As a travel nurse, you embark on many unique journeys filled with diverse experiences, so why not add a touch of spine-tingling excitement to your assignments? Beyond the land of healthcare, there exists a world of eerie and mysterious destinations waiting for you to explore. In this guide, we invite you to step off the beaten path and venture into the land of the unknown. Join us on this journey of spooky places to visit as a travel nurse. From haunted hospitals to ghostly mansions, these destinations might have you having nightmares afterwards.
Wavery Hills Sanatorium – Louisville, KY
This famous haunted hospital is sure to scare some nurses from even stepping foot in the building. Before getting the reputation for being “haunted,” Wavery Hills served as an important tuberculosis sanatorium. Tuberculosis was an extremely deadly and contagious disease, therefore thousands of patients were kept quarantined in secluded spaces. Wavery Hills Sanatorium was also built as a self-sufficient community, which meant doctors and other employees were unable to leave the grounds.
According to the legends, the 600-foot body chute was used to discretely move thousands of patients corpses through the facility. The sanatorium is often cited as a place where ghostly experiences take place. Legends also state that a nurse committed suicide “Room 502,” which is why it is believed to be a haunted. Several visitors and ghost hunters have claimed to experience paranormal activity at the sanatorium. The paranormal activity included feeling cold air, seeing lights flicker, hearing slamming doors, and more. Visitors have also claimed to have seen ghostly spirits walking through the hallways of the sanatorium. Interested in planning a visit to the Wavery Hills Sanatorium? Click here to plan your trip!
Eastern State Penitentiary – Philadelphia, PA
The Eastern State Penitentiary remains one of the most famous prisons in the world. The cells at Eastern State have been empty for years, but many believe the spirits of former inmates remain behind the crumbling walls. Eastern State was also one of the largest and most expensive public structures in the country. The individual cells were equipped with their own exercise area, running water, central heating, and their own private flushing toilets.
The penitentiary was also known for its grand architecture and design features. It’s architectural designed resembles a wagon wheel from above, with a central rotunda and cell blocks dispersing outward like spokes. In the system, one “all-seeing” guard could stand in the center and monitor every corridor. Eventually, the system collapsed due to overcrowding problems and officially closed the prison in 1970.
The penitentiary was also home to several infamous inmates. The most well-known prisoner was Al Capone, America’s most famous mobster. Al Capone’s cell is still on display for visitors and it is said to have fine furniture, oriental rugs, and even his own person radio. Another famous prisoner was bank robber “Slick” Willie Sutton. He was one of 12 prisoners who escaped the prison through an underground tunnel, but were recaptured within hours. Join a guided tour to learn more about Eastern State Penitentiary’s eerie legends on your trip.
The Stanley Hotel – Estes Park, CO
This famous hotel is most known for its inspiration behind Stephen King’s “The Shining.” The hotel was first built in 1909, and gained it’s haunted reputation after a chambermaid experienced an explosion in Room 217. The Author, Stephen King, and his wife stayed in Room 217, which inspired him to write his novel. While staying in the room, King experienced vivid and unsettling dreams, which became the base line for his horror story. Even though King’s books are fiction, they still closely relay what happened to them in real-life.
Over the years, guest in Room 217 have reported various paranormal encounters. These encounters included lights turning on and off by themselves, unsettling noises, hearing children’s laughter in vacant halls, and the sensation of a ghostly presence. This has contributed to the room’s reputation as one of the most haunted places in the hotel. The Stanley Hotel offers guided ghost tours for those interested in learning more about its haunted history. Stay a night, if you dare!
The Queen Mary – Long Beach, CA
This retired liner is now a hotel and museum, and known for its paranormal activity. Explore the haunted areas or book a haunted cabin for a spine-tingling experience. Though, living guest aren’t the only ones who have known to spend time on the historic ship. There are said to have been at least 49 deaths on the Queen Mary since its original voyage.
According to legends, Stateroom B340 has been a problem long before the Queen Mary first opened as a hotel. In 1966, a woman staying in the room reported that she was woken up with the bed covers pulled off of her and a man standing at the foot of her bed. In other years guests have reported strange happenings such a hearing someone knocking on the door in the middle of the night and the bathroom lights mysteriously turning on. The room had been closed off to guests for many years, but it has since reopened for anyone looking for an evening of creepy fun!
These days the Queen Mary offers ghost tours by day and night to take advantage of the spooky stories that occurred on the vessel. Click here to learn more about this spooky adventure!
St. Augustine Lighthouse – St. Augustine, FL
The St. Augustine Lighthouse was first built in 1824 and is one of the oldest lighthouses in the United States. The original lighthouse was constructed of wood, but then was later replaced with the current brick structure from 1871-1874. The lighthouse stands at 165 feet and visitors can climb the 219 spiral steps to the top for some incredible views. The St. Augustine Lighthouse is often associated with ghost stories and haunted tales due to the historical signification of the site and the reported paranormal experiences.
The haunted stories of the lighthouse include the former lighthouse keeper, Joseph Andreu, who sadly fell 60 feet to his death from the top of the tower. According to some visitors, they have seen his ghostly spirit climbing the stairs of the lighthouse late at night. The most famous ghosts of the St. Augustine lighthouse is Eliza and Mary, the daughters of Hezekiah Pity. These two sisters tragically drowned while playing on the property and their spirits laughter can be heard at the top of the tower late at night. Click here for more information on the St. Augustine Lighthouse and the ghostly legends.
With Halloween just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to visit one of these 5 spectacularly spooky places as a travel nurse. Whether you believe in paranormal activity or not, these destinations offer creepy stories and experiences that can enhance your travel nursing journey. So, dare to explore the eerie, embrace the unknown, and make the most of your travel nursing adventures!
What are you waiting for? Don’t wait for the next contract to creep up on you. Now is the time to go visit PRN Healthcare to find the next place to travel nurse this Halloween.