The state of Michigan is known to have its fair share of haunted places, gruesome history, and paranormal activity. In this video, I’ll dive deep into the MOST haunted places you’ll ever come across in the state of Michigan.

This blog is a direct transcript from the video below. This comes in 3 versions: You are able to watch the video, read the blog for your convenience or listen to the audio experience (which is linked under the video below).

Haunted Places in Michigan: Part 3 — Terrifying Locations You Can Actually Visit

If you're fascinated by Michigan ghost stories, historic hauntings, and real paranormal encounters, welcome to Part 3 of my Haunted Places in Michigan series. If you missed Part 1 or Part 2, I’ll link them below so you can continue your Michigan haunted adventure.

Below are six of the most unsettling, historically rich, and widely discussed haunted locations in the state — each with decades of eyewitness accounts, local legends, and unexplained activity.

Holly Hotel — Holly, Michigan

The Holly Hotel is considered one of Michigan’s most famously haunted places, known for consistent paranormal activity tied to its long and turbulent history. Visitors often report unmistakable scents of freshly lit cigars, believed to be connected to Mr. Hirst, the original owner of what was once the Hirst Hotel. Others describe kitchen objects moving on their own, including a meat cleaver that was reportedly a little girl’s favorite “toy.”

The hauntings are traced back in part to two devastating fires — the first on January 9, 1913, and the second occurring exactly 65 years later to the day and hour. Staff often share stories about Mr. Hirst appearing throughout the hotel, especially when renovations are underway, as well as activity in the Carry Nation Banquet Room where disembodied voices, laughter, and muffled conversations are commonly reported.

Guests also tell of interactions with Nora Kane, the former hostess who is said to linger in the halls, playing faint music, leaving hints of perfume behind, and sometimes appearing briefly in period clothing. Even a ghostly terrier belonging to Mr. Hirst is still sensed brushing against visitors' legs.

If you’re drawn to haunted hotels, the Holly Hotel hosts storytelling events in October and is a must-visit destination.

Bowers Harbor Inn — Traverse City, Michigan

Traverse City is home to numerous paranormal hotspots, and the Bowers Harbor Inn stands out as one of the most talked-about. The most common legend involves Mrs. Genevive Stickney, one of the early owners of the property. Despite rumors that she died by suicide in the home’s elevator shaft, records show she passed away in a Grand Rapids hotel in 1947. Still, the paranormal occurrences overwhelmingly point toward a female presence, especially in the women’s restroom at the top of the spiral staircase.

Guests have witnessed toilet paper unraveling on its own, flickering lights, unusual sounds, and disturbances with music and dishes. Some have reported the eerie sound of chains dragging or books falling. One investigator left a recorder in the elevator and captured what sounded like a tea kettle whistling.

Today, the property includes The Peninsula Room, Mission Table, and Jolly Pumpkin — all popular dining destinations where patrons occasionally get more than just a good meal.

White River Light Station — Whitehall, Michigan

Located on the Lake Michigan shoreline between Grand Haven and Ludington, the White River Light Station is one of Michigan’s most beloved and paranormally active lighthouses.

Captain William Robinson — the station’s first keeper who served for decades until his death in 1919 — is believed by many to have never left. Former curators have shared unnerving accounts of hearing footsteps late at night belonging to the captain and his wife Sarah. Others experienced chores mysteriously completed, as though unseen hands still tended to the lighthouse as they did a century ago.

The structure now serves as a museum, inviting visitors from across the country to explore its history and its lingering spirits.

The Ada Witch — Ada, Michigan

The legend of the Ada Witch is one of Michigan’s most well-known ghost stories. In the 1800s, a married woman is said to have been caught meeting a secret lover at night in Findlay Cemetery. When her husband discovered the affair, he attacked both individuals. All three died from their injuries — the wife and lover from the struggle, and the husband later on. This brutal incident is believed to be the root of the hauntings.

Visitors have reported sightings of a “woman in white,” bluish-green mist, unexplained footsteps, distant screams, and even the sensation of being tapped or touched. Some claim to hear the faint echoes of a fight followed by a woman's crying.

This location has drawn significant attention over the years, especially after the release of the Blair Witch Project, which renewed interest in similar legends. Due to vandalism in the past, visitors are strongly encouraged to be respectful if they explore Findlay Cemetery.

The Felt Mansion — Saugatuck, Michigan

Built in 1925 by inventor Dorr E. Felt, this stunning 25-room mansion quickly became the center of a haunting that still captures visitors' imaginations. Shortly after moving in, Felt’s wife Agnes passed away, followed two years later by Felt himself. Over the decades, the mansion transitioned through ownership by the Catholic church, became part of a police facility, and later stood vacant before ultimately being restored.

One of the mansion’s darkest legends involves children with hydrocephalus — called “melon heads” in folklore — who were allegedly mistreated in the building during its institutional era. Urban mythology claims they returned seeking revenge on the doctors who harmed them. Visitors have reported seeing childlike figures with enlarged heads, small footsteps running through hallways, and groups of ghostly children in the surrounding woods.

There are also reports of Agnes Felt’s spirit appearing throughout the mansion. Restoration workers frequently noted doors opening on their own and objects moving — including the famous incident of a rug repeatedly relocating from one room to another.

Today, the Felt Mansion serves as a venue for weddings, events, historical tours, and paranormal investigations.

Calumet Theatre — Calumet, Michigan

Located in the northern reaches of the Upper Peninsula, the Calumet Theatre has earned national recognition for its hauntings, even appearing on Travel Channel’s “Most Terrifying Places.” Built in 1900, the theater welcomed performers from across the world — including Madame Helena Modjeska, whose ghost is said to remain in the balcony.

In 1958, an actress struggling to remember her lines looked up and saw Helena silently mouthing the dialogue back to her. Since then, staff and guests have reported sightings of Helena wandering the hallways, music playing from nowhere, and unexplained voices.

Tragedy deepened the hauntings in 1913 when panic at a nearby Christmas Eve gathering led to a fatal stampede at Italian Hall. Seventy people — mostly children — lost their lives. Their bodies were taken to the Calumet Theatre afterward, and many visitors say they still hear children laughing, crying, or running through the building late at night.

Have You Experienced Michigan’s Haunted Side?

Michigan is full of history, legends, and locations that continue to fascinate paranormal enthusiasts from all over.
Have you visited any haunted places in Michigan?
Share your stories in the comments — I’d love to hear about them.