Are you the type of person who anxiously awaits the Halloween season? Are you the first person in your neighborhood to get your ghoulish décor out? For those who are fans of the paranormal, supernatural, and spooky, the haunted places in Louisville, Kentucky are must-visit tourist destinations.
After all, Kentucky’s motto is “Unbridled Spirits.” You can follow up your ghost hunting with another type of spirit: some of our world-famous bourbon.
Whether you’re looking for creepy hotels, scary buildings or haunted houses, Louisville Kentucky has it all. And while we haven’t been visited by supernatural spirits at the Inn at Woodhaven Bed and Breakfast, we’re happy to host you while you tour all of our local haunts this fall.
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9 Haunted Spots in Louisville Kentucky
After a spine-tingling day of ghost-hunting, come back to the Inn at Woodhaven’s warm and welcoming atmosphere. You might even swap spooky stories with fellow guests over a cup of tea or a glass of bourbon. See availability here: Room Availability.
1. Waverly Hills Sanatorium: Where the Haunting Begins
Waverly Hills Sanatorium was originally built in the early 20th century to serve as a tuberculosis hospital. During this time, tuberculosis, often called the “White Plague,” was a deadly and highly contagious disease that had no known cure.
Thousands of patients suffering from tuberculosis were sent to Waverly Hills in the hopes of finding treatment and a possible cure.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of effective treatments, many patients at Waverly Hills succumbed to the disease. The sanatorium gained a reputation for its high mortality rate, with hundreds of patients passing away within its walls.
With such a tragic history, it’s no wonder that Waverly Hills is believed to be haunted. Visitors and paranormal investigators have reported various eerie occurrences, including ghostly apparitions, disembodied voices, footsteps, and unexplained noises. The sanatorium’s Room 502 is particularly infamous for its paranormal activity.
In recent years, Waverly Hills has undergone restoration efforts and opened its doors for guided ghost tours. These tours allow brave souls to explore the haunted halls and learn about its history and reported ghostly encounters.
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium has become a magnet for those seeking paranormal experiences and a place where the past seems to linger in the present, making it a must-visit destination for fans of the supernatural and the macabre.
2. The Haunted Belle of Louisville Cruise
Set sail on Louisville’s famous 108-year-old steamer, the Belle of Louisville. This steamer is believed to be one of the most haunted places in Louisville, with stories of hauntings by former Captain Ben Winters, who died on board of a heart attack.
Others have alleged that the boat is haunted by other workers, one of whom was crushed when machinery was turned on by accident, and another who was killed when the paddlewheel unexpectedly went into motion.
While the Belle of Louisville offers cruises year-round, their Ghosts on the River cruise only happens on one day per year. This year’s spooky cruise takes place on Friday, October 13, 2023 (yes, Friday the 13th) and runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The cruise is 21+ and tickets are $39.99 for people ages 21-64 and $37.99 for ages 65+. It’s one of the only October events that combines ghost stories, a silent disco, tarot reading, and a costume contest!
3. Resting in Peace, Haunting in Style: Cave Hill Cemetery
What’s spookier than a Victorian cemetery around Halloween? Cave Hill is not only a peaceful final resting place for many, but it’s also known for its stunning gothic mausoleums and historic gravesites, from Civil War soldiers to famous faces like Muhammed Ali.
This is a place where history, beauty, and mystery really converge. Whether you’re interested in its stunning architecture, its famous residents, or its ghostly legends, a visit to this unique cemetery in Louisville is bound to leave you with a sense of reverence and perhaps a touch of the supernatural.
Cave Hill Cemetery offers informative guided tours or you can take your own stroll into its haunted history.
4. Ghostly Fingers: The Palace Theater
In downtown Louisville, you can find the innocent-looking Palace Theater. Although the theater is still in use, don’t be fooled by its appearance!
Whether it’s deceased guests, crewmembers or the mysterious maintenance worker Ferdiand Frisch that still stalk the theater, there is a ghostly presence that makes sure that you’re never truly alone.
Deemed as one of the most haunted buildings in Louisville, the Palace Theater has certainly had its fair share of strange encounters. People have reported:
- Doors slamming shut
- Sights of shadowy figures
- Feeling the touch of ghostly fingers
The many ghost sightings at the theater have even inspired various ghost hunters to come and investigate!
5. Footsteps And Voices: The Eastern Cemetery
If Cave Hill Cemetery isn’t scary enough, consider visiting the Eastern Cemetery in Louisville. Here you’ll find a final resting place with a much darker history.
The Eastern Cemetery has long been the final resting place for the poor and other less-wanted members of society. This allowed the former owners to evade some of the rules and regulations surrounding the practice of burying the dead.
Less than 200 years ago, the story broke that the cemetery had been mismanaged for years. Disturbing stories about the reusing of occupied graves, the presence of illegal mass burials, and graves that had been dug far too close to the surface became local headlines.
Unsurprisingly, the Eastern cemetery has a rich history of ghostly apparitions, strange noises and voices coming from local chapels and tombs. A persistent legend tells of a lady wandering the area in victorian style clothing.
If you should come face-to-face with a restless spirit, then share your experience at the Inn at Woodhaven! We’re less than a twenty-minute drive away.
6. Eerie Footsteps: Phoenix Hill Tavern
This music venue has seen performances from the likes of Miley Cyrus and Meat Loaf but there’s more than meets the eye. The Phoenix Hill Tavern isn’t just a music venue, it’s also a place with some creepy vibes.
Although the building doesn’t have the long and rich history of some of the other haunted places on this list, it has more than enough hidden stories to make up for it!
From strange noises and running footsteps that turn out to be nothing to rocking chairs and other objects that move on their own, there is definitely something strange going on here.
2025 update: The physical venue has closed for business but who knows if the restless spirits are aware of this??
7. Ghostly Nuns: Bethlehem Academy
Although this one is just outside of Louisville, the Bethlehem Academy is a must see for anyone looking for paranormal activity! Out of all the haunted houses in Kentucky, this former girls’ school is perhaps one of the scariest.
Over the years, the Academy has been used as a bed and breakfast, hotel and restaurant and but was originally built to be used as a school by the Sisters of Loretto. These days you won’t find any nuns or girls there, at least not living ones. There are many legends surrounding the place and it is said that ghostly nuns haunt the property to this day.
Since the Academy is now in the hands of a private owner, you can’t just start exploring. However, you can book a private ghost tour through their Facebook page.
8. Ghost Tours: The Louisville Historic Walking Tour
There are plenty of Louisville historic tours that explore the neighborhood of Old Louisville. While we believe that’s the beautiful homes are worth seeing by daylight, it’s even better at night!
Did you know that Old Louisville is considered by many to be the most haunted neighborhood in America? This area is filled with plenty of creepy Victorian homes and haunted hotels, which makes it the perfect backdrop for one of Louisville’s most popular ghost tours, the Louisville Historic Walking Tour.
Stories of supernatural occurrences come from many of the Victorian homes, old churches, parks, and street corners. This tour is based on David Dominé’s book: True Ghost Stories and Eerie Legends from America’s Most Haunted Neighborhood.
These walking tours happen daily at 7:30 pm from March through November and tickets can be booked in advance. But if you really want a special event, then schedule your Louisville vacation around October 20-22 when the Louisville Historic Walking Tour offers their annual Victorian Ghost Walk.
These two-hour tours leave every 15 minutes from 6:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. and feature multiple storytelling performances, bringing haunted history to life!
9. Ghost Stories: Spot The Pope Lick Monster
Forget Bigfoot or the Chupacabra, Louisville, Kentucky has its own very own monster! If you’re feeling up to it, head down to the Fisherville neighborhood and discover the truth for yourself. Part-man, part-goat and part-sheep, the Pope Lick Monster is said to capture its victims by mimicking the sound of their voices. If you hear your loved ones cry out for help, it’s time to run!
For the brave souls among you, the people from Legend At Pope Lick is more than willing to show you where the monster made its latest victims.
A word of caution, thrill seeker: The monster’s lair is rumored to be underneath a bridge next to a train track which makes searching for it an even more hazardous undertaking!
Planning Your Louisville Ghost-Hunting Adventure
After a day of terror, you need to rest your feet somewhere safe. There’s no better place to stay than the Inn at Woodhaven. Nestled in the heart of the city, this charming bed and breakfast not only offers cozy accommodations but also provides you with easy access to some of Louisville’s most famous haunted sites.
With its historic charm and convenient location, the Inn at Woodhaven is the perfect (non-haunted) hideaway for your Halloween experience in Louisville.
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