Unearth The Voyage
New Jersey might be famous for boardwalks and beaches, but some of its hotels come with unexpected guests who never checked out. From Victorian bed and breakfasts to beachfront landmarks, these spots have earned their spooky reputations through decades of strange encounters and unexplained activity.
Whether you believe in ghosts or just love a good creepy story, these haunted hotel stays offer more than just a place to rest your head.
The Flanders Hotel, Ocean City
The Flanders stands tall on the Ocean City shoreline, and the word “Catacombs” appears in its history like a dare. This isn’t your typical beach resort story.
The underground tunnels beneath the hotel supposedly hosted secret gatherings during Prohibition, and guests today report ghostly encounters throughout the property.
Room doors open on their own. Shadows move where no one stands.
Staff members share tales of cold spots in hallways and unexplained sounds echoing from empty floors.
The building opened in 1923, and its grand ballroom once hosted elaborate parties and social events. Now, visitors come hoping for more than ocean views.
Some claim to see figures in vintage clothing wandering the corridors late at night.
The catacombs themselves remain one of the hotel’s most intriguing features. Whether the spirits are former guests, Prohibition-era visitors, or something else entirely, the Flanders has built a reputation that goes far beyond its beachfront location.
Staying here means accepting that your neighbors might not all be living, breathing guests.
Hotel Macomber, Cape May
Room 10 at Hotel Macomber comes with an unusual warning from past guests. The sound of something heavy being dragged across the floor wakes people in the middle of the night.
When they check, nothing has moved. The room sits empty and still, but the noise was real enough to jolt them from sleep.
Cape May draws visitors for its Victorian charm and beach access. Hotel Macomber delivers both, plus reports of a waitress spirit who appears near the dining areas wearing shabby, outdated clothing.
Guests describe seeing her briefly before she vanishes.
The trunk-dragging phenomenon in Room 10 has become the hotel’s signature haunting. Some brave souls specifically request that room, hoping to experience the mysterious sounds firsthand.
Others avoid it completely after reading online reviews.
The hotel’s age and history create the perfect backdrop for these stories. Built in the 1800s, it has seen countless guests pass through its doors.
Apparently, a few decided to extend their stays indefinitely. The combination of coastal beauty and paranormal activity makes this spot popular with ghost hunters and regular vacationers alike.
Angel of the Sea, Cape May
Miss Brown never officially left Angel of the Sea, according to local legend. This Victorian bed and breakfast looks like a postcard from another era, with elaborate woodwork and romantic ocean views.
But guests report experiences that don’t match the pretty exterior.
Furniture shifts position overnight. Lights flicker without electrical issues.
Some visitors describe feeling strange vibrations in certain rooms, as if the building itself is trying to communicate.
The story goes that Miss Brown died in a tragic accident while staying at the property. Her presence supposedly lingers in the hallways and guest rooms, making itself known through these subtle but unsettling signs.
She doesn’t appear as a full apparition often, but her influence feels constant to those who believe.
The inn maintains its elegant atmosphere despite the haunting tales. Many guests come specifically because of Miss Brown’s reputation, hoping for their own paranormal encounter.
Others stumble into the experience unknowingly and leave with stories they never expected to tell. Either way, Angel of the Sea delivers both Victorian charm and legitimate chills, making it a unique Cape May destination.
The Grenville Hotel and Restaurant, Bay Head
Bay Head attracts visitors looking for quiet sophistication and pristine beaches. The Grenville Hotel fits that description perfectly, until you hear about the children who apparently never left.
Guests walking through empty hallways report hearing childlike laughter echoing from nowhere.
The sounds seem playful rather than threatening, but that doesn’t make them less eerie. Staff members have grown accustomed to the reports, though they can’t explain what causes them.
Apparitions of children have been spotted in guest rooms and common areas when the spaces should be completely vacant.
No one knows exactly who these young spirits are or why they remain at the property. Some theories connect them to the building’s long history, while others suggest they’re drawn to the peaceful coastal setting.
Whatever the reason, the phenomenon happens regularly enough that it’s become part of the hotel’s identity.
The contrast between Bay Head’s upscale, serene reputation and these ghostly encounters makes the experience even more jarring. You expect calm elegance, not phantom children running through the halls.
The Grenville manages to maintain both, creating an atmosphere that’s simultaneously refined and genuinely haunted.
Surf City Hotel, Long Beach Island
Long Beach Island feels like eternal summer, with its laid-back vibe and endless shoreline. The Surf City Hotel has been part of that landscape for generations, serving as a gathering spot for locals and tourists alike.
But its long history includes more than just beach memories.
The building has accumulated ghost stories over the decades. Visitors describe strange encounters in guest rooms and common areas, though the specific details vary.
Some report unexplained cold spots, while others mention seeing figures that disappear when approached.
The hotel’s age works in its favor for paranormal enthusiasts. Older buildings naturally collect more stories, and Surf City Hotel has had plenty of time to build its supernatural reputation.
The encounters don’t follow a single pattern, which makes them harder to dismiss as coincidence or imagination.
Despite the eerie tales, the hotel maintains its role as an island landmark. People come for the beach access and classic LBI atmosphere, with the haunting stories adding an extra layer of intrigue.
The combination of surf culture and spirit activity creates an unusual mix that you won’t find at typical beach hotels.
The Widow McCrea House Bed and Breakfast, Frenchtown
Ghost cats don’t sound particularly scary until you feel one jump onto your bed at 2 a.m. Guests at the Widow McCrea House report exactly that sensation, followed by the terrifying realization that no actual cat exists in the room.
The weight on the mattress is real, the movement is real, but nothing visible causes it.
This Victorian bed and breakfast looks perfectly normal during daylight hours. The haunting here doesn’t involve dramatic apparitions or violent poltergeist activity.
Instead, it focuses on this single, deeply unsettling phenomenon that happens repeatedly to different guests.
Some visitors find the ghost cat comforting rather than frightening. They describe feeling a purring sensation or warmth beside them, as if a real pet is seeking attention.
Others find the experience completely unnerving and refuse to sleep with the lights off.
The Widow McCrea House sits in charming Frenchtown, surrounded by antique shops and riverside scenery. The contrast between the town’s peaceful atmosphere and the bed’s mysterious visitor makes the haunting even more memorable.
You come expecting small-town tranquility and leave with a story about an invisible cat that definitely wasn’t imaginary.
Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City
Atlantic City’s boardwalk has seen countless transformations, and the building now housing Hard Rock Hotel and Casino carries stories from its previous life as Trump Taj Mahal. Local legend describes a ghost appearing around midnight, connected to a tragic fall from a parking structure decades ago.
The haunting claims predate the Hard Rock renovation. Staff and guests from the earlier era reported seeing a figure near the spot where the tragedy occurred.
Some describe a sense of sadness or unease in that area, even after the property’s complete transformation.
Hard Rock took over in 2018, bringing new energy and branding to the space. But changing the name and decor doesn’t necessarily clear out every resident.
Some employees quietly admit they’ve heard the old stories, though the company doesn’t officially promote the haunting as part of its identity.
The casino floor buzzes with activity day and night, making paranormal encounters harder to notice among the crowds and noise. But late-night security staff and maintenance workers sometimes share their own experiences.
The combination of tragedy, history, and constant activity creates conditions where spirits might linger, even in a completely modernized entertainment complex.
