Take a look at our guide to the 8 scariest haunted places to enjoy getting spooked in Houston to help you decide where to have your next ghoulish adventure.
The city has some unique, exciting haunts brimming with history and creepy tales of the past. Some great tours can be booked in and around Houston, where you can enjoy the theatrics the knowledgeable guides bring to these eerie streets, buildings, and surrounding areas.
8 Top Scary Haunted Places in Houston, TX
I highlighted some of our favorite other-worldly places within Houston to help you plan your next ghostly itinerary.
I have made a note of what makes these places so unique, along with a few tales to intrigue your interests.
Finally, a note on pricing: The most popular way to enjoy these haunted spots in Houston is by booking one of Houston’s fantastic guided tours. These tours range from $33.85 to $179.00 per person; there are walking tours and cycling tours available. It can be more cost-effective to go it alone, but your experience might not be quite as thrilling.
Now, let’s take a look at our top 8 picks for the scariest haunted places in Houston!
1. Spaghetti Warehouse
| Address | 901 Commerce St, Houston, TX 77002 |
| Website | N/A |
| Price | Free - Can only currently be viewed from the outside. |
The derelict Spaghetti Warehouse in Downtown Houston is said to be one of the most haunted spots to visit in the city. There are grim stories of shuffling figures in the bathrooms and spooky tales of youthful ghosts running around the second floor. There have also been sightings of floating objects from guests and waiters’ shoelaces regularly getting spontaneously untied.
Sadly, this site has played host to many deaths since its construction in the early 1900s, most notably of a young couple whose voices can be heard calling out for each other. Legend has it that the male spirit had a fatal fall down the warehouse elevator shaft, and his beloved partner passed less than a year later, supposedly from a broken heart.
Sadly, what once was a bustling Italian restaurant has now closed down, and you can no longer enter the building. The kitchen has moved to a different site seven miles away, still operating under the Spaghetti Warehouse brand as a takeaway restaurant.
Bonus Read: 7 Best Italian Restaurants in Houston
2. Glenwood Cemetery
| Address | 2525 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007 |
| Website | https://www.glenwoodcemetery.org |
| Price | Free |
Cemeteries are pretty creepy at the best of times, but a haunted graveyard with frequent sightings of ghostly figures and experiences of visitors hearing painful wailing and terrifying cries of sorrow is enough to send shivers down the spines of anyone brave enough to enter this paranormal space.
Glenwood Cemetery was the first professional cemetery to be designed in Houston, with its first burial taking place in 1872. One of the most famous graves within the cemetery is that of Howard Hughes. The influential business magnate passed in 1976.
This is a top spot for ghost hunters to seek paranormal activity; the site has high electromagnetic fields and is said to be haunted by its former owner, who was gruesomely murdered.
Despite the strange going on’s and haunted tales set amongst the graves, this is a thoroughly interesting place to visit for anyone wanting to enjoy the beautiful setting, shadowed by magnificent trees and extravagant headstones can make for a lovely stroll.
3. Esperson Buildings
| Address | 808 Travis St, Houston, TX 77002 |
| Website | http://cameronmanagement.com/category/news |
| Price | Free - Can only currently be viewed from the outside |
The Esperson Buildings offer some glorious art-deco architecture to Downtown Houston. Millie Esperson planned the first building as a memorial place for her husband Neil, who sadly passed in 1922.
Neil had planned to build office spaces before his death, which Millie wanted to make a reality. She traveled around Europe for inspiration, and the final designs were modeled on Italian Renaissance buildings, with gold leaf finishes and marble interiors. Over the years, the site expanded, and a second building was added.
Millie became noted as Houston’s most successful businesswoman in the years that followed before her death in 1945. It is said that Millie still walked the corridors of the Esperson Buildings with a keen interest in the brass elevators, which often malfunction and have an eerie atmosphere.
4. The Rice Hotel
| Address | 909 Texas Ave, Houston, TX 77002 |
| Website | https://www.livetherice.com |
| Price | Free to view from the outside, or one-bedroom apartments available to rent from $1,300.00 |
The former Rice Hotel, now an apartment complex, is another spooky site to behold in Downtown Houston. The building has now been registered as a historic place.
The building stopped operating as a hotel in 1977 and stood derelict until renovations began in 1998 to create affordable living spaces. Legend has it that when the hotel closes, a curse was put onto the building by a spiteful spirit, who reeks chaos on the residents living on the upper floors to this day.
Residents have reported realistic visions, disturbing nightmares, and rattling objects surrounded by cold air. Many people are wary of entering the jinxed building as it was the last place John F. Kennedy slept in 1963 before his assassination. His room was on the 13th floor; there have been many paranormal activities on this floor, including malfunctioning air conditioning systems, balls of unexplained lights, and strange noises.
5. La Carafe
| Address | 813 Congress St, Houston, TX 77002 |
| Website | http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~hans320/projects/lacarafe |
| Price | Free entry for customers |
La Carafe is notably Houston’s oldest bar and one of the most haunted establishments in the city. The quirky saloon opened in 1860 and operated as a bakery and drugstore in a past life.
The bar has kept many of the original features that make it feel so atmospheric, from the dim candlelit tables to the vintage cash register. There is also a retro jukebox which can appear to have a mind of its own.
The ghostly visitors here mostly appear to be of a friendly nature, many of which are cheeky young spirits who enjoy playing on the second floor. Guests have often referenced the voice of a bartender who isn’t there calling for last orders. The only place within this historic building to take extra care is on the staircase; there have been several reports of a lady dressed in white who takes pleasure in pushing people, seemingly in an effort to make them fall down the stairs.
You Might Also Like: Popular Bars to Visit Near Downtown
6. Battleship Texas
| Address | 3523 Independence Pkwy, La Porte, TX 77571 |
| Website | https://battleshiptexas.org |
| Price | Adults $12.00, Children age 5-11 $3.00, Senior Citizens $6.00, Children under 4 are free |
Located within a former New York Class battleship, built for the United States Navy in 1912, sits a thought-provoking maritime museum. The ship is steeped in history; being used in both world wars, it’s no surprise that ghostly figures have been seen wandering the decks and corridors. The most famous spirit is that of a red-haired sailor who solemnly smiles as visitors pass some of the interior ladders.
Battleship Texas rarely hosts ghost tours. However, they have been known to allow evening tours and even sleepovers on occasion. Ticket prices for these sought-after experiences start from $179.00 per person.
See Also: About Houston, Texas
7. 1859 Ashton Villa
| Address | 2328 Broadway Avenue J, Galveston, TX 7755 |
| Website | N/A |
| Price | Free - It can only be viewed from the outside or can be hired for private parties and weddings |
1859 Ashton Villa is notable for being one of the first brick structures erected in Texas, a structure that still stands proud and striking to this day. The building has undergone some restoration work during its lifetime, but its original charm has not been lost.
The house has had a fascinating, extensive past, operating as a headquarters for the Confederate Army during the Civil War, a luxurious home to The Brown family, office space, and in more recent years, as a museum. 1859 Ashton Villa is now a popular wedding and events venue.
It is said that the building is now haunted by Betty Brown, the eldest daughter of the Brown family who once lived here. Betty was an eccentric figure of her time who enjoyed throwing lavish parties, traveling to foreign lands alone, and remained unmarried during her life.
Betty’s ghost has often been seen watching visitors in the ballroom. There have also been reports of paranormal activity in other areas of the house, including lights being turned on and off, ceiling fans being switched on, and dresser draws being unlocked.
Betty’s sister Mathilda has also been said to haunt the house; however, she is less apparent than her older sibling. Mathilda was a skilled pianist during her lifetime, and the piano has been known to produce music all by itself on rare occasions.
Related: Unique Wedding Venues in and Near Houston, TX
8. The Hotel Galvez
| Address | 2024 Seawall Blvd, Galveston, TX 77550 |
| Website | http://www.hotelgalvez.com |
| Price | Free to view from the outside, or hotel rooms are available to rent for $196.25 onward. |
Located in Galveston, The Hotel Galvas is a glorious hotel and spa resort that is stunning on the outside, with a dark, sinister history on the inside. There has been speculation that the hotel was erected on top of a mass grave; if that’s not enough to give you chills, the shocking stories of some of the hotel’s tragic deaths certainly will!
From hangings to hurricane horrors, there are suspected to be over 100 deaths that have occurred at the hotel since its opening in 1911. Many of these lost souls haunt the grounds, hallways, lobby, and some of the guest rooms. There have also been guests who have reported hearing laughter, piano music, and children playing.
This is a fantastic place for skeptics to visit, as the activity here is so regular.
To Sum Up …
So, where will you head to for your next scare?
We hope that we have helped you to create a shortlist of the scariest haunted places to consider in Houston.
If you would like to see what other thrills Houston has to offer, you might want to check out our guides to 14 Adventurous Things To Do in Houston and Fun Stuff, Things & Activities to do in Houston for inspiration.