Atlantic City may be bright and lively on the surface, but there are plenty of creepy spots lurking just below. You've got hotels where spectres peek at you from the other side of the room, voices asking you what you're doing here. Before you go for the haunted rooms, make sure you can handle it. The night is long.

There are also ghost towns and forests that have spawned a slew of urban legends. You might not see a spectre, but you’re guaranteed to have fun. Visitors can find guided tours of many of our creepy sights, while others are best seen from afar. Read on for another side of AC and the Jersey Shore that’ll provide you with a hit of horror.

  • 1

    Absecon Lighthouse, Atlantic City

    Embark on a ghost-hunting tour

    Absecon Lighthouse, Atlantic City
    • History
    • Photo
    • Unusual

    The Absecon Lighthouse has so many ghost stories to its name that it was once the subject of Syfy's Ghost Hunters. Come find out why by taking the tour! Guests will learn about paranormal sightings and see videos documenting the paranormal activity.

    You can even take a special tour and venture onto the premises equipped with ghost-tracking equipment. Both tours include a climb to the top of the lighthouse, one of the oldest lighthouses in America. A museum and gift shop are also open to guests.

    Read more

    Location: 31 S Rhode Island Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, USA

    Open: September–June: Thursday–Monday from 11 am to 4 pm. July–August: daily from 10 am to 5 pm (Thursday until 8 pm)

    Phone: +1 609-449-1360

    Map
  • 2

    Jonathan Pitney House, Absecon

    Share a room with a ghost

    Jonathan Pitney House, Absecon
    • History
    • Photo
    • Unusual

    The Jonathan Pitney House is a gorgeous bed-and-breakfast. You will be amazed at the traditional atmosphere of the rooms, and you can even enjoy a breakfast made to order in the morning. But there's more to this place than meets the eye. Among the quaint furnishings are presences and the musical voices of ghosts. Sounds of bells and flutes have been reported, along with sights of spectral figures walking between rooms. Some witnesses claim the entities are friendly. It seems that the house holds a special charm even in the paranormal realm.

    Location: 57 N Shore Rd, Absecon, NJ 08201, USA

    Phone: +1 609-748-0536

    Map

    photo by Beachboyce (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified

  • 3

    The Pine Barrens

    Haunted woods where the Jersey Devil lurks

    The Pine Barrens
    • Adventure
    • Budget
    • Unusual

    The Pine Barrens is a vast stretch of woods bigger than Yosemite. Legend has it that a horrifying mishmash of animal parts called the Jersey Devil stalks these woods. It is a legend shared by various cultures, lending bizarre credence to the tale and making these woods a must-visit.

    Scattered throughout the Barrens are remnants of factories and their villages, many of which are not looked after and should not be visited. Travellers are instead invited to tour the Atsion and Batsto villages and their haunted mansions. Those who are disinclined to investigate the paranormal can still enjoy nature activities like canoeing and kayaking.

    Location: Pemberton Township, NJ 08015, USA

    Map

    photo by Matt Swern (CC BY 2.0) modified

  • 4

    Hotel Macomber

    An unwanted guest might visit you late at night

    Hotel Macomber
    • History
    • Photo
    • Unusual

    Hotel Macomber is a haunted hotel in Cape May, one of America's most well-known ghost towns. Guests have the choice to stay in the room with the most activity, which can include an inexplicable banging on the door late at night. If that weren't enough, voices can be heard, clothes being stolen, and there was one guest who was even pushed into a walk-in refrigerator.

    It is recommended to stay during the off-season if you want to catch sight of a ghost. This is the kind of place where paranormal investigators have captured voices on tape. One of them famously moaned... “I'm still here.”

    Location: 727 Beach Ave, Cape May, NJ 08204, USA

    Phone: +1 609-884-3020

    Map
  • 5

    Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May

    Its inhabitants have passed away… but never left

    Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May
    • History
    • Unusual

    The Emlen Physick Estate is host to many lingering ghosts. Eerie music can be heard from empty rooms during tours, and sounds of children playing in empty hallways have also been reported. Renters and buyers have all been driven out, which is why it functions as a museum today and not a hotel.

    Some say this is why it's possible to even visit the grounds in the first place: the spirits are happy that it is still theirs. The Emlen Physick Estate holds an array of tours, including escape games and activities suitable for children. Just don't overstay your welcome.

    Location: 1048 Washington St, Cape May, NJ 08204, USA

    Open: Monday–Friday from 10.30 am to 3.30 pm, Sunday from 11.45 am to 2.30 pm, Saturday from 11.45 am to 3.30 pm

    Phone: +1 609-884-5404

    Map

    photo by Staib (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified

  • 6

    Grenville Hotel, Bay Head

    Something not human is staying here

    Grenville Hotel, Bay Head
    • History
    • Photo
    • Unusual

    The Grenville Hotel looks like a quaint inn fit for a wedding, but something ghostly lurks within its walls. There’s more to this centuries-old pink Victorian house. Guests have reported sounds of children playing and sights of apparitions during their stay here. There’d be noises of great activity coming from completely empty rooms, and furniture will move on its own.

    People claim that not a day goes by that something paranormal isn't witnessed. They say if you’re thinking of booking a room at this hotel, don't be surprised to find a figure sitting or standing at the foot of your bed.

    Location: 345 Main Ave #4735, Bay Head, NJ 08742, USA

    Map
  • 7

    Flanders Hotel, Ocean City

    Meet Emily, the Lady in White

    Flanders Hotel, Ocean City
    • History
    • Photo
    • Unusual

    The Flanders Hotel in Ocean City has rooms lavishly decorated like the Jazz Age, with Grace Kelly and Jimmy Stewart on past sign-in sheets – and a resident ghost. Emily appears to guests, dressed in a white nightgown, and she has a penchant for mischief. Expect objects to fall off tables and locks to be undone, or see if you can catch a glimpse of her spectral figure late at night.

    She's not alone, though. The catacombs in the basement were witness to a few mob hits, and victims of organised crime violence are thought to walk the floors, as well. If you decide to stay here, don't come alone.

    Location: 719 E 11th St, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA

    Open: Open 24 hours

    Map
  • 8

    Ocean City Mansion, Ocean City

    Where things go bump in the night

    Ocean City Mansion, Ocean City
    • History
    • Photo
    • Unusual

    The Ocean City Mansion is a quaint yet luxurious spot to stay for those travelling to Ocean City, New Jersey. Make sure to keep good care of your personal belongings, because they might get knocked off the tables!

    Paranormal occurrences are common at the Ocean City Mansion, and they also include chandeliers moving by themselves and sounds of footsteps or voices. Book the Honeymoon Suite to get the most action as it is where people most often witness such activity. As to who the beings could be, nobody knows – but they probably won't hurt you. Probably.

    Location: 416 Central Ave, Ocean City, NJ 08226, USA

    Map
  • 9

    Ong's Hat, Pemberton Township

    A mystery too tangled to unravel

    Ong's Hat, Pemberton Township
    • Budget
    • History
    • Photo
    • Unusual

    Ong's Hat is an abandoned town in Southampton, New Jersey, and a bit of a niche interest, where legends revolve around a few mysterious deaths. One such case was of a Polish couple who disappeared from the town. Seven years later, a woman's skull was found in the woods nearby, presumably hers. Possibly related are a set of conspiracy theories.

    A story began circulating on the internet in the '80s that disgraced Princeton scientists retreated there to conduct experiments in secret. These experiments had to do with interdimensional travel – and there seems to be some evidence that they succeeded. Whatever the truth about Ong's Hat, the place itself has gained an unmistakable hold on the imagination.

    Location: Southampton Township, NJ 08088, USA

    Map

    photo by Mr. Matté (CC BY 4.0) modified

Benjamin Gorman | Contributing Writer