If you crave the eerie, haunted, or unexplained, Delaware may surprise you as a treasure trove of the creepy and macabre. From haunted mansions and infamous bridges to ghost-infested battlefields and supernatural lighthouses, these ten destinations promise chills, shivers, and tales you’ll tell long after you leave.
1. Fort Delaware State Park (Pea Patch Island)
This imposing Civil War-era fort is widely considered the most haunted spot in Delaware. Visitors, investigators, and even park rangers have reported doors opening and closing by themselves, children’s voices echoing in the officer’s quarters, and strange apparitions like the “blue man.” Fall ghost tours allow you to use EMF meters and ghost-hunting equipment as you learn spine-tingling stories from the Diamond State Ghost Investigators.
2. Rockwood Park & Museum
This grand 1850s estate in Wilmington is a hotspot for paranormal activity. Guests and staff recount ice-cold drafts, disembodied voices, moving objects, and the laughter of ghostly children. With regular ghost tours and features on TV’s “Ghost Story,” Rockwood blends architectural splendor with spectral chills.
3. Lums Pond State Park
Beneath the surface beauty of Lums Pond lies a dark past—a young runaway’s murder in the late 19th century. Adventurers wandering the Swamp Forest Trail often report high-pitched screams, unexplained cold spots, and mysterious figures in the woods. The ghost of miller John Lum is also said to haunt these grounds.
4. Frightland, Middletown
Considered one of the Top 10 scariest haunted attractions in the country, Frightland is more than just a Halloween event. Its multiple haunted houses, hayrides, and eerie graveyards are set on atmospheric farmland, playing up every horror trope with immersive, blood-curdling fright.
5. Crabby Dick’s, Delaware City
This waterfront restaurant occupies the historic former Delaware City Hotel, reputedly haunted by a chambermaid named Sandy. Employees and guests have experienced flickering lights, cold gusts, and mysterious voices warning them off the fourth floor.
6. Woodburn (Governor’s Mansion), Dover
Known as one of Delaware’s most haunted houses, Woodburn harbors a dark tale: a slave raider, chased from the mansion, died hanging from a tree on the grounds. Visitors sometimes hear screams, see fleeting shadows, or feel an inexplicable dread in the mansion and gardens—even Delaware’s governors have ghost stories from this elegant estate.
7. The Green, Dover
Not just a scenic square, The Green is said to be haunted by an angry 18th-century judge whose ghost lingers among the tombstones, as well as others tied to the location where Delaware ratified the Constitution.
8. Amstel House & Historic New Castle
Join the “Hauntings in History” tour to visit cobblestoned streets and some of Delaware’s oldest homes, including Amstel House, where the Lady in Blue is said to appear in an upstairs window. These immersive walks reveal tales of colonial-era crime, punishment, and supernatural encounters.
9. Maggie’s Bridge, Woodland Church Road
Legend tells of Maggie—a woman in white—whose ghost haunts this rural bridge, screaming for help. Paranormal investigations have found high EMF readings, eerie voices on tape, and reports of explorers returning home with scratches or unexplained marks.
10. The Cannonball House, Lewes
This house, scarred by a cannonball from the War of 1812, looms with tales of shadowy figures, unexplained footsteps, and cold drafts. As the centerpiece of haunted Lewes, it’s a must-see for lovers of ghostly lore.
For those seeking a thrill or the perfect Halloween photo op, Delaware’s haunted history and shadowy legends make it an unexpectedly rich destination for the morbidly curious. Each site is woven with chilling tales—be it echoes of war, tragic love, or colonial misdeeds—and invites the bravest visitors to step closer to the unknown own.
Sources
[1] https://dnrec.delaware.gov/outdoor-delaware/unveiling-delawares-dark-secrets-exploring-the-haunted-fort-delaware-and-beyond/
[2] https://www.loftteamde.com/blog/Top-Halloween-Experiences-in-Delaware-That-You-Shouldn-t-Miss-Out
[3] https://delawaretoday.com/things-to-do/haunted-places-delaware/
[4] https://www.delawarehauntedhouses.com/real-haunts/
[5] https://frightland.com
