Did you know that San Francisco is one of the most haunted cities in the United States?
If you have a love of scandalous murders and ruthless cult leaders (and happen to be visiting San Francisco), make sure you check out these 5 haunted house attractions.
It’s important to know, none of these are staged haunted house productions.
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5 Haunted House Attractions in San Francisco
1. The Winchester Mystery House
Location: San Jose
The Spook Factor: 5/5
Why you should visit:
After the death of the rifle tycoon William Winchester, his widow went to a psychic, who told her that the spirits of everyone killed by her husband’s rifles had cursed her family.
In order to escape death and destruction, she was told to move west and use her fortune to build a temple in their honor. However, if the construction on the temple ever ceased, the spirits would come after her and her family again.
She spent the rest of her life building the Winchester mansion, but, after her death, the spirits did not move on. Thus, they now haunt the Winchester mansion and everyone who dares to enter.
This place is often named “the most haunted house in the world”. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
2. The San Remo Hotel (Paranormal Investigation)
Location: North Beach
The Spook Factor: 5/5
Why you should visit:
The Victorian-era San Remo Hotel hides a darker side, with a long history of documented apparitions from current and past staff, and it was even the site of a tragic 1920’s wedding day massacre.
This is also one of the only spaces you can readily access, with a new paranormal investigation experience that takes you inside of one of the hotel’s most haunted rooms, using professional tools to track the spirits that call this place home.
3. The Old San Francisco Mint (House of Horrors)
Location: SOMA
The Spook Factor: 4/5
Why you should visit:
With empty vaults, dark, narrow staircases and that one dark back alley you just can’t get off your mind, the Old San Francisco Mint is full of dark secrets and untold stories of times long past.
This place is creepy even when it’s trying not to be. But with the added haunted house attractions, your dignity does not stand a chance.
4. The Haskell House
Location: Fort Mason
The Spook Factor: 3/5
Why you should visit:
This is the spot where the infamous duel between U.S. Senator David Broderick and State Supreme Court Justice David Terry occurred in 1857. To this day, Broderick’s ghost can be seen pacing back and forth at the Haskell House.
Generally, this place is bound to make you feel a little bit uneasy. Visitors often report seeing shadows and feeling like someone is following them… Perhaps it’s David Broderick himself?
5. The Atherton Mansion
Location: Pacific Heights
The Spook Factor: 4/5
Why you should visit:
Back in the 1800s, a troubled young man named George Atherton tried to run away from home and move to Chile because he was constantly bullied and belittled by his socially prominent family.
Unfortunately, George’s kidneys failed on the way there, and his body had to be sent back to San Francisco. He was then buried on the grounds of the Atherton Mansion, and it seems like his spirit has never left the premises.
Several owners have come and gone because of the constant manifestations like cold spots, wind blowing through empty rooms and voices during the night…
Take A Haunted Tour
If haunted house attractions, scandalous murders, and tales of bloodthirsty spirits are your thing, check out our Haunted San Francisco Ghost Tour.
It’s a hands-on ghost tour that takes you through Chinatown and the Gold-Rush era Jackson Square district after dark.
Ready to discover the dark side of San Francisco?