GoCampingAmerica.com | Posted November
    3rd, 2015

               

    Are You Afraid of the Dark: Campsites
    for the Fright Seekers

               

    Happy Camper Blog

             

             
               
                 

    Looking for a
    vacation that will scare your socks off? There are plenty of great haunted
    spots across the country with amazing camping nearby. We selected a few top
    attractions for fright seekers with nearby campgrounds within 15 miles for
    the ultimate spooky vacation.

     

    Moundsville
    Penitentiary:
    Moundsville, WV

    Many
    have claimed to discover paranormal activity at the West Virginia
    Penitentiary. This could be from the executions by hangings or electric chair
    as well as the “kill or be killed” inmate mentality. The prison ranked on the
    Department of Justice’s Top Ten list of most violent correctional facilities
    in the nation. Daily tours are available Tuesday through Sunday and special
    events are frequently held including a zombie walk and mock prison
    riot.
    Where to stay: Fish
    Creek Campground
    in Cameron, WV (11 miles) Athens

    The
    Ridges (Athens Lunatic Asylum):
    Athens,
    Ohio

    Now a part of Ohio University, the Ridges, formerly
    Athens Lunatic Asylum was a mental hospital from 1874 until 1993. The most
    haunting event was probably Margaret Schillings mysterious death that left a
    graphic outline on the floor including imprints of her clothes and hair.
    However, the stain is still there and reappears even after been cleaned up.
    Schilling is just one of the former patients thought to be haunting the
    Ridges.
    Where to stay: Happy
    Hills Campground & Cabins in
    Nelsonville, OH (12 miles)
    Jerome

    Jerome
    Ghost Town:
    Jerome, AZ

    Known as a
    “ghost city” with so many spirits haunting the town, Jerome offers fright
    seekers plenty of options. The mountain is still filled with abandoned mine
    shafts and tunnels, supposedly haunted by “Headless Charlie” who was
    decapitated in a mining accident. His head was found, but never his body and
    after his death, other miners began to experience paranormal
    activity.
    Where to stay: Verde
    Valley RV Resort and Campground
    in Cottonwood, AZ (11 miles)
    Cuban Club

    Cuban
    Club:
    Ybor City, FL

    Dubbed “One of
    the Top 10 Most Haunted Places in the U.S.” by the Travel Channel, the Cuban
    Club was created in 1917. Two individuals’ deaths are the most notable on the
    property and said to haunt the building, an actor who committed suicide on
    stage and a board member murdered in a disagreement.
    Where
    to stay:
    Bay
    Bayou RV Resort
    in Tampa, FL (13 miles) Eastern
  State Penn

    Eastern State
    Penitentiary:
    Philadelphia

    What was
    once the most famous and expensive prison in the world, housing criminals
    like Al Capone now stands in haunting ruins. Daily tours are available every
    day and for more frights, guests can experience the “Terror Behind the
    Walls”, a haunted house style tour in a real prison.
    Where
    to stay:
    Timberlane
    Campground
    in Clarksboro, NJ (11 miles) Stanley
  Hotel

    The
    Stanley Hotel:
    Estes Park, CO

    After
    Stephen King spent time in this hotel, he penned the famous book “The
    Shining” which was later made into one of the best horror movies of all time.
    Best known for being haunted, guests have attested to eerie occurrences
    including lights turning on and off, doors opening and closing, laughter,
    footsteps, shadows, drafts and unexplainable chills.
    Where
    to stay:
    River
    Forks Inn
    in Drake, CO (11 miles) Alcatraz

    Alcatraz
    Island:
    San Francisco

    Nicknamed, the
    “Rock” was the ultimate prison containing some of the most heinous criminals
    in our history including Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelley for 29 years. Ghost
    hunters claim a strong sense of unusual behavior within the walls of the
    abandoned prison, known as one of the most haunted in the
    country.
    Where to stay: Marin
    Park
    in Greenbrae, CA (14 miles)