Once the nation’s largest—and most expensive—infrastructure projects, Hoover Dam is an enduring symbol of ingenuity and modernity. That said, its relatively short history has seen plenty of loss: At least 96 people died during its construction alone. Today, the dam is home to plenty of ghostly reports and is widely considered to be haunted. To learn more, check out the Haunted Boulder City Ghost & UFO Tour.

Opened in spring 2025, Outpost 51 Alien Museum is southern Nevada’s preeminent institute on all things alien. This Boulder City museum is packed with exhibits detailing UFOs, government experiments, and extraterrestrial encounters, making it the best spot in southern Nevada for an out-of-this-world experience. The truth is out there!

This stately structure in downtown Las Vegas is the perfect place to house a museum dedicated to law and crime. Built in 1933, what is now the Mob Museum was originally a federal courthouse that saw the trials of some of the most high-profile gangsters of the mid-20th century. The museum is considered one of the most haunted buildings in Las Vegas, and visitors often report spotting odd apparitions or feeling uneasy near its most notorious artifacts, including the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre Wall.

The Humboldt County Courthouse—designed by Fredrick DeLongchamps, who also designed eight other area courthouses, including Washoe County’s—was built in 1921 on the ruins of Winnemucca’s first courthouse, which was destroyed in a fire. This was also the site of the original jail and execution site, and it’s said the hopeless souls of the condemned can still be felt on the property. There have also been reports of shadowy figures, strange crying, and the lingering smell of cigar smoke.

Built in 1877, the Lake Mansion—one of Reno’s oldest structures—was built by Myron Lake, a savvy businessman who turned Reno into a major railroad town. According to legend, the magnate had a cruel streak and frequently subjected his family to misery. Their sadness enveloped the house, which became a tainted place that is said to have trapped the souls of later owners. Many ghosts have been reported at the mansion, particularly a woman who stares down at passersby from a second-story window.

Founded in 1874, the University of Nevada in Reno is the state’s oldest institution for higher education. The celebrated campus features an impressive quad and stately structures that give it a timeless feel that’s perfect for the spooky season. The campus is considered very haunted, with many reports at Morrill Hall, Lincoln Hall, Frandsen Humanities, and Mackay School of Mines. Note that building interiors are generally not available to the public.

Built in 1932, this popular hotel in downtown Boulder City is widely considered to be one of the most haunted locations in the valley. Reports of paranormal activity have ranged from cigar smells to strange laughter to slamming doors. Visitors can stay in one of 21 rooms, but if you’re just stopping in, be sure to check out the lobby and the Hoover Dam Museum.

When this hotel opened in 1877, Eureka was at the height of its silver rush. In 1998, the hotel was renovated and restored to its original luxurious state with eight elegant rooms. Over the years, many guests have reported ghostly sights and unexplained phenomena. One ghost is a woman draped in red who wanders the halls at night. The other is a grumpy man who haunts the Jackson Suite.

Nevada’s state capital has plenty of museums, restaurants, and outdoor experiences to make any trip worth it. However, equally impressive is the town's tree-lined historic district, which is packed with mansions and grant estates built by the silver rush. Of course, where there are stately Victorian-era homes, there are ghosts—and more than a dozen homes are supposedly haunted. While you can do a self-guided stroll (look up the Kit Carson Trail), your best option is to experience the Carson City Ghost Walk, held June-October.

People have long reported spotting a large, scaly serpent surfacing above the water, though any proof of the creature is only in eye-witness accounts and out-of-focus photographs. In the 1980s, the legends were turned into a children’s book, and the green cartoon monster named Tahoe Tessie has since become an unofficial lake mascot.

Built in Elko in 1869, and converted into a casino in the 1940s, the Commercial Casino—now the Commercial Fun Center—is one of the most iconic (and haunted) buildings in northern Nevada and has hosted many paranormal investigators. While the historic hotel is not open to the public, the center does offer midnight ghost walks during the summer.

If the Marzen House Museum looks familiar, you may have seen it featured on Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures.” Several spirits have made their presence known at this museum dedicated to telling the stories of Lovelock and northwestern Nevada. Take a ghost tour for your chance to encounter “Amelia” and “Baby Girl,” among others.

In the late 1800s, Pioche was one of the roughest, most violent towns in the West. At the town's famous Boot Hill Cemetery, an astonishing 72 unfortunate souls were laid to rest before a single person died of natural causes. While you're there, keep your eyes peeled for an entire section of graves nicknamed "Murderer's Row.”

The oldest bar in southern Nevada is the Pioneer Saloon in the ghost town of Goodsprings. The only thing better than the drinks and food—we’re talking notorious Bloody Marys and a Food Network-famous Ghost Burger—is the unbelievable amount of history you’ll find. Be sure to ask the bartender about the bullet holes in the walls or why a Hollywood legend left cigar burns in the solid wood bar.

This popular establishment has been a Pioche fixture since 1948. The saloon boasts an Old West bar and reception cage that was carted over from a nearby ghost town. Upstairs, guests can enjoy a comfortable evening in one of many themed suites including the Garden Room, the Bear’s Den, and the Fishing Hole. If you’re up for a spooky experience, ask the staff about which rooms are haunted.

Nestled in the heart of historic downtown Boulder City, Tom Devlin’s Monster Museum is a must-see for fans of horror and practical movie effects. With its original props from classic horror films and startlingly life-like rec-creations of the silver screen's most infamous villains, there's plenty here for anyone looking for a genuine scare.

A roadside gift shop, café, and motel that cheekily nods to Nevada’s reputation as a hotbed of extraterrestrial activity, the Little A’Le’Inn in Rachel is an outta-this-world place to peruse photos of alleged, first-person UFO accounts, try a Saucer Burger, and pick up souvenirs that would be hard to find anywhere else.

Goldfield’s go-to graveyard offers a hearty helping of history with a side of odd—evident in its unusual assortment of epitaphs chronicling the demise of its former residents. Interestingly, the location is the cemetery’s second home. Back in 1908, the original graves were all dug up and relocated to a location outside town by a group known as the Official Ghouls.

The Washoe Club is a historic saloon with a seriously haunted past… and present. This towering brick building is believed to be one of the West's most haunted locations. The property has been featured on ghost-hunting television shows like the Travel Channel’s "Ghost Adventures" and A&E’s "Ghost Hunters." A legitimately creepy crypt and museum dedicated to the mystery of the building lend credibility to the ghostly claims connected to the property.

No trip along the Extraterrestrial Highway is complete without a photo of this iconic roadside sign. There’s two of ‘em along State Route 375, which earned its outta-this-world nickname for its proximity to Area 51 and the countless UFO sightings that have been reported on this highway. Keep your eyes peeled – not just for the sky-high signs, but signs of otherworldly life, too.

The Clown Motel in Tonopah boasts one of the largest private collections of clown figurines and memorabilia under the sun. If the creepy clown theme isn’t enough to spook you, the added bonus of some resident ghosts slinking over from the cemetery next door might. Drop by the lobby, get drowned in clowns, and snap a photo.

Retro themed with modern luxuries, the Atomic Inn was originally built to house defense contractors and military personnel that worked at Nellis Air Force Base’s top-secret installations (like Area 51 and the Nevada Nuclear Test Site). Now, you can enjoy a comfortable stay on the doorstep of Death Valley National Park, or stop by for a photo with the resident alien and peruse the gift shop.

Gleaming in the desert sun like an actual spaceship itself, the Alien Research Center is a silver Quonset hut with a giant two-story silver alien ushering you in the door. Beam yourself inside for the latest alien apparel, hats, mugs, magnets, and so much more. Plus, get the inside scoop from locals about where to spot a UFO and what’s really up with Area 51…

Originally a silver mining camp named Lime Point in the early 1860s, Gold Point was once a boom town with 125 dwellings, a post office, hotels, cafes, a store, and numerous saloons. Today, several of the town's historic shacks are available for overnight stays—some of which are reportedly haunted. The crown jewel of the town—and its most paranormal place—is the saloon, which is said to contain the lingering spirit of an Old West piano player.

This once-booming town sprung to life after a couple of prospectors discovered high-grade gold ore in 1905. Within a few years, the mining camp blossomed into a developed metropolis with more than 3,500 residents. Today, Rhyolite's iconic ruins attract visitors from around the world, making it one of the most visited ghost towns in the West. Keep your eyes open for spectral residents who some have claimed still wander its streets including shadowy figures and a prospector with a mule.

It’s not just a clever name! Through a series of construction and payment challenges, the cost ballooned from $26,400 in 1872 to nearly $1 million when the building was finally paid off in 1940. Today, this lasting remnant of Nevada’s rich history is preserved as a museum, complete with relics from Pioche’s historic post office, the (allegedly haunted) courtroom, and original jailhouse out back.

This tiny, remote community—among the most isolated in the Lower 48—sits in the bottom of a narrow, picturesque canyon in the heart of Nevada’s outback. The surrounding 113,000 acres of wilderness boast towering mountain peaks, forest wilderness, and hundreds of miles of trails. Given its remote setting, plenty of paranormal activity in this community ranging from Old West ghosts to strange lights in the sky to Big Foot.

The iconic Mizpah is one of Nevada’s most famous hotels. Built in 1907, the building was completely restored to its bonanza-era glory in 2011. Today, its glorious lobby boasts authentic chandeliers, velour Victorian couches, and—of course—one of the classiest saloons around. Plenty of ghostly sightings have been reported in the hotel, none more famous than the Lady in Red room, located on the fifth floor.

Virginia City's famed cemetery is a must-see during any visit to town, and not just because of the dozens of well-maintained, century-plus-old headstones that give a glimpse of the Comstock's storied past. Exclusively on Halloween night, the gates to the historic Silver Terrace Cemetery stay open past dusk, allowing visitors to stroll the Victorian-era burial site by moonlight. Before and after October 31, guests are welcome from sunrise to sunset.

The Nevada State Prison in Carson City is widely considered to be one of the most haunted buildings in the state. For decades, inmates, employees, and—now—visitors have reported run-ins with the building’s spectral residents. To get fully acquainted with the facility's many unsettling stories, be sure to schedule a historic tour or ghost walk.

The Silver State’s oldest hotel—founded in 1859—is the perfect place to grab a drink after a day exploring the historic Comstock District. With the saloon's stone walls and uneven wood floor, it's not hard to imagine miners filling the seats, talking about their day digging for ore. This is considered one of the most haunted overnighters in the state—ask about Rooms No. 4 and No. 5 for a chance to meet the hotel's spectral guests.