Florida’s Freakiest: 18 Most Haunted Places in Florida
Hunting for the most haunted places in Florida? The Sunshine State is famous not just for its beaches and theme parks but also for its ghosts and hauntings.
Whether you’re a thrill-seeker or a paranormal enthusiast, this post will change the way you see Florida.
These are the 18 most haunted places in Florida:
Ocean Key House Resort
Key West
Beneath its charm, the Ocean Key House Resort in Key West stands as one of the most haunted places in Florida.
Visitors staying in the third-floor suite facing historic Duval Street might experience objects mysteriously moving or ghostly sighs and the unsettling feeling of someone sitting on their bed.
This ghostly activity is said to be from a ghost with lingering regrets. However, the exact identity of this haunting remains a mystery.
Coral Castle
Miami
Coral Castle is one of the most haunted places in Florida, shrouded in mystery, history, and legend. This curious structure, tucked between Homestead and Leisure City, was the life’s work of Edward Leedskalnin, an eccentric with a broken heart.
Edward began building this limestone marvel after his 16-year-old fiancée, Agnes Skuvst, left him the day before their wedding. Heartbroken, he moved to Florida and dedicated the next 28 years to constructing Coral Castle—often alone and under the cover of night.
What makes Coral Castle even more weird are the tales surrounding its creation. Edward claimed to have used “reverse magnetism” to move the massive stones, each weighing several tons, as if they were mere feathers.
Some believe he tapped into supernatural powers, others think he held secret knowledge lost to the ages.
Even now, visitors have strange sensations, hear voices and the feeling of someone racing by them, making it one of the most haunted places in Florida.
Leedskalnin’s spirit is said to linger at Coral Castle and sometimes appears in photographs.
City of Miami Cemetery
Miami
Shrouded in shadows, the City of Miami Cemetery stands as Miami’s oldest burial ground and the final resting place for notable figures, including Julia Tuttle, the “Mother of Miami.”
Visitors report ghostly apparitions, cold spots, and thick mists, especially in the military section where Civil War soldiers are buried.
Among the most unsettling stories is that of Carrie Barrett Miller, who was buried in a concrete tomb rather than a traditional casket. Her unusual grave is one of the most haunted places in Florida.
Deering Estate
Palmetto Bay
The Deering Estate in Palmetto Bay is a historic mansion that has made it onto our list of the most haunted places in Florida.
Though uninhabited since the 1980s, the estate is far from empty. With a history dating back 50,000 years, thanks to prehistoric burial mounds and fossils found on-site, the estate is a hotspot for ghosts.
Visitors and paranormal investigators experienced hushed whispers, footsteps, and moving doors. An unknown woman has been seen floating around the boat basin, and some guests have heard a woman’s desperate cry for help while seeing her. Others have heard footsteps running towards them in the other room, only to have them disappear.
For Halloween season, the estate hosts a limited number of ghost tours, where guests walk through the same paths once tread by Native Americans and Charles Deering, who died on the property in 1925.
Villa Paula
Little Haiti (Miami)
Villa Paula, located in Little Haiti, was built in 1925 as Miami’s first Cuban Consulate, home of Consul Domingo Milord and his wife, Paula.
Tragedy struck when Paula died 6 years after moving in due to complications from a leg amputation, and her ghost stories began circulating soon after.
Visitors have heard the click-clack of her high-heeled footsteps, watched her open doors and windows, and smelled Cuban coffee and roses. She is especially active near the back porch.
Other hauntings at Villa Paula:
- Aggressive knocking on the front door, with no one there
- Doors violently slamming shut
- Shadows on the wall
- Door locking and unlocking on their own
- Piano music coming from the next room
The Blue Anchor British Pub
Delray Beach
The Blue Anchor British Pub in Delray Beach secures its spot among the most haunted places in Florida, thanks to Bertha Starkey.
Originally from Britain, where the pub was established in 1864, Bertha’s spirit accompanied the pub to South Florida when it was relocated.
Her tragic death at the hands of a jealous husband has left a permanent mark. Each year near the anniversary of her death, around 10 PM, the time of her murder, paranormal activity increases. Table candles extinguish themselves and then re-ignite seconds later, heavy kitchen pots crashing to the floor, and footsteps are all commonplace.
Hollywood Beach Resort Hotel
Hollywood
Situated at the crossroads of Hollywood Boulevard and the iconic Ocean Drive, the Hollywood Beach Resort has become known as one of the most haunted places in Florida.
Originally a glamorous retreat in the 1920s, the resort’s journey through time saw it repurposed as a Bible college before being revived as a hotel in the 1990s.
The hotel’s most infamous haunt, the Choking Ghost on the second floor, is believed to be a victim of Al Capone’s violence. Capone and his cronies allegedly strangled multiple prostitutes to death in Room 202, whose spirits are said to never have left.
Apollo 1 Launch Complex 34
Cape Canaveral
Apollo 1 Launch Complex 34 at Cape Canaveral is one of the most haunted places in Florida, marked by the tragic deaths of 3 astronauts on January 27, 1967, when a fire swept through the Apollo 1 Command Module during a launch rehearsal test, tragically killing the astronauts trapped inside.
Visitors often speak of overwhelming dread and hear the agonized screams of astronauts reliving their fiery demise. The creepiness has led to periodic closures of the site, where the haunting memories and possibly the spirits of these astronauts continue to pervade the stark, abandoned launch complex.
The Vinoy Resort
St. Petersburg
The Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg, opened in 1925, marries its glamorous past with modern luxury, making it a standout among the most haunted places in Florida.
The Old Wing is particularly active, with a semi-transparent man often sighted wandering the halls. A mysterious lady in white also haunts the fifth floor, her presence most strongly felt by visiting baseball players.
Some have claimed to see the ghost of a man dressed in a tuxedo who haunts the hotel elevators. He plays with guests by making the elevator stop, without request from the rider, on the fifth floor.
Jason Hawes, from Ghost Hunters (episode 18, season 4), stayed in room 521 and claimed to find evidence of hauntings.
Coral Gables Biltmore Hotel
Coral Gables
The Coral Gables Biltmore Hotel stands out as one of the most haunted places in Florida, with a long history of mysterious occurrences.
Built in 1926, this Mediterranean mansion hotel has not only hosted the likes of Al Capone and Franklin D. Roosevelt but also spirits from its violent past. The ghost of mobster Fatty Walsh, murdered during a gambling dispute, reportedly roams the halls, playfully tampering with elevator buttons and writing messages on mirrors.
Guests also saw a melancholy woman in white and a phantom couple vanish while dancing across the ballroom floor.
Casa Monica Hotel
St. Augustine
St. Augustine’s Casa Monica Hotel originally opened in 1888, and it has been the scene of numerous paranormal reports. Guests and staff whisper about icy drafts and phantom footsteps in rooms 411 and 511—the latter being the site of the tragic, unexplained death of a Confederate soldier and a woman who burned to death in a fire.
The hotel’s rich history as a courthouse and a high-society hotspot adds layers (and ghosts). Despite its weird reputation, Casa Monica remains a jewel in the crown of St. Augustine and one of Florida’s most haunted places.
The Riddle House
West Palm Beach
The Riddle House in West Palm Beach, originally built in 1905 as the Gatekeeper’s Cottage for the Woodlawn Cemetery, carries a haunting legacy steeped in tragedy.
This Victorian “Painted Lady” was first used as a funeral parlor; it later became a private residence, but it was the dark events within its walls that made it infamous.
In the 1920s, Karl Riddle, the city’s first manager, took up residence in the house. One of Riddle’s employees, driven to despair by financial troubles, tragically hung himself in the attic. The beam from which he took his life was later removed, but the haunting that followed could not be so easily erased.
Karl Riddle’s diary recounts chilling experiences: chains rattling, disembodied voices, and a staff too terrified to stay.
By the 1980s, the house was abandoned and slated for demolition, but fate—or perhaps something more sinister—had other plans. The Riddle House was moved to Yesteryear Village, where its haunted history followed. During its reconstruction, workers reported tools mysteriously flung from the attic, broken windows, and an overwhelming sense of dread. Construction was halted for months.
It’s no wonder the Riddle House stands as one of the most haunted places in Florida!
The Cuban Club
Ybor City
The Cuban Club in Ybor City, built in 1917, is a cornerstone among the most haunted places in Florida.
This architectural gem replaced an earlier structure that was lost to fire, housing amenities like a pharmacy, ballroom, and a cantina.
It’s said to be haunted by several spirits, including a thespian who took his life on stage and a board member murdered in a heated argument. Visitors also report encounters with a woman in white and the playful antics of a young boy who drowned in the club’s pool, making it a hub for paranormal investigations.
With over 300 spirits rumored to reside here, including tragic figures like playwright Victorio and playful Little Jimmy, the Cuban Club is one of the most haunted places in Florida and all of the U.S. South.
St. Augustine Lighthouse
St. Augustine
The St. Augustine Lighthouse is a big attraction not just for ships but also for ghost hunters.
With its history dating back to 1824, the lighthouse has seen its share of tragedy, including the untimely deaths of former keepers and the drowning of a keeper’s daughters.
Visitors often report ghostly sightings of the lighthouse’s past caretakers, accompanied by the smell of cigar smoke or the sounds of footsteps.
The Florida Theatre
Jacksonville
The Florida Theatre, a cornerstone of Jacksonville’s cultural landscape, is renowned not just for its architectural beauty and hauntings.
Since its opening in 1927, the theater has been the site of numerous ghost sightings, including those of a former organist who still enjoys the shows from his favorite balcony seats.
Despite extensive renovations, the theater has preserved these haunted hotspots, maintaining both its charm and its ghosts.
The Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre
Clearwater
The Bilheimer Capitol Theatre in Clearwater first opened its doors in 1921.
This historic venue is said to be the residence of 3 distinct spirits:
- The Old Sea Captain: Said to have a goatee, this creeper has been known to appear suddenly, dressed in his captain outfit, without warning. He prefers to scare women, and some have said they have felt his breath on their necks or a pinch on their butt (gross, horrible, awful, we hate it).
- The Former Theater Manager: Met a tragic end on the balcony and a young girl whose laughter echoes through the halls.
- Bill Neville: The murdered body of Bill Neville, a stagehand, was found near the stage. No one was ever charged. It’s said Bill is still helping out behind stage and appears before nervous actors to comfort them. Whether or not seeing an actual ghost before performing helps with anxiety is unclear.
Orbs have been seen floating down the halls, alarms go off and on, and the chandelier has been seen violently swinging on its own.
Whether it’s the touch of the old captain or the soft footsteps of the young girl, this theatre is creepy AF.
Gilbert’s Coffee Bar
Stuart
Gilbert’s Coffee Bar in Stuart in Stuart isn’t just brewing coffee—it’s steeped in history as dark as its espresso.
Originally built as a refuge for shipwrecked sailors, this site was once central to a cult. In the late 19th century, a man named Cyrus Teed, who later renamed himself Koresh, convinced over 250 followers that he was their messiah. This cult-like community, known as the Koreshanity, gathered here.
After Koresh’s death in 1908, his followers, refusing to accept his demise, propped his dead body up for weeks, hoping for a miraculous resurrection. Eventually, his remains were placed in a mausoleum that was later washed away by a powerful hurricane.
Since then, whispers of phantom footsteps and shadowy figures have haunted the grounds, as if the spirits of Koresh’s followers are still waiting for their messiah to return. Visitors report the smell of beef stew and cigar smoke wafting through an otherwise unused kitchen.
The Palace Saloon
Fernandina Beach
As the oldest continuous bar in Florida, The Palace Saloon in Fernandina Beach is a prime site for ghostly stuff.
The good-natured spirit of Uncle Charlie, a long-time bartender, is said to still linger in the saloon, particularly around the bar area where he once entertained patrons with coin-tossing bets.
Despite a devastating fire in 1999 that nearly destroyed the saloon, Charlie’s area was mysteriously untouched.
Haunt Us
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