Haunted Hotspots of Orange County (and Surrounding Cities!)

In honor of Halloween the OC Weekly has compiled a list of haunted Orange County locations courtesy the database of haunted places on Shadowlands.net.
So take some time and have a read.

Hey, even if you don't believe in ghosts, at least you can learn about some local legends.

ANAHEIM
Anaheim
Anaheim Fairfield Inn by the Marriott This motel is right next to a freeway and is said to be haunted by a couple that died in a car accident.

Anaheim High School
A WWII bomb shelter supposedly rests under the school, and people claim to hear constant banging on the old, locked steel door at night – usually after football games.

Anaheim High School Theater
Voices have been heard in the auditorium and deep laughter on the balcony.

Chain Reaction
Employees report hearing talking and laughing late at night in the back alley and in the bathrooms. Upon investigation, no one is there. A homeless man was found dead in the back alley several years ago. The venue has been converted from a biker bar – where there were many reported stabbings–into the club it is now.
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House of Blues, Anaheim
People have been brushed against, touched and pushed by something. But when they look, there is no one there. Woooo.

Kmart on Euclid
Employees have reported things falling off of shelves after closing. Some report seeing a girl. Her name is supposedly Isa or Isabel.

Red Cross House
It is supposedly haunted by the original caretaker. When you get to the room where the children once lived, people report feeling a strange presence and some report being pushed.

 Editor's Note: And don't forget Disneyland: Duh.

 

BREA
Brea's Best
Employees have reported that during late hours, frozen food gets launched across the kitchen.

BUENA PARK
Knott's Berry Farm
The legend goes that in the early '80's, a young man, distraught over a recent heart break, jumped to his death from the top of the parachute ride. The ride is since gone, but the structure still stands. On several occasions, employees have had the experience of something large slamming into the ground “as if someone were to drop a sack of potatoes from high above on the structure,” only to find nothing.

COSTA MESA
Costa Mesa, Back Bay High School
There are reports of a woman who screeches at the back of the school at night. When people go to check on her welfare, no one is there.

Costa Mesa High School
There have been sightings of a man-spirit rumored to have died in the boy's locker room.

Estancia High School
Faculty members have reported strange smells and being touched in the early morning when no one is around.

CYPRESS
Cypress College, Photo Department
In the late '80s, a student brought in a human skull with a bullet hole in it to photograph in studio 3. After that day, the department chair reported that he heard a strange pounding on the stockroom door when he was there alone. The occurrences have never stopped.

Cypress High School, Performing Arts Building
It was said that a high school student was in the attic of the performing arts building getting something from the storage area, when she fell through the floor boards to her death. Now, there are reports of feeling that someone is watching you up in that room.

DIAMOND BAR
Diamond Bar/Brea Canyon Road
It is said that at night you can see hikers trying to get a ride, but when you stop, there is no one there.

Diamond Bar High School
Students have reported that when you walk through the hallways alone you will feel someone's hand on your shoulder, but when you look back, nothing is there.


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FOUNTAIN VALLEY
Fountain Valley High School
Sometimes at night in the 100 building, screams of children can be heard. Also, on some occasions, the janitors find lockers open with all the students' belongings strewn on the ground.

James H. Cox Elementary School
Past 9:00 at night you can go to the school and hear dogs barking. Some investigators also find that dead cats suddenly appear out of nowhere.

FULLERTON
Albertson's
It has been reported that sometimes, when no one is inside, cans of food will fly off the shelves, leaving a huge mess for the workers to clean up the next morning.

Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity House
Legend says that the spirit of a little girl who was murdered in the ravine next to the house wanders at night, sometimes turning on water taps, turning off lights, and opening and shutting cabinets.

Plummer Auditorium
The tunnels that run underneath Fullerton are accessible from the auditorium, as well as other spots in the city. These tunnels are apparently haunted by “tunnel ghosts.” One such ghost is the spirit of a gentleman from WWII who is said to follow visitors towards the exits then vanish when they reach the final exit lights.

GARDEN GROVE
Garden Grove High School
Rumor has it that the ghost of a girl named Lizzy haunts Heritage Hall in the E building. It was reported that in 1933, while Lizzy was exiting the hall, the Long Beach earthquake took place and pieces of the building fell on top of her. Janitors and teachers from the school have reported hearing voices, doors slamming, and the apparition of a girl in a dress while working late at night.

Midnight Adult Books
Employees have reported sightings of a man in a cowboy hat who has a tendency to enter occupied video booths and not be there when the clerks react. Kinky.
Stanley House – Don't let its gingerbread-adorned perfection fool you. Stanley House, built in 1891, standing tall and proud in the middle of Heritage Park in Garden Grove, could be a ghost-infested hellhole. According to former caretaker, the building is crawling with apparitions. Rumor has it that one such spirit paid a visit to the caretaker while he was lying in bed late one night. According to account records, the spirit came to offer him some fatherly advice: “Don't take any bullshit!” the spirit yelled before evaporating into thin air. Spooky.

HUNTINGTON BEACH
Huntington Beach,
Bolsa Chica Wetlands
An apparition of a young boy dressed in white has been seen around a bomb shelter, and when spotted he will run around a corner and disappear.

Edison High School 
At night when driving by the Edison track on Magnolia Street strange lights have been seen dancing around the baseball field.

Ethel Dwyer Middle School
The campus is said to be haunted by the ghost of Ethel Dwyer, a woman who went to school there as a girl and later became a teacher. When one drives by the school they can often see lights on in various rooms where no one should be. Strange, paranormal sounds are sometimes heard coming from the school boiler room.

Huntington Beach High School
The story goes that a young man named George hung himself in the middle of a play in the auditorium. If he doesn't know you will be performing, rumor has it that his spirit will play tricks on the performers. As a result, they must sign a paper and put it where his rope once hung to notify the spirit. If George is not warned trouble is said to ensue. [

IRVINE
Irvine High School Theater
A very talented drama student supposedly died suddenly back in the 1970's in the theater. To this day, people working there say that the friendly spirit often sits in the center of the house and can sometimes be seen as a green faintly glowing region of the seating.

University of California Irvine, Campus Dr.
The legend says that when driving alone at night your car will stall and a woman will stand at your window. She often asks for help to find her daughter but for some odd reason, her mouth doesn't move and she will suddenly appear in the passenger seat. The story behind the legend is that a woman was looking for her kidnapped child and died before she could learn that her daughter was killed. Her spirit still searches.

Woodbridge High School
There have been sightings of a large black apparition roaming the school.

LA HABRA
La Habra Depot Theater
Reports of loud footsteps in the theater, banging noises and the vision of a young girl peeking around wall are abundant at this local paranormal hot spot.

LAGUNA
Laguna Hills,
Top of the World
There are reports of hearing a little girl in the playground at night. The story goes that a little girl that ran away from home to her school because her parents were fighting. She sat on the swing crying. The next morning the custodian found her dead of hypothermia.

Laguna Woods,
Leisure World Theater
Technicians have reported someone looking over their shoulders during shows, but when they turn, no one is there. Staff claims that the theater is haunted by the spirit of Bud, a former printer who moved to Leisure World in the mid 60's and worked in the theater.

LAKE FOREST
Lake Forest
Best Western Hotel
Employees have reported feeling uneasy around the bottom floor rooms.

LONG BEACH
Long Beach
Casa Bonita on 6th St.
Casa Bonita is an extremely old building that has recently been refurbished and restored in Downtown Long Beach. It used to be a hotel long ago. Residents and visitors share stories of hearing strange noises in the basement where the laundry room is located and hanging lamps swinging when there is no breeze.

DeForest Nature Trail
Black Figures have been reported floating around, as well as the sounds of moaning and children's laughter. A thick fog in the forest accompanied by a beam of light from within have also been reported.

Los Ceritos Ranchos
Said to be haunted by the founder and builder Don Juan Temple.

The Queen Mary, Room B340
This room is closed supposedly because of unexplained events that occurred to guests. Lights would mysteriously flicker and a very cold feeling would surround the area. It is also said the door knocks on occasion when no one is there.

NEWPORT BEACH
Balboa Island
The story goes that In 1993 two kids went swimming and drowned in the rip tide. Now at night, strange sounds can be heard and flashes of light seen under the water, it is said to be the kids' spirits seeking help.

Coronado Apartments, Irvine
An apartment on the first floor of the M building is supposedly haunted by the spirit of a woman who was murdered long ago. Muffled voices and phantom music emanating from the kitchen can be heard, lights are turned on and off and cabinet doors opened when no one is around.

Wild Goose
John Wayne's boat docked in Newport Harbor is said to be haunted by the Duke himself. Several maintenance workers, passers by and Mrs. Wayne have reported seeing the actor's spirit walking the decks of his beloved yacht, or waving from the top deck.

ORANGE
Orange
Holy Sepulcher Cemetery
There is said to be a woman in white who roams the cemetery at night. People have witnessed a candle burning at all hours of the night, even when the wind picks up. The candle flame appears to change color and shape.

Orange High School
Teens at Orange High School claim that a young girl committed suicide in the theater about 20 to 30 years ago. Sometimes the lights in the theater turn on and off.

PLACENTIA
Placentia
Crook Park
The women's restroom is said to be haunted by a girl who was raped there and the killer was never found. Some afternoons the bathroom lights will turn off and on when no one is around.

Tri-City Park
Late night joggers have reported seeing footsteps in the pond water and hearing the sound of an old lady's voice screaming for her lost children.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
San Juan Capistrano
Old Town San Juan train tracks 
A vision of a woman in white has been reported in the park sitting near a lone drinking fountain. Some have reported seeing her kneeling and praying facing the fountain then rising slowly and advancing with a sense of urgency.

Mission San Juan Capistrano
Reports of people's shadows without a body and sounds of children crying in the cemetery area are plenty at this holy place.

SANTA ANA
Santa Ana
Santa Ana High School
It is said that a young teenage actress died in the auditorium before the opening act of a performance. Now reports of the sounds of someone knocking and walking around are abundant. Lead actors and actresses have also said that when a play is about to start there is a “good luck” sign carved on the floor, and once the play it's over the carving disappears.

Santa Ana Mountains,
Black Star Canyon
Black Star Canyon is home to many strange phenomena. Hikers have reported the feeling of being watched and hearing the sounds of a presence following them shortly off the trail. Screams and howls reportedly haunt the night along with the faint chants of an age and people long past.

Seal Beach
US Naval Weapons Station
The phenomenon occurring at the weapons station include a variety of ghostly manifestations such as apparitions, knocking, footsteps, horrible ghostly moaning, laughter, animal spirits, water divas, and even poltergeist antics.

WESTMINSTER
Westminster
Country Harvest Buffet
There are cowboy apparitions that have been seen and heard in the restaurant and around the shopping center.

YORBA LINDA
The Yorba Family Cemetery 
Supposedly haunted by the spirit of the “pink lady.” The origin of the pink lady is somewhat a mystery, but legend says she appears on the night of June 15 every other year. On these occasions, curious locals can often be found keeping watch around the cemetery, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.

Yorba Linda Church
Security personnel have reported feelings of being watched and followed during lock up procedures. Some investigators have recorded EVPs in and outside of the buildings.