Spooky Buildings & Haunted Houses of Pasadena
Celebrate the spooky season in Pasadena by touring the city's most haunted places - each one more chilling than the last.
From horror film locations to rumored haunted buildings, Pasadena is home to many haunted houses, including one featured in the Ghost Adventures episode 'Pasadena Ritual House.' Do you have what it takes to face some of the area's creepiest locations?
Haunted Filming Locations
Bird Box
Don't worry. You can take your blindfolds off for this home. The home in which Sandra Bullock takes refuge in for a short while during the 2018 post-apocalyptic film is located in neighboring Monrovia. Though the Bird Box home is private property, the exterior of the craftsman home can be seen from the streets where many fans of the film have been known to snap a blindfolded selfie or two.
Halloween
If you've ever seen the 1978 movie, Halloween, you might recognize a certain home in South Pasadena that looks exactly like the one Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) lived in. Thankfully, the real-life owners of the home do not have to deal with a Michael Myers-like masked murderer, and fans of the film are welcome to take photos in front of the house. The kind owners even leave pumpkin props outside for those interested in a photo-op. Other businesses as well as South Pasadena High School also make an appearance in the film.
Poltergeist II: The Other Side
They're back... Filmed on "the other side," north of Pasadena, the Poltergeist II home is located in Altadena. But the residents of the home definitely won't be letting anyone inside. It certainly looks different today but you can still drive by the location to get a glimpse of the home.
Haunted Places in Pasadena
Gamble House
An emblem of the Arts and Crafts movement, and debatably one of the most famous craftsman homes in Pasadena, the Gamble House is rumored to be filled with spiritual energy. In Psychic Readings of the Gamble House, David Fenster explores the property and reads the words and thoughts of the lingering spirits of the home.
The Cobb Estate/Enchanted Forest
Located the end of Lake Avenue, people have claimed to hear screams coming from the forest but the voices belong to no one. Maybe it's the wind howling along the windy roads. But what about those who walked the trail and felt as though they were being followed. Surely it's just the local wildlife roaming around the bushes, right?
Gravity Hill
Legend has it that strange activity occurs on Gravity Hill in nearby Altadena. Those who are brave enough to venture there in the dark, have dared to put their car and neutral and let the paranormal powers control their vehicle. Some have had their car begin to move, while others swear their radios turned in by themselves.
Old Pasadena
Discover the sordid side of the Pasadena. Stroll through the alleyways of Old Pasadena, rumored to be haunted by old timey citizens and ghosts. Not only are there ghost signs on many of the buildings, but there's something eerie about its darkened alleyways and shuttered shopping malls. See Pasadena in a new light... or rather, a new darkness.
Castle Green
Castle Green, built in 1887, was once filled with wealthy travelers and lavish luxury. But behind the grandeur are stories of tragedy, like a servant boy who as crushed in the laundry apparatus. Of course, there leaves no question that there are signs of hauntings like doorknobs turning on their own, faucets suddenly sputtering, rattling chains, and eerie sounds in the night.
Pasadena Playhouse
Move aside, Phantom of the Opera, the Pasadena Playhouse has its fair share of creepy happenings inside its theater. It's been rumored that Gilmor Brown, the founder of the playhouse, has been haunting the theater and adjacent office building since his death in 1960. They say that Gilmor's footsteps can be heard throughout the building, lighting settings would change, and even props mysteriously disappearing. But overall, most who've experienced a run-in with the ghost claim that he is pretty friendly and only does what he thinks is best for the theater.
Richard H. Chambers U.S. Court of Appeals
If you drive in from the west side of Pasadena, you've likely seen this grandiose building. The United States Court of Appeals is a historic building that was originally constructed as a Spanish Colonial Revival style resort. But in the 1940s, it was converted into the McCornack General Hospital and offices for the U.S. Army, and the rumor is that some of the patients still have yet to leave the building.
Pasadena Ritual House
The Pasadena Ritual House, a Victorian home built in 1890, is tied to a modern-day occultist who saw multiple spectres in the home. Featured on Ghost Adventures in the 'Pasadena Ritual House' episode, is a chilling highlight of haunted Pasadena.
Looking for more spine-tingling ways to celebrate Halloween? Check out our guide to the best Halloween activities and events!
*Addresses not provided for privacy reasons.
Explore More
Things to Do
Cheers to Oktoberfest 2024 in Pasadena
Shake off your finest lederhosen, polish your stein, and keep Oktoberfest going in Pasadena. Here are all the ways to celebrate sipping cold brewskies this…
Trip Ideas
Pasadena Walking Tours and Group Activities
These tours provide insightful perspectives on Pasadena
Trip Ideas
Oppenheimer’s Pasadena: A Curious Itinerary
The "father of the atomic bomb” in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer biopic was a tortured, brilliant man who was an assistant professor at Caltech at a…
