If you’re looking to dive headfirst into Halloween spookiness, then the Wilmington area has you covered.
A travel website recently ranked two spots near Wilmington as some of the eeriest places in the state. One of them was even the top spot on the list.
With October underway and Halloween approaching, many Wilmington-area residents will look to engage with classic spooky traditions like haunted houses and horror movies.
But others may want to get a bit closer to the action, so to speak. Wilmington has a variety of places that are considered haunted or mysterious, but two in particular were included on a list of spooky sites to visit from Family Travel Forum.
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Battleship North Carolina
It may not come as a surprise to Wilmington-area residents that the Battleship North Carolina topped the list of spooky places. The ship, which serves as a museum and historic site, is widely considered to be haunted, and was even featured on the show "Ghost Hunters."
The ship participated in naval combat through World War II. In September 1942, the ship was struck by a torpedo during operations in the Pacific, killing five crew members. Some ghost stories claim those men still haunt the vessel.
For those looking to check out this haunted status for themselves, nighttime ghost tours of the ship are offered.
Old Baldy Lighthouse
Old Baldy still stands tall on Bald Head Island. Rising 110 feet, it’s the oldest still-standing lighthouse in North Carolina.
Its age can carry an eeriness for some. Built more than two centuries ago in 1817, the lighthouse has stood watch over Frying Pan Shoals, a system of sandbars that proved hazardous for countless ships over the years.
The lighthouse’s age is palpable in its stony visage, and a place so old almost begs for ghost stories.
Local legends have also linked the lighthouse to the ghost of Theodosia Burr Alston, the daughter of former Vice President Aaron Burr. Theodosia Burr Alston disappeared at sea in 1813, and some claim she shipwrecked in Frying Pan Shoals -- or was captured by pirates nearby.
The spookiest places in North Carolina
If you’re looking to embrace the spookiness this Halloween season, here’s the full list of places to visit in North Carolina from Family Travel Forum.
- Battleship North Carolina (Wilmington)
- The Carolina Inn (Chapel Hill)
- Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (Buxton)
- Tryon Palace (New Bern)
- Historic Brookstown Inn (Winston-Salem)
- Fort Macon State Park (Atlantic Beach)
- Omni Grove Park Inn (Asheville)
- Old Baldy Lighthouse (Bald Head Island)
- The Duke Mansion (Charlotte)
- 1897 Poe House (Fayetteville)
Charlie Kingree is the trending topics and Pender County reporter for the StarNews. He can be reached at ckingree@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Two Wilmington-area sites named among NC’s spookiest places
