.png){kind=icon}
Welcome to the spooky season in Monterey! This place of sunshine and shimmering shores turns deliciously moody in October. Monterey is home to several attractions with dark, lore-filled histories that are perfect for getting some Halloween thrills. If you're craving a taste of the supernatural, don't miss these haunted places in Monterey, CA.
1. The Pebble Beach Ghost Trees
Also known as the Witch Trees, these elegantly haunting cypress trees are said to be gathering places for spirits. More than one passerby has reported feeling or hearing a dark, eerie presence by the trees. Simply look for the gnarled, twisted bodies of dead cypress trees at Pescadero Point to experience the oddness of what feels like a cursed forest among flowered-covered cliffs. The most haunted among these trees is called the Lone Cypress. Clinging to a rocky outcropping, this tree may be over 250 years old.
2. Tor House and Hawk Tower
This enduring Carmel attraction was the estate of poet Robinson Jeffers. After falling in love with the Carmel coast during a visit, Jefferson and his wife built their famous stone home here using granite boulders pulled from the shore of the bay by horses. Completed in 1918, the home was illuminated by oil lamps and candles until electricity was brought to the area several decades later. Robinson then built Hawk Tower by hand on the property to serve as a retreat for his wife and sons. Visitors who tour the home today can't help but notice an otherworldly presence echoing through the grounds where Jeffers and his wife raised their twin sons. The veil between then and now feels quite thin in spots throughout the estate!
3. Stevenson House
This Monterey landmark isn't just famous because it's where Robert Louis Stevenson reportedly considered the idea for "Treasure Island" while recovering from tuberculosis in 1880. During its time as the French Hotel, the Stevenson House welcomed countless guests. Many believe that the property is haunted by spirits who never checked out following a deadly typhoid outbreak. Rocking chairs that rock with nobody sitting in them, a blurry-faced man cloaked in a robe, an old woman pacing the lecture hall, and a small child running through the halls have all been observed by visitors!
4. Fort Ord
Fort Ord is a former United States Army post located in Monterey Bay that served as a training center from 1917 to 1994. While the base hasn't been in operation for more than 30 years, some visitors believe that soldiers from the great beyond are still very much on active duty! Standing as a ghost town today, the post has been the subject of paranormal activity. Some visitors claim they can hear the echoes of phantom army drills happening in the dead of night. Others claim that the spirits of military dogs buried on the site can be heard barking and howling through the night.
5. Colton Hall
Colton Hall is one of the best-haunted places in Monterey if you love American history. Colton Hall is most famous for being the spot where California's first constitution was drafted. However, the landmark also has a dark history as a jail and execution hall. Those who visit today often report whispering, mysterious footsteps, cold spots, and the sensation of being watched!
6. Stokes Adobe Restaurant
Stokes Adobe is a restaurant housed in a two-story historic home from 1833 in downtown Monterey. Originally built by a rich trapper, the home was sold to a man named James Stokes, who would forever be intertwined with its dark legacy. Stokes made his career as a fraudulent doctor whose ill-formed medications were responsible for poisoning countless people in Monterey. Legend says that the so-called doctor took his own life by poisoning after his deeds were discovered by his sons. People who visit the restaurant today to enjoy the beautiful interior or patio report ghostly encounters and odd sensations!
Enjoy the Haunted Side of Monterey, CA
From historic Cannery Row to Old Fisherman's Wharf, the past haunts Monterey. Of course, all of those thrills and chills can work up quite an appetite. Be sure to keep this list of spots with the best fish and chips in Monterey, CA, when you're ready to grab a bite!
