Boston is a city rich with history, and with history often comes hauntings. After all, nearby Salem is where the famed Salem Witch Trials took place in 1693. Even before that, Captain John Smith sailed into Massachusetts bay, bringing disease that killed nearly half of the area’s local people. The city’s sordid past — and it’s trapped souls — are still alive, giving locals and tourists alike some of the most frightening experiences of their lives. Don’t miss these top five most haunted places in Boston.
1. The Omni Parker House
This haunted hotel is perhaps the most acclaimed and frightening in Boston. Guests too timid to stay in one of the rooms can have dinner at the Parker House restaurant, but we highly recommend you make a reservation. The hotel has an elevator that stops on its own at the third floor, where an actress died in 1876. Guests have reported seeing Charles Dickens in a mirror in the mezzanine, and the ghost of the hotel’s owner Harvey Parker haunting the halls. Multiple guests have also reported seeing apparitions on the 9th and 10th floors.
2. The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River
Lizzie Borden, the singular suspect of the horrific double murder of her parents in 1892, lived in what is now a bed and breakfast museum. Although the house is about an hour outside the heart of Boston, it’s worth the trip. You can stay in the John Morse room where Abby Borden was found murdered, or in one of the other seven historic rooms. Take the house tour and visit the living room where Andrew Borden’s body was found and the couple’s grave sites. Many guests leave the inn, unable to stay through the night. Creaking floors, doors opening and closing on their own, and shadows walking up the staircase are regular happenings at the Lizzie Borden house. They offer 90-minute guided House Tours daily as well as outdoor walking Ghost Tours nightly.
3. Granary Burying Ground
More than a typical burial site, the Granary Burying Ground serves as the final resting place for notable figures like John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and Paul Revere. Additionally, it houses a communal grave for the Boston Massacre’s victims and a separate one for children. Beyond the ancient and evocative gravestones, visitors often recount experiences of ghostly manifestations, especially under the cloak of night. A recurring phantom, believed to be James Otis Jr., a Revolutionary War soldier and lawyer, is said to frequent this hallowed ground.
4. The Hawthorne Hotel in Salem
A visit to the most haunted places in Boston isn’t complete without a quick trip to Salem, home of the famed Salem Witch Trials. While there are plenty of spooky tourist attractions, the real activity is over at the Hawthorne Hotel. The property was once an apple orchard that was owned by Bridget Bishop, one of the first women to be executed in the trials. The smell of apples often permeates the building, and guests have seen a a female apparition pacing the halls. The sounds of babies crying, lights and faucets turning on and off, and the feeling of being touched are not uncommon in the Hawthorne Hotel. Stay the night in the most active rooms — 612 and 325 — if you dare.
Of course, there is a lot more to see in Salem, MA. Often dubbed the “Witch City,” it is steeped in a history of mystery, magic, and macabre. Throughout the year, particularly during the Halloween season, Salem embraces its spooky legacy. Ghost tours, haunted houses, and witch-themed events beckon visitors from all corners, eager to experience the chill of the supernatural. In Salem, every creaking door, whispering wind, and flickering shadow has a story to tell.
5. The Cutler Majestic Theater
Built in 1903, the Cutler Majestic Theatre is one of Boston’s architectural gems and also one of its most haunted. Performers and staff have recounted seeing the ghost of a young girl, believed to be an early patron, laughing and clapping from the balcony. There are also tales of a married couple, dressed in Victorian clothing, who appear in the lobby before vanishing without a trace.
If you’re brave enough to tour these famous haunted places in Boston, be sure to take photos and tell your story. Many people who considered a visit uneventful see strange orbs, faces, and other apparitions in their photographs!
Alexander Osornio
Published October 27, 2023
