Happy Nevada Day!
On October 31, 1864, Nevada became the 36th state in the union. Transmission of our Constitution was the costliest telegraph ever, and was pushed through quickly in order to get our three electoral votes for the November election. In celebration of our statehood, Nevada Day is a state holiday that is celebrated with a holiday. It’s our favorite holiday, because it comes at a fantastic time of the year to travel because nobody else has that day off, so it’s cheaper, and the weather in our part of the country is fantastic.
It’s also Halloween…
Let’s celebrate Nevada Day as it was originally intended—by chasing ghosts and goblins and witches and warlocks!!!
Or just visit some really cool areas. Let’s talk:
Do you believe in ghosts?
I don’t actually care about your answer—or mine! Whether you believe or not is irrelevant, because this is a holiday when we ALL believe and participate and enjoy the fun and excitement of whatever lies in “the great beyond”. Most of us, if we care to admit it that is, have had some type of supernatural occurrence in our lives. You can’t reach my age without seeing some crazy stuff that you just can’t explain to anybody.
I’m willing to admit that I’ve been touched by the supernatural a few times. It’s kind of cool, really. So let’s say you are interested in rolling them bones (sorry, bad pun) and seeing if there is truly anything out there that you can’t explain. There are certain areas of the country, certain hotels and locations, that lend themselves to those types of experiences and unexplained phenomena.
San Antonio, TX
I absolutely love San Antonio! It is a wonderful, walkable city that has such a vibrant restaurant and event scene that you can easily visit over and over and never see the same things twice.
You might, however, see a ghost.
The Menger Hotel, a stone’s throw from the Alamo and directly in the center of the downtown area, is one of the most haunted locations in the city. I’ve walked through this hotel several times, slowly and quietly just in case anybody wanted to make a connection with me. Just walking through the lobby and the hallways gives your spine a little tingle, and absolutely made me a little more conscious of sounds and lights around me. It’s also just beautiful. I would love to stay in either the Menger, or the equally haunted Gunter Hotel (Room 636) on a future visit.
They also say that the gorgeous Majestic Theatre is haunted by an entire ballet troupe, while others comment on The Alamo itself as a place where spirits like to dwell. While neither of these locations gave me any chills or cause to pause, they are both fantastic places to visit day or night.
Savannah, GA
Savannah is a fantastic city right on the water that everyone should see. Extremely walkable with wonderful architecture and a lovely waterfront scene, Savannah is definitely a jewel in the south. I was a little surprised to see this listed as an extremely haunted city, because I didn’t feel any inkling of supernatural energy or uncomfortable spaces when Sweet Husband and I visited and toured. Apparently we were lucky (or unlucky…).
Some of the haunted hotels are still used today, and would totally be on my short list for when we return to this lovely city. Both the Kehoe House and the Marshall House are among the most haunted hotels in America, with multiple reports of previous guests roaming the halls at all hours. To me, however, the best part of Savannah lies in their multiple cemeteries. I love a good, old cemetery (weird fact about me!!) and Savannah is thick with small cemeteries dating back centuries. Just walking through these beautiful landscapes can absolutely give you the feeling that the “residents” in the area aren’t quite settled.
New Orleans, LA
Another beautiful city that is often referred to as the most haunted, New Orleans is no stranger to paranormal activity and supernatural stories of people coming back to certain locations for a visit. In addition to a number of hotels and locations in the French Quarter on the list of the areas most haunted, New Orleans is quite famous for it’s “Black Magic” or “voodoo” history. The above ground cemeteries in New Orleans—which is below sea level—add to the mystic and are extremely weird to a casual visitor. That “weirdness” can easily give way to ghostly apparitions.
Given the choice, I would opt for a night tour on a horse-drawn carriage. I feel like that would immediately put you in that otherworldly mood just slowly moving through that interesting and historic architecture listening to the clop clop clop of the horse’s hooves. Consider it next time you are visiting this wonderful city during Mardi Gras!
Salem, MA
We’ve reached the Grand Daddy of all of the haunted places in our country. Extremely well-known for the Salem Witch Trials in the mid-1600’s, this historic and interesting city has been pigeonholed for centuries as a main site of supernatural spirits and activities. True or not, well-deserved or not, this small town in Massachusetts is so popular during this time of year that you need to book your accommodations right now for next year.
Obviously, there are a wide number of places that you can visit to get a true sense of how the history of witches and the supernatural have shaped this area. Much of the architecture and landscape is still true to its roots, making it a great place to do a lot of walking, and reading of signs on parks, cemeteries and statues. While you absolutely should visit at least one of the museums devoted to witchcraft and maybe even Satanic culture if you are interested, don’t discount this beautiful port city for it’s history in that area, with fully restores sailing ships and pirate lore at every corner. Consider an early fall visit, where you can get in the Halloween mood, while still enjoying the stunning fall foliage in the area.
Ghost towns to visit
I hear you, my fellow West Coast people, and don’t fret—we’ve got our own types of ghosts roaming our streets. For us, however, they are mostly inhabiting towns that have become completely empty. Visit a ghost town while you are in the Arizona/Nevada/California/Utah area! Coming into prominence during such periods as the Gold Rush or the great migration of immigrants through the centuries, many small towns popped up, but lacking an infrastructure or enough people, they simply went to rot.
And, man, are they fun to walk around!!!
For the entire “ghost town” experience, my favorite is Goldfield. Re-imagined as a tourist destination, you can take tours into the gold mine itself, travel on a historic train, or even try your hand at panning for gold. (http://goldfieldghosttown.com/) This is really more of a tourist spot than supernatural location, but it is absolutely worth your time. Another favorite is Grafton, UT, near the mouth of the surreal experience that is Zion National Park. While the Grafton Heritage Partnership maintains the grounds still standing, it hasn’t been modernized in any way. It’s biggest claim to fame is as a Hollywood movie lot, and this ghost town is a must for any fans of the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Las Vegas, NV
Welcome back to Nevada!
You can’t build an entire city on gambling and the Mob without some of those souls wanting to wander around the Strip long after they were “offed”. So, the next time you visit my city for gambling, a convention or a show, think a little bit about where you choose to stay, or you might run into a ghost in the elevator! (https://www.vegas.com/traveltips/haunted-places-in-las-vegas/)
Bally’s and the Luxor are both said to house some souls that won’t rest, with the Luxor stories coming from the Titanic collection housed there. Luxor lore even states that an opening day attraction—the Nile Ride—had to be closed due to so many guests claiming to have supernatural experiences while floating through the casino. Even more famous for its famous hauntings is the Flamingo, where Bugsy Seigel still roams the grounds. It is said he is frequently found in the gardens, and guests who have stayed in his suite repeatedly report hearing whispered conversations in the dark of the night.
Plus, there’s Elvis. If anybody is going to haunt anywhere, it’s gonna be The King in Las Vegas…probably with showgirls…
So jump in the car and head to Nevada or any other of these fascinating, beautiful, historic cities this Halloween season. You just might have a passenger you didn’t invite…
THANK YOU FOR READING THIS FAR
Thank you for reading all about Nevada Day-I mean, Halloween travel!!
Hey, since you’re here! You may as well check out some other tips, like taking a short cruise, here, or traveling for Halloween, here! Or, check out our other topics here! Either way, I appreciate you!
Please leave a COMMENT about any tips you may have!! Or comment with YOUR story! Where’re your next trip going to be? Let me know!
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