Discover the Secret Stories Behind the 12 Most Haunted Places in LA

Unlike most people I know, visiting places or watching movies with the sole purpose of being scared isn’t my idea of a good time. Still, I’ve always found haunted places in LA fascinating. Maybe it’s because they mix the supernatural with history and a bit of vicarious time travel.

So rather than listing attractions that are manufactured just for Halloween, here are 12 “authentically” haunted places in Los Angeles that are said to have real ghosts and plenty of stories to tell.

12 Haunted Places in California You Can Visit (If You Dare)

Southern California might be known for its sunshine and movie stars, but it also has its fair share of restless spirits. From eerie hotels to long-forgotten landmarks, here are some of the most haunted places in LA that just might give you the chills — even in the middle of summer.

1. Griffith Park (Los Feliz)

Griffith Park is no doubt one of LA’s most treasured spots, but it’s also said to be haunted since the days of original landowner Don Antonio Feliz, long before its namesake Griffith J. Griffith took hold of the property. There have been many reports of apparitions, noises and other creepy goings-on, most notably around the abandoned Old Zoo area.

If you visit Griffith Park during Halloween, you can check out the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride. You’ll sit on a tractor atop a bed of hay while riding through the scary landscape. Who knows? Maybe that’s a real ghost tapping you on the shoulder.

2. Cecil Hotel (Downtown)

Located on Main Street in Downtown LA, the infamous Cecil Hotel might be the city’s most chilling landmark. Opened in 1927 as an upscale destination for business travelers, it quickly fell into disrepair during the Great Depression and became the site of countless tragedies and mysterious deaths. It was also where serial killer Richard Ramirez lived for a short time.

More recently, it gained worldwide attention after the unexplained death of Canadian tourist Elisa Lam in 2013, which inspired two Netflix documentaries, a book called “Gone at Midnight,” and endless online speculation. Today, the hotel is closed to the public and used to house homeless people, but its eerie history continues to fascinate and terrify those drawn to LA’s darker side.

3. Queen Mary (Long Beach)

Often cited as one of the most haunted places in the world, the Queen Mary (aka the “Grey Ghost”) is so in touch with its paranormal activity that it offers a variety of Haunted Encounters throughout the year. The famous ship has a long history, first hosting the world’s rich and famous across the Atlantic (think Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, even Sir Winston Churchill), then serving as a World War II troop ship (it participated in the D-Day invasion) and finally becoming a museum and hotel.

There have been numerous deaths aboard the ship, and many believe these account for the mysterious occurrences like splashing noises and footprints around the long-drained swimming pool, ghost sightings of the two men crushed to death by the engine room’s infamous Door 13, as well as the sound of children crying from the ship’s former third-class nursery.

Even if you don’t go for the Dark Harbor experience during the Halloween season for the scary mazes and nightly entertainment, the Queen Mary is a fascinating ship worth the trip.

4. The Comedy Store (West Hollywood)

On the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood is where you’ll find this storied spot formerly known as Ciro’s, a mob-run lounge that was the see-and-be-seen hangout during Hollywood’s golden age with everyone from Bette Davis to James Dean to Marilyn Monroe making the rounds.

Today, the Comedy Store is all about fun and laughter, but the building itself is rumored to have held on to its not-so humorous history with ghostly sightings of a former gangster as well as a female ghost who had performed illegal abortions in the original lounge downstairs.

5. Hollywood Forever Cemetery (Hollywood)

It’s a bit ironic that this place for dead people is one of the liveliest places in LA. If you believe the stories of ghost sightings here, you might see the infamous apparition of the woman in a long black veil who places flowers on the final resting place of Rudolph Valentino.

Other famous folks buried here are Cecil B. DeMille, Griffith J. Griffith, Douglas Fairbanks, Estelle Getty and Johnny & Dee Dee Ramone. But so far there have been no reports of beyond-the-grave visits from them.

6. Silent Movie Theatre (Los Angeles)

Although the Silent Movie Theatre of today is no longer functioning, this infamous spot has had a fairly gruesome history since it first opened in 1942. It’s reportedly haunted by its two former owners — the first being John Hampton who died in 1990 from exposure to the chemicals used in preserving film at the time; the second was Lawrence Austin who was brutally shot to death in the lobby in 1997.

7. Greystone Mansion (Beverly Hills)

The Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills was originally the home of the Doheny family who made their fortune in the oil business back in the 1890s and 1900s. In fact, it was family patriarch Edward Doheny who inspired the main character in “There Will Be Blood,” which was shot at Greystone. But no more than five months after moving in was Edward’s son Ned Doheny shot dead in a ground floor bedroom.

While police determined it a murder-suicide at the hands of Doheny’s personal secretary and confidant, Hugh Plunkett, rumors remain that the two men had more than just a professional relationship and that Ned’s wife was involved in the murder and subsequent cover-up.

We may never know the real story, but the mansion is said to be haunted by its bloody history. The public is welcome to see the property themselves, albeit in a much cheerier atmosphere.

8. Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (Hollywood)

This iconic Hollywood hotel has a long history of celebrity guests (it’s the site of the first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929), but it’s also rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Marilyn Monroe. Guests have reported seeing her apparition in the mirror of her former suite, as well as hearing her voice in the hallways. Even if you’re not interested on encountering her ghost, you can certainly retrace her steps with my guide to Marilyn Monroe in LA.

9. Pico House (Downtown)

Built in 1870, the Pico House is one of the oldest buildings in Los Angeles and is said to be haunted by the ghosts of its former residents. Visitors have reported seeing shadowy figures, hearing disembodied voices and feeling a sense of unease while exploring the historic building located on 430 North Main Street across from the old Los Angeles Plaza on Olvera Street.

10. Linda Vista Community Hospital (Boyle Heights)

Once a bustling hospital serving railway workers in the early 1900s, the Linda Vista Community Hospital is now better known for its ghostly reputation than its medical past. After closing in the 1990s, the building was a popular location for horror movie shoots and other shows like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Dexter.”

Shadowy figures, unexplained whispers and flickering lights have all been reported by crews filming inside. It has since been converted into senior housing, so hopefully all those elderly folks aren’t being haunted.

11. Culver Hotel (Culver City)

At first glance, the Culver Hotel doesn’t seem haunted at all. It’s elegant, inviting, and right in the heart of charming downtown Culver City. But behind its storybook facade lies a storied history. Built in 1924, the hotel once hosted silent film stars, studio moguls and even the cast of “The Wizard of Oz.” Legend has it that some of those Hollywood ghosts never left.

Over the years, guests and staff have reported strange sounds, flickering lights and an otherworldly feeling in certain rooms. Whether or not you believe in spirits, one thing’s certain: this timeless landmark has plenty of old-Hollywood soul.

12. Hollywood Wax Museum

Not to be confused with the newer Madame Tussauds down the street, the Hollywood Wax Museum first opened in 1965 and as such, this famed haunt has quite a history. Before the museum moved in, the building was home to a luggage company that was possibly a front for organized crime, not to mention the basement was used as a speakeasy in the 20s.

There was also at least one documented death in the building and numerous accounts from visitors (and employees) about weird noises, cold spots, doors slamming shut and eerie orbs appearing in photos taken in the museum. Whether or not there are spirits roaming around those wax figures is debatable, but if they are, it would be so Hollywood, don’t you think? 

Are You Brave Enough to Visit These Haunted Places in LA?

Even if you don’t believe in ghosts, these haunted places in Southern California offer a glimpse into the city’s darker side and its rich history. From the haunted halls of the Queen Mary to the ghostly whispers of the Pico House, these locations are sure to leave you feeling spooked and intrigued. So if you’re feeling brave, why not explore some of these haunted spots for yourself and see if you can uncover the mysteries that lie within.

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