We love any excuse for a weekend getaway, and we also love all things spooky. So it was only natural to combine the two for a haunted weekend getaway! There are so many options within a few hours of Pittsburgh that we aren’t sure if it’ll be harder to decide where to go or making sure we don’t pee our pants if we see a ghost…
Gettysburg
Drive Time: ~3 hours, 30 minutes
Gettysburg is the most obvious haunted weekend getaway we know. The whole town is pretty much haunted thanks to the Battle of Gettysburg, but notable spots include Farnsworth House, Jennie Wade’s House, The Cashtown Inn, and The Gettysburg Hotel. There are more ghost tours than we can name, and we’ve been thoroughly creeped out on every single one we’ve gone on.
Bedford
Image via: @omnibedfordsprings, Instagram Image via: @jeanbonnettavern, Instagram
Drive Time: ~1 hour, 45 minutes
Guests at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort have had encounters with ghosts of soldiers, small children who like to sneak into photos, and even a ghost who types on a computer in the reservation office.
The Jean Bonnet Tavern also has a history of sightings at the bar. Many people have reported being touched by someone when no one is around them, so maybe keep your friends – and your drink – close!
Pocono Mountains
Drive Time: ~4 hours, 30 minutes
The Old Jail Museum in the Pocono Mountains is said to be haunted – which isn’t surprising for a former jail that hung several inmates. Before his hanging, one man slapped his hand on the wall of his cell, stating that his handprint would remain as proof of his innocence…and no one has been able to get rid of the handprint despite many attempts. We don’t have goosebumps, you have goosebumps!
Conneaut Lake
Drive Time: ~1 hour, 30 minutes
If you want the true haunted experience, ask for a room on the third floor of The Hotel Conneaut. It’s said that in the 1940s, a bride and groom were staying in room 323/321 when the hotel was struck by lightning and caught fire. The bride, Elizabeth, died in the hotel while searching for her husband, and she still walks the halls of the hotel today.
Connellsville
Drive Time: ~1 hour
The Carnegie Free Library in Connellsville is home to more than just books. Many people have heard mysterious noises and footsteps, which shouldn’t surprise anyone considering the library was built on a former graveyard. The bodies were obviously supposed to be exhumed, but either some were never moved, or they were upset about their final resting place being disturbed.
Ghost Town Trail
Drive Time: ~1 hour, 30 minutes
The Ghost Town Trail is a 36-mile trail running through Indiana and Cambria counties. It runs through many former mining towns that were abandoned. By everyone except the ghost of a blast furnace owner, that is. He’s said to haunt the entrance to the Eliza Furnace. There’s also a lady in white who haunts the trail, forever searching for her lost sweetheart.
Altoona
Drive Time: ~2 hours
You might see more than a show at the Mishler Theatre in Altoona if you pay attention. The founder, Isaac Mishler, loved the theatre so much he decided to stay on after his death in 1944. His ghost has been seen by visitors, actors, and crew, and many have reported smelling cigar smoke or seeing smoke rise from empty seats in the theatre. Did we mention he was known for smoking cigars? Creepy!
