10 haunted homes for your next vacation
Does the approach of Halloween have you in the mood for a ghostly encounter?
If a visit to a standard haunted house attraction with chainsaw-wielding actors just won't cut it this year, you can schedule a spooky getaway at a haunted home rental or bed-and-breakfast. The listing photos look cozy, but you may find your sleep interrupted by an unexpected visitor from the past.
From a cabin compound in the South Carolina woods to a stately manor in the English countryside, rumor has it some previous residents of these homes liked them so much they decided to stick around permanently.
Some of the ghosts don't interact much with visitors, like King Charles I who simply wanders about with his royal entourage. Others want to make their presence known and will move visitors' possessions, close doors, turn off the lights or just stand at the foot of the bed to say hello.
Click ahead (if you dare) to see 10 allegedly haunted houses where you can spend a spooky vacation.
Court House Manor in Painswick, England
Guests at this country house have a chance to cross paths with a king -- even if said royal has been dead for a few hundred years. According to the listing, King Charles I stayed in this home and held court here during the Siege of Gloucester in 1643. He, along with other ghosts dressed in armor, have been spotted on the grounds.
Court House Manor in Painswick, England
The home has 13 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms, and it sleeps up to 26 people. It also has a pool room, great room, dining room, a bar, large family room and jetted tub. Rates start at $2,651 per night.
Blue Moon Cottage in Jerome, Arizona
This cottage's previous owner loved the home so much she couldn't leave. "Marcelena" occupied it for 65 years and stayed after her death. She has been seen sitting in her favorite chair near the window in the master bedroom, according to current owner Leigh Hay-Martin, and moving it when it isn't in the right place. Martin suspects that Marcelena's ghost departed after a recent renovation, but that may be for guests to decide.
Blue Moon Cottage in Jerome, Arizona
The one-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage sleeps two people and costs an average of $185 per night.
Shamrock House in Rocky Bottom, South Carolina
This family compound -- including a main cabin and two smaller cabins -- was built in 1925. It is said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman named Nancy, who committed suicide while in the house in 1927. According to the Shamrock House website, guests have reported hearing a woman crying in the night and phantom footsteps, along with seeing doors open and close and lights turn on and off on their own. Others say they've seen Nancy herself.
Shamrock House in Rocky Bottom, South Carolina
The compound has eight bedrooms, four bathrooms and sleeps up to 21 people. The property has gas grills, picnic tables, a basketball hoop and horseshoe pits. It costs an average of $171 per night.
The Texas White House in Fort Worth, Texas
This house, built in 1910, is now a bed and breakfast. According to the B&B's blog, guests have reported that the original owner, Mr. Newkirk, is still a "happy presence" in his old bedroom. Guests have reported feeling something lifting off the bed or sensing that someone has just walked past them. It's listed on several directories for haunted hotels.
The Texas White House in Fort Worth, Texas
The B&B has six suites with prices ranging from $125 to $300 per night. The stay includes a chef-prepared breakfast.
The Galloway House Inn in Savannah, Georgia
This 1895 mansion may still be home to its original owner. According to its website, guests have reported hearing doors close when no one was there, seeing objects move on their own and seeing a man at the foot of the bed. This man is thought to be the home's original owner, Richard Martin Lester, who committed suicide in it in 1926.
The Galloway House Inn in Savannah, Georgia
The mansion is divided into an owner's apartment and three guest apartments. Current rates start at $99 per night.
Inn on Main Street in Weaverville, North Carolina
Owner Dan Ward told "Smoky Mountain Living" that this charming Victorian was haunted by Dr. Zebulon Vance Robinson, the doctor who built it. He reported hearing paintings falling off a wall, then finding them all in their spots on the wall and hearing a woman's voice when no one was there.
Inn on Main Street in Weaverville, North Carolina
The house has seven guest rooms and rates start at $162 per night.
The Mayhurst Inn in Orange, Virginia
This former plantation house was built in 1859 and was visited by Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. It was also the site of a Confederate Army camp in 1863. Some guests have reported feeling like someone is watching them in the house or have seen the windows of the Madison room open on their own, according to the inn's website.
The Mayhurst Inn in Orange, Virginia
It has eight guest rooms, seven of which have working fireplaces. Rates start at $179 per night.
Captain Grant’s 1754 in Poquetanuck, Connecticut
This home, built by a ship captain in 1754, is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been featured in several ghost-hunting television shows. It's also nestled between two cemeteries, exponentially increasing the likelihood of ghostly activity. Guests have reported meeting a 5-year-old ghost named Deborah Adams or seeing a woman in colonial-style clothing holding the hands of two children.
Captain Grant’s 1754 in Poquetanuck, Connecticut
If you really want to get to know the inn's ghosts, "Ghost Hunting 101" and "Talking with Spirits" classes are available. The house has seven guest rooms with rates starting at $99 per night.
Magnolia Mansion in New Orleans, Louisiana
This stately New Orleans mansion was completed in 1858. According to guest reviews on the mansion's website, the paranormal activity in the house includes ghost orbs, "pleasant humming" in the night and guests' possessions moving around the room.
Magnolia Mansion in New Orleans, Louisiana
The mansion has 15 rooms with rates starting at $129 per night.
Battlefield Bed & Breakfast Inn in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
This farmhouse served as a headquarters for Union Cavalry General Wesley Merritt during the Battle of Gettysburg, and the property's barn was used as a hospital for wounded soldiers. It's possible that a few of these military men never left. While the inn's website doesn't confirm a haunting, it does say there have been reports of strange happenings from guests, and the property was investigated by several paranormal organizations.
Battlefield Bed & Breakfast Inn in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
The property's barn is featured in one of the local ghost tours. Other activities include history programs and battlefield tours. The inn has 12 rooms with rates starting at $125 per night.