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13 Creepy Abandoned Asylums That Are Open to Brave Tourists
Are you the kind of person who thinks a creaky floorboard and a phantom draft sound like the start of a fun day? Maybe you’ve Googled “haunted places near me” way too many times? Well, good news. These abandoned asylums are not only rich with history but also practically dripping with the kind of creep factor you can’t resist.
So get ready for heart-pounding adventures that will make you question whether to bring a trusty flashlight or an exorcist. Because each of these places offers spine-tingling experiences that will leave you debating whether to laugh nervously or run for your life.
And hey, don’t forget to bring your bravest friends along for the ride. Just be sure to watch your back…and maybe invest in a good pair of running shoes. After all, you never know what might be lurking in the shadows. Happy haunting!
Eastern State Penitentiary – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
This one’s as grand and gothic as you’d hope. Think Game of Thrones meets “Don’t go into the cellblock, Jake.” Famous for its revolutionary but brutal architecture and strict solitary confinement rules, Eastern State Penitentiary held criminals like Al Capone and is now wide open for – you guessed it – tours.
Tip: Catch their Night Tours attraction if you want to combine your love of walking in the dark with a casual heart attack every time the wind blows through the decayed infrastructure.
Sunbury Lunatic Asylum – Sunbury, Australia
Opened in 1879, its original mood screamed, “Welcome, but not really.” The Sunbury Lunatic Asylum is now infamous for its disturbing history and ghostly encounters.
With ghost tours (because apparently daytime wasn’t unsettling enough) held regularly, you can stroll through its eerie corridors while bracing for something – or someone – out of The Conjuring to pop out.
Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane – Ovid, New York
Abandoned since 1995, Willard is a trip back in time to when mental health treatment was…um, questionable at best. From signs of gradual decay to an open window into medical and institutional history, the occasional tours show you both the living quarters of residents and suitcases left behind when the asylum closed.
Can’t decide if that’s poignant or terrifying? Same. But prepare for chills – not the good kind.
Beelitz-Heilstatten – Beelitz, Germany
This sprawling compound served as a sanatorium and military hospital (oh hey, versatility!) and is famously known as the Peaky Blinders of abandoned buildings. Bullet holes? Check. Graffiti that somehow adds even more creep factor? Double check.
Guided tours of its decaying yet beautiful architecture are perfect for those who don’t mind being low-key horrified as they walk around. Bonus? The endless views of the overgrown forest creeping in. Yikes.
Waverly Hills Sanatorium – Louisville, Kentucky
If tuberculosis had a poster child of architectural trauma, it’d be Waverly Hills. Opened in the early 1900s, this former hospital is now famous for its ghost tours and paranormal investigations.
Some rooms still hold echoes (and shadows) of days gone by, and visitors often swear they see figures moving in “absolutely-empty” hallways. Yep, that’s totally comforting, right?!. Go ahead and book a visit…because what’s life without a little emotional scarring?
Severalls Hospital – Colchester, England
Built in 1913 to house psychiatric patients, Severalls Hospital’s tragic history is palpable the minute you set foot inside. Tours offer a glimpse into how patients were treated when compassion wasn’t exactly a widely understood concept.
Add the decaying Gothic features and the occasional bird flying dramatically overhead, and you’ve got yourself a great scary backdrop. Creepy and aesthetic – what’s not to love?
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum – Weston, West Virginia
This hospital was constructed between 1858 and 1881 – why finish quickly when taking forever feels so much more haunted? The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum offers both historical and paranormal tours, so you can brush up on how not to treat people medically…while waiting for a ghost to brush up on you.
With its stunning yet unsettling architecture, it’s no wonder this is a bucket-list stop for many a paranormal enthusiast.
Ohio State Reformatory – Mansfield, Ohio
If “very fancy but spooky prison” is on your travel bingo, this spot wins. Known for its majestic Romanesque Revival architecture, the Ohio State Reformatory ticks all the boxes for eerie tours and Shawshank Redemption vibes – because yes, it was filmed here.
Whether you’re there for the history or the ghost stories, at least one thing will haunt you (and it’s not the prison food).
Pripyat Hospital – Pripyat, Ukraine
Located in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Pripyat Hospital froze in time after the infamous nuclear disaster. Walking through this desolate and irradiated space (with a guide, unless you enjoy glowing green) is both haunting and historically significant.
Prepare to see eerie, untouched remnants of what was left behind – from rooms that look abandoned mid-shift to endless hallways best described as a horror movie set.
Rolling Hills Asylum – East Bethany, New York
Established in 1827 as a poorhouse, Rolling Hills Asylum is the background of every “My chair slid across the room unprovoked” ghost story you’ve heard. It’s like someone took all the haunted items off Craigslist and turned them into a building.
The tours are a mix of history and paranormal activity. And yes, the infamous “Shadow Hallway” lives up to its (chilling) reputation.
Whittingham Hospital – Lancashire, England
Once the largest mental hospital in England, Whittingham is basically the heavyweight champion of creepy old buildings. Occasionally open for tours, it’s a reminder of how far mental health care has come – and how horrifying wallpaper choices were in the past.
Every room you enter feels like it has seen things. Proceed cautiously, and maybe don’t wander off alone.
Pennhurst Asylum – Spring City, Pennsylvania
What was once a state school and hospital is now a top-tier haunted attraction for the brave…or the wildly unprepared. Pennhurst Asylum runs tours that explore its very dark past, alongside interactive haunted experiences that will leave you questioning why you willingly walked into this nightmare.
Don’t worry; the ghosts here absolutely love unsuspecting new faces. Just don’t ask what that faint, chilling laughter is. As one we have personally visited, if you love a good haunted house in the fall, this is a perfect choice.
Indiana State Sanatorium – Rockville, Indiana
Opened in 1908 – because apparently illnesses also deserved architecturally stunning buildings – the Indiana State Sanatorium was originally a tuberculosis hospital. Over time, it got upgraded (if you can call becoming a nursing home and private mental hospital an upgrade).
After closing in 2011, the sanatorium swung its creaky doors back open to the public, offering self-guided day tours, flashlight tours (time to add some drama), and even overnight investigations.
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