How to Spend a Spooky Weekend in California

Many people enjoy the unexpected, and nothing is more unexpected than a paranormal encounter or ghostly experience. The state of California is almost as famous for its tales of ghosts as it is for its movie stars. Spending a spooky weekend in California can be just the sort of mini-vacation some folks are dying to take. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Take a trip to San Diego, a town filled with ghostly sightings. The Hotel Del Coronado is well known for its spirits, and one of the haunted rooms can be requested. Call well in advance as these rooms go fast.
2. Grab a bite to eat at San Diego's haunted El Fandango Restaurant. Keep an eye out for the Lady in White. After dining, take a tour of the Whaley House, which used to be the site of the public gallows. San Diego is a large city and has many accommodations and restaurants. Several companies offer tours of the haunted sites.
3. Spend the weekend in Hollywood and look for famous ghosts. Stop off at the Hollywood Park Memorial Cemetery. The administration building offers complimentary maps of the cemetery. The ghost of actor Clifton Webb has been repeatedly seen at the Abbey of Palms Mausoleum, and a disembodied crying voice has been heard in the cemetery.
4. Stay at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel for a chance sighting of Marilyn Monroe's spirit in the mirror near the lower level elevators. Ask for Room 928 and try and catch a glimpse of actor Montgomery Clift.
5. Leave the Roosevelt Hotel and walk across the street to Mann's Chinese Theater. Reportedly actor Victor Killian's restless spirit haunts this area as he was murdered nearby. When hunger strikes, find Sweet Lady Jane's Restaurant on Melrose and maybe the apparition of Orson Welles will appear.
6. Book a room at the Mansions Hotel in San Francisco and be sure to ask for a room in the old section of the hotel. This section is reportedly full of paranormal activity, and there's even a photograph of one proudly on display. Some guests have been so scared they checked out just minutes after checking in.
7. Dine at the Moss Beach Distillery on Highway 1. The famous ghost of a bloody lady in a blue dress haunts this place.
8. A short boat trip out to Alcatraz can be a spooky experience. People have heard voices, footsteps and the opening and closing of cell doors. Some visitors have experienced cold spots in different locations within the former prison.

Tips & Warnings

• Book a hotel known for a haunted room well before the planned visit.