Happy Halloween and Happy Traveling!
Joan
For some travelers, the ultimate amenity is a ghost. In a recent survey, 44% of respondents said they had visited a haunted house. More than a quarter said they'd like to sleep in one. A good place to encounter a spirit might be a B&B, says Brian Megless of BedandBreakfast.com, survey sponsor. "The properties are unique and full of stories and historical importance," he adds. He shares some favorites with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY.
Featherbed Railroad Bed & Breakfast Resort
Nice, Calif.
The spirit of a former railroad worker is said to haunt one of the nine cabooses that make up this rail-themed Northern California inn. Several guests say they've seen a man in striped pajamas sitting on a bed in the Celebrations caboose, which is decorated for Halloween every year. 800-966-6322; featherbedrailroad.com
PHOTOS: Booooo! Haunted houses and inns
Red Garter B&B
Williams, Ariz.
This Victorian inn operated as a bar and bordello until the 1940s, which might explain the continued presence of Eve, a former call girl. "Guests have felt the bed shake and felt people touching their arms when no one was there," Megless says. 800-328-1484; redgarter.com
- 1906 Pine Crest Inn & Restaurant
Tryon, N.C.
Psychics say an energy vortex may be responsible for the otherworldly occurrences at this Blue Ridge Mountain inn. "The furniture mysteriously moves around in the guest rooms and common areas," Megless says. For example, a former innkeeper said he once woke up and found his dresser blocking the door and clothes scattered around the room. 800-633-3001; pinecrestinn.com
Penny House Inn
Eastham, Mass.
This restored 17th-century sea captain's house is home to several playful spirits, Megless says. One named Charlotte makes a loud impression. The staff has learned she loves to crank the volume of the spa's sound system. "They're really careful when they turn on the music," Megless says. 800-554-1751; pennyhouseinn.com
John Denham House
Monticello, Fla.
This 130-year-old inn has a long documented record of haunting — as does the entire town of Monticello, which is near Tallahassee. The National Historic Register B&B even hosts ghost-hunting weekends, where guests learn how to track spirits and collect audio, video and photographic evidence of paranormal activity. 850-997-4568; http://www.johndenhamhouse.com/
Black Horse Inn
Warrenton, Va.
Three ghosts have been reported in this former Civil War hospital — a history that Megless notes "definitely makes it a little bit more creepy." One female spirit, believed to be a nurse, laughs in men's ears. Another spirit, the "Christmas ghost," seems to have toppled a Christmas tree several years in a row. Now the tree is wired to the wall. 540-349-4020; blackhorseinn.com
Magnolia Mansion
New Orleans
Travelers need only read the inn's guest book for accounts of the spirits seen here. "This may be the most happily haunted B&B on the list," Megless says. Guests describe hearing movement in their rooms at night, and then waking up to find pillows stacked at the foot of their bed, and their belongings rearranged. One woman had the sheet pulled up over her, and her cheek stroked by a spirit known as "The Caretaker." 504-412-9500; magnoliamansion.com
Ghost Rails Inn
Alberton, Mont.
This inn once housed Milwaukee Railroad work crews, but it's Bertha, the former property owner, who may still roam the halls. "She continues to make the bed in Room 5 and fluff the pillows and carry the towels down the hall," Megless says. Other ghosts include a tall, silver-haired woman who moves belongings around in Room 8, and a male ghost often seen in Room 9. 406-722-4990; ghostrailsinn.com
Colonel Taylor Inn B&B
Cambridge, Ohio
Joseph D. Taylor, a Civil War soldier and four-term U.S. congressman, still roams the halls of his former home, guests say. "Even though it's a smoke-free B&B, people have seen smoke from the colonel's pipe lingering in rooms he used to frequent," Megless notes. In addition, the owner's family and tabby cat have been spotted in the home, where beds rock mysteriously and toys move on their own. 740-432-7802; coltaylorinnbb.com
Foley House Inn
Savannah, Ga.
When renovators found human remains in the wall of this Savannah inn, it seemed to confirm a local legend. In a deathbed confession, a former innkeeper admitted to killing a boarder in self-defense and hiding his body. Some guests report hearing noises and feeling a mysterious rush of air. Over the years the spirit has picked up a name in honor of his final resting place, Megless says. "The locals refer to him as Wally." 800-647-3708; foleyinn.com
