These 12 Pennsylvania Day Trips Are Perfect For Anyone Who Loves Ghost Stories

A jail cell in one small town has a handprint on its wall that reportedly refuses to go away. People have tried to scrub it off, and the story says it keeps coming back.

That’s the kind of detail I can’t stop thinking about. Pennsylvania is packed with places like this, where real history and spooky legends share the same address.

A few held famous prisoners, and several sat right in the path of a Civil War battle.

I love that you can visit most of them in a single day. You can take a tour, learn something true, and still get goosebumps on the drive home.

Three even let you eat dinner or spend the night with the resident spirits.

So which story will grab you first? A wedding dress that supposedly moves, or footsteps in an empty hallway?

1. Eastern State Penitentiary

Al Capone once had a prison cell with furniture nicer than most college dorms, and you can still see it.

His restored cell sits inside Eastern State Penitentiary, a Philadelphia landmark that opened in 1829.

The prison closed in 1971, but its stories never really checked out. Its wagon-wheel floor plan went on to influence about 300 prisons around the world.

Early inmates lived in strict solitary confinement, a system meant to spark reform through isolation. The prison finally dropped that system in 1913.

Bank robber Willie Sutton also served time here. The Gothic walls make the place look more like a castle than a prison.

Ghost reports here go back to the 1940s. People describe voices, footsteps, shadow figures, and even a figure nicknamed the Soap Lady.

You can explore at your own pace with The Voices of Eastern State audio tour. Actor Steve Buscemi narrates it, and former prisoners and staff share their memories too.

Want an extra jolt? Visit in the fall, when Halloween Nights brings haunted houses and tours to the crumbling cellblocks.

The site welcomes visitors year-round, though it closes on Tuesdays during January, February, and December 1–22, as well as certain holidays. Just leave time for the exhibits on criminal justice, too.

Address: 2027 Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130

2. Fort Mifflin

Few ghosts are loud enough to get the police called. The Screaming Woman at Fort Mifflin reportedly is, with cries heard near the officers’ quarters.

The fort was commissioned in 1771 and survived a fierce British siege in the fall of 1777. That stubborn defense helped buy time for George Washington’s army to regroup at Valley Forge.

It’s Philadelphia’s only fort and one of the few intact Revolutionary War battlefields. Later, it held Confederate soldiers and Union deserters as prisoners during the Civil War.

Casemate 5 is the spot paranormal fans talk about most. Reports there include footsteps, voices, shadows, and the feeling that someone is standing right behind you.

Then there’s the Faceless Man, believed to be Union soldier William H. Howe.

He was executed at the fort in 1864, the only public hanging there during the Civil War.

The fort is open Wednesday through Sunday from March through mid-December. On weekends, you can catch cannon demonstrations, which are loud in a much friendlier way.

Bringing your dog? Leashed pets are welcome on the grounds, though your pup may not appreciate the cannons.

The fort also hosts living history events and paranormal investigations. Check the calendar if you want more than a daytime stroll.

Address: 6400 Hog Island Road, Philadelphia, PA 19153

3. Old Jail Museum

A single handprint on a wall has kept people talking for well over a century.

You’ll find it in Cell 17 at the Old Jail Museum in Jim Thorpe.

Legend says a Molly Maguire left the print while declaring his innocence before his execution. The story claims attempts to remove it have failed.

The Molly Maguires were a secret group of Irish coal miners tied to the area’s labor struggles.

Seven accused members went to the gallows at this jail between 1877 and 1879, and you can see the reconstructed gallows.

The building went up around 1870 and served as a working jail until 1995. Inside are 72 rooms, including 28 cells, a dungeon, and the warden’s apartment.

Guided daytime tours walk you through prison life and local history. Visitors have reported feeling watched, hearing odd sounds, and noticing nooses that seem to move.

Plan ahead, because the museum keeps seasonal hours. Dedicated ghost tours aren’t running in 2026, but the regular history tours still deliver plenty of chills.

Grab a souvenir from the gift shop on your way out. It’s a lot less spooky than Cell 17.

Address: 128 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229

4. Farnsworth House Inn

Over 100 bullet holes still scar the south wall of the Farnsworth House Inn.

Confederate sharpshooters used the house during the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863.

The building dates to around 1810 and is named for Brigadier General Elon J. Farnsworth.

His charge on July 3, 1863, happened nearby.

Today it’s a bed and breakfast with 12 Victorian rooms, each named after a historical figure or family. Overnight guests get a full breakfast, plus the chance at some very unusual roommates.

Guests have reported mattresses dipping as if someone invisible sat down. Others describe footsteps on the stairs and the twang of a mouth harp drifting from the attic, credited to a young soldier.

Hungry? The dining rooms serve Civil War-era dishes like game pie, peanut soup, spoon bread, and pumpkin fritters.

Servers even dress in period attire.

You don’t need a room to join the fun. Ghost tours and historic house tours are open to non-guests, and evening tours head into the haunted cellar.

The inn has appeared on Travel Channel, History, and A&E. Not bad for a house over 200 years old.

Address: 401 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325

5. Jennie Wade House

Kneading bread dough doesn’t sound dangerous, but history had other plans for Jennie Wade.

She was 20 and baking for Union soldiers when a stray bullet struck her on July 3, 1863.

She became the only civilian casualty of the Battle of Gettysburg. The house where it happened is now the Jennie Wade House Museum.

Guides in period clothing lead 45-minute tours through rooms furnished from cellar to attic. You’ll see the artillery shell that hit the roof and a door riddled with bullet holes.

An original floorboard believed to carry Jennie’s bloodstain is also on display. It’s a sobering reminder that real families lived through this battle.

Daytime tours stick to history and skip the ghost talk. For the spooky side, the museum points visitors to its sister company, Ghostly Images of Gettysburg, which runs evening tours.

Those stories are worth hearing. People have reported smelling fresh bread and cigar smoke, and some say a male figure, possibly Jennie’s father, lingers in the basement.

Batteries reportedly drain down there for no clear reason. Maybe pack a spare for your phone, just in case.

Address: 548 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325

6. Baker Mansion History Museum

A wedding dress that never saw a wedding is the star of this Altoona museum.

Visitors say Anna Baker’s gown sometimes moves on its own.

Legend says her father, ironmaster Elias Baker, blocked her from marrying the man she loved. She never married and lived in the mansion until 1914.

The Baker Mansion History Museum is a Greek Revival home completed in 1849 after five years of work. It has 28 rooms and six fluted Ionic columns out front.

Inside, you’ll find the family’s original belongings, like hand-carved furniture from Belgium and mirrors from France. The Blair County Historical Society cares for the home and runs the tours.

History fans will spot a large table reportedly used to review early drafts of the Emancipation Proclamation. Exhibits also cover Blair County topics like transportation and the Civil War.

Ghost reports include taps on the shoulder, cold spots, and dents in furniture as if someone invisible is seated. Some visitors also mention faint whispers near Anna’s dress.

The season starts May 22, 2026, with tours Friday through Sunday. Photos are welcome, but skip the flash, because Anna deserves good lighting manners.

Address: 3419 Oak Lane, Altoona, PA 16602

7. Pennhurst Asylum

Few places carry history as heavy as this 634-acre campus in Spring City.

Pennhurst opened in 1908 and closed in 1987, after years of overcrowding, neglect, and abuse of residents.

Its story became a symbol of institutional failure. It also inspired the FX show American Horror Story: Asylum.

The original campus had over 30 brick and granite buildings linked by tunnels. Many people consider it one of the most haunted places in America.

Your visit can go two very different ways. In the fall, the haunted attraction opens with houses like The Asylum, The Morgue, The Tunnels, and The Catacombs.

Those scares are high-startle and full-contact, with live actors and special effects. The 2026 season opens September 25 and runs through November 7.

Prefer facts over frights? Daytime history tours last about three hours and include the Pennhurst Museum in the Mayflower Building.

It’s one of only three physical museums of disability history in the country. That makes this Pennsylvania stop more meaningful than a typical spooky outing.

Brave visitors can also book paranormal investigations after dark in select buildings and underground tunnels. Bring courage and comfortable shoes.

Address: 601 N. Church Street, Spring City, PA 19475

8. Haunted Hill View Manor

Plenty of buildings hush up their ghost stories, but this one put the word Haunted right in its name.

Haunted Hill View Manor in New Castle opened in 1926 as the Lawrence County Home for the Aged.

For decades, it housed elderly residents, people in poverty, and patients with mental illness. It closed in 2004 for financial reasons.

The building covers over 80,000 square feet, which is a lot of hallway for footsteps. It’s considered one of the most haunted spots in Western Pennsylvania.

Room 105 gets special attention for reported contact with a former patient named Mary Virginia. Visitors also describe voices, slamming doors, and objects moving on their own.

The most famous legend is Jeffrey, a boy around six or seven years old. Folklore attaches a grim omen to sightings of him, though nothing has ever been documented.

Day tours include a 90-minute guided option or a three-hour experience with guided touring and time to explore solo.

Public and private investigations let you roam after dark with equipment and team members.

Dress for the weather, since the inside temperature often matches the outdoors. Open flames and smoking aren’t allowed, so leave the candles at home.

In the fall, Scare Manor’s reimagined Zombie Night Tours take visitors through the building for a guided, hour-long haunted experience with live actors and sudden scares.

Address: 2801 Ellwood Road, New Castle, PA 16101

9. Historic Hotel Bethlehem

Most hotels hide their ghost stories, but this one has a historian logging them.

Historic Hotel Bethlehem sits where the town’s First House stood in 1741.

The current hotel was restored to its 1922 grandeur. USA Today voted it the top historic hotel in the nation for six years straight.

Room 932 has earned the nickname Room with a Boo. Guests report flashes in the mirror, flying papers, and one couple says a man asked why they were in his room.

The spirits here are mostly said to be friendly. Mary Yohe, a former piano player, was born in the earlier Eagle Hotel in 1866.

Francis Daddy Thomas, a gracious 18th-century host, supposedly still lingers. A former landlady, Mrs. Brong, reportedly appears to kitchen staff without shoes or stockings.

The living perks are nice too. Guests get complimentary coffee and Moravian sugar cake daily, and the Mural Ballroom features seven large murals of Bethlehem history.

There’s also an ice cream parlor and candy shop for a sweeter souvenir. The hotel sits next to the Moravian Church Settlements, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Even if you’re not staying, the lobby is worth a peek. A hotel this proud of its ghosts deserves a curious visitor.

Address: 437 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018

10. Betsy Ross House

America’s most famous seamstress may still be working overtime.

Visitors to the Betsy Ross House have reported phantom sewing sounds and a woman in colonial dress on the stairs.

The front of the house was built around 1740 in Philadelphia’s Old City. Legend says Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag in June 1776 after a visit from George Washington.

Some reports describe a motherly presence in the rooms. Others claim her spirit has been seen crying at the foot of a bed in the basement.

Investigators from the Ghost Hunters TV team explored the house too. They reported finding evidence of activity.

During the day, you can take a self-guided tour or an audio tour, including a version for kids. Costumed interpreters portray Betsy, so you may meet her in a less ghostly form.

Look for her 18th-century sewing table, recently donated by a descendant. Her grave sits in the courtyard beside a seasonal herb garden.

October brings special tours like Bloodletting and Burials, mixing history with spooky storytelling. The staircases are narrow and winding, so wear sensible shoes.

During its seasonal opening March through November, your ticket also covers Flagmakers’ Hall nearby. It’s a fun bonus after a morning with Philadelphia’s most patriotic ghost.

Address: 239 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

11. Jean Bonnet Tavern

Dinner comes with a side of history at this stone building on the Lincoln Highway.

Jean Bonnet Tavern dates to around 1762 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Farmers gathered here during a 1794 tax revolt, while George Washington’s troops camped nearby. The road out front was once part of Forbes Road during the French and Indian War.

That history may explain some odd guests. People have asked staff about a man dressed in French and Indian War clothing sitting inside.

Others report a rustling sound like a long dress with heavy petticoats moving on the stairs. The story ties it to the mistress of a former owner.

Co-owner Neil Lambert has described a sink turning on by itself. Staff also mention aprons coming untied and doors opening on their own.

The food is reason enough to visit. The menu features prime rib, homemade crab cakes, fresh seafood, and freshly baked rolls, with a gluten-free menu too.

The lower dining room has thick fieldstone walls and chestnut beams. It’s closed Sundays and doesn’t take reservations, so plan your Pennsylvania road trip around that.

Want to stay late? Guest rooms come with a hearty country breakfast, and maybe a few footsteps in the hall.

Address: 6048 Lincoln Highway, Bedford, PA 15522

12. Laurel Hill East Cemetery

Rocky fans, take note: Adrian and Paulie have tombstones here, even though they’re fictional.

They sit near the main gatehouse of Laurel Hill East in Philadelphia.

Founded in 1836, Laurel Hill was the first cemetery in the country named a National Historic Landmark. It spans 74 acres above the Schuylkill River.

About 77,000 people rest here, so paranormal investigators visit often. Notable residents include Declaration signer Thomas McKean and General George Meade, the victor at Gettysburg.

The most talked-about story involves Martha Drinnan, a former caretaker’s daughter who vanished in 1903. Her remains were found months later, and her unmarked grave lies on these grounds.

Her tale often comes up on the cemetery’s spooky tours. Theatrical walks like True Tales from the Tombs mix history, art, and strange stories.

Prefer to wander alone? A free audio tour app guides you along winding paths past grand mausoleums.

The grounds also form an accredited arboretum with over 6,000 trees and shrubs. Admission is free, and leashed dogs and picnics are welcome.

It’s a peaceful, beautiful way to end a ghostly day. Just try to leave before the gates close.

Address: 3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19132