Whether you’ve decided to ride your way from Southern Florida to Destin, or just want to check out the beautiful state, taking a road trip can be boring. To avoid the common pitfalls of a road trip, try out the art of taking pit stops. In Florida, when the sun sets across the ocean all the sea creatures come out and the ghosts come alive. Are you afraid of the dark? Or road trips? You’re about to be! Not to worry, they’re only mere stories. We’ve made a spooky pit stop list to keep you entertained as you make your way to Destin and around. Check out the spookiest places in Florida.
Haunted Pit Stops on Your Way To Destin, FL
5.5 Hours From Destin: St Augustine Lighthouse
Although beautiful, the lighthouse, as with many beauties, has a dark side. The spooky tales have been said to begin around the civil war during the 1860s; the salty water surrounding the lighthouse began to corrode its beauty. The superintendent of Lighthouse Construction decided to rebuild and restore its glory. During the rebuilding, a few of the workers’ children would use a railway cart (originally used to ship supplies) to ride the cart down to the water as an old-time rollercoaster. A playground that would in modern times be unheard of seemed safe enough back in the Victorian era. A simple wooden board was the only safety net between the children and falling into the water. On July 10th of 1873, the kids played on their makeshift roller coaster and tragedy followed shortly after. The wooden cart was not in place and flipped the children over trapping them until they drowned. Over 145 years after the incident, witnesses have reported strange events surrounding the lighthouse. Some of the incidents include footsteps upstairs or sightings of a little girl. Today you can visit the lighthouse at your own risk for the little girls are said to enjoy playing hide and seek with the living!
6.5 Hours From Destin: The Devil’s Chair
There are a few Devil’s Chairs around the nation. These spooky chairs are often associated with 19th-century legend tipping where graveyards had carved chairs to comfort visitors, which was known as the mourning chair. As any Florida legend would have it, The Devil’s Chair in Cassadaga, Florida legend is that an unopened can of beer left on the bench will be empty by morning, something like a spooky Santa except the only present you get is knowing someone. Or something drank the beer you paid for. If you don’t want to be robbed of your beer you can simply sit in the chair and rumor has it the ghost will reveal itself to you. Are you brave enough to try?
7 Hours From Destin: Capitol Theater
This eerie theater was built in the 1920s, when the then Royalty Theater Company’s manager, Bill Neville, was found murdered. In 1996, the theater went into foreclosure but in 2007, Ruth Eckerd Hall and the city of Clearwater collaborated to buy the old theater and although the old model had left, Bill decided to stay. In spirit that is. If you’re feeling bold enough, Head to the theater and say hi to dear old Bill.
Interstate 4’s Dead Zone
At this spot, you can explore just by driving through. That’s right, it’s a nice drive-through on the interstate. What can make an interstate spooky? As you travel through Orlando or Daytona Beach, you might not be able to easily recognize the disaster that awaits near the St John River where accidents have run frequent since 1963, don’t believe us? This location has been documented to have had 1000-1700 accidents and the number continues to grow. Not only is this area known as the dead zone due to accidents, but complaints of lost service are heavily documented. Need more to be convinced this location belongs to the spirits? How about the drop in radio waves? Prepare to lose the good vibes with your radio tunes, don’t be surprised if your music stops and you hear the soft sounds of “Are you there?” Spirits trying to communicate through radio have often been reported. Now that we’ve got the what of the story, we need the who and the why. Interstate 4 was built on top of the graves of families who passed from yellow fever. To add more spook to the fire, in the 1960s, Hurricane Donna magically changed directions as if the other side had intentionally prolonged the finishing touches of the interstate with the hurricane’s destruction. On your way to Destin, drive through, if you dare.
10 Hours From Destin: Biltmore Hotel
This majestic hotel was created back in the roaring 20s in Corals Gables, after originally being a 5-star hotel, World War II turned it into a military hospital, a VA hospital after that, and even a hospital for a school at one point until it returned to a luxury hotel in 1987. Back in the day, this hotel had a wide range of celebrities, everyone from presidents to gangsters would book a stay. The Biltmore Hotel is so prominent in history that it was deemed a historical landmark in 1996 and is known to be one of the most haunted places in Florida. Of all the ghosts, Thomas “Fatty” Walsh is by far the most talked about, a celebrity in another life. Thomas “Fatty” Walsh was murdered in the hotel, on the 13th floor nonetheless. Thomas “Fatty” Walsh reportedly likes to tamper with the lights, take guests to the wrong floor, and even scribble messages on the mirrors. Plan a trip to stay overnight, just make sure you’re prepared to meet Fatty.
Destin: Garnier Bayou
Now we’re at our final destination, Destin, Florida. After you’ve parasailed your day away, make sure to check out the Garnier Bayou. Rumor has it that late at night, you will see ghosts of Native Americans who were killed on the land.
Take your time making your way through Florida and see how many of these chilling spots you can encounter.
