile’s most haunted places, including a former speakeasy built on top of a graveyard. Along the way, you’ll sample dishes and drinks from six downtown restaurants, a lineup that changes every October for an extra dose of mystery. But book fast: this highly rated tour is only offered during the month of October.
Cruise down a haunted bayou in Pearlington, Mississippi
The Mystic Ghost Rides Company’s Haunted Bayou Cruise takes guests through the winding bayous of the Mississippi Sound. During this hour-long ride, a guide will recount the history of the Pearl River and the curses and creatures that haunt it. Families, fear not — tours are suitably scary for children age nine and up (and end with optional hot chocolate and s’mores back at camp).