10 Spooky Road Trips In Florida For Halloween
Florida’s not just about sunny beaches and theme parks – it’s got a creepy side perfect for Halloween adventures! When October rolls around, the Sunshine State transforms with eerie destinations that’ll give you goosebumps.
I’ve mapped out ten haunted road trips that showcase Florida’s spookiest spots, from ghostly lighthouses to abandoned towns with dark histories.
1. Spook Hill’s Gravity-Defying Mystery
Cars that roll uphill instead of down? That’s the strange phenomenon waiting at Spook Hill in Lake Wales. Local legend attributes it to a mysterious ghost or the spirit of an ancient Native American chief.
The experience feels genuinely strange – park your car in neutral at the bottom of what appears to be a hill, and watch as your vehicle seemingly defies gravity by rolling upward!
Locals have embraced this oddity with signs directing visitors to the exact spot for the best paranormal effect. It’s quick but thoroughly bizarre.
2. The Haunted Lighthouse of St. Augustine
Perched on Anastasia Island, this black and white striped lighthouse hides dark secrets behind its picturesque exterior. The tragic drowning of a young girl and the fatal fall of a lighthouse keeper have left spiritual imprints that visitors still encounter today.
Climb the 219 steps to the top if you dare. Many visitors report sensing unusual touches or hearing faint laughter when nobody is nearby.
The keeper’s cottage below is equally active with paranormal happenings. Objects move mysteriously, and the rocking chair sometimes rocks by itself – especially during stormy nights.
3. Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Journey
Founded in 1894, this tiny community between Orlando and Daytona Beach is known as the “Psychic Capital of the World.” Unlike typical Halloween scares, Cassadaga offers a genuine spiritual experience.
The streets are lined with Victorian homes where certified mediums and psychics practice their craft year-round. I recommend booking a reading in advance – the best mediums fill up quickly!
Don’t miss the Cassadaga Hotel with its reputation for paranormal activity. The energy vortex at nearby Seneca Park is another must-visit spot where the veil between worlds feels particularly thin.
4. Key West Cemetery’s Eerie Atmosphere
Established in 1847 after a hurricane washed away the previous burial ground, this cemetery houses around 100,000 souls in an area designed for 15,000. The overcrowding creates a uniquely macabre atmosphere perfect for Halloween exploring.
Famous epitaphs add dark humor to your visit. My favorite reads “I Told You I Was Sick” on hypochondriac B.P. Roberts’ grave. The cemetery’s above-ground tombs, necessitated by the island’s high water table, create an otherworldly landscape.
Evening ghost tours reveal stories of Robert the Doll’s original owner and the weeping woman searching eternally for her lost child.
5. Ashley’s Restaurant Paranormal Dining
Hungry for a side of spirits with your dinner? Ashley’s Restaurant in Rockledge serves both food and frights. The building has a dark history dating back to 1934, when a tragic incident occurred nearby.
Staff regularly report glasses flying off shelves, bathroom faucets turning on by themselves, and mysterious cold spots throughout the restaurant. The ladies’ restroom is particularly active – many women report feeling watched or seeing shadowy figures.
The food is actually quite good, making this a perfect Halloween dinner stop. Try sitting in the notorious “ghost booth” where patrons often feel unexplained touches on their shoulders.
6. Koreshan State Park’s Abandoned Utopia
Just outside Estero lies the remnants of a bizarre religious commune founded in 1894. Dr. Cyrus Teed, who renamed himself Koresh, convinced his followers that the universe existed inside a hollow earth and that he was immortal.
When Teed died in 1908 (proving his mortality), his followers kept his body for days, waiting for his promised resurrection. Today, you can wander through the preserved buildings where his cult once thrived.
The abandoned bakery, machine shop, and art hall have a distinctly eerie quality, especially near sunset. Visitors often report cold spots and the sensation of being followed through the grounds.
7. St. Augustine’s Ghostly Tour
Ready for America’s oldest city and its centuries of paranormal activity? The cobblestone streets practically whisper stories from the past.
I love starting at the Old Jail, where former prisoners supposedly still roam the halls. Don’t miss the Castillo de San Marcos either – this fortress has witnessed bloodshed and suffering since the 1600s.
After dark, grab a lantern-led ghost tour through the historic district where you’ll hear tales of pirate ghosts and colonial spirits that refuse to leave their beloved city.
8. Ybor City’s Underground Tunnels
Beneath Tampa’s historic Ybor City lies a network of mysterious tunnels with conflicting origin stories. Some say they were built for cigar workers to avoid rain, others claim they were smuggling routes during Prohibition.
Some theories suggest they were used for secretive purposes during the mob era or the yellow fever outbreaks. While most tunnels are sealed today, ghost tours point out former entrances and share tales of spectral cigar workers and gangsters.
The Cuban Club and Tampa Theatre are must-visit haunted spots in the area. Both buildings have well-documented paranormal activity, including a ghostly pianist and a ticket-taker who never left his post.
9. Riddle House’s Murderous Past
Originally built in West Palm Beach as a funeral parlor and moved to Yesteryear Village at the South Florida Fairgrounds, Riddle House carries its ghosts wherever it goes. The most famous spirit is Joseph, a former employee who was murdered on the property.
Joseph is said to be displeased with men and has occasionally been reported causing unexplained disturbances around male visitors and workers. During restoration, tools would go missing only to reappear in different locations. Construction workers refused to stay after dark.
The attic is particularly active – so much so that the TV show “Ghost Adventures” featured it in an episode. The rocking chair there moves on its own, seemingly pushed by invisible hands.
10. Pensacola Lighthouse’s Shadowy Figures
Standing tall since 1859, this lighthouse on the Naval Air Station has earned its reputation as one of Florida’s most haunted sites. The main spirits are believed to be Jeremiah Ingraham, its first keeper, and his wife Michaela who despised living there.
Their bitter arguments apparently continue in the afterlife. Visitors report hearing shouting matches echoing through the stairwell and seeing the couple’s shadowy figures in the keeper’s quarters.
Climbing the 177 steps to the top offers not just spectacular views but also unexplained cold spots and the sensation of being followed. Ghost hunters regularly capture EVPs and strange orbs in their investigations here.
