Explore New York’s Many Haunted Destinations This Fall

Family travelers looking for haunted attractions such as ghost-filled inns, crumbling castles, haunted cemeteries and abandoned asylums should head to New York State this fall. New York is home to one of the largest collections of haunted sites in the country, and the state compiled its own Haunted History Trail, featuring more than 90 haunted locations across the entire state. Paranormal fans may even recognize some of the haunts from popular shows like Ghost Hunters and Paranormal State.

Hudson Valley

Looking for the most haunted region in New York? Head to Hudson Valley. A can’t-miss includes Sleepy Hollow, where Washington Irving’s Headless Horseman still wanders. Fall is a popular time to visit thanks to Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Attractions, as well as year-round cemetery lantern tours around Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown. Cemetery walks highlight the architecture; symbolic carvings; and final resting places of popular figures such as Andrew Carnegie, William Rockefeller and Irving. Over in Beacon, check out Bannerman Castle for twilight tours and Halloween weekends on Pollepel Island. Families can also take a scenic boat ride along the Hudson River to the islands to enjoy theatrical performances, storytelling events and candlelit tours that help bring the castle’s history and haunts to life. Visitors looking to make a weekend out of it can stay at King House Mansion at Tarrytown House Estate. This property is known for its paranormal activities, mainly on the third floor. The Borland House Bed & Breakfast in Montgomery also offers a haunting stay. The property was built in the 1780s and is said to house some friendly spirits.

Capital-Saratoga

With its Revolutionary history and Victorian architecture, Capital-Saratoga has a lot of storied sites in historic towns such as Albany and Saratoga Springs. In Albany, visit Albany Rural Cemetery for its shadowed mausoleums, spooky trails and legends of the grave site of President Chester Alan Arthur. There, you can also hear ghost stories of a weeping woman in white and hollow figures along the creek. Take a ride on the supernatural site in Saratoga with Haunted Saratoga Ghost Tours, which takes you through the city’s most haunted areas. On the tour, guests hear chilling tales of the Ghosts of The Canfield Casino, visit the Devil’s Chair in Congress Park and discover the spirits that might haunt the Arcade Building. Take haunts to the next level and head to dinner at Olde Bryan Inn, a Revolutionary-era tavern, where a woman in a green dress can be seen on the stairs or crying in the bathroom. Spend the night at Historic Hotel Broadalbin, a boutique property with a spooky past. The hotel is located in an old glove factory from the 1800s, which later became a controversial alcohol rehabilitation factory with a twisted past. Now, guests staying at the hotel claim to have seen shadowy figures in windows and feel phantom touches at night. Over in Saratoga Springs, The Adelphi Hotel offers a more relaxed paranormal experience.

Finger Lakes

While the Finger Lakes region is known for its lakeside charm and wineries, the area still has an eerie past. Miles Wine Cellars in Himrod blends winery fun with ghostly haunts. Guests have reported hearing phantom footsteps and slamming doors with no one around, and seeing a mist appearing throughout the historic mansion. In Newark, Fox Sisters Property is the birthplace of Modern Spiritualism. There, two girls claimed to have communications with a spirit through mysterious knocks in their family home. Today, visitors can check out Hydesville Memorial Park, where the original house stood, to see if they can hear those same unexplainable taps echoing in the area. Geneva is home to Belhurst Castle, one of the region’s most spooky experiences with overnight stays and self-guided tours. Wander the halls and antique-filled rooms, and keep an eye out for Isabella, the veiled opera singer; faucets turning on by itself; flying bottles; and a haunted caretaker roaming the stairs. The Naples Hotel also offers a paranormal stay mixed with historic charm, where guests might catch a glimpse of a man hanging around the third floor or a woman named Alice with her two children.