Miami is a gorgeously exciting destination all year round! From the world-famous Art Deco architecture, to the pristine beaches, the incredible cuisines, and the trendiest of neighborhoods, no other place compares to the Magic City. But during Halloween season, the ghouls and spooks fall onto Miami, and a new aura takes on the city. Miami has a vast and colorful history of creepy figures that make this place their home — even in the afterlife! From grand hotels, to historical manors, the city offers some of the most paranormal spots in the country. Dare yourself and explore the following places to celebrate the scariest of nights!
One of Miami’s first skyscrapers was built on the site of the demolished Hotel Halcyon in 1939. This building is said to be full of wandering spirits, including that of Grant Stockdale, local businessman and friend of former President J.F.K. He fell from the 13th floor and landed on machinery on the 5th floor. People report uneasy feelings and tension on those corridors. Maintenance workers have reported a mysterious figure that vanishes sporadically when stared at. Surprisingly, a group of air conditioning repairmen wrote an incident report after they walked into a unit, only to see a man’s burned face when they walked in.
In 1929, famous gangster Thomas “Fatty” Walsh was murdered at the Biltmore Hotel due to a gambling-related altercation. Since then, staff and guests have reported that Fatty wanders aimlessly through the halls, moving furniture, shaking glasses and bottles, and appearing before others. According to incidents, Fatty is especially active on the hotel’s 13th floor, where he was killed. It is said that mysterious odors of Cuban cigars linger throughout the building, especially around women. But other apparitions have been reported, making the Biltmore a paranormal hot spot.
Abandonment can pain the soul. In the early 1900s, Edward Leedskalnin, 26 at the time, was engaged to his sweetheart, 16-year-old Agnes. A day prior to the ceremony, Agnes called it off with Leedskalnin, which prompted him to build a monument representing his devotion to her — a project that took him 28 years to complete. He molded more than 1,100 tons of coral rock without machines or outsourced labor, even if he was only five feet tall and weighed a reported 100 pounds. He finished the sculpture in 1940, and about a decade later, passed away in his sleep in Jackson Memorial Hospital. You can visit the monument in Coral Castle, and perhaps you’ll feel a heavy, daunting feeling as you approach the symbol of devoutness.
This is the oldest and only municipal cemetery in Miami-Dade County, founded in 1987. Historian Paul George, who was born on Halloween, offers an annual walking tour of the cemetery. While George doesn’t believe in ghosts, he’s stated to have witnessed spine-tingling things in the past; once, while giving the tour’s introduction, a man interrupted him to lay a carved animal heart at the base of a tree as a spiritual sacrifice. Go on this tour if you dare!
The vast 444-acre estate is famous for being incredibly creepy. Visitors have reported so many otherworldly occurrences that there are two tours run on the same property. Bone-chilling activity is reported all year round, with reports of screaming people, indiscernible voices, apparitions, and unexplainable movements. This is a local go-to spot for paranormal investigators, and you can join in too — if you have the strength to do so.
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Here at Gray Line Miami, we offer fabulous tours that take you to the heart of the Magic City. Explore the delicious sounds and tastes in a culinary walking tour across Little Havana, experience the best of Miami in your own day trip, or even dive into the depths of aquatic life at the Miami Seaquarium! The possibilities are endless — book your tour today!