13 Most Haunted Places in Pennsylvania: Real Ghost Stories You Can Visit

Pennsylvania might be the most haunted state in America. Few places pack this much tragedy into one map.

The Keystone State carries the weight of a brutal Civil War battle, crumbling asylums, colonial taverns, and one of the darkest demonic cases ever documented. That kind of history leaves marks.

We ranked 13 of the most haunted places in Pennsylvania, from a prison that broke men’s minds to a covered bridge where people still hear a baby cry. Each one is a real, documented location you can visit today. You can browse every listing on our directory of all haunted places in Pennsylvania.

If you plan to hunt for spirits yourself, read our ghost hunting equipment guide first. The right gear makes the difference between a good story and real evidence.

1. Eastern State Penitentiary (Philadelphia)

Eastern State Penitentiary is the most famous haunted prison in America. Opened in 1829, it once held Al Capone behind its towering stone walls.

Inmates were kept in total isolation, and many descended into madness. Guards chained prisoners to walls and doused them in freezing water. One murdered inmate, a man named Joseph, is said to still linger near Cellblock 4, where he was stabbed with scissors.

The most haunted spot is Cellblock 12. Visitors report cackling laughter, whispers, and shadowy shapes darting between the cells.

You can visit daily from 10 AM to 5 PM for around $21. Self-guided audio tours run year-round, with guided ghost tours added in the fall for the famous Terror Behind the Walls event.

2. Gettysburg Battlefield (Gettysburg)

Gettysburg Battlefield is the bloodiest ground in American history. More than 50,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or lost during the three-day battle in July 1863.

People say the dead never left. Visitors hear phantom gunshots and cannon fire, and full-body apparitions in Civil War uniforms have been spotted marching at night. A ragged Confederate soldier reportedly gives directions, then vanishes into thin air.

The most active area is Devil’s Den, where cameras and phones often stop working. Experts call the battlefield a residual haunting hotspot, where the energy of war seems to replay itself.

The battlefield is free and open daily from sunrise to sunset. Guided ghost tours run nightly through local companies, and fall evenings bring the most reported activity.

3. Pennhurst Asylum (Spring City)

Pennhurst Asylum opened in 1908 as an institution for people with disabilities. It became infamous for overcrowding, abuse, and neglect before a lawsuit forced it to close in 1987.

Visitors report sudden temperature drops, disembodied screams, and whispers echoing through the wards. One well-known spirit is a little girl heard giggling and calling for help. A tall, dark figure is often seen in the basement.

The most terrifying spot is the underground tunnels. Paranormal teams claim to have captured growls, cries, and full-bodied apparitions down there, and many refuse to return.

Ghost hunts and guided tours run on select weekends, especially in October, starting around $30. Follow the rules closely, because parts of the building are structurally unstable.

4. The Farnsworth House Inn (Gettysburg)

The Farnsworth House Inn is one of Gettysburg’s most haunted addresses. Built in 1810, it sheltered Confederate sharpshooters during the battle, and a stray bullet from its attic may have killed local civilian Jennie Wade.

The inn later served as a field hospital where many soldiers died. Guests report the scent of cigars and roses, phantom footsteps, and three famous ghosts: a weeping woman, a mischievous boy named Jeremy, and a soldier still pacing the attic.

The Sarah Black Room is the most active. Visitors describe shadow figures, cold spots, and the feeling of being watched all night.

The inn is free to enter, but ghost tours require a ticket and run nightly at 8 PM and 10 PM. Fall and the early July battle anniversary are the peak seasons.

5. Devil’s Den (Gettysburg)

Devil’s Den is the most eerie corner of the Gettysburg battlefield. Soldiers died in brutal, close-range combat among these jagged rocks on July 2, 1863.

The best-known ghost is a barefoot soldier in a gray uniform. He reportedly tells visitors, “What you’re looking for is over there,” then disappears. Cameras malfunction, photos come out blurry, and cold spots and gunfire echo among the boulders.

The central rock formations are the most active, the same spot where a dead Confederate sniper was famously photographed in 1863.

Devil’s Den is free and open sunrise to sunset. Night access is restricted and patrolled, so join a local ghost tour if you want to visit after dark.

6. Hill View Manor (New Castle)

Hill View Manor opened in 1926 as the Lawrence County Poor Farm. Hundreds died there over the decades, many alone and forgotten, and some bodies went unclaimed.

Two spirits appear again and again. Mary Virginia, a former patient in white, is said to respond when her name is called. A little boy named Jeffrey tugs on clothing, giggles, and plays with balls left out for him.

The third-floor hallway near Room 310 is the most haunted. The boiler room carries a heavy, oppressive feeling that leaves visitors dizzy.

Public ghost hunts and overnight investigations run mostly in the evenings, roughly $40 to $100. Featured on Ghost Adventures and Destination Fear, it stays busiest in October.

7. Bube’s Brewery (Mount Joy)

Bube’s Brewery is a 19th-century brewery built in 1859 by German immigrant Alois Bube. Its deep stone catacombs hide most of the ghost stories.

The most talked-about spirit is a sad young woman in a long dress who wanders the tunnels. Guests say they have been pushed or touched while descending the stone steps, and a brewmaster who never left is blamed for late-night tapping sounds.

The catacombs beneath the brewery are the most active spot. Dimly lit and stone-walled, they hold the strongest energy, and some people refuse to go down alone.

Ghost tours run regularly, especially in October, with prices that vary by tour. You cannot wander the catacombs unsupervised, so book a guided visit.

8. Jean Bonnet Tavern (Bedford)

Jean Bonnet Tavern is a stone inn built around 1762 along the old Forbes Road. It hosted angry farmers during the Whiskey Rebellion, and a man was reportedly hanged from its rafters.

That hanged man is the tavern’s most active ghost. His shadowy figure appears near the fireplace and in the upstairs rooms, sometimes standing at the foot of guests’ beds in colonial clothing. A female spirit is often seen staring out the windows into the night.

The second-floor guest rooms are the most haunted, and Room 3 is the eeriest. Guests report cold chills, strange dreams, and phantom voices.

There is no entry fee if you dine or stay overnight, and the tavern still serves food. Occasional ghost tours run in the fall.

9. The Inn at Jim Thorpe (Jim Thorpe)

The Inn at Jim Thorpe is a historic hotel in the Pocono Mountains, rebuilt in 1849 after fire destroyed the original White Swan Hotel. Condemned Molly Maguires stayed here before their executions.

A grieving woman in Victorian black is the inn’s signature ghost. Guests wake to find belongings moved, lights switched on, and once a man sitting at the edge of the bed before he vanished. Some spirits are tied to the hanged coal miners whose last nights were spent in fear.

Room 310 is the most talked-about room. Guests request it hoping to meet the lady in Victorian black, and report footsteps, whispers, and cold spots near the bed.

Standard hotel rates apply with no general entry fee, and the inn is open 24/7 to guests. Occasional ghost tours run during spooky season.

10. Historic Hotel Bethlehem (Bethlehem)

Historic Hotel Bethlehem was built in 1822 on the site of a 1741 Moravian communal house. That earlier building served as a Revolutionary War hospital where soldiers died.

The most famous spirit is May Yohe, a stage actress born on the site, often seen smiling near the lobby piano before she vanishes. Staff have also spotted a man in 18th-century clothing and a giggling little boy near the elevators.

The lobby and Room 932 are the most haunted areas. Guests in Room 932 report knocks, whispers, and even laughter when no one is there.

It is a working hotel open 24/7 with no entry fee beyond standard booking. Autumn and winter reportedly bring the most activity, and ghost tours pop up during special events.

11. Mishler Theatre (Altoona)

Mishler Theatre is a grand vaudeville house built in 1906. A fire nearly destroyed it just months after opening, and tragedy has clung to it ever since.

A man in an old-fashioned suit is often seen watching from the balcony, believed to be founder Isaac Mishler. A woman in a long gown appears near the dressing rooms, and a former actor paces backstage as if preparing for a show that never begins.

The backstage area near the old dressing rooms is the most active. One ghost hunting group captured an EVP of a man saying, “It’s not over.”

Admission varies by performance, and haunted tours pop up in October. Ask the staff about visiting the backstage after dark.

12. Van Sant Covered Bridge (New Hope)

Van Sant Covered Bridge is known locally as Crybaby Bridge. Built in 1875 over Pidcock Creek in Bucks County, it is tied to a legend of a mother who jumped with her baby.

The most popular ghost is the crying baby. Stop your car on the bridge at night, turn off the engine, and people say you can hear it cry, sometimes followed by soft knocks on the windows. A barefoot woman in white with long, wet hair is also seen pacing the creek.

The center of the bridge is where most encounters happen. Car engines often stall there for no reason.

The bridge is free and always open, though the activity peaks after dark. There are no official tours, but locals organize informal ghost walks in October.

13. Smurl House (West Pittston)

Smurl House is a quiet duplex that became one of the most terrifying haunted homes in America. In the 1980s, the Smurl family said a demonic force tormented them here.

They reported loud banging, putrid smells, shadowy figures, and physical attacks. Demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren investigated and called it a powerful non-human spirit. The case became the book The Haunted and a made-for-TV movie.

The master bedroom was the center of the worst attacks, with shadowy figures and cold spots reported there.

Important: the Smurl House is a private residence and is not open to the public. Trespassing is prohibited, so admire this one from the pages of its story, not the sidewalk.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most haunted place in Pennsylvania?

Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia is widely considered the most haunted place in Pennsylvania. Its history of isolation and cruelty, plus decades of ghost sightings in Cellblock 12, keep it at the top of nearly every list.

Can you visit these haunted places in Pennsylvania?

Most of them, yes. Eastern State Penitentiary, Gettysburg, Pennhurst, and several haunted inns welcome visitors and offer ghost tours. The one exception on this list is the Smurl House, which is a private residence and off-limits.

When is the best time to visit haunted places in Pennsylvania?

Fall, especially October, is the peak season. Reported activity spikes around Halloween, and most sites add special ghost tours and overnight investigations during that time.

Is Gettysburg really haunted?

Gettysburg is one of the most investigated haunted sites in America. With more than 50,000 casualties in a single battle, visitors and paranormal teams have long reported apparitions, phantom gunfire, and EVP recordings across the battlefield.

Pennsylvania’s ghosts are not shy, and neither is its history. From a Philadelphia prison to a Bucks County bridge, these 13 places prove the past never fully rests here.

Ready to plan your own haunted road trip? Explore the full Pennsylvania directory for hundreds more locations, complete with maps and addresses.