Halloween is approaching and to really get into the spirit, you need a little scare. From spooky taverns and hotels to haunted historic estates, here are five of the most haunted spots in the USA’s South.

Gaylord Opryland Resort, Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, recently chosen by Conde Nast traveller as one of the best large cities in the US is home to the Gaylord Opryland Resort, perhaps the most famous haunted hotel in Nashville. This resort has become a popular place for Ghost hunters and throughout the years, many guests have reported having paranormal encounters with the ghosts of the Opryland Resort. If you decide to stay at the Opryland Resort, know you’re staying in one of Nashville’s haunted hotels.

The Talbott Tavern, Bardstown, Kentucky
Stay or just grab a drink at The Talbott Tavern in Bardstown, Kentucky. It’s one of the oldest taverns in Kentucky, built in 1779. The building’s location was once a well-known stagecoach stop, and has seen many travellers over the years. Visitors today report hearing strange footsteps, disembodied voices, and various apparitions.

Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia
As an early American settlement, numerous historic houses in Colonial Williamsburg are believed to be haunted by past residents. One such property, the Peyton Randolph House, housed the Peachy family, who rented the property to many guests during their residency, including a young unnamed soldier attending the nearby College of William & Mary. Unfortunately, the young man fell ill during his stay and never recovered. He died in the home, and today, there have been multiple accounts of visitors spotting a young man walking sadly through the house or hearing heavy footsteps above their heads, even though no one is upstairs. You can take a complete tour of Colonial Williamsburg’s creepiest locations on the Colonial Ghost Tour, a moonlit tour of the haunted historic grounds.

Crescent Hotel and Spa, Eureka Springs, Arkansas
The Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas is considered America’s most haunted hotel. Several famous guests have “checked out but never left,” including Michael, the Irish stonemason who helped build the hotel; Theodora, a patient of Baker’s Cancer Curing Hospital in the late 1930s; and “the lady in the Victorian nightgown,” who likes to stand at the foot of the bed in Room 3500 and stare at sleeping guests while they sleep. These are just three of the dozens of spirits guests have reported encountering in this Ozark Mountains hotel. Are you ready for a ghost tour?

Edwardian Inn, Helena, Arkansas
With its rich Civil War history, it’s no wonder there are haunted places in and around Helena. The Edwardian Inn is an example of fine homes that were built in Helena around the turn of the Century. Although it’s been restored and renovated over the years, stepping inside the Edwardian Inn will take you back in time. Built in 1904, quarter-sawn oak panelling is used throughout the house and may have come from sawmills that were in the area at the time. Expert craftsmen in Chicago made the nine original mantels in the house. There are two crystal chandeliers from 1915 that glow above the original dark German carpet on the first floor. In the 30’s, the building served as ‘Helena’s only funeral home’, so there are no doubt some ghosts that may haunt its floors…

The Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina
More than 1.2 million visitors flock to this beautiful estate built by one of America’s most prominent families, The Vanderbilts. George Vanderbilt died in his home in the early 1900s, and many visitors have reported his ghost can still be spotted on the property, roaming the halls have heard whispers believed to be from his wife Edith calling out ‘George. Witnesses also claim to have heard his late wife, Edith, calling his name. Workers and visitors to Biltmore have heard sounds of clinking glasses, laughter, music, and splashes from a swimming pool that is now empty.