Florida has a dark underbelly in addition to its beautiful beaches, theme parks, and breathtaking scenery. There are plenty of eerie locations in the Sunshine State that will chill you to the bone. These are a few of the spookiest locations in Florida that will frighten you at night, whether you’re searching for a challenge, an adrenaline rush, or a ghostly encounter.
St. Augustine Lighthouse
The nation’s oldest city has rich in history, some of which is not particularly pleasant. One of the most recognizable—and most haunted—landmarks in the city is the St. Augustine Lighthouse. Since its construction in 1874, numerous disasters and fatalities have occurred around the lighthouse. The terrible tale of the lighthouse keeper’s two daughters and a friend drowning in the water close to the tower is among the most well-known.
Some claim that their ghosts still linger there and that their bodies were never found. Both workers and visitors have reported seeing apparitions and light orbs, as well as hearing footsteps, voices, and laughter. The lighthouse offers ghost tours for those who dare to explore its sinister secrets, and it has been on numerous paranormal shows, including Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures.
Biltmore Hotel
The opulent and sophisticated Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables has played host to a number of well-known figures, including Franklin D. Roosevelt and Al Capone. But the hotel also has a dark history; from World War II until 1987, it served as a VA hospital and a military hospital. Numerous patients and troops passed away while staying at the hotel, and some of them never left.
A gangster who was killed on the thirteenth floor, Thomas Walsh, is one of the most well-known spirits. Both visitors and employees have claimed to have seen his spirit prowling the hallways, as well as to have seen messages appear on mirrors, lights flicker, and elevators break down. Additionally, the hotel boasts a haunted pool where reports of seeing the spirit of a woman in a red dress who committed suicide after receiving a rejection from a lover have been made.
The Florida Theatre
Opened in 1927, Jacksonville’s stunning and historic Florida Theatre is still standing today. Numerous well-known performers, including Ray Charles, B.B. King, and Elvis Presley, have performed there. The theater is supposed to be haunted by the ghost of an organist who worked there in the 1920s and later committed suicide, but it also has a darker side.
Jesse was his name, and he enjoyed entertaining the crowd by playing the organ. But he was also lonely and depressed, and one night he killed himself in the theater by hanging. Some claim to have heard him play the organ when no one else is there because his ghost is still connected to it. Others have reported feeling his icy grip on their shoulders or seeing his shadowy image sitting on the organ bench. Other ghosts at the theater include a little child, a man dressed in a tuxedo, and a woman dressed in white.
Conclusion
There are plenty more spooky locations in Florida, but these are just a few of the more terrifying ones at night. If you have the courage, you can explore the mystery, horror, and history that this state of Florida has to offer. But use caution—you never know what could be hiding in the shadows.
