8 Supernatural Southern Destinations
From haunted hotels to psychic readings, discover a few of the South's most fun destinations for those seeking a supernatural-inspired escape.
From Savannah’s moss-flanked manors to Charleston’s uneven cobblestone streets, Southern architecture and landmarks tell tales that add to the charm and mystery surrounding some of our favorite cities. These eight Southern destinations offer a unique blend of warm hospitality and supernatural intrigue.
To celebrate the season, we’ve lined up an itinerary for each city that suggests a place to stay, a place to savor, and a place to get spooked.
ABINGDON, VA
Stay
The Martha Washington Inn & Spa has a storied history dating back to 1832. It was originally built as a private residence, but ownership has changed hands several times over the decades. Throughout its life, it has served as a women’s college and a hospital. In 1935, it opened its doors as a hotel. The Martha Washington has welcomed a distinguished clientele, including Eleanor Roosevelt, President Harry Truman, Lady Bird Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and Elizabeth Taylor.
Savor
The Tavern offers a dining experience as rich as its past. Established in 1779, this Virginia landmark is one of the nation’s oldest bars, serving as a hub for community life for centuries. From bank to bakery, general store, and barber shop, The Tavern has witnessed the ebb and flow of time. Now, it’s a sophisticated eatery that blends historic charm with a modern, relaxed ambiance.
Spook
Abingdon is perhaps best known for the Barter Theatre. When it opened in 1933, theatergoers could pay 35 cents or the equivalent in fresh produce in exchange for a ticket to a show. Today, the Barter brings more than 140,000 people through its doors annually. Some swear the Barter has its own ghost — that of founder Robert Porterfield, who is said to be spotted in the audience from time to time.
ST. AUGUSTINE, FL
Stay
As the oldest continuously inhabited city in the country, St. Augustine is filled with mystery and allure. Cobblestone streets and tight alleys are punctuated by small eateries and boutiques. As such, you’ll want to book a room at The Collector Inn, an oh-so-charming collection of historic private homes, once known as the Dow Museum of Historic Houses, turned boutique lodging.
Each structure has a story. The Spear House, for example, is the former home of Henry Flagler’s bookkeeper while the Murat House was at one time occupied by Napoleon Bonaparte’s nephew.
Savor
Quench your thirst at Forgotten Tonic, a hand-crafted cocktail bar situated in St. Augustine’s historic arts district. The bar sits on St. Augustine’s oldest street, Aviles, a narrow one-way corridor. You’ll have to park around the corner, but it’s a short, bewitching walk back to the bar. Once there, be enticed by cocktails such as the eponymous Forgotten Tonic a mixture of gin and green chartreuse mixed with Génépi liqueur, lime zest, and quinine.
Spook
Lighthouses are notoriously spooky. Whether it’s their isolating nature or the devastating shipwrecks they worked to prevent, lighthouses have long been associated with legends and superstitions. The St. Augustine Lighthouse is no exception and is often named among the most haunted places in the city. Register for one of the site’s “Dark of the Moon” tours offered year-round on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The two-hour Dark of the Moon Ghost Tour allows visitors to climb the tower while the investigation only encourages spirit seekers to search for their own apparitions.
BEAUFORT, NC
Stay
The crown jewel of the Crystal Coast is the Beaufort Hotel. It sits along the banks of Taylor Creek, offering 10 acres of waterfront. If you’re lucky, you might steal a glimpse of the wild horses that live across the creek on Carrot Island.
Rooms are outfitted in subtle nautical decor, and many showcase sweeping views of the coast and amenities such as bio-degradable bath products and in-room recycling. This hotel sits a bit further from town, but a complimentary shuttle delivers guests to the heart of the historic district, where even more charm awaits.
Savor
Situated on the old Owens Grocery Store site, Beaufort Grocery Co. has been a local favorite since 1991. By day, the restaurant is a lunch spot with a menu of soups, salads, and deli sandwiches. In the evening, it offers a sophisticated spread of local seafood dishes like pan-seared scallops and grilled entrées like a New York strip steak.
Spook
Beaufort is North Carolina’s third-oldest town, which means it is steeped in local lore. Port City Tour Company offers a lantern-led stroll through its spooky past. The Beaufort Ghost Walk meanders the beautiful streets of Beaufort, stopping at various homes and buildings along the way. Enjoy several spooky stories while standing outside the gates of the Old Burial Grounds, a cemetery founded in 1709.
CHARLESTON, SC
Stay
There is a hotel or inn for everyone in Charleston. But to get the most out of your stay, head to centrally located The Charleston Place. The circa 1986 hotel is situated right on Meeting Street near bustling King Street, making it an ideal spot for visitors. There are shops and restaurants onsite, and the hotel can even arrange exclusive bespoke experiences through its Power of Access Program. This includes activities like an after-hours shopping experience at Croghan’s Jewel Box jewelry store and group walking tours with Walk & Talk Charleston.
Savor
Charleston is a fantastic culinary destination, so we would be remiss not to mention at least a few of its restaurants. For the most likely supernatural experience, you’ll want to make reservations at Poogan’s Porch, which is laced with lore.
Head to the bar at Husk, located in a circa 1890s kitchen house, for ambiance. To experience one of the city’s newest gems, hit Lowland. It’s accessible via cobblestoned Ellis Alley and spans two floors of the historic Lequeux-Williams House.
Spook
Ghost and pirate tours abound in Charleston, but choose a self-guided stroll through some of the city’s ornate cemeteries instead. Make a point to stop at the one at Unitarian Church at 4 Archdale Street. Its churchyard is generally open to the public from Tuesdays through Sundays. This cemetery is said to be the final resting place of Edgar Allan Poe’s muse, Annabel Lee. Although there is no hard evidence that is the case, legend has it that she is buried in a secret grave and her ghost can be seen meandering the grounds.
MACON, GA
Stay
If you’re seeking a truly “spirited” sleep, choose the 1842 Inn to rest your head. It is said to be haunted by the ghost of John Gresham, the mayor of Macon, who built the inn as his private residence. He lived there until he died in 1900. Many guests have reported seeing Gresham’s ghost around the house, along with a few other ghastly apparitions.
If you’d rather stay somewhere a little less “haunting,” try The Woodward. It’s a nine-room boutique hotel with an onsite cocktail bar named Quill, a nod to Southern literature.
Savor
If the walls of H&H Soul Food could talk, they’d sing. This legendary Macon institution has been a culinary cornerstone since its opening in 1959. Known for its soul food, H&H has a special place in the hearts of many, including the Allman Brothers Band. In their early days, the band frequented the restaurant, where Mama Louise took a shine to them and treated them to free meals. The band’s appreciation for Mama Louise and her cooking led them to bring her on tour in 1972. Today, the restaurant walls are covered in historic photos for a step back in time.
Spook
Don your costumes and fly down the Ocmulgee River with the witches of Macon in the annual Witch Float event. To complete their journey, hundreds of witches and warlocks float using paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes. The annual tradition is now in its fourth year. All ages are welcome to participate or cheer them on from the banks.
MEMPHIS, TN
Stay
The Memphian is a colorful, eclectic hotel that exudes city spirit from the moment you step through its doors. The walls are saturated in vibrant hues and decorated with local artwork. Guests can book the Astrological Overnight package to be treated to a welcome amenity inspired by their zodiac sign, a stargazing session on the outdoor rooftop deck, and zodiac-inspired cocktails and bites from the top-floor eatery, Tiger & Peacock.
Savor
Ernestine and Hazel’s is nearly as synonymous with Memphis as Graceland. The dive bar and late-night hangout is housed in a former 1930s pharmacy with an upstairs brothel, which is where many of the legendary ghost stories take place. The space is lively, but it definitely has an eerie vibe, too. Don’t miss the “Soul Burger,” loaded with onions, cheese, pickles, and special soul sauce.
Spook
Established in 1852, Elmwood Cemetery is a sprawling graveyard in Memphis where over 75,000 souls reside. The cemetery’s landscape, characterized by rolling hills and meandering pathways, offers a beautiful setting for the macabre. The cemetery often hosts events such as book launch parties, special speakers, and bicycle tours. Its premier event is the annual Soul of the City, in which characters reenact their history … and their demise.
NEW ORLEANS, LA
Stay
A prominent part of the Garden District, The Pontchartrain Hotel has a long history as a place to see and be seen. Frank Sinatra, Truman Capote, Jim Morrison, and Tennessee Williams have all stayed at the hotel, and you might even recognize it from popular movies and television shows. Prolific gothic writer, Anne Rice (a Garden District resident herself), often used the hotel as a setting in her novels.
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Legendary restaurants abound in New Orleans, but there is one that specifically sets a table for its resident ghosts. Muriel’s in Jackson Square fills a table nightly with bread and wine for their beloved Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan. Mr. Jourdan built his home where Muriel’s is today. The story goes that in 1814, he lost his home in a poker game, and he took his own life on the second floor in the same area where Muriel’s Seance Lounges are today.
Spook
Whether you take a cemetery tour, ghost tour, or pop in and out of a few voodoo shops, the one stop you must make while in New Orleans is Bottom of the Cup Tea Room. Open since 1929, the operation has a reputation for excellent psychic readings. According to the establishment, New Orleans women would stop in the Tea Room after shopping in The Quarter to have a cup of tea, and one of the onsite physics would read the leaves left in the bottom. The practice continues to this day!
SAVANNAH, GA
Stay
Immerse yourself in the historic district and stay at the Hamilton-Turner Inn. Located on Lafayette Square, the inn was built in 1873 as a private home. However, you might recognize it from the novel, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, as the house was once managed by one of the main characters, Joe Odom. Today, the inn has 17 uniquely designed luxury rooms, each named after a famous Georgian.
Savor
As one of Savannah’s most “haunted” spots, The Olde Pink House draws crowds seeking a delectable dining experience. The restaurant is said to be haunted by its first owner, James Habersham Jr., and guests and employees alike swear to have heard footsteps and seen doors opening and closing when no one else was around. Don’t miss the restaurant’s signature spirits … also known as its reserve liquor list!
Spook
Experience all things odd and macabre at the Graveface Museum. The attraction holds decades of research and artifacts from true crime, cults, sideshows, secret societies, and the occult. It also possesses the most extensive collection of artwork from serial killer John Wayne Gacy and suspected serial killer Ed Gein. Leave on a light note by finishing your tour with some free play in the horror-themed pinball and arcade room.
Happy haunting!
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Nicole Letts
Nicole is a life-long Southerner and freelance journalist based in Atlanta who relishes sharing the stories of inspiring Southern businesses and residents. When she’s not weaving her next tale, you can find her stitching cheeky needlepoint canvases or perusing area antique shops.