California
Pirate Tower Victoria Beach, California
Victoria Beach is one of the best kept secrets in Laguna Beach. It's a little hard to get to but once you are there, you'll find a stunning view of the sixty foot tall, lonely stone turret that looks like it was plucked from somewhere in Europe.
The tower's origins aren't that mysterious. It was built in 1926 as an enclosed staircase to the beach for William E Brown, an avid painter and senator from Los Angeles. Laguna Beach was a natural fit for his dream home.
The home was sold in the 1940's to Harold Kendrick, a retired naval captain. He was attracted to the home because of the tower and he would dress as a pirate and invite local kids over for the games and stories of the sea. He would host scavenger hunts and hide coins within the many cracks and crevices of the old tower.
Today the tower is kept under lock and key. The stories of coins hidden amongst the stones are forgotten but the tower still inspires the imagination of those who visit.
Park along the Pacific Coast Highway near Victoria and walk through the neighborhood towards the beach. Take the steps down to the beach and climb over the rocks to the right.
Warning: The tower can only be accessed at low tide.
Mission Inn, Riverside California
Mission Inn Riverside - Riverside Historic Hotel
This magnificent hotel is the centerpiece of Riverside, California. Although, it certainly doesn't look like you are in California. If you are interested in amazing architecture, this place will not disappoint. Out of all the hotels I've visited, this is by far my favorite and I always make it a point to stop in when I'm in the area. The grounds are stunning and a great place to practice your photography skills. The restaurants are all top notch and there's are some adorable antique stores just across the street. Make sure you stop in for a cupcake a Casey's.
I had been to the Mission inn before, but this was my first time staying there. I had planned a short weekend getaway with my 7 year old daughter. We had plan to shop at the outlets in Cabazon for some new clothes for school and then spend the weekend pampering ourselves at the Mission Inn. First thing I should tell you is that my daughter, being my daughter, is a little creepy. At that time though, she looked like an ordinary 7 year old girl. As I was checking into at the front desk, my daughter sat down on one of the large sofas in the lobby. She happened to be seated next to an older lady. She had been sitting there looking around wide eyed for a few minutes when the lady looked over at her and said "Did you know this hotel is haunted?". Now, this thrilled my daughter but honestly, if she had been any other child, she would have been terrified. I finished checking in and walked over to her, she was so excited to tell me all about the ghost as we made our way to our room. We stayed in a deluxe room, the cheaper of their offerings but it was still luxurious. Our room happened to have a fireplace which was a beautiful touch. We were so excited to explore the grounds. We did not experience anything supernatural during our stay but it was still amazing.
Most of the ghost stories from the Mission Inn are fairly benign, figures walking down the hall and disappearing and that type of thing. There is one room that is supposedly haunted, the famed " Aunt Alice Room". People who stayed in this room claim to feel cold spots, report being touched and claim to see her apparition.
People have also reported being pushed as they descend the spiral staircase in the bridal suite.
The hotel is situated on a number to catacombs that are closed to the public for safety reasons.
Even if the hauntings are not your thing, the hotel is still worth a visit.
If you are interested in learning about the history of the Mission and how it came to be, visit Missioninn.com
Alcatraz, San Francisco, California
Alcatraz is most famous for the time it spent as a federal prison. During the 29 years it was in use, the jail held some of the worst criminals America had ever know. Al Capone, Robert Franklin Stroud (The Birdman of Alcatraz), George "Machine Gun" Kelly, Bumpy Johnson, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Mickey Cohen, Arthur "Doc" Barker, James "Whitey" Bulger, and Alvin "Creepy" Karpis were among the infamous residents of Alcatraz.
The penitentiary claimed that no prisoner ever successfully escaped. A total of 36 prisoners made 14 escape attempts, two men trying twice. 23 were caught, 6 were shot and killed during the escape, 2 drowned and five are listed as "missing and presumed drowned".
Since its closure, reports of unexplained clanging sounds, screams, and crying have often been reported in the prison blocks. Unexplained footsteps and moaning have been reported in both A and B blocks. C-Block is reputedly haunted by the spirit of former inmate Abie Maldowitz (nicknamed Butcher) who was murdered in the laundry room. On September 5, 1984, a ranger spent the night alone on the island and was awakened by a heavy door swinging in C-Block, but found no cause for it. The door swinging continued on other nights as well. D-Block is considered by paranormal investigators to have the most activity in the prison. Four of the 42 cells in this block are thought to be haunted, cells 11, 12, 13 and 14 D. Cell 14-D, is considered to be the most haunted cell. Many people report that this cell is permanently icy cold, even during the summer, and is often 20-30 degrees colder than anywhere else.
I visited Alcatraz in November of 2012 with my now husband. He doesn't buy into the ghost stuff but he was still trying to win me over, so he went along with it. Alcatraz is incredibly creepy but nothing paranormal occurred during our trip.
Taken immediately before the next photo
The Whaley House, San Diego California
The Whaley House in Old Town San Diego is said to the be "America's Most Haunted House".
This house was built by Thomas Whaley in 1856. The new house was the finest home within 150 miles. It's a 2-story Greek Revival house that was designed by Thomas Whaley himself and made from bricks created in Whaley's brickyard on Conde Street.
Despite the beautiful exterior, tragedy continued to befall the Whaley family while living in the home. This repeated tragedy led to the increasing paranormal activity.
They offer day and evening tours as well as an afterhours paranormal investigation.
I visited this home in July of 2022 and took the evening tour. The tour guide was amazing and I got chills multiple times throughout the tour. My 16 year old, who previously passed out at the Haunted Museum is Las Vegas, said that they felt the same dark and heavy feeling in this home. After the tour, back in the car, we reviewed our photos. One of the photos that shows a shadow figure in a mirror that was not seen when the photo was taken. See the photo below.
