Ghost Hunting in Upstate New York: 7 Haunted Places to Visit for a Serious Scare

It’s spooky season, and throughout upstate New York you can discover real ghosts through guided tours. You can stay indoors, watch horror movies, or you can pretend to be one by witnessing some of these ghostly activities for yourself. Here are some ideas to get you started on your ghost hunting adventures in the area.

Dunkirk Lighthouse

1 Point Dr N, Dunkirk, NY 14048; http://www.dunkirklighthouse.com/

The Dunkirk Lighthouse investigative ghost hunt begins slowly and then builds momentum throughout the night. The attendants start in the meeting room where there is coffee and drinks for the ghost hunt participants, after all you need to be hydrated. After a brief introduction to the property, you’ll set off to tour the various buildings, including the lighthouse, before heading out in small groups of around three to four people to try and piece together your own experiences in each room. They have a variety of equipment you can use, such as motion sensors, radios, flashlight communications, and more. We’ve had some great feedback when using flashlight communication, especially in the basement, and pendulum activity. Often people come into contact with former lighthouse managers who lived on the property.

Iron Island Museum

998 E Lovejoy St, Buffalo, NY 14206; http://www.ironislandmuseum.com

The Iron Island Museum is still one of the most memorable episodes of Ghost Hunter I’ve seen. The little building was filled with so much activity, especially in the attic, and has such a story leading all its hauntings. The building was once a church in the 1880s. When the church closed, it sat vacant for a while before being turned into a funeral home in the 1950s. In the year 2000, it was donated to the Preservation Society of Love Joy as a donation where it has been turned into a museum. With its eerie history as a funeral home, the building has seen many spirits, including a man, Edgar, whose cremated ashes were left in the basement, and two 6-year-old boys who woke up at home.

Rochester Candlelight Ghost Walks

Mt Hope Ave, Rochester, NY 14620; https://sites.google.com/site/rochestercandlelightghostwalks

For a variety of different ghost hunting walking tours, check out Rochester Candlelight Ghost Walks. The tour group offers different options to customers like Ghost Stories at Union Tavern Seabreeze, Haunted Pub Crawls on Halloween night, Haunted Rochester Bus Tours and discount days on Ghost Walks for medical professionals, military, teachers and school staff.

Rolling Hills Asylum

11001 Bethany Center Rd, East Bethany, NY 14054; http://www.rollinghillsasylum.com/

For ghost hunting fanatics, this one is kind of a must-have. Due to Covid-19 regulations, public guided tours, both historical and flashlight tours, are suspended for the time being, but you can book a private ghost tour for you and your bravest group of friends . This spooky asylum has attracted ghost hunters and TV crews from all over. And after having nearly 1,700 documented deaths, and even more that have gone unrecorded, I can understand why. This place is a magnet for aspiring paranormal investigators.

Erie Canal Museum

318 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY 13202; https://eriecanalmuseum.org/

In downtown New York, look for the Erie Canal Museum. According to the Haunted History Trail, the property is home to several ghosts. Some of the major ghost sightings include a deceased woman at the location of the riverboat, two arguing men, and a group of children among other spooky entities. You can attend one of their ghost hunts and investigations by reserving a seat online or by calling the museum.

Old Fort Niagara

102 Morrow Plaza, Youngstown, NY 14174; https://www.oldfortniagara.org/

Old Fort Niagara does a great ghost tour and walks through the history of the fort. As night falls, they lead a 45-minute tour that explains the ominous side of Fort Niagara’s past. You’ll learn about strange things that have happened on the property and unusual paranormal activity as party-dressed characters throughout the property jump up and scare you.

Saratoga Haunted Tours

348 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866; http://hauntedsaratogatours.com/

Haunted Saratoga’s 90-minute ghost walking tours take you all over town to search for ghosts at various haunted locations. Some of these buildings include the Old Canfield Casino, where a ghost they named “Old Smoke” appeared among others as the Saratoga Springs witch, Angeline, or the Green Man.

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