Northeast Ohio is a region rich with eerie history. From the horrors of the Torso Murders to tragedies like the Cleveland Clinic Fire and an explosion in 1944, there is a dark underbelly to life here that locals often prefer to forget. When night falls, however, those stories often bubble to the surface. There are more than a few fun and funky haunted houses in Cleveland to enjoy when spooky season rolls around, but a few destinations around the city are genuinely haunted by spirits that'll terrorize your dreams...or so the legends say. Below are just a few of the tours that explore the most haunted places in Cleveland, and the stories and sightings are you'll encounter are sure to get your spine tingling.
1. Cleveland's Most Haunted Funeral Parlor
The House of Wills has a complicated past shrouded in death and mystery. Not only did this Gothic abode serve as a funeral home, but also as a socialite club, an opera house, a hospital, and possibly even a speakeasy. It has been left to the elements for years, but its resident spirits don't seem to notice that time has passed - and tours are available if you'd like to take a peek into the past (and present) of this spooky home.
2. A Fairytale Castle With A Creepy History
This gorgeous castle may look medieval, but it is in all actuality a modern construct. Of course, that doesn't mean it doesn't hide a few secrets. The Mohican Castle campus is home to a cemetery from the 1830s, and you can embark on a guided tour of it each year in October. As the tour concludes, you'll have the opportunity to try to communicate with the spirits that call this castle home. Bonus: you can even book an overnight experience as well!
3. Downtown Cleveland's Haunted History
There's a lot of history downtown, even though the neighborhood's artistic endeavors and modem accoutrements may make it easy to forget. Its cemeteries, however, never forget the stories of those that rest eternally within. Erie Street Cemetery is notoriously haunted - in fact it's one of the best places to go ghost hunting in Cleveland. But so, too, are some truly unexpected places. To reserve your spot on a haunted tour, keep in touch with the Cleveland Paranormal Society.
4. A Flashlight Tour Through A Haunted Mansion
Speaking of haunted houses in Cleveland... Take a look at the stairs in the gorgeous Simon Perkins Stone Mansion and you just may be greeted by the ghostly figure of a woman, watching you with fascination. Is such a sighting a trick or a treat? Decide for yourself on a paranormal tour through one of Akron's most haunted stone mansions.
5. Cleveland's Most Celebrated Haunts
It's been a few decades years since Haunted Cleveland Ghost Tours started showing the dark side of town, and this spooky history is well worth celebrating. On one of the society's most popular tours, you'll explore some of Cleveland's most infamous haunts and spend roughly four hours touring the city's creepiest places, beginning and ending in the Flats.
6. Northeast Ohio's Most Mysteriously Haunted Manor
Punderson Manor State Park Lodge and Conference Center is gorgeous, and it has entertained many a visitor since its construction. The chimneys date back to 1904, but the surrounding Tudor-style home was built around them in the 1920s. There are dozens of spooky encounters that have occurred here over the years, and it is a bit of a mystery why. To reserve a spot for you and the kids at this family-friendly story night, visit the Punderson Manor website.
7. Traveling Through Time by Lanternlight
There's nothing creepier than descending through the unlit halls of the former Lake County Poorhouse. These passageways are normally off limits to the general public, but you can pay a visit every October, courtesy of the Lake County History Center.
There's so much to discover right in our own backyards, and some of those stories will leave you chilled to the bone. What are some other haunted places in Cleveland or around the state? Have you ever had any strange experiences at any of these places?
If you enjoyed these haunted tours in Cleveland, you'll probably love a visit to Cleveland's most haunted armory as well!
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