In the vibrant heart of San Francisco, there are many iconic attractions, from the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz to Pier 39 and Twin Peaks, but in this article we want to take a different angle and focus on the most haunted places in San Francisco that may scare you (or at least, give you the creeps). Beyond the city’s famed hills and historic piers, there’s a mosaic of ghostly tales featuring spooky alleyways, supposedly haunted mansions, and secluded parts of the city people like to stay away from at night…
The Mystique of San Francisco’s Past
With its fog-kissed bridges and streets echoing the tales of beatnik poets, there’s an undeniable air of enchantment that winds through the city’s streets. But beyond the tram rides and Golden Gate sunsets lies a layer of the city often whispered, rarely shouted. You see, for every hipster café serving avant-garde espresso, there seems to be a shadowy corner, a house, a theater with stories that send a tingle down the spine. So, if you’re into dark tourism, sit back and relax and join us on a journey to discover the most haunted places in San Francisco.
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Tours For Exploring Haunted Places In San Francisco
If you’re looking for a fun tour of San Francisco’s haunted locations, check out this historic ghost tour or this ghost haunting walking tour. Alternatively, if you’re a fan of pub crawls, you’ll like this Ghosts, Boos, and booze tour. Lastly, if you just like exploring places on your own this audio tour of haunted places in San Francisco will be a great option for you.
19 Most Haunted Places In San Francisco
Now that we covered some basics, without further ado, let’s get to the most important part of this article- the most haunted places in San Francisco.
Alcatraz Island
We’re starting this list of the most haunted places in San Francisco with Alcatraz (which is also one of the best things to do for solo travelers in SF). Even the name, whispered softly, stirs an eerie echo. Set in the midst of San Francisco’s ever-shifting waters, this rock emerges more as a relic of ghostly tales than a mere island. It’s not just the relentless waves that crash against its stoic walls but decades of stories, of inmates whose spirits perhaps never received the memo of their release.
The Queen Anne Hotel
The Queen Anne Hotel is a grand, sprawling Victorian-era mansion nestled among the city’s urban beats, with a (let’s say) slightly infamous backstory. So, before you lose yourself to the majestic chandeliers and plush carpets, there’s a slight… how do I put it? A peculiar guest you might bump into. Miss Mary Lake, the hotel’s original mistress, is said to roam its halls, forever attached to Room 410. Don’t fret, though. She’s more the ‘tuck you in’ kind of spirit than the ‘hide-under-your-bed’ specter.
Enjoying this post? Then you may also like this list of haunted places in Europe, our list of haunted places in Atlanta or this list of abandoned places in Sacramento.
The Whittier Mansion
Standing tall, an architectural marvel of its time, you’d think it’s just another address flashing its vintage charm amidst the city’s modern hum. But, lean in closer, my friend. This is not just any tale of ornate chandeliers and artful cornices. Whittier Mansion has whispers—whispers of the past, and, if rumors are to be believed, of a few permanent guests who refuse to check out. William Franklin Whittier, the original master of the house, may have left the world of the living, but some say he’s still roaming around the mansion’s vast corridors.
You may also like: Haunted places in Portland or our list of haunted places in Orlando.
The Palace Hotel
This list of the most haunted places in San Francisco couldn’t be complete without the Palace Hotel. From Presidents to rock stars, its opulent rooms have cradled stories that newspapers only dreamt of printing, and yet, amidst the clinking of champagne glasses and the rustle of ballroom gowns, there supposedly lingers a silent guest – the specter of President Warren G. Harding, who actually died here in 1923. While the official account speaks of natural causes, whispered corridors murmur of mysteries unsolved…
The Curran Theatre
Located right next to the iconic Union Square, this theater seems, at least on a first glance, like another stop in a city dotted with iconic places. But lean in, and you’ll find that its vintage walls hum with stories that surpass any script. While the actors take their bows and the audience applauds, there’s a timeless performer who’s never left. A young usher from days gone by, who, rumor has it, still roams the aisles, perhaps ensuring you’ve found your seat or just lost in her own encore.
Stow Lake In Golden Gate Park
Stow Lake, located inside the famous Golden Gate Park, is a tranquil oasis but also supposedly home to a ghostly White Lady (at least as far as local legends murmur) who supposedly never stopped searching for her lost child. A reflection not quite right on the water, a whisper amidst the rustling leaves, and inexplicable reported sounds make nights in this part of the park eerily uncomfortable.
Columbarium Of San Francisco
Speaking of haunted places in San Francisco, we can’t forget about the city’s columbarium; located in the quiet Richmond district corner, this neoclassical dome serves as the only non-denominational burial place within San Francisco’s city limits that is open to visitors. But it’s not the majestic architecture that draws whispers, but supposedly its silent residents.
Among its gleaming niches, tales float of a spectral presence, one adorned in a dapper suit, thought to be a former caretaker. Is he still watching over the place he once tended to with utmost care? Or perhaps he’s simply not ready to leave such an architectural marvel?
The Sutro Baths Ruins
The Sutro Baths Ruins, once a beacon of opulence, today play host to a different kind of waltz – one of time, tide, and tales whispered by the winds. And while tourists come to snap a memory, some leave with more questions than photos; countless people have reported ghost sightings and paranormal activity at the baths with the most common sighting being that of a woman whose husband never returned from World War I.
Enjoying this post? Then you may also like this list of hidden gems in Los Angeles and hidden gems in San Diego.
The Presidio’s Ghostly Soldiers
The Presidio, with its sprawling greens and historical gravitas, is a relic of San Francisco’s military past but also a supposedly a haunted site occupied by spectral soldiers who decided to stay on duty forever. As you saunter amidst the Presidio’s ancient trees, you might feel a brisk, phantom salute or the faintest echo of a bugle call.
The Hotel Majestic
A stone’s throw from the well-trodden paths of San Francisco, The Hotel Majestic is a hotel with a mysterious past. Local legends roam around about a ghostly figure of a lady in Edwardian attire, inhabiting the hallways, and looking confused, like she’s in search of something (but it’s not clear what).
The Sir Francis Drake Hotel
Standing tall, almost guarding the heart of San Francisco, the Sir Francis Drake Hotel is a grandiose hotel with a luxurious facade (and impeccable service), but also stories that linger, giving the hotel a reputation as a haunted site. The bellmen in their red coats will tell you about the lavish parties that have taken place throughout the years, but apparently, there’s also a mysterious lady in red who never left. Perhaps it was one of those parties that are just so good, you never want to leave…
Fort Mason
Beyond the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and the bustling streets, perched on San Francisco’s northern coast, Fort Mason stands—its bricks and mortar seemingly soaked in tales of yore. The fort is a mosaic of military might, artistic endeavors, and if you lean in closely, murmurs of the unseen. Stories are traded in hushed tones about figures walking the docks, soldiers perhaps, still waiting for ships from wars long ended. As the fog rolls in, wrapping the fort in its cold embrace, one can’t help but feel the weight of countless untold stories.
Enjoying this post? Then you may also like this list of the best hiking trails in San Francisco.
The San Remo Hotel
San Remo is another supposedly haunted hotel in San Francisco. Guests of the hotel named after a coastal town in the north of Italy have frequently reported knocks on their doors and no one being there. Some even say they have seen the Painted Lady, a ghost of a retired madamme who ran a brothel in the neighborhood and died in the hotel in 1978.
Pacific Heights Mansions
The Pacific Heights Mansions, also known as the Chambers Mansions, is one of the oldest houses in San Francisco (dating back to 1885), but it was also proclaimed to be one of the scariest houses in the United States on numerous different occasions. There are many spooky stories that surround the mansion, but the most famous one is probably the story of Chamber’s niece, Claudia, who was murdered (sawed in half, actually) in what was, according to the family, a farming incident. After her death, her ghost supposedly never stoped haunting the house even though she never lived there, according to city records.
Dolores Park
And, of course, this list can’t be complete without at least one cemetery, or at least what used to be one. We chose to go with the Mission Dolores Cemetery, a 19th-century cemetery that was turned into a park. The bodies were officially dug up and moved, but the rumors say that the spirits of the deceased still linger around.
Atherton Mansion
The Atherton Mansion is a grand relic and one of the most elegant houses in San Francisco, but also one of the city’s scariest places to visit. Visitors have reported hearing footsteps when all lights are off, quiet sobs breaking the silence of the night, and several different ghostly figures and a lingering presence that just doesn’t go away…
The Moss Beach Distillery
Just a whisper away from San Francisco, near the Pacific Coast, you’ll find a place that was very popular among silent movie stars in the Roaring Twenties because it served alcohol during the Prohibition era. Today, the distillery is said to still retain the ghost of one of its former customers, a lady in blue who is trying to recapture a romance she found in the speakeasy back in the days (she’s even featured on the distillery’s official website).
Did you like this list of haunted places in San Francisco? Would you dare to visit any of them? Do you know of any other spooky places in San Francisco? Feel free to share your suggestions in the questions below.
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