If you're anything like myself, you love a good scare. As fall season starts to slowly roll in and the nights become longer my desire for all things spooky intensifies and brings me a sense of excitement. The daunting task of finding spooky places to visit can be overwhelming but lucky for your I've got your covered! Whether you're playing tourist in your own backyard or traveling from out of state, the list down below will fulfill all your spooky season thrills in the city of Angels. Learn a little background about the location and get the address to some of the best and spookiest places to visit in Los Angeles this Halloween Season or any time of the year.
Haunted Places To Visit
1. Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Hollywood Forever Cemetery Has Been a California Landmark for More Than a Century.
Founded in 1899, Hollywood Forever National Cemetery in Los Angeles is the resting place for hundreds of Hollywood’s greatest luminaries. The cemetery has restored to its original splendor, and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A Los Angeles institution that draws visitors from all over the world, Hollywood Forever is an active cemetery and funeral home. It is hard to imagine one of the oldest cemeteries in Hollywood NOT being haunted. Hollywood Forever doesn’t disappoint and it is believed to be haunted by a number of high profile ghosts, including Rudolph Valentino, a Hollywood silent film actor, and the women in black who always visited his grave. It is claimed that Rudolph Valentino wandering the streets of the city and usually stopping when he reaches his grave site. So next time you visit make sure and keep your eyes peeled close to his grave site.
Address: 6000 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles, CA
2. Cecil Hotel
During its long history, the Cecil Hotel has a troubling history. From acts of robberies to murders to suicides its troubling to say the least. Disturbing characters included prolific serial killers, Jack Unterweger and Richard Ramirez, who was known as the “Night Stalker” found refuge at the Cecil Hotel. The Cecil Hotel attempted to partly gentrify itself by rebranding a section of the hotel as Stay on Main complete with new decor and a brand new entrance. Although things were looking up for the property, everything changed when a young Canadian student named Elisa Lam disappeared after displaying extremely erratic behavior while staying at the hotel in 2013. Despite hotel-wide searches, her body wasn’t found for weeks. She was finally discovered in a rooftop water tank. Although the death was finally ruled a suicide, a number of people still believe that she was murdered and are intent on finding out the truth behind her death. Due to its long, sordid history, many people believe that the Cecil Hotel is a hot spot of paranormal activity and some go as far as to say that the hotel is cursed. The Cecil Hotel remains closed to all except the few long-term residents who live there. However a visit to just look at the outside or possibly even see shadows from the windows above, definitely make this a must visit destination during your Los Angeles self guided spooky tour.
Address: 640 S. Main Street Los Angeles, CA
3. The Queen Mary
With such a varied and intriguing past it’s not surprising that the Queen Mary has been voted one of the Top 10 Most Haunted Places in America by Time magazine. Queen Mary was turned into a floating Long Beach hotel in 1967. During her time as a cruise ship, the Queen Mary carried over two million passengers to their destinations and it is no surprise that there were a few accidents and deaths along the way. Witnesses have claimed to have seen the ghosts of a woman in white, a man in military uniform, an engineer, and various children. As a result of these sightings and other paranormal activities like strange noises and rattling chains, the Queen Mary has been labeled as one of the most haunted places in America.
Unlike other places on this list, the ship has decided to embrace this dubious title and offers ghost tours such as Haunted Encounter Tours. During the tour, you can see the engine room where one of the ship staff members died and the 1st Class Pool.
4. The Old Los Angeles Zoo
The Old Zoo was open from 1912 until 1966 and was officially known as the Griffith Park Zoo. Although the animals are long gone, you can still hike through the abandoned zoo to see where they are kept as well as some of the zoo’s facilities. It is definitely a spooky creepy feeling even when doing it during daylight. Some people even say that the ghosts of animals still haunt the zoo.
Address: Location: 4730 Crystal Springs Dr. Los Angeles, CA 90027 (not the exact address, but you will see signs for the merry-go-round when you get close)
5. Lincoln Heights Jail
Lincoln Heights Jail was never a nice place to be. Located in Los Angeles, it was opened in 1931 and grew to house 2800 prisoners by the 1950s. It was a violent and oppressive place that is best known for a horrible event called “Bloody Christmas.”
On Christmas Eve in 1951, police officers received a call that there were seven minors drinking alcohol, but when they arrived, they found that all of the people drinking were actually adult men. A fight broke out between them where one officer got injuries requiring stitches, and one of the men was terribly beaten. The other six were taken to Lincoln Heights Jail. At the Christmas party, rumors swirled among officers that one of the officers had lost an eye in said fight. The prisoners were taken from their cells and brutally beaten by 50 officers for an hour and a half which they attempted to cover up.
At the end only five of the officers were convicted for their crimes. However, nearly all of the others were transferred away from the jail.
The prison is also known for housing the notorious Al Capone. It was operative until 1965 when it was decommissioned. It housed the Bilingual Foundation of Arts and a gym from 1979-2014 when toxins including asbestos and lead were found in the building.
Yet another scary story is that of the gym owner and boxing champion Johnnie Flores, who was found dead at the bottom of an elevator shaft in the building in 1994.
Today, the bleak Lincoln Heights Jail stands unoccupied and used as backdrop to several movies. Various film and TV crew members as well as building staff and visitors have reported experiencing unexplained or paranormal activity. At the moment, it is off bounds for the public and is surrounded by a chain-link fence and protected by security guards. It is unclear what the future plans are for this historic building. Would you dare stand in front of this building and see if any apparitions look at you though the windows?
Address: Lincoln Heights Jail, North Avenue 19, Los Angeles, CA
6. Rancho Los Amigos Asylum
The Southern Campus is abandoned, but was once a recovery center for people with the Spanish Flu and the less fortunate. Victims were buried in a nearby field and said to still be there as well as victims of polio, the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, a flood in the 1930’s, and a secretary who jumped to her death. Full-bodied apparitions are seen walking around here. Creepy to say the least. Apparently the abandoned building is guarded and people are not allowed in anymore.
Address: 7601 East Imperial Highway Downey, CA 90242
7. Roosevelt Hotel
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is Los Angeles’ oldest operating hotel dating back to 1927. The hotel is built in a Spanish Colonial Revival Style and features a historic lobby complete with stone columns, arched doorways, and beautiful ceilings. If you want to get an idea of how the hotel would have looked in the 1950s, head out to the retro-themed Tropicana pool and cabanas. The hotel is located on Hollywood Boulevard and has long been home to some of Hollywood’s most famous celebrities including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Charlie Chaplin, Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, and Shirley Temple. However, the hotel is most famous for the Hollywood royalty who never actually left and some of the biggest names in Hollywood history are said to still haunt the hotel. Marilyn Monroe is believed to still occupy Suite 1200 where she has appeared as a reflection in mirrors however she's also been spotted dancing in the Blossom Ballroom. Montgomery Clift is said to still hangs out in Room 928. Guests have heard him playing his trumpet late at night. Caroline, the youngest of the hotel’s spectral residents has been seen playing and wandering the hallways in search of her mother. Guests and employees often mistake her for a living child, typically sporting a pink jacket and jeans. You can book a hotel night stay here. Would you dare spend the night at this hotel?
8. Pasadena Suicide Bridge
The bridge saw its first suicide in 1919 and many more followed after the start of the Great Depression. Soon earning its name Suicide Bridge. It is believed that over 100 people leaped to their deaths from the bridge. One woman even threw her baby off the bridge before jumping. (The baby miraculously survived).
The Colorado Street Bridge was finally closed in the 1980s due to safety issues but after a renovation, it was reopened in 1993. There have been a number of ghost sightings here, including a woman wearing a white robe, and a man wearing wire-rimmed glasses. Phantoms can also be seen down in the canyon below.
Address: 504 W Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105 CA
9. Clifton's Republic
Want to grab a drink or bite to eat with a ghost? Clifford Clinton founded his cafeteria chain on a principle: the meals would be "pay-what-you-wish" and no one would be turned away hungry even if they couldn't pay at all. But Clinton had his darker side: a lifelong mistress so obsessed with him that she had her ashes scattered at the cafeteria. When the former Clifton's Brookdale (opened in 1935 as the second restaurant in the chain) was being restored for its grand reopening in 2015 (including its spooky, Disney-like "forest" theme and taxidermy animals), workers continually saw—and even photographed—the mistress' restless Jazz Age spirit. Just the look and decor sends chills down your spine.
Address: 648 S Broadway, Los Angeles 90014
Other Ideas For Your Spooky Season Itinerary In Los Angeles
10. Halloween Original Home
We went to visit Michael Myers original home! Yes I’m talking about Michael Myers from John Carpenter’s classic Halloween movie. This visit isn't haunted or said to have had any supernatural appearances, however if you're a fan of the movie simply the thought of running into Michael is bound to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
This is the original home where the movie was filmed however was relocated in 1987 to its current location. It is now considered a California Landmark!
Address: 1000 Mission St South Pasadena
You can take pictures and if you hang out for a bit you are bound to run into a fan dressed up as the man himself! The home is no longer a private residence and holds local businesses offices. They seem to be use to visitors, just be respectful.
Across the street from the home, you’ll find the hardware store from the original
Movie and just a few minutes away the famous hedge where Michael Myers peers out from behind as Laurie and Annie approach. Home owners embrace the popular hedge with the sign “Welcome to Haddonfield”.
Address: 1019 Montrose Avenue, South Pasadena CA
11. Rooftop Cinema Club
Before or after this fun self guided spooky tour around Los Angeles stay in theme and catch your favorite scary movie! Starting September through October, several Halloween classics will be showing. Watch a movie under the stars and bask in the full moon at midnight. Regardless of the time of day, you are guaranteed a stunning view of the Los Angeles skyline. You can take a look at Rooftop Cinema Club movie calendar here
Address: 777 S. Alameda St. Los Angeles, CA 90021
Hope you enjoyed this list and helps you fulfill all your spooky season thrills.
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Talk to you later!
