JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Full disclosure: Some of the stories beneath are not for the faint of heart.
Without further ado, present are the 20 creepiest places you tin find successful Florida.
(We’ll commencement by providing a map, truthful you tin get a unsmooth thought of wherever each determination tin beryllium recovered successful the state, and past you tin work astir wherefore each spot is supposedly truthful haunted oregon creepy). Be definite to measurement successful astatine the bottommost and archer america which tract you’d astir similar to visit.
Feeling brave? These are the astir haunted places successful St. Augustine
1.) Castillo de San Marcos (St. Augustine)
If we’re talking haunted oregon creepy destinations successful Florida, of course, St. Augustine is going to apical astir lists.
Let’s speech astir Castillo de San Marcos, a erstwhile subject fortress that’s infamous for immoderate of its battles. Some accidental the spirits of Spanish soldiers inactive support the 17th period fort. Others accidental a airy shines from a fixture successful 1 of the watchtowers that has nary energy moving to it. The spooky accounts besides see 1 Spanish worker successful peculiar who stands astatine the borderline of the fort, looking retired to oversea conscionable erstwhile the prima is astir to emergence oregon set. And past there’s the dungeon, wherever galore radical person reported the feeling of acold hands touching them. Others accidental they conscionable felt acold successful wide portion walking through, according to a website called ghostsandgraves.com. Visitors to the fort accidental they’ve changeable videos and photos of glowing orbs, misty shapes and adjacent immoderate shapes resembling bodies. Enthusiasts of the paranormal and supernatural decidedly flock to Castillo de San Marcos for a fig of reasons -- each of which volition marque your tegument crawl.
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2.) Flagler College (St. Augustine)
Phew -- there’s a batch going connected astatine Flagler College (if you judge successful this benignant of thing, of course).
For starters, Ponce de Leon Hall is supposedly location to 3 spirits: Henry Flagler; Flagler's 2nd wife, Ida Alicia; and Flagler's mistress, who is lone described arsenic "a pistillate successful black." And for reference, the archetypal Ponce de Leon Hotel, known present arsenic Ponce de Leon Hall, is the centerpiece of Flagler College. Here's what hauntedhouses.com says, successful a nutshell: Henry Flagler loved his hotel. He died successful January 1913 successful Palm Beach aft falling wrong his home. Flagler's assemblage was laid successful authorities astatine the hotel's rotunda. When it came clip for him to beryllium carried out, each the doors slammed shut. Although his assemblage was buried astatine a adjacent mausoleum, galore judge Flagler's tone remained astatine Ponce de Leon. Another mentation of this communicative claims that Flagler was trapped successful the rotunda. It's not uncommon for edifice owners oregon founders to "stay" oregon sojourn their cherished properties, possibly to support an oculus connected things. So possibly it each makes sense. As for Ida Alicia, radical accidental she whitethorn person been manic, oregon that she perchance struggled with bipolar disorder. "(Sometimes), radical with (mental wellness problems) sometimes person a hard clip letting spell of this world and passing done the airy to the different side," hauntedhouses.com says.
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And finally, according to folklore, Flagler was having an matter with a pistillate who often stayed astatine the hotel. She ever wore black. When Ida Alicia came to enactment astatine the property, Flagler kept the pistillate wearing achromatic acold distant from his wife, and didn't let her to permission a definite acceptable of rooms, arsenic the communicative goes. It's been said that she went brainsick and hung herself. Now, remember: This is conscionable a tiny snippet of 1 gathering astatine Flagler College. So who knows? The haunted stories tin lone grow from here.
3.) The Florida Theatre (Jacksonville)
The Florida Theatre, built successful 1926 and opening its doors successful 1927, was constructed connected the erstwhile tract of an aged and unorganized constabulary station, which serves arsenic the ground for galore of the haunted stories that situation the theater. A manager erstwhile said she heard a unusual and unexplained humming sound. Other employees person reported spotting weird-looking shadows successful the balcony, oregon unusual lights successful their photos. Legend has it that a dormant question representation technician from the venue’s aboriginal days mightiness inactive beryllium haunting the place. The theatre has hosted astatine slightest 1 paranormal tour, and its creepy origin has been featured connected a Jacksonville-area tv show, arsenic well.
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4.) Miami Biltmore Hotel (Coral Gables)
This edifice was perfectly popping during the Prohibition era. Without a doubt, it was the spot to be. But then, 2 large events took place: Thomas “Fatty” Walsh -- of people he’s a gangster, cheque retired that sanction -- was killed here. And then, successful the aboriginal 1940s, for World War II, the edifice was temporarily repurposed into a subject hospital. That’s erstwhile the haunted stories started coming in.
Among those supposedly haunting the associated are: veterans who died successful the gathering during its infirmary years, a parent who fell to her decease arsenic she tried to prevention her 3-year-old lad who had climbed up connected a balcony of the high-rise operation suite, a joined pistillate caught successful furniture with a lover, and gangsters from the 1920s and ‘30s. Still, the luxury edifice is successful concern adjacent today. It’s a luxury, five-star edifice located conscionable extracurricular Miami successful Coral Gables. Would you enactment there?
5.) Key West Cemetery
This, my friends, is simply a genuinely historical cemetery. The website ghostsandgravestones.com says that much than 100,000 radical person been buried present -- (!!!) and that galore are inactive lingering betwixt beingness and death. So instrumentality that for what it’s worth. Apparently determination are immoderate beauteous comic and atypical headstones, for example, 1 reading: “I told you I was sick."
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”But beryllium alert arsenic you rotation amongst the graves," the website warns. “You whitethorn conscionable tally into the tone of the well-known Bahamian pistillate who sees herself arsenic the guardian of the graveyard. She’ll lone attack you if she feels you’re being disrespectful to the gravestones, truthful marque definite if you consciousness similar sitting down, you beryllium connected a bench, not a grave. Visitors person reported this stern shade approaching them with an aggravated look upon her look and past disappearing. Other eerie encounters see disembodied voices, shadows and unusual orbs of light. Check the photos of your visit, excessively -- galore guests to the Key West Cemetery study assorted mysterious lights, shadows and figures.”
Well, don’t accidental we didn’t pass you.
6.) Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse (St. Augustine)
“Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse” is right: This is reportedly the oldest schoolhouse successful the nation. It’s said to person been built successful the aboriginal 1700s.
A antheral named Juan Genoply lived there, and helium was passionate astir educating children successful the area. He and his household stayed upstairs portion the schoolhouse was connected the building’s little level, arsenic the communicative goes. The household enactment truthful overmuch enactment into the schoolhouse that possibly they ne'er wanted to leave. Some visitors person said determination appears to beryllium a moving airy that looks similar a candle successful a second-story country -- contempt the information that the gathering is closed astatine nighttime and nary 1 has lived determination successful years. Local constabulary person adjacent been called (well, reportedly), but they can’t explicate the unusual occurrences, either. Others accidental they tin perceive the faint giggles of children astatine the schoolhouse; particularly adjacent the country wherever kids utilized to play. The bully quality is, each the spirits look to beryllium friendly, according to published reports.
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7.) I-4 Dead Zone
This communicative is simply a spot tricky to explain. Roadtrippers.com does a beauteous bully job, but basically, determination has been immoderate “weirdness,” if you will, reported on a agelong of Interstate 4: Think rumors and legends involving pioneer ghosts; ghostly voices, and allegedly, cellphones and vigor stations going dead. This could adjacent beryllium 1 of the astir haunted highways successful America. A batch of the enactment seems to beryllium centered betwixt Orlando and Daytona. Read more.
8.) Ashley’s Restaurant (Rockledge)
Here's the communicative connected Ashley's Restaurant: Ethel Allen was 19 erstwhile she was killed, backmost successful 1934. A section to the area, Allen was recovered connected the shores of the adjacent Indian River, according to the restaurant website. She was a regular astatine Jack's Tavern -- and this was besides the past spot she was spotted alive. (Ashley's Restaurant was primitively named Jack's Tavern). A psychic who has investigated paranormal enactment astatine the eatery claims to person had a imaginativeness of Allen's execution taking spot wrong Jack's Tavern. Many radical assertion Allen is inactive haunting the concern to this day. A manager astatine Ashley's says she erstwhile saw the feet of a pistillate dressed successful 1930s footwear successful the stall adjacent to her -- lone to larn the stall was empty. Visitors to the edifice besides person reported seeing ghosts resembling a young pistillate successful the women's country mirror. Additionally, lights person been seen going connected and off, immoderate radical accidental they felt similar they were pushed portion going up oregon down the stairs, and burglar alarms person adjacent gone disconnected inexplicably. The legends vary, but the edifice remains unfastened … so, you could besides conscionable travel cheque it retired for yourself.
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9.) The Don CeSar (St. Pete Beach)
In the lobby astatine the Don CeSar, you’ll privation to support an oculus retired for the shade who looks similar a smiling man. (So that’s not creepy oregon anything. Nope, not astatine all). Anyway, that’s supposedly the hotel’s erstwhile owner, Thomas Rowe, who died successful 1940. Much similar Henry Flagler -- spot No. 2 connected this database -- Rowe supposedly wanted to bent retired and support an oculus connected the place. He present walks the grounds with his concealed lover, a pistillate named Lucinda. But they vanish erstwhile spotted. The beachfront and the edifice entranceway are the 2 astir progressive paranormal hotspots.
10.) Cassadaga (Volusia County)
Cassadaga, a edifice and sanctuary constructed successful 1927, is present much of a spiritualist community, according to the site hauntedtravelsusa.com. But it’s mostly considered 1 of the much haunted places successful Florida, owed to “visitors” specified arsenic Arthur.
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Arthur resided successful in country 22 of the edifice successful the 1930s. He would often enactment a seat astatine the extremity of 1 peculiar hallway and look retired the window, portion enjoying a cigar and a solid of gin. He kept this up until his death, but galore radical accidental Arthur’s tone remains. Some adjacent inactive assertion to odor gin and cigars, oregon consciousness immoderate benignant of presence. Flickering lights, tapping sensations and different paranormal bits of enactment person besides been reported astatine the Cassadaga Hotel.
The ghosts look to beryllium playful and welcoming, reports say.
11.) May-Stringer House (Brooksville)
Here’s the woody with this house, according to hauntedtravelsusa.com: John L. May bought the spot successful 1855 and lived determination with his woman and the couple’s 2 daughters. May died of tuberculosis 3 years later. His wife, Marena, stayed successful the location and yet joined a warfare leader named Frank Saxon. But past she died successful childbirth arsenic she was delivering her and Saxon’s daughter, Jessie Mae, who survived. This brings america to 1869. Jessie died astatine the property of 3, of chartless causes. She and her parent were buried connected the home’s grounds, on with John May and an babe lad of Saxon and Marena.
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Saxon sold the location aft Marena’s death, and it yet became owned by Dr. Sheldon Stringer. He added 10 rooms to the house, which antecedently had four, and past started sharing the property with his aesculapian practice. He was known for helping radical who had smallpox and yellowish fever. Perhaps the location is haunted by Jessie Mae oregon immoderate of Stringer’s patients. Staffers astatine the location person reported proceeding and feeling immoderate unusual stuff, including footsteps, voices, acold spots and eerie shadows. These events persist adjacent today, the aforementioned website said. “Sounds of a wailing child” are astir commonly reported.
12.) Bellamy Bridge (Marianna)
So there’s the Bellamy Bridge and the Bellamy Bridge Heritage Trail. Both are progressive successful immoderate legendary shade stories. (For reference, the way is simply a half-mile agelong and it offers entree to the bridge). To leap to the juicy stuff, Elizabeth Jane Bellamy is considered the authoritative Ghost of the Bellamy Bridge, according to the bridge’s website. You tin spell connected a shade locomotion to larn much astir her story. The walks are guided and offered aft dark. You’ll apt perceive astir an aboriginal 19th period moonshiner’s execution and the communicative of a wagon led by a headless driver. Learn more.
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13.) Arcadia Opera House (Arcadia)
The Arcadia Opera House is decidedly connected shade hunters' radars: A paranormal squad from Bravo TV has adjacent stopped by to investigate, according to published reports. The two-story, 9,000-square-foot gathering was constructed aft a 1905 occurrence destroyed astir of Arcadia’s downtown. Now, the opera location is champion known arsenic a depository and antique shop. It’s been utilized passim the years for governmental events, soundless movies, graduations, dances and adjacent a USO cognition during World War II. So, harmless to say: There’s a batch of past there.
Among immoderate of the “haunted” rumors: Ghosts that are liable for sounds of laughter and children’s footsteps; an incidental involving a kid who was heard walking into a country and a tone being felt (but nary surviving kid was ever confirmed); the apparition of a young miss crying; a shade spotted successful the hallway of the auditorium, conscionable near of the stage; and a miss seen successful the second-floor country window. A batch of specifics aren’t known, which possibly marque the shade reports adjacent much eerie. What would marque each these souls (allegedly) haunt the opera house?
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14.) Sunland Mental Hospital (Tallahassee)
Ghost hunters accidental they've seen each sorts of paranormal enactment astatine Sunland, which closed successful 1983. The gathering was rather the eyesore successful Tallahassee for years, that is, until it was demolished successful 2006, according to published accounts. While it was open, the halfway lacked capable backing and it dealt with overcrowding. Conditions, successful a word, were bad. So possibly it's erstwhile patients who are present haunting the location? There's nary motion of Sunland anymore connected Phillips Road, wherever the gathering utilized to sit. According to hauntedplaces.org, relics from the aged infirmary were collected for the Sunland Asylum helping astatine the Terror of Tallahassee, which is simply a section haunted attraction.
15.) Ybor City (historic vicinity successful Tampa)
The website yborghosttour.com mentions illicit lovers sealed successful the basement of the Orpheum Theatre, a scary communicative involving Jose Luis Avellana Jr., who allegedly haunts the basement astatine the Don Vincente Inn (along with his disembodied nurse), a long-deceased shopkeeper who inactive visits his bureau successful King Corona, and an 8-year-old lad who drowned successful the Cuban Club excavation and ne'er left.
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Intrigued yet? Ybor City is simply a historical vicinity successful Tampa, successful lawsuit you’re unfamiliar.
16.) Sugar Mill Ruins (New Smyrna Beach)
The radical of the Seminole people inactive tally done the woods present -- often successful the aboriginal greeting hours, hence, the Sugar Mill Ruins' designation arsenic a alleged “creepy” destination successful Florida.
As the stories go, “shadow people” besides look adjacent sunset. The ruins were built astir 1830, reportedly connected the tract of a chapel built by Christopher Columbus, according to hauntedplaces.org. The comments conception connected the Haunted Places tract lists a fewer questionably “haunted” instances.
For example: “I took a representation with my integer camera astatine these ruins backmost successful 2014, and portion l (was) looking astatine each (our) pictures successful August 2015, I noticed 2 figures successful what look similar purple robes. They are transparent and it besides appears arsenic if 1 of the figures is holding a babe -- and you tin intelligibly spot the baby’s face.”
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Eeeek. Would you visit?
17.) Lake Okeechobee (Clewiston)
Lake Okeechobee conscionable mightiness beryllium haunted, arsenic municipality fable has it. In the aboriginal 1900s, betwixt Kreamer and Observation islands connected the southern-most portion of the lake, immoderate fishermen came crossed a full clump of skeletons, conscionable lying successful the water, according to the website exemplore.com. The skeletal remains evidently are not inactive retired determination today, but the stories person dispersed astir the fishermen “catching skulls” retired connected the mysterious lake.
Some paranormal stories situation the water towns that borderline Okeechobee, arsenic well. Also, a monolithic and deadly hurricane that deed successful 1928 impacted astatine slightest 1 ample country adjacent the lake. So possibly these tales should travel arsenic nary surprise, seeing arsenic wherever determination has been a batch of decease and destruction, the haunted stories usually follow.
18.) Vinoy Renaissance Resort (St. Petersburg)
Apparently, MLB players are predominant guests here, based connected the hotel’s proximity to Tampa Bay, from erstwhile teams are successful municipality to play the Rays. A Florida Marlins alleviation pitcher reportedly had an brushwood with immoderate paranormal activity, arsenic did a spot and pitching coordinator for the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to the tract haunted-places-to-go.com. And though an jock with the Toronto Blue Jays didn’t spot it himself, his woman and children reportedly witnessed the h2o successful their country turning connected and disconnected and the toilet flushing continuously. (That’s astir apt capable to marque you cheque out).
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The fashionable amusement “Ghost Hunters” visited the spot and noted respective unexplained events, arsenic well: For example, a closet doorway was opened by a falling ironing committee -- and Jason Hawes heard 2 voices portion resting successful his room. The voices weren’t threatening, but these were capable to springiness the squad immoderate superior pause.
What bash you think?
19.) Brewster, Florida
The metropolis of Brewster doesn't truthful overmuch look to beryllium haunted -- it's just, well, a small creepy. And that's not an insult. Most abandoned cities are benignant of eerie, aren't they? Brewster was founded successful 1910 to accommodate workers astatine a adjacent phosphate mine, according to AbandonedFL.com. The metropolis had everything a household mightiness need: schools, a movie theater, a station bureau and immoderate benignant of aesculapian facility. But successful the 1960s, the institution planned to adjacent the town. It was unopen down by 1962, and the shops and galore buildings were demolished. A chemic works reportedly remained. And present the country sits astir empty. Is it a existent shade town? You archer us.
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20.) Orange County Regional History Center (Orlando)
This tract was erstwhile the Orange County Courthouse. It's infamous for being the spot wherever Ted Bundy was tried for the decease of Kimberly Leach successful 1980. Bundy's sanction is adjacent allegedly carved into a array -- though who knows whether it was Bundy who's liable for the carving itself, said hauntedplaces.org.
"Weird things hap successful the building," the tract reads. "Objects determination and levitate and immoderate blasted Bundy's ghost. Others spot ghostly lawyers, waiting for trials that finished decades ago."
Shudder.
And earlier you task out: Just support successful caput that with the coronavirus pandemic raging on, immoderate of these places mightiness person antithetic hours, rules oregon circumstances successful spot -- truthful it mightiness beryllium worthy the effort to bash immoderate digging connected societal media, truthful you’ll cognize what to expect.