Eerie Missouri

Whether you’re looking for a full-on freakout, a unique new perspective on our state’s history or simply a night of spooky fun, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to conjure some paranormal experiences in Missouri.

Glore Psychiatric Museum

Formerly known as St. Joseph’s State Lunatic Asylum No. 2, the Glore Psychiatric Museum, located in the hospital’s former surgery unit, chronicles the building’s history, while also exploring the broader field of psychiatry, historic treatments and more. For a truly mind-bending experience, book your group to experience Glore After Hours, which features a paranormal investigation of the museum’s four floors and the tunnels beneath. The three-hour tour is $400 and includes a paranormal investigation guide (note that there is a maximum of 15 guests per tour). Glore Psychiatric Museum is located at 3406 Frederick Ave., St. Joseph, MO.

The Elms Hotel & Spa, Excelsior Springs

Early reports of the healing powers conveyed by the mineral waters in Excelsior Springs began attracting visitors to the location as early as the late 1800s. While the first two hotels on the site were both lost in fires, a third hotel rose from their ashes and opened in 1912. Though it faced bankruptcy in the 1930s, new management brought an influx of influential visitors, bringing The Elms back to life. According to lore, it was a favorite stop for Al Capone, “Pretty Boy” Floyd and Bugsy Moran, as well as United States President Harry S Truman, who chose the hotel for a quiet escape on Election Day in 1948. Visitors claim some guests have overstayed their welcome, which earned The Elms Hotel & Spa an investigation by SyFy’s “Ghost Hunters.” Find out for yourself with a paranormal tour; reservations are $25 per person. For the ultimate experience, book a room and spend the night. If your visit leaves you feeling a little rattled, unwind at the hotel’s onsite grotto and spa. The Elms Hotel & Spa is located at 401 Regent St., Excelsior Springs, MO.

Macabre Main Street, St. Charles

With historic buildings lining cobblestone streets, Main Street in St. Charles is the Salem of Missouri. Thanks to museums, festivals, shopping, dining and bicycling on the adjacent Katy Trail you’ll find plenty to do during the daylight hours, but if you’re really curious about local history, stick around for the Macabre Main Street tour, which is offered at 8:30 p.m. every Friday, April through October (exclusions may apply during select holidays and events). Tickets for the 90-minute walking tours are $20. The tours feature “true tales of crime, villainy and the paranormal.” Macabre Main Street tours meet at 230 S. Main St., St. Charles, MO.

Missouri State Penitentiary

Any legitimate conversation about paranormal investigations and ghost-hunting in Missouri likely starts with the Missouri State Penitentiary. Opened in 1836, this prison was not-so-lovingly nicknamed “the bloodiest 47 acres in America” and housed some of history’s most notorious criminals, including Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd (between his spa trips to The Elms, perhaps). Since being decommissioned in 2004, the site’s history of executions, violent riots and elaborate escape attempts have made it a popular destination for ghost hunters and history buffs alike. Go behind the infamous walls yourself on a ghost or paranormal tour. MSP has options available ranging from 2-hour ghost hunts to 8-hour, overnight paranormal experiences. Note that all ghost and paranormal tours have minimum age requirements. The Missouri State Penitentiary is located at 115 Lafayette St., Jefferson City, MO.

Alexander Majors House Museum

If you’re a sucker for the history of the American West, hitch up your wagon and head to the Alexander Majors House Museum for a night of ghost hunting. The mansion was construction in 1856 at the edge of the American frontier. The museum offers both paranormal investigations and after-hours audio-guided ghost tours. The Alexander Majors House Museum is located at 6115 Wornall Rd., Kansas City, MO.

The Lemp Mansion Restaurant & Inn

Taking a guided paranormal tour through a haunted site with a group is one thing, but spending a night alone in a room in one of the most notoriously haunted inns in the country? That takes nerves of steel. Ranked in the top 10 “Best Haunted Hotels” by USA Today, The Lemp Mansion Restaurant & Inn offers guests the opportunity to spend a night “where Beer Barons slept!” (Or perhaps still sleep?) From its historic architectural elements to its tragic history, this imposing mansion seemingly calls to guests to both “stay” and “stay away.” With upscale dining, themed special events, murder mystery dinners, ghost tours and the aforementioned overnight accommodations, you’re sure to find the perfect way to greet the mansion’s former inhabitants for your preferred fright level. The Lemp Mansion Restaurant & Inn is located at 3322 DeMenil Place, St. Louis, MO.