Are you looking for places to explore paranormal activity in California?
We’ve got you covered with 7 spooky locations that are bound to make even the bravest paranormal explorers a little uneasy.
8 Spooky Places to Explore Paranormal Activity in California
1. The Palace Hotel, San Francisco
The Palace Hotel in San Francisco is one of the most haunted establishments in all of California.
If you dare to stay the night, watch out for the mysterious Lady in Red who is always looking to strike fear in the hearts of lonely travelers, then.
However, if spiritual jokesters are more your speed, an encounter with the hotel bar’s resident poltergeist will not disappoint even the most experienced paranormal explorers.
2. Prospector’s Road, Sacramento
Located between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, Prospector’s Road bears the memories of riches, jealousy, and lawlessness of the Old West.
Legend has it, local miners used this stretch of the highway to pray upon one another in the 19th century.
One prospecting spirit has been known to loudly tell visitors to “get off my claim”.
These days, hikers have a habit of vanishing from a particular 7-mile stretch near Sacramento. Explore it at your own risk!
3. Black Star Canyon Hike, Orange County
Undoubtedly, this hike is one of the most haunted (and the most challenging) ones in all of California.
The Black Star trail leads to the site of an old Indian village where a brutal massacre occurred in 1831.
The trail has since been plagued by other horrific crimes, from rape to cold-blooded murder.
Generally, visitors report seeing hooded figures and movement in the trees.
In fact, a particular spirit commonly referred to as “the Miner,” tends to show up near an old mine shaft at the mouth of the canyon.
4. The Sir Francis Drake Hotel, San Francisco
“I was so scared, I didn’t sleep for the three nights I was there,” says one review of the Sir Francis hotel.
If the Palace Hotel is booked, those of you looking for a paranormal activity should definitely give the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco a try.
From grim suicides to crimes of passion, the hotel’s history is as bloody as it is haunted.
5. Murphy Ranch, Santa Monica
The creepy staircases and abandoned buildings of the Murphy Ranch reek of evil.
In the 1930s, Nazi sympathizers tried to build an Aryan utopia here.
Several local children went missing during the construction. Care to speculate why?
Their expressionless, red-eyed ghosts can be seen wandering the premises to this day.
6. The Old Zoo Trail, Los Angeles
The Old Zoo Trail in Griffith Park is a popular spot for hikers and paranormal enthusiasts alike.
However, watch out for the ghost of Dona Petronilla who allegedly cursed the whole chunk of land surrounding Griffith Park.
And, if you see a man on horseback? Run for your life – and don’t look back.
7. Tessie Wall’s Brothel, San Francisco
The site of Tessie Wall’s notorious brothel holds many dark secrets.
Some say her ghost still wanders the premises looking to lure unfaithful men away from their wives.
Want to meet her yourself? Join us on our Haunted San Francisco Ghost Tour!
8. San Remo Hotel
Mysterious knocking, cold spots, moving objects… The San Remo Hotel has it all.
If you want the full haunted hotel experience, we recommend checking out Room 33 where the hotel’s most famous ghost, The Painted Lady, is known to reside.
She is not the only ghost at the hotel though.
A dark, shadowy apparition with slicked-back hair has been known to hang out in the restaurant downstairs.
A ghost of a little girl has also been seen roaming around the hotel, trying to enter Room 42.
The Haunt Experience
If exploring paranormal activities and learning about the dark secrets of California’s most haunted locations sounds like your idea of a fun night out, check out our Paranormal Investigation Tour.
It will take you on an immersive, hands-on journey, where you’ll have a chance to hunt real ghosts with authentic ghost hunting tools.
Ready to explore the dark side of San Francisco?