10 Haunted Places You Can Visit In California

Leave the local pumpkin patch in the rearview mirror this Halloween. Jump in the car and take your spooks and frights to new heights with Ford — Go Further.

1. Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary (San Francisco)

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The smell of smoke in the long untouched laundry room, the sound of running feet, phantom banjo music, and various apparitions have all been reported in this former penitentiary that has been closed for over 50 years.

2. Battery Point Lighthouse (Crescent City)

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The lighthouse that survived the 1964 tsunami that decimated much of Crescent City is said to be haunted by an unknown, yet playful, ghost. Caretakers of the lighthouse have reported their slippers being moved at night and rocking chairs rocking for no apparent reason.

3. Rancho Los Amigos Hospital (Downey)

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Also known as the "Hollydale Mental Hospital" or the "Downey Insane Asylum," the hospital served as a treatment center for TB and polio patients decades ago. Though your visit might be limited to the asylum's gates, U.S. Marines using the abandoned building for practice drills in '06 stumbled upon a freezer in the morgue containing "legs, feet, and brain bits."

4. The 60-Acre Corn Maze (Dixon)

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The Guinness World Record for largest corn maze belongs to Cool Patch Pumpkins. Their maze spans 60 acres and is so complicated it requires a map and several hours to attempt, transporting brave undertakers into their own choose-your-own-path adventure.

5. The Queen Mary (Long Beach)

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The Queen Mary has led several lives — including a luxury liner, a WWII ferry ship, and currently a floating hotel. With such a rich history, it's no surprise that Mary's guests have reported hearing rattling chains and strange voices on their stays.

6. Whaley House (San Diego)

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Sure, any house built over a cemetery will be somewhat creepy, but that's just the chilling tip of the iceberg for the Whaley House. The house is said to be a hub of paranormal activity: a girl who died in an accident at the house while playing with the Whaley children, Yankee Jim Robinson who hung himself after stealing a boat, and the Whaleys themselves.

7. Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (Los Angeles)

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The iconic Roosevelt Hotel was home to Hollywood's biggest stars when it first opened its doors in 1927, and some say it still is. Marilyn Monroe's ghost has been spotted in the mirror of room 229 and dancing in the ballroom. Montgomery Clift's ghost is said to haunt room 928 where he stayed while filming From Here to Eternity.

8. Castello di Amorosa's Pagan Ball (Napa)

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If you're a part of Castello di Amorosa's Wine Club, you can attend their sixth annual Pagan Ball where you can tour the castle's haunted chambers while sampling some of Napa's best wine.

9. Mission San Miguel (San Miguel)

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Legend has it that the mission's haunted by the Reed family, former occupants of the property who were murdered by British pirates while looking for a large sum of gold that Mr. Reed had bragged was buried under the mission.

10. Disneyland (Anaheim)

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The happiest place on earth is also one of the most haunted. Besides spooky stories of animatronics moving while the rides are turned off, it's become tradition for some families to scatter the ashes of their loved ones on rides like The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. Over the years, guards and custodians have found ashes, bone fragments, and even a jawbone throughout the park.