Top 10 Haunted Places in Boston with Ghostly Stories

It was an autumn evening in Boston, and the city was starting to settle into the stillness of the night. There was an eeriness in the air, heavy with the weight of centuries-old past mysteries. On this very evening, a curious group wandered through the narrow streets, soaked in the golden glow of flickering streetlamps, casting long shadows on the cobblestones. For once, even the bravest among them paused to look over their shoulders. No one knew for certain, but each felt a sensation of being watched and walked along. Slowly, their footsteps quickened, but the howling wind seemed to follow them down the street. No one dared to utter a word, but everyone was eager to learn about the haunted places in Boston and hear the chilling tales hidden within. Just then, their guide broke the long silence, murmuring, "Boston is a city where the past has quite never stayed buried. And its haunted locations are more than just ghostly tales; you might as well hear spirits whispering in your ears. Tonight, let me tell you all about what lingers in Boston for many generations,” he said, continuing to narrate...

10 Haunted Places in Boston That Will Give You Goosebumps

Boston, the capital of Massachusetts in the United States, which wears its centuries-old history like a badge of honor, has a lot to offer to travelers and boast about. And it's no surprise that the city forms a cradle of ghosts and paranormal occurrences. Tucked in every corner are the haunted places in Boston, whispering secrets of the restless souls and unsolved mysteries from different eras. As you navigate through the city, you will find several dark and forgotten locations, from haunted houses and hotels to cemeteries and historic spots. Listed below are the 11 most haunted sites in Boston that send chills and thrill down the spine:

• Lizzie Borden House
• Omni Parker Hotel
• George Parkman House
• Boston Athenaeum
• King's Chapel Burying Ground
• Faneuil Hall
• Fort Warren
• Cutler Majestic Theatre
• USS Salem
• The Liberty Hotel

1. Lizzie Borden House

Further south in Fall River stands the Lizzie Borden House, one of the most haunted places in the world, and of course in America and Boston! It was within the walls of this house that the most scandalous axe murder took place in 1892, which left the whole nation in fear and shock. Lizzie Borden, a 32-year-old unmarried woman, was charged with murdering her father Andrew, and stepmother Abby Borden, but later acquitted of this horrific crime that remains an unsolved mystery to date. Although she moved to Maplecroft after trial and lived there until her demise in 1927, the fond memories of her first home for nearly 35 years lived on forever in her head.

After death, she returned to the house and has resided there ever since. Guests have reported spooky happenings in the house, such as flickering lights, self-opening of the doors, and giggles of children. People have also claimed to see spectral figures floating in the room, which probably include the spirits of the Borden family. The house is open for the best haunted tours in Boston, uncovering chilling history, mystery, and a lot more!

Location: 230 Second St, Fall River, MA 02721, United States

Visit Hours: 10:30 AM to 1 AM (Daily)

Nearby Attractions:

• Fall River Heritage State Park
• Battleship Cove
• Lafayette Durfee House
• Quequechan River Rail Trail
• Fall River Bleachery

Nearby Hotels:

• Hampton Inn Fall River/Westport
• Holiday Inn Express Fall River North, an IHG Hotel
• Best Western Dartmouth-New Bedford
• New Bedford Harbor Hotel
• Bristol Harbor Inn

Nearby Restaurants:

• Applebee's Grill + Bar
• Fall River Grill
• 99 Restaurants
• Harry's Restaurant
• 19 Prime Tapas

2. Omni Parker Hotel

Opened in 1855, it's no wonder that the Omni Parker House is considered the oldest and among the most haunted hotels in Boston, Massachusetts. The hotel is known for its world-class hospitality, which may explain why some former guests refuse to leave the place, even after death. Famous novelist Charles Dicken frequently visits Room 303 where he spent a significant time during his visit to the US. The room smells of whiskey and cigars that he smoked and enjoyed, even after being cleaned up. Moreover, the founder of the hotel, Harvey Parker dressed in a suit from the 1800s wanders through the halls on the tenth floor of the hotel to date. Many guests have claimed face-to-face encounters with him, who they described as an elderly man with a black moustache and a wide grin before he mysteriously vanishes into thin air. There have been reports of orbs floating and loud whispers in the corridor only to find no one when checked. If you ever stay at Omni Parker House, don't panic when you suddenly see Charles Dickens or Mr. Parker serving you with great love!

Location: 60 School St, Boston, MA 02108, United States

Visit Hours: 24/7

Nearby Attractions:

• Boston's Old City Hall
• Old South Meeting House
• Boston Irish Famine Memorial
• Orpheum Theatre
• Boston Athenaeum

Nearby Hotels:

• The Langham, Boston
• Club Quarters Hotel, Boston, Faneuil Hall
• Hotel AKA Boston Common
• Hyatt Centric Faneuil Hall Boston
• XV Beacon

Nearby Restaurants:

• Milk Street Cafe
• The Red Hat
• Emmets
• Lucca Restaurant
• Harvard Gardens

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3. George Parkman House

A well-known name on the haunted places in Boston list is the George Parkman House, with a chilling story tied to it. Back in 1849, it was the residence of George Parkman, a prominent physician based in Boston, who stepped out for his daily walk but never returned home. He was later found to be brutally murdered by a Harvard Medical School professor named Dr. John White Webster. Even many decades later, the house is believed to be haunted by the trauma-ridden soul of George Parkman. People have seen apparitions of the former owner in the house and even heard strange noises coming from inside. The toilet on the third floor of the house overflows on its own, leading to water rushing down the stairs. Although the gruesome murder that shook the whole nation was not committed in the house, its connection with grisly crime and paranormal activity makes it equally scary. The house boasting charming architecture and an intensely dark history remains inaccessible to the public!

Location: 33 Walnut Street, Beacon Hill, Boston, MA United States

Visit Hours: Not Open for Public

Nearby Attractions:

• New England Aquarium
• Gibson House Museum
• Parkman Memorial
• Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
• Boston Common

Nearby Hotels:

• The Ritz-Carlton, Boston
• Omni Parker House
• Four Seasons Hotel Boston
• The Langham, Boston
• XV Beacon

Nearby Restaurants:

• Alma Cantina
• The Palm - Boston
• The Red Hat
• Milk Street Cafe
• Lucca Restaurant

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4. Boston Athenaeum

Dating back to 1807, Boston Athenaeum is one of the oldest independent libraries in the United States, offering a view of the spooky Granary Burying Ground. The library held the reputation of being one of the most haunted places in Boston due to its proximity to the graveyard, which gained momentum after the renowned author Nathaniel Hawthorne saw the ghost of Reverend Thaddeus Mason Harris in a reading room nearly two centuries ago. Mason Harris would sit at his favorite spot, reading the Boston Post, until one day when he gave Mr. Hawthorne a griefful stare as if finally accepting his death. When the Athenaeum was moved to its current location, Mr. Harris seemed to have followed along, where he is seen many times waiting for the elevator. Besides the good Reverend, the ghost of criminal James Allen also roams the library, whose skin-bound memoir is currently on display on the first floor.

Location: 10-1/2 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108, United States

Visit Hours: 9 AM to 8 PM (Open Till 5 PM on Thursday to Saturday)

Entry Fee: $40 Per Person

Nearby Attractions:

• Boston Harbor
• Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum
• Copps Hill Burying Ground
• Freedom Trail
• New England Aquarium

Nearby Hotels:

• Omni Parker House
• Hyatt Centric Faneuil Hall Boston
• The Godfrey Hotel Boston
• Hyatt Regency Boston
• Canopy by Hilton Boston Downtown

Nearby Restaurants:

• The White Bull Tavern
• El Jefe's Taqueria - Boston Common
• Alma Cantina
• The Red Hat
• The Palm - Boston

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5. King's Chapel Burying Ground

Established in 1630, the King's Chapel Burying Ground is the first and oldest proper graveyard in Boston, and perhaps one of the most haunted places in America. It is where early Bay Colony settler and landowner Isaac Johnson was laid for his final rest. Ever since the site has been used as the burial ground. Upon stepping onto the grounds, you will experience sudden chills, hear voices, and a feeling of being touched, grabbed, or pushed by someone who is not even there. The unsettled spirit of a headless African-American woman roams the graveyard, whose head was cut off to fit her body in an inappropriately sized coffin made by a mortician mistakenly. Many have heard muffled screams from beneath the earth, which probably are of the man, who was buried alive by his family in pursuit of attaining ownership of his property. Sometimes, there are multiple voices, indicating the possibility of more premature burials at King's Chapel Burying Ground.

Location: 40 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02108, United States

Visit Hours: 9 AM to 4 PM

Nearby Attractions:

• Granary Burying Ground
• Boston Public Gardens
• King's Chapel Cathedral
• Orpheum Theatre Boston
• Museum Of Illusions Boston

Nearby Hotels:

• Hyatt Centric Faneuil Hall Boston
• The Bostonian Hotel Boston
• The Godfrey Hotel Boston
• Courtyard Boston Downtown/North Station
• Hilton Boston Park Plaza

Nearby Restaurants:

• French Quarter
• Lucca Restaurant
• Milk Street Cafe
• Alma Cantina
• The Red Hat

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6. Faneuil Hall

While old places have their own charm, they also attract spirits like nowhere else, and just like that, Faneuil Hall happens to be one of the most historic and haunted places in Boston. It was built in 1742 by a slave trader named Peter Faneuil, and over the centuries, this place has seen a lot happen on its grounds, today serving as a popular spot for a lot of paranormal activity. Most of the hauntings of this 18th-century establishment are reportedly at Ned Devine's, an upscale Irish pub, where several ghosts often make appearances before the guests. The apparition of a scared woman clothed in colonial-era working attire goes peeking around corners of the pub as if trying to hide from someone. Screams of a man are often heard from inside the pub. Additionally, there are many poltergeists in the pub, who probably encountered a gruesome end to life.

Location: Boston, MA 02109, United States

Visit Hours: 10 AM to 9 PM (11 AM to 7 PM on Sunday)

Entry Fee: Free

Nearby Attractions:

• Boston Children's Museum
• Boston Harbor
• Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum
• New England Aquarium
• Massachusetts State House

Nearby Hotels:

• Marriott Vacation Club at Custom House Boston
• Harborside Inn
• The Bostonian Hotel Boston
• Canopy by Hilton Boston Downtown
• Boston Marriott Long Wharf

Nearby Restaurants:

• Lincoln Tavern & Restaurant
• Lone Star Taco Bar
• Milk Street Cafe
• The Red Hat
• Pastoral ARTisan Pizza + Kitchen + Bar

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7. Fort Warren

As the legend goes, Fort Warren is yet another popular name on the list of haunted places in Boston, where the mourning spirit of a Lady in Black lives. Back in 1862, Melanie Lanier attempted to free her husband, a Confederate soldier named Samuel Lanier, imprisoned at the fort but was caught by a Union officer before the two fled. Trying to scare the officer she accidentally ended up shooting her husband to death on the spot. Upon being charged with a death sentence, she requested to die in a proper lady-like dress and not the blue army uniform on her. After she was hanged to death, she never left Fort Warren. Mrs. Lanier is seen all over the fort, chasing people and rolling stones into the room. Once a jail, the fort has witnessed many deaths of prisoners whose spirits also linger at this historic landmark!

Location: Boston, MA, United States

Visit Hours: 10 AM to 5 PM

Entry Fee: Free

Nearby Attractions:

• Deer Island HarborWalk
• Thompson Island
• Winthrop Shore Reservation
• Winthrop Beach
• Castle Island

Nearby Hotels:

• Nantasket Beach Resort
• The Beacon Waterfront Inn
• Best Western Adams Inn Quincy-Boston
• Ramada by Wyndham Boston
• YOTEL Boston

Nearby Restaurants:

• Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse
• Red's Best Boston Logan
• Legal Sea Foods
• Stephanie's
• not your average joe's

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8. Cutler Majestic Theatre

Like every other theatre, Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston has its own haunted story and mysterious spirits who have been in the building longer than anyone else! The second and third balconies happen to be the most paranormally active parts of the theatre, where down empty seats probably have former guests seated on them. The ghost of a former Boston mayor, who passed away while watching a performance, continues to haunt the theatre even today. A little girl is seen roaming around looking for her parents, who died in a car accident outside the theatre. A woman wrapped in a dark blue dress with laced cuffs and a hat is often spotted sitting in a theater box. Many have claimed to sit next to a married couple who disappeared suddenly before the second act of any theatre performance. Even the spirits of the stage crew and actors who worked here in the past have been reported to haunt the auditorium, listed among the haunted places in Boston for all the right reasons. The cries and laughter of children echo in the theatre, which surely are not of the kids present in the theatre.

Location: 219 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116, United States

Visit Hours: 12 PM to 6 PM

Entry Fee: $59 Per Person

Nearby Attractions:

• Boch Center - Wang Theatre
• The Wilbur
• Parkman Bandstand
• Boston Common
• Duck Island

Nearby Hotels:

• Moxy Boston Downtown
• Canopy by Hilton Boston Downtown
• Bricco Suites
• Courtyard by Marriott Boston Copley
• W Boston

Nearby Restaurants:

• El Jefe's Taqueria - Symphony
• Franklin Cafe
• Lolita Back Bay
• Ali Baba Restaurant & Cafe
• Sweet Cheeks Q

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9. USS Salem

The world's only preserved Heavy Cruiser, USS Salem (CA-139) is one of the most haunted and scary places in the world. Those who died while aboard the cruiser are said to linger inside even today. A huge part of paranormal activity takes place in the navy ship’s third wardroom (mess hall), which once housed about 400 Greek casualties. It is here you can hear the heart-stopping growls of a little Greek girl. Even the spirit of a former worker named John appears before the visitors in the anchor windlass room in the human form. He was the tour guide on the USS Salem. Besides this, apparitions of the Burning Man are also seen inside the cruiser, from fourth degree burns amidst the treatment while onboard.

Location: 549 South St, Pier 3, Quincy, MA 02169, United States

Visit Hours: 10 AM to 4 PM from April to November & Fridays from July to August

Entry Fee: $15 Per Person

Nearby Attractions:

• Adams National Historical Park
• The Old House at Peacefield
• Salem Witch Village
• The Witch House at Salem
• Salem Common

Nearby Hotels:

• Marriott Boston Quincy
• Hyatt Place Boston/Braintree
• Hampton Inn Boston/Braintree
• Best Western Braintree Inn
• Best Western Adams Inn Quincy-Boston

Nearby Restaurants:

• Alba Restaurant
• Cathay Center Restaurant
• The China
• Oriental House Restaurant
• Cathay Pacific

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10. The Liberty Hotel

Appearances can be deceptive just as the Liberty Hotel in Boston happens to be haunted! Originally built as the Charles Street Jail in 1851, this building has had many criminals and citizens living and dying within its walls. Guests and the staff at the hotel have reported strange experiences and otherworldly sightings. The most common figure that people have seen is a man peeking through a window. A sudden drop in the temperature, the sound of sobbing, and faint cries from the distance are the other paranormal occurrences at this luxury hotel. For anyone who is looking for Boston's haunted hotel for an exhilarating experience, the Liberty Hotel is your go-to place!

Location: 215 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114, United States

Visit Hours: 24/7

Nearby Attractions:

• Fenway Park
• New England Aquarium
• Harborwalk
• The Paul Revere House
• Faneuil Hall Marketplace

Nearby Hotels:

• Courtyard Boston
• Hilton Boston Park Plaza
• The Bostonian Hotel Boston
• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston - Downtown
• citizenM Boston North Station hotel

Nearby Restaurants:

• Tavern in the Square
• Blake's Kitchen + Bar
• Scampo
• Harvard Gardens
• The Palm – Boston

The haunted places in Boston are intriguing for those seeking paranormal exploration and even for those who are just scared of ghosts. So, if you are planning for a lifetime adventure in Boston, book one of our United States tour packages today and prepare to explore the city's major attractions, activities, and of course, it’s dark side. Our packages include two-way flights to Boston, premium accommodations, guided tours, and a well-rounded itinerary to make every minute of the tour count.

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