Haunted Florida: 5 Unusual Paranormal Locations in the Sunshine State!
Who you gonna call? MouseEarsTV!
Well, if you want the inside scoop about paranormal activity in Florida, that is. If you want your spooks eradicated, then you might need call someone else. . .
But if you’re just here for some good old fashioned ghost stories, then you’ve come to the right place. We’re about to enter the realm of Haunted Florida. So, turn off the lights, put on some thunderstorm ASMR, and maybe pour a heaping bowl of Booberry cereal.
Things are about to get spooky!
A History of Hauntings
Ghost stories date back to the days of old – I mean, really old. Like, first century A.D. old.
One of the first-ever ghost stories was recorded by Pliny the Younger, a citizen of ancient Rome. He claimed the spirit of an old man with a long beard and rattling his chains was haunting his house.1
According Paul Patterson, Ph.D., spooky stories have changed little over the centuries: they all revolve around the universal fear of death.2 It’s why ghosts demand respect and why zombies pursue unsuspecting bystanders. It’s why gothic-horror novels like Frankenstein and Dracula still resonate with audiences today.
But it doesn’t explain why Florida in particular is one of the most haunted states in the U.S. It has the 11th most ghost sightings and climbs the ladder to second-most haunted state when UFO sightings are included.3,4 Do folks in the Sunshine State just fancy being scared more than most, or is there something more sinister behind such ghoulish statistics?
Well, we’ll leave that for you to decide. But maybe checking out some of these haunted Florida locations will help you make up your mind. . .
Some of the most popular haunted Florida locales include the Key West Cemetery, Ybor City, and NASA’s Apollo I Launch Complex 34. Not to mention Robert the Doll.
But today, we’re going off the beaten trail. Follow us, if you dare.
1. Ponce de Leon Hotel
74 King Street, St. Augustine
All right, so a location in St. Augustine probably isn’t much of a surprise. However, when folks talk about America’s Oldest City being haunted, they usually bring up the St. Augustine Lighthouse or the Castillo de San Marcos.
However, there’s also the beautiful Ponce de Leon Hotel – now part of Flagler College – which is said to lodge three spirits. Since paranormal investigations have been prohibited, and access is limited to those who aren’t students and staff, its otherworldly ties tend to fly under the radar. But that doesn’t stop the students and staff from telling their stories – stories that make the Ponce de Leon Hotel an integral part of Haunted Florida.5
One spirit is said to be Henry Flagler himself, his spirit lingering behind to watch over his favorite hotel. After Flagler passed away, his body was laid in state in the hotel’s rotunda. Some stories say the janitor accidentally closed the doors during this time, effectively trapping him there, while others say Henry chose to stay because he loved this place.
Either way, if you take a tour of the Ponce de Leon, you can find Henry’s face in one of the red, quarter-sized mosaic tiles of the rotunda floor.6 Seems a little spooky if you ask me. . .
Students report hearing footsteps at odd hours of the night and seeing lights turn on and off by themselves in the fourth floor of the building. However, they don’t attribute this to Henry, but to his mistress, simply known as The Woman in Black. Additionally, in the women’s wing of the college, an apparition thought to be Henry’s second wide, Ida Alicia, appears, apparently still angry about the mistress on the fourth floor.7
So, is the Ponce de Leon Hotel really haunted by all three spirits? It’s hard to say, but in life Henry once said, “I have always been contented, but I have never been satisfied.”8 If that doesn’t sound like the potential for at least one restless spirit, I don’t what does.
2. Herlong Mansion Bed & Breakfast
402 NE Cholokka Blvd, Micanopy
Micanopy is the town that time forgot. Or at least, urbanization passed it by for the most part. It’s still inundated with beautiful oaks and hanging Spanish moss, and nearly every building seems to be on the National Register of Historic Places.
One such place is the Herlong Mansion. But this renovated and operational B&B isn’t just historic – it’s also haunted. At least according to some folks who’ve stayed there in the past.
The story goes that the mansion’s original owners left the estate to their six children, which inevitably turned into a family feud. Eventually Inez Herlong-Miller won and moved into the house, only to perish from diabetic shock in her childhood room the same day.9
Guests and ghost-hunters report strange happenings in her old room, from creaks, a disembodied voice, and even apparitions in the mirror. There’s a door in the house that has to be left unlocked, otherwise it will rattle all night long. Apparently electromagnetic readings are off the charts.10
Is it really all due to Inez? I suppose the only way to find out is to book a stay for yourself and see if anything goes “bump” in the night!
3. Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
7324 International Drive, Orlando
Considering it’s a couple thousand miles away from the sight of the wreck, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition might seem like a strange place to brand as haunted. However, it’s been conjectured that some spirits have remained attached to personal artifacts recovered from the deep. While it’s hard to say for sure, staff claim to have had run-ins with ghostly passengers and also witness strange noises they can’t explain throughout certain rooms of the museum.12
This year, through October and November, you can book the Tales from Titanic Guided Tour, which explores the spooky side of this tragic, historical event. Tours delve into “the haunting tales and conspiracies before, during and after Titanic’s maiden voyage.” Be sure to ask your guide if they’ve ever encountered one of the ship’s lost souls in the museum – their answer may just surprise you.
4. Hemingway House
907 Whitehead St, Key West
Author Ernest Hemingway absolutely, indisputably loved Key West.
So, did his Pulitzer-prize winning poltergeist decide to stay there forever? There are a few stories that swirl around the Hemingway House. . .
Shortly after Hemingway tragically took his own life in Ketchum, Idaho, Key West residents were shocked to hear it – they swore they had seen Ernest at his home that day, waving at them from the veranda. They had even waved back.13
Today, there are those who still claim to catch a glimpse of Hemingway, or even his second wife, Pauline, on the estate. Sometimes the clacking of Ernest’s typewriter can be heard, as if he’s pounding out yet another masterpiece.14
But the best ghost at Hemingway House – if there are indeed such things – is of the feline variety. While the estate is populated by plenty of living, multi-toed descendants of Hemingway’s beloved polydactyl cat, it’s said his original furry friend can still be spotted roaming the grounds in spectral form.
5. Walt Disney World
Orlando, FL
Who would’ve thought the happiest place on earth could also be haunted??
Well, that’s the rumor, anyway. If it’s not just a tall tale, then WDW is the forever home of at least a few spirits, and the best known specter is one named George.
Silly myth or the macabre truth, George is said to be the spirit of a construction worker who died while building the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.15 (There are a couple versions of what the fatal accident entailed.) While no such sordid history has ever been confirmed, it might just be because “dead men tell no tales.”
Indeed, George has never reportedly spoken, but legend has it that he’s usually up to something mischievous. If he feels disrespected, he’ll cause trouble with the ride, sometimes making it break down entirely. Allegedly, paying respect to George includes POTC Cast Members wishing him a “good morning” and a “good night” every single day. If they don’t, that’s when the trouble begins.
Apparently George is a bit flirty, too, as female guests have reported feeling a tug on their bra-strap, only to turn and see no one in their vicinity. Very naughty, George!16
Next time you board Pirates of the Caribbean, you may want to whisper a friendly greeting to this ghost, just to make sure your ride goes smoothly. . .
These are just a few lesser known paranormal hot spots in Haunted Florida! Have you experienced anything strange at the haunted places in Florida we listed? Or is there another low-key place that’s high-key haunted we need to know about?
Keep the ghost stories – and the Booberry cereal – coming in the comments below!
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