Year-Round Ghost Hunts: 16 Haunted Places Across Minnesota
Skip the carnival-style haunted houses this year and check out places that will truly creep you out. Minnesota has a deep history and plenty of real hauntings to explore.
Did you know there are spots you can visit any time of year? I’ve found at least 16 haunted places in Minnesota that will make your hair stand on end. A few even gave me nightmares.
Halloween brings out two types of people: those who like commercial haunted houses, and those who want the real thing.
Minnesota’s unique past means we have no shortage of ghost stories. The best part about these haunted places is you can visit them year-round.
The Real Haunted Places in MN
Minneapolis Institute of Art’s Connecticut Room | Minneapolis, MN
Location: 2400 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404
How to visit? Visit during normal museum hours. Admission is free.
Guests and security staff have reported strange occurrences in the period rooms, especially the Connecticut Room. Mysterious figures have been seen upstairs, then vanish.
I checked it out myself. One night, I stepped inside and the room went silent. The temperature dropped fast; it felt like winter. I left in a hurry.
The next day, I returned with my husband. The room felt warm and inviting. That experience made me a believer. It’s one of my favorite real haunted places in MN.
Want more backstory? Read:
Are You Brave Enough to Visit the Haunted Minneapolis Institute of Art?
The Fitzgerald Theater | St. Paul, MN
Location: 10 E Exchange St, St Paul, MN 55101
How to visit? Buy tickets to a show.
Legend says an old stagehand named Ben, who died in the 1940s, still lingers. Staff have reported hammering sounds, shadows, and bottles moving on their own.
One former manager shared that a box office staffer once saw a bluish-green figure move through the gift shop. She locked herself in until help arrived.
Wabasha Street Caves | St. Paul, MN
Location: 215 Wabasha St S, St Paul, MN 55107
How to visit? Schedule a tour
Prohibition-era gangsters once used these caves. Visitors report apparitions and the faint sound of big band music from long ago.
Tours point out bullet holes and take you into back rooms. Candlelight tours are extra spooky. I went with the lights on and was still creeped out.
Tours sell out fast in October. Grab tickets early:
Historic Cave Tour | St. Paul Gangster Tour
St. Paul City Hall | St. Paul, MN
Location: 15 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul, MN 55102
How to visit? Take a Monday tour with the Ramsey County Historical Society.
Reports include an apparition of a shoeshine man roaming for work and a figure seen hanging through the floor near today’s staff break room.
Forepaugh’s Mansion | St. Paul, MN
Location: 276 Exchange St S, St Paul, MN 55102
How to visit? Restaurant closed in 2019; view from the exterior only.
The Victorian mansion is tied to legends of a distraught maid and a former owner. Guests once reported cold spots, shaking chandeliers, and moved furniture. It remains privately held and closed to diners.
Minneapolis City Hall | Minneapolis, MN
Location: 350 S 5th St, Minneapolis, MN 55415
How to visit? Self-guided public areas during business hours.
Some say John Mossik, the last person hanged in Minnesota, lingers here. Reports include sudden illness, photos moving, and odd pranks.
County Highway 21 Hitchhiker | Near Warren, MN
Location: County Highway 21 near the old Sherack cemetery
How to visit? Take a drive on a stormy night.
Drivers report picking up a hitchhiker near the cemetery who vanishes from the car minutes later. Spooky and classic.
Landmark Center | St. Paul, MN
Location: 75 W 5th St, St Paul, MN 55102
How to visit? Self-guided tours; check building hours and exhibits.
Stories include the spirit of Jack Pfeiffer, linked to gangster-era crimes. Reports mention barroom pranks, surprise photo-bombs, and a presence near the third-floor restrooms.
Ferguson’s Cemetery | Norwood Young America, MN
Location: 18624 County Rd 34, Norwood Young America, MN 55368
How to visit? Respectful visits at dusk; follow cemetery rules.
People report a little boy peeking over a lone tombstone in the southeast corner, plus orbs, uneasy feelings, and dogs barking at nothing.
First Avenue | Minneapolis, MN
Location: 701 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
How to visit? Catch a show.
Rumors say the upper floor is haunted. DJs have heard screams and growls in their headphones. There are also reports of a woman’s apparition in the restroom.
St. James Hotel | Red Wing, MN
Location: 406 Main St, Red Wing, MN 55066
How to visit? Stop in or reserve a room.
One of Minnesota’s grand old hotels. Guests report slamming doors, cold spots, a lady in white, and a worker in coveralls. Some hear crying babies when no babies are staying.
Red Wing is a great weekend base. After your ghost hunt, try these:
Top Things To Do in Red Wing, Minnesota
Griggs Mansion | St. Paul, MN
Location: 432 Summit Ave, St Paul, MN 55102
How to visit? Privately owned; view from sidewalk only.
Built by Civil War veteran Chauncey Griggs. Over the years it served as an art school and apartments. Stories mention a maid who died by suicide, a gardener, and a child among the apparitions. Today it’s private.
Mounds Theatre | St. Paul, MN
Location: 1029 Hudson Rd, St Paul, MN 55106
How to visit? Night tours typically run on select Fridays and Saturdays in October; check current schedule.
This 1920s theater in Dayton’s Bluff was among the first to show talkies. Visitors report a little girl, a man, and a former usher since its 2001 reopening.
Old Jail Bed and Breakfast | Taylors Falls, MN
Location: 349 Government St, Taylors Falls, MN 55084
How to visit? Reserve a night at the B&B.
Minnesota’s oldest jail later became a funeral home and had a bootlegging tunnel. Today it’s a cozy B&B. Some guests report a boy on the second or third floor and a woman on the third.
Taylors Falls is a great small town to explore. Don’t miss:
Things To Do in Taylors Falls, Minnesota
Milford Mine Memorial Park | Crosby, MN
Location: Crosby, MN 56441
How to visit? Walk the boardwalks and memorial paths at the park.
In 1924, a sudden flood killed 41 miners. Visitors have reported unsettling sounds from the pit area. The memorial is a powerful, somber stop.
Historic Calumet Inn | Pipestone, MN
Location: 104 Main St W, Pipestone, MN 56164
How to visit? Check current status before you go; the hotel has had periodic closures.
Over a century old and touched by tragic fires. Guests once reported activity in Rooms 207 and 308 and a well-dressed man seen in the lobby and dining room. Availability can change, so confirm before booking.
Visiting Pipestone? Compare stays and check recent reviews: See hotels | Pipestone National Monument Guide
Find out more:
If you are brave enough, check out some of these haunted places in Minnesota. If you bring the kids, maybe keep the ghost part to yourself.
If real haunts feel like too much, the Twin Cities has plenty of theatrical haunted houses.
We’ve got The Scariest Haunted Houses in the Twin Cities. For deeper dives into some of these stories, try a few Minnesota haunt books from your local library.
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