Santa Cruz is a fun and sunny area filled with friendly people and places to enjoy outdoor activities. However, don’t let this bright and cheery front fool you. There’s also a dark and spooky side to Santa Cruz.

You can find a lot of historical landmarks and structures that have a rich history of haunted lore. Even Alfred Hitchcock drew inspiration from Santa Cruz’s landscapes for his suspenseful thrillers. Come stay with us in our non-haunted mansions for a relaxing getaway in this spooky city.

Make sure to visit these haunted Santa Cruz locales from Monterey Bay to San Francisco, along with other spooky places, during your next visit.

1. The Brookdale Lodge

Established in the 1800s, the Brookdale Lodge became the second most popular resort in California by the 1950s. At its peak, it used to be an escape and hideaway for Hollywood A-listers.

Both owners and guests have shared experiences of ghost encounters over the years. The most famous ghost is Sarah Logan. Sarah was a relative of the lodge’s owner at the time. She was playing in the Brook Room, which has a river running through it. She, unfortunately, tripped and fell and drowned in the river.

Ever since this tragic incident occurred in 1918, many guests have reported that they’ve seen a young girl with braided blonde hair wandering the halls. When sighted, she’s often looking for her mother and asking for help to find her.

There are other reports of ghosts and supernatural encounters within this hotel, packed with paranormal activity. Many guests and staff of the lodge have heard echoes of big band music playing in empty rooms. Appliances and lights also turn on and off on their own, and some areas have unexplainable paranormal phenomena like cold spots.

2. Golden Gate Villa

The Golden Gate Villa is a Queen Anne Victorian-style home originally built in 1891. It’s a stunning space with Tiffany-quality stained glass windows and rooms with intricately detailed interior design. However, much like how sunny Santa Cruz has a spooky side, there’s a chilling story that happened within the walls of this villa.

Tragedy struck in 1907. The homeowner at the time, Major Frank McLaughlin, had involved himself in a great financial scandal that cost $12 million. This scandal, along with other political downturns, resulted in McLaughlin doing the unthinkable.

On the second anniversary of his wife’s death, he fatally shot his adopted daughter, Agnes McLaughlin, while she slept, and then he took his own life.

Over the years, the villa has been open to guests. Many of these guests have reported seeing an apparition of a little girl, likely Agnes, during their stay. There are also reports of strange occurrences like mysterious cold spots, and guests sometimes feel like they’re not the only ones in the room.

Many local residents now consider Golden Gate Villa as a prime haunted Santa Cruz destination. However, although Agnes had a horrific and untimely death, her ghost doesn’t maliciously haunt the villa. A past resident even remarked on feeling positive energy in the home and attributed it to Agnes.

The sinister secrets waiting to be uncovered within make this one of the best ghost stories in Santa Cruz County, despite the residual haunting.

3. Haunted Tuttle Mansion

This haunted Santa Cruz mansion came to be in 1899 and housed the Tuttle family. This family was large and multi-generational, and it had a lot of turbulent dynamics and relationships. Several known deaths also occurred on the premises of this mansion.

With the enigmatic energy associated with this family, it’s no surprise that the Tuttle Mansion eventually became a well-known haunted site. Many visitors have seen apparitions and orbs and have witnessed doors opening and shutting on their own. They have also reported hearing typewriter keys clacking and children’s laughter in the rooms and hallways.

Many ghost hunters also believe that the Tuttle Mansion is a portal that holds the energy of the Tuttle family. It’s an active site with numerous reports of supernatural occurrences.

4. Ocean Street Extension

Ocean Street is the location where many people have sighted the infamous White Lady. Her legend begins in the 1870s. She was a mail-order bride who, unfortunately, married a horrible husband. He would often get drunk and force her to wear her white wedding dress while he hit her.

The woman eventually started making plans to escape her husband. However, word got out, and when he discovered her plans, he ended up murdering her. Since then, there have been numerous sightings of her apparition. She haunts her property on Quail Crossing and the surrounding area.

Many people have heard moaning near her property and the sound of footsteps with untraceable sources. There are many sightings of her in multiple areas on Ocean Street, and some people have reported seeing her in the Santa Cruz Memorial Cemetery.

The White Lady is a violent and vengeful spirit. Some people have heard her murmur death threats. There’s also a popular rumor that she once threw an ax at a child.

5. Arana Gulch

Many people have spotted one of Santa Cruz’s most famous ghosts in Arana Gulch. This ghost is Andrew Jackson Sloan. In 1865, Sloan rode his horse through Arana Gulch and encountered three bandits who fatally shot him.

Sloan’s name didn’t resurface in the public eye until over 30 years later. A mother and daughter were near the gulch when they saw an apparition. They were able to provide a very detailed description. The ghost was the form of a man, and he wore a black overcoat and a wide-brimmed hat.

A man involved in Sloan’s murder investigation heard the report of the sighting, and he stated that it perfectly described Sloan.

After this initial sighting in 1895, other reports of Sloan’s ghost popped up from other witnesses. Sloan’s story started gaining popularity. It even spurred the writing of the fictional book, Ghosts in the Gulch: An Evergreen Cemetery Mystery, which is based on true events.

Today, Sloan’s gravesite rests at the Evergreen Cemetery, but his ghost seems to roam around as a restless spirit.

6. Rispin Mansion

Perched on a bluff above Soquel Creek, the long-abandoned Rispin Mansion looms with an unsettling presence, its crumbling walls and empty windows giving the impression of a house that watches as much as it is watched.

Locals whisper that the estate, once the lavish home of a wealthy developer turned convent, is said to be plagued by multiple spirits. Picture nuns who suffered in silence, shadowy figures drifting through the halls, and disembodied footsteps echoing on the grand staircase.

The mansion’s history of secrecy, failed dreams, and sudden decline has only fueled the belief that something sinister clings to its bones, making it one of the most notorious haunted landmarks in Santa Cruz County.

7. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

If you’re searching for Santa Cruz’s haunted past and most iconic ghost stories, you don’t have to look far beyond the most iconic attractions.

Beneath the bright lights and carnival cheer of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk lies a darker undercurrent that has long stirred ghostly rumors. Built in 1907, the boardwalk has seen its share of tragedy, including drownings in the undertow, deadly fires, and accidents on its historic rides.

Some visitors claim to hear screams on the Giant Dipper roller coaster long after it has closed for the night. Others have reported glimpses of shadowy figures wandering the arcades and funhouse mirrors.

With its century-old rides creaking in the sea mist and its hidden history lingering just beneath the laughter, the boardwalk carries a reputation for being haunted as much as it is beloved. Enjoy the ghost stories on your next boardwalk ride.

8. Point Sur Lighthouse

Unsurprisingly, the eerie lighthouse perched at the very top of Point Sur offers some spooky entertainment.

Standing alone on a rugged volcanic rock off the Big Sur coast, Point Sur Lighthouse is as eerie as it is majestic. Since 1889, keepers and their families lived in near isolation there, braving fierce storms and shipwrecks along the unforgiving shoreline, and some say not all of them ever left.

Visitors and staff have reported ghostly apparitions in the keeper’s quarters, the sound of heavy boots pacing the tower stairs, and cold spots that cling even on warm California days.

With its desolate perch above crashing waves and a history steeped in hardship and loss, Point Sur Lighthouse has earned its reputation as one of the most haunted lighthouses on the Pacific. Look out for phantom ships as you keep watch over the ocean.

9. Halloween Haunted Houses

If you’re visiting Santa Cruz this fall and looking for some spooky attractions, this city has you covered. Here are a few annual favorites.

Scotts Valley High School Haunted House

A longtime local tradition, this school-hosted haunted house supports the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This event runs through October for a few hours on select evenings.

Halloween at the Boardwalk

Head to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk on Beach Street for classic Halloween fun. Typically held on a single day (this year it’s October 26, 2025), this fun event includes trick-or-treat packages, costume contests, and a spooky Fright Walk beneath the boardwalk.

Santa Cruz Ghost Tour

Operating nightly, this guided 1-mile walking tour is the best ghost tour in town. Starting at the meeting location of the Boardwalk Bowl on Cliff Street, it explores haunted local sites with ghost stories and historic tragedies. This is not an October or Halloween-specific event; it runs all year round.

Get Spooked in Santa Cruz

If you plan to visit Santa Cruz, you can fill your day with fun outdoor activities and sunbathing at beautiful beaches. As the daytime turns to twilight, make sure to leave space to experience Santa Cruz’s dark side.

Our hauntings are not limited to this list. Residents also find Sunshine Villa, the old railroad tracks, and, of course, Evergreen Cemetery to be creepy and filled with more stories of the supernatural.

When you dig beneath the surface of Santa Cruz’s history, you’ll find many haunting historical accounts and tales. It’s no surprise that this city has a lot of spooky lore and haunted landmarks. Be sure to book your stay with us to be close to all the Halloween action.

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