If you are tired of the summer heat, you may want to think ahead
to something a bit cooler. Whether you are getting away this
summer or planning for the fall, we found some places that just
may chill you to the bone. Across the country and around the
world, there are many places where you can stay the night alone,
with a loved one or perhaps with someone of a ghostly nature.
From bed and breakfasts in stately old buildings around New
England to high-end ocean resort hotels in California, you can
explore a bit of history and maybe even feel the past come back
to you.
There are places in almost every state in the United States, in
all different price ranges and levels of luxury. For one
example, and perhaps one of the most haunted, there is the great
Queen Mary Hotel in Long Beach, CA. This ocean liner, now
permanently docked at the Port of Long Beach, was commissioned
in 1936 and journeyed a thousand Atlantic crossings. Many
incidents of strange rapping noises, moving objects, disembodied
voices, and ghostly apparitions have been reported by staff,
guests, and investigators on the docked ship. The First Class
Swimming Pool, said to be the most haunted place aboard, is
haunted by the ghosts of two women who drowned there. One is
dressed in 1960s clothing and the other wears 1930s attire. The
forlorn ghost of a little boy who fell overboard near the pool
has also been sighted in the passageway.
In Washington D.C., there is a hotel with some classic haunting
stories that appear to be linked to the inauguration of
President Calvin Coolidge. Coolidge did not attend his own
inaugural ball in 1925 because he was mourning the death of his
16-year-old son. Every year since 1937, on Jan. 20 (Inauguration
Day) the lights in the Grand Ballroom flicker and dim at around
10 p.m., the time that the first guests were announced for
Coolidge's inauguration. Hotel staff have past reported of
finding a plate of exquisite hors d'oeuvres and a glass of fine
wine in Grand Ballroom balcony. Neither item had been served at
any function on that day. And one elevator refuses to move from
the eighth floor to the lobby level until 10:15 p.m. -- the
approximate time Coolidge would have arrived at the ball from
his waiting room.
If smaller places are more to your interest, there is the bed
and breakfast at the Farnsworth House Inn in Gettysburg, PA, one
of the most haunted areas in America. The loss of life at
Gettysburg was tremendous, and the entire area is steeped in
heavy energy, and riddled with restless ghosts almost anywhere
you go in town or around the countryside. The Farnsworth House
Inn offers more than just a bed and some sleep. Several of the
rooms are haunted with six actually being cited on their web
site.
There is the unsolved mystery at the Lizzie Borden Bed And
Breakfast in Massachusetts. Several ghosts and tragic stories
abound at The Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana. The Stanley Hotel
and Conference Center in Estes Park, Colorado is a popular one
because Stephen King wrote part of "The Shining" while staying
there. The ABC mini-series was also filmed there on location.
Any ghosts you find there are friendly and probably the original
owners playing piano or hanging out in the Billiard room. There
aren't any evil spirits lurking about.
Looking for the best recommendations for one night or want to
know where they can get a real fright? Ghost encounters are
never for certain. In fact, most of these places only have a few
documented events spread out over many years. And many of these
seem to be from people who didn't know the stories or didn't
believe in ghosts before something happened to them. It's more
about the history, the imagination and what you think could
happen while visiting. You just never know what may be around
the next corner, in the shadows or what may wake you up at night.
If you are looking for something really different in this world,
try spending some time at places with occasional visitors from
another world. Plan ahead if you are looking to stay around the
end of October as many of these places are busy or have special
events for Halloween. Some of them wish the ghost would move on
and others relish the added attention and business. Many of the
larger hotels will not deal with reserving of a particular room
tied to a ghost story, but you may get lucky. Or unlucky
depending on your point of view.
About The Author: Adam Longfellow is a travel writer and contributor at
www.allstays.com
