The Ultimate Haunted Pennsylvania Road Trip (If You Can Handle It!)
From creepy cemeteries to storied battlefields to the scariest prison in the US, a haunted PA road trip will leave you checking your rearview mirror for ghosts.
From creepy cemeteries to storied battlefields to the scariest prison in America, a haunted PA road trip will leave even a firm skeptic checking their rearview mirror for ghosts.
as one of the most haunted states in the country—and for good reason. It’s not enough to ask about spooky places in Pennsylvania because nearly every town here has ghost stories.
That’s why the car insurance comparison shopping and brokerage app
is bringing you the ultimate haunted PA road trip.
Key trip details
Hitting key locations for horror fans, this trip will take about 11 to 12 hours to drive, making this a great vacation for amateur ghost hunters.
One-way distance: 532 miles
One-way drive time: Approximately 11 hours
Suggested trip length: 5 to 7 days
Haunted Pennsylvania itinerary
Pittsburgh, PA—1 to 2 days
Altoona, PA—One half to 1 day
Gettysburg, PA—One half to 1 day
Scranton, PA—1 day
Buckingham Township, New Hope, and Bristol, PA—1 to 2 days
Philadelphia, PA—2 days
Start in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is well known for its hilly terrain and countless bridges and tunnels. It’s America’s most famous steel town, too—and a great place to kick off a grand tour of spooky places in Pennsylvania.
—This Pittsburgh area museum has a staff that reenacts 18th-century life. It’s also home to a friendly ghost known as "The Deacon," who reportedly steps in to help people avoid injuries—including a troop of Girl Scouts rescued from a collapsing ceiling and a painter who nearly fell from a ladder.
—Local legend claims a boy nicknamed "Charlie No-Face" was killed while climbing power lines. He is said to roam the area at night, emitting a mysterious green aura. If he turns to look at you, you’ll understand the nickname.
—According to local legend, this infamous cemetery was once the site of an orphanage that burned to the ground. It’s said that if you turn your engine off and listen carefully, you can hear children laughing, crying, or whispering. And, when you drive away, you might see a child’s handprints on your windows or pressed into dust on the sides of the car.
—The theater’s namesake, Mr. Milner, is said to roam the halls, leaving trails of cigar smoke in his wake. The women’s restroom is also believed to be haunted—many claim to have seen women dressed in early 1900’s attire in the mirrors, but not in the room behind them.
—This tunnel is believed to be haunted by an Irish woman in a white dress who sits or stands beside a spruce tree near the entrance. People report a strong sulfur smell before seeing her. She’ll get angry if you disturb her, leaving handprints on your window before vanishing into thin air.
Our next stop on our haunted PA road trip needs no introduction. Gettysburg was the site of the most famous battle to ever happen on American soil. Both the Civil War battlefield and the region, in general, are said to be home to countless ghosts.
Visited by countless tourists each year, hardly a day goes by where someone doesn’t report seeing the ghosts of soldiers, or smelling gunsmoke, or even hearing cannon fire. Not every visitor will see a ghost, but spending a few days at Gettysburg is definitely going to up the odds.
To get to Gettysburg from Altoona, take I-99 S to US-30 E.
—This is an outcrop of boulders where sharpshooters aimed at soldiers during the fighting. Many witnesses say they’ve had terrifying encounters in the area.
When you think of Scranton, you probably think of the hit TV show The Office. You may not realize it, but this city is home to some of Pennsylvania’s best paranormal sites, too.
To get to Scranton from Gettysburg, US-15 to I-81 N. For a short detour, get off I-81 N in Pittston for one of the scariest ghosts on this list!
Haunted sites in Gettysburg
Pittston—Stop at the old Susquehanna Railroad Bridge, blink your lights, and honk your horn five times. Locals say you might be visited by a woman dressed all in white who will approach your car, stare at you, and then let out a terrifying, bloodcurdling scream—hence the name the Suscon Screamer.
($$)—Both Scranton eateries are apparently haunted by ghosts. "George," the ghost at Andy Gavin’s, is said to be quite friendly!
Haunted Zillow listing—The viral house listing that claimed the home is "slightly haunted" is at 1217 Marion Street in Dunmore. The owner claimed the house was coinhabited by a ghost who screams a couple of times each week at 3:13 am and appears in the second-floor bathroom mirror behind you when you least expect it. It’s private property, but you can at least drive by and look.
Scranton to Buckingham Township, New Hope, and Bristol
135 miles, 2 hours 50 minutes
The next big city on this haunted PA road trip is Philadelphia—but to get there, stop and visit three smaller towns known for their ghost sightings. The first two of these sites need to be visited at night to get the full effect of how spooky they are!
To get to Buckingham Township, take I-380 S and I-80 E from Scranton. Continue on US-202 N for 15 minutes to get to New Hope. From there, drive for about 30 minutes via I-295 W to reach Bristol.
Haunted sites in Buckingham Township, New Hope, and Bristol
Hansell Road in Buckingham Township—A tradition going back as long as anyone can remember, locals will drive to this small, unassuming road and park late at night. Eventually, it’s said that they’re visited by peculiar orbs of light, some taking the shape of people with red glowing eyes.
Van Sant Covered Bridge—People often report hearing the cries and screams of infants late at night at this bridge in New Hope. Many have also said they’ve seen apparitions hanging from the rafters beneath the bridge.
($$)—If you’re staying in New Hope overnight, ask for room #6. Many guests claim to see a terrifying man standing behind them in the mirror and feeling someone pushing down on their chest or yanking away their pillow while they sleep. Ghost sightings have also happened in the lobby and other rooms.
($$)—The oldest continuously operating inn in the country, even the Founding Fathers stayed here. Stop in for an excellent meal… and keep an eye out for furniture moving, paintings falling off the walls, and specters mistily fading in and out of view in the halls.
Ahh, the City of Brotherly Love. As one of America’s earliest big cities, Philly is home to far too many ghost stories to list here. But here are a few of the spots that ghost hunters definitely don’t want to miss.
Philadelphia is only 30 minutes from Bristol via I-95 S.
—The ghost of Benjamin Franklin is said to haunt this building, just around the corner from Independence Hall. He’s said to appear inside the building, and even occasionally possess his statue on the exterior of the building and roam the streets with it.
—Others say they’ve encountered Ben Franklin’s ghost on the street near where he was laid to rest in 1790. Many say he steals pocket change from passersby and throws pennies at children. Not cool, Ben!
($)—The ghost of flagmaker Betsy Ross is said to wander the halls of her historic homestead, crying after dealing with the loss of her husband and several of her children.
—Considered one of the most haunted sites in the world, Fort Mifflin was the site of the greatest bombardment of the American Revolution. Visit in October to experience a candle-lit ghost tour.
One site in Philadelphia is so unbelievably terrifying it deserves its own section. And if you’re only able to visit one of the haunted places in Pennsylvania, this should be it: the hair-raising
Eastern State Penitentiary isn’t just one of the spookiest places in Pennsylvania—it’s easily one of the scariest places in the country. We defy anyone to visit here and not feel creeped out from start to finish!
Haunted sites in Eastern State Penitentiary
Witnesses in the former prison see furniture and items moving on their own and guards standing watch in towers that no one can physically reach due to decayed and collapsed stairs. There’s a female ghost, nicknamed "the Soap Lady," who roams the women’s cell block.
Two cell blocks, though, are particularly terrifying:
Cellblock 4: Visitors and staff report suddenly feeling a morbid, gut-wrenching "energy" filling the area. But when you turn to leave, you feel "gripped" by some mysterious force, unable to move, as faces appear in the bricks around you. You’re then suddenly released. Wear running shoes!
Cellblock 12: Here, people report hearing the tormented voices of men—some crying or weeping, others whispering violent passages to each other. Many report the room being dead silent, only to then hear a loud cackling laugh burst out from right behind them. Did we already mention the bit about running shoes?
Even Al Capone is rumored to have seen the ghosts in Eastern State Penitentiary when he served eight months there in 1929. Witnesses say Capone screamed all night when the spirits confronted him.
If America’s most infamous gangster couldn’t handle Eastern State Penitentiary, are you sure you want to give it a try?
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