Special Guest
Amy Bizzarri – Travel Expert & Writer, Author of Choose Chicago
Website: 111 Places in Chicago That You Must Not Miss Kids Edition!
Social: @amybizzarri
Colleen & Catie’s Picks for Haunted Travel
Colleen
Destination: New Orleans, Louisiana
Accommodations: OMNI ROYAL ORLEANS, FRENCH QUARTER
One of the most haunted hotels in the French Quarter.
Luxury hotel with an ideal location where people can enjoy fine dining, art, antique stores and wonderful accommodations.
There is the ghost of a maid from the 18th century that enjoys tucking the hotel guests into their beds at night.
It is reported that this ghost goes even further than tucking people into bed. She’s been known to flush a toilet at different times as well as run a bath.
Lights are known to come on in the middle of the night by an unseen ghost. Some spirits will attach to guests and follow them around the hotel, while other ghosts like to move things around on the guests.
Restaurants: Commander’s Palace – Notable spot for refined Creole fare & an elegant jazz brunch in a chandelier-hung space since 1880.
Activities:
Ghost, Cemetery, VooDoo, Vampire Tours (and more)
VooDoo and Occult Shops
Visit Magazine Street for antique shops, local-made jewelry stores, and plenty of independent boutiques
Tips:
Visit during the week or in the off season (June-September) for fewer crowds and better deals
Don’t rent a car. You can easily get around with Ubers or for $1.25 ride on the oldest continuously operating streetcar in the world.
If you visit in the summer, prepare for humidity
Catie
Destination: Fall River, Massachusetts – Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum
Accommodations: The Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast
This allegedly haunted bed and breakfast is the sight of a gruesome and highly publicized murder that occurred in 1892. Although she was acquitted, Lizzie Borden was suspected of killing her father and stepmother with a hatchet in the unassuming home. Since then, guests have reported all manner of strange sightings in the house.
For anyone intrigued by unsolved crimes and brave enough to risk an encounter with the supernatural, the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast is an ideal destination. If the idea of staying an entire night makes you uneasy, however, the daily tours are a good and thoroughly enjoyable alternative.
The Lizzie Borden room is $225+tx for two people.
The room can also be combined with the Emma Borden room as a suite for up to four people for $425 and all overnight stays include an evening tour of the house and full breakfast.
You can rent the entire house for $1500 for up to 20 people!
No children under 10 allowed to stay.
Book your room at https://lizzie-borden.com
Restaurants: St. James Irish Pub
Right down the street from the museum
Laid back, typical bar food, typical relaxed bar kind of atmosphere
The drinks are well-priced
Kitchen doesn’t close until midnight.
Activities:
Tour the Lizzie Borden House & Museum – https://lizzie-borden.com
Battleship Cove & other museums in the area
Shopping in this quaint town
Freetown-Fall River State Forest for hiking
Tips:
Fly into Boston airport and rent a car to drive the hour north to Falls River. Especially in the fall, you’ll get beautiful views.
“What’s” with the “Trip Sisters”
What’s in Your Suitcase?
EVP Wrist Recorder 3 – $59.95 at www.ghoststop.com
This ‘handy’ audio recorder puts high quality EVP capture right on your wrist with a full color display, live listening, built in speaker and more storage. Just put it on, hit record and go investigating. This unit will last through the night without having to even think about it. While strapped on your wrist you will greatly reduce false evidence from fumbling sounds leaving your hands free to work.
What’s on your phone?
Ghost Observer (free on iOS & Android) – https://www.ghost-observer.com/
Ghost Observer is an entertaining camera tool that shows ghosts around you in an augmented reality experience. See real ghosts on live video, and hear them speak! Use the spiritism tool to communicate with the spirit and ask them questions. The app will give you information about the type and age of the ghost you are seeing – and the best part? It’s free!
What’s the tip?
Tips for Best Haunted Places in Chicago
Take a Chicago Ghost tour to learn about the history and haunts of some of the city’s most famous (and infamous) locations. https://chicagohauntings.com
Stay at one of Chicago’s haunted hotels, like Congress Plaza, Palmer House or the Drake.
Take a haunted cruise across Lake Michigan on the Spirit of Chicago. Tickets for this Halloween extravaganza can be purchased at www.goldstar.com
