Where else, but South Carolina, can you find a ghost or a haunting lurking in just about every big city and tiny town around? From haunted bridges to ghost trains, a ship visited by spirits and even a paranormal museum of sorts, you're sure to get your haunt on by visiting any one — or all — of these horribly creepy spots in the Palmetto State. Here's how (and where) to make it happen:
1. Visit the most haunted island in South Carolina — if you dare.
Spend the day, a night or a weekend on the most haunted of islands in the whole state. From the Gray Man who only shows himself to residents and visitors when there's a hurricane approaching, to the island's two haunted inns, you're sure to sense a thrill you can only experience when you know you're not alone. Find out more about this haunted island here.
2. Dare to enter this decommissioned ship after dark for an intimate ghost tour.
During WWII, the USS Yorktown earned 12 battle stars and the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action. Later, the aircraft carrier went on to earn five more battle stars during the Vietnam War. Ghost sightings and a general sense of lingering spirits are regularly reported by employees and visitors to the USS Yorktown. Find out more here.
3. Will you spot a ghost at this museum of the paranormal?
For sure, the old city jail in Charleston is not for the faint of heart. It can be said it's more of a lab for paranormal happenings than just an old jail with ghost tours. History suggests more than 14,000 souls actually perished while being held in this looming ominous building. Among them were Civil War prisoners of war, pirates, and criminals including a woman widely regarded as the first female serial killer in the U.S. Read more here.
4. Are you brave enough to venture to the back of "Hell's Gate" cemetery?
Oakwood Cemetery in South Carolina is a lovely place to spend eternity. The moment you step foot inside to visit the cemetery you may feel a sense of calm and serenity. But once you step over the threshold to the older part of this graveyard, the part where graves are marked with rocks and some aren't even marked, you'll feel much different. Find out why they call this place "Hells Gate" in this article.
5. Wander out of your seat during a performance at this haunted theater.
It's not surprising at all that one of the oldest theaters in the South is also visited by spirits. What you may find astonishing is that the father of John Wilkes Booth (the man who was blamed for shooting Abraham Lincoln) once performed at the Dock Street Theater and now roams the aisles, halls and even the stage. Learn more about it at this link.
6. Experience the ghost train in Hilda.
A trip to the tiny town of Hilda delivers small town charm and an opportunity to photograph the charming Hilda Depot, flanked on one side by the railroad crossing sign. If you're among the lucky, you'll even hear the train approaching while you're standing in the depot. But turn to see it and you'll be shocked at what you learn. Read on to learn more about the ghost train of Hilda.
7. No small engineering feat in its day, this bridge is the oldest remaining stone bridge in South Carolina — and it's haunted.
Towering above the modest Little Gap Creek and featuring a 14 foot Gothic arch as the center point of the stonework, Poinsett Bridge is now part of a 20-acre park you can visit. But, some people have had some pretty harrowing experiences here that are all totally related to another realm. The park itself is completely safe —
unless you believe in ghosts, of course! Find out more in this article about haunted bridges in South Carolina.
8. Take THE most haunted hike in South Carolina.
Will you be among those who have encountered the apparition of an entire funeral procession? Those who've seen it, or even parts of it, believe it's the funeral procession for the former owner of this plantation — whose body is actually buried elsewhere, but his spirit remained in this funeral loop that keeps circling the property. Learn more here.
9. Visit this grave marker with instructions for calling up the apparition of the departed.
Although there are many stories circulating about whether Alice Flagg was actually buried here with her grave marker, there are still too many accounts of seeing her apparition here to ignore. Find out how others have managed to get her to show herself here.
10. Are you brave enough to spend the night in South Carolina's most haunted house?
From a ghost that literally crawls into bed with female guests who are traveling alone, to a headless torso who occasionally manages to surprise patrons who awake to find it standing over them, this haunted inn in the Lowcountry sounds like the perfect place to conduct your own investigation! Learn more in this article.
11. Should you resist the temptation to drive down the state's most haunted street after dark?
Maybe... unless you're not creeped out by a headless soldier carrying around a lantern looking for his missing head. Or unless you aren't afraid of ghosts in general. This Lowcountry road has more than one haunted spot and you may decide you'd rather explore during the daylight hours after you've read more about it in this article.
12. Dine in a restaurant where wine glasses have mysteriously been pushed off the table.
One of the most haunted restaurants in the South even offers reservations for tours of the whole house this restaurant occupies, even areas normally off limits. Find out more about the hauntings here and theories on WHY this particular restaurant is haunted in the first place here.
13. Visit the haunted remains of a church with a tomb that refuses to stay sealed.
The beautiful remains of this church near Beaufort are worthy of a visit all on their own, but it's the adjoining graveyard that will capture your attention. Namely, the tomb that stands gaping wide open. Caretakers stopped attempting to seal this tomb long, long ago. Find out why in this article.
How many of these are you brave enough to experience? How many would you visit alone?
Want some idea starters for non-creepy things to do in South Carolina? Sure you do. Check out this list!
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