Get Spooked with this Haunted Itinerary in Los Angeles

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Advisor - Cassie Carpenter
Curated By

Cassie Carpenter

  • Los Angeles

  • City Travel

  • Weekend Getaways

  • Solo Travel

  • Off-the-Beaten-Path Travel

  • Fall

Advisor - Get Spooked with this Haunted Itinerary in Los Angeles
Curator’s statement

There is no better way to get to know a city than through its darker history. While Los Angeles typically exudes glamor, sometimes that’s just a facade. There are many hauntings, scandals, crimes, and spirits to explore.

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Day 1: Explore downtown Los Angeles

The Black Dahlia cocktail at The Biltmore Hotel

Check into one of the haunted hotels Los Angeles has to offer. Stay at the Roosevelt to party with the celebs of old Hollywood like Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift.

Choose The Biltmore for a stunning hotel with dark shadows, particularly the spirit of Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia murder victim.

If you prefer something smaller in a quieter location, consider the Hotel Hollywood and request the room James Dean or Marilyn Monroe stayed in.

Today you’ll explore downtown Los Angeles. Start out at Olvera Street, one of the oldest parts of Los Angeles. You can stroll the Mexican market and check out some haunted buildings like the Adobe Avila—the oldest house in Los Angeles; La Golandrina—an abandoned restaurant with the spirit of it's former owner; and the Pico House—a haunted one time hotel.

Take a ghost tour of the historic Chinatown and see what spirits you can find, and perhaps a dumpling or two!

Head to Clifton’s Republic for dinner, making sure to pass by the infamous Ceil Hotel on your way.

End your night with a drink at the bar in The Biltmore hotel and see if you can spot the spirit couple that lingers in the back.

Day 2: Ghosts of Hollywood

The Forecourt of the Stars at the Chinese Theater

You’ll spend today in Hollywood! Start your day at the Walk of Fame and visit the Medieval Torture Museum. As you stroll the stars on the sidewalk, you’ll stop at the famed Chinese theater, see the handprints in the concrete, and take the tour of the theater, keeping an eye out for ghosts along the way.

Next, pop into the Museum of Death for a fascinating experience. Time for an early dinner at the legendary Musso and Frank Grill, over 100 years old. You must get a martini—they are known for them.

After dinner, you’ll take a ghost tour of Hollywood and learn all about the silent film stars who are still trying to make themselves known and more! After all that, end your day with some liquid courage at Boardner’s. The bar has been there since 1942 and acquired many ghosts in those eighty-some years, including the spirit of Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia. Oh, and only go in the women’s bathroom if you dare...

Day 3: Sunset Boulevard

The Hollywood Forever Cemetery

Get an early start today, there is a lot to pack in! You’ll start off with a refreshing hike to the Hollywood sign, keeping an eye out for a spirit along the way. Next you’ll head to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, home to many famous people and their spirits. On the weekends they have tours or you can buy a map and wander on your own.

Time to head to Sunset Boulevard! Are you ready for your close-up, Mr. DeMille? Taking a tour of the strip will introduce you to locations of torrid mob stories, the spot where River Phoenix died outside the Viper Room, and some Rock and Roll history.

Grab a ticket to a show at The Comedy Store. You never know when a famous comedian will pop in to do a set, or when that set will be interrupted by a playful poltergeist.

For the finale, you’ll head to a Hollywood hilltop and enjoy dinner at Yamashiro. The restaurant not only boasts a gorgeous view, but is in a building over 100 years old with many spirits. Don’t let the ghost of the weeping woman in the window ruin your appetite though, the food and drinks are delicious!

Need to know

If you’re looking for more haunted restaurants or bars, check out Wolves in the Alexandria, El Cid, the Tropicana Pool Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel, or the Frolic Room.

Advisor - Cassie Carpenter

Travel Advisor

Cassie Carpenter

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