San Jose’s Winchester Mystery House

This past weekend I found myself in San Jose, California. As far as Bay Area tourism is concerned, San Jose has always been the red-headed stepchild to more well-known destinations like San Francisco, the Napa Valley and Berkeley. However, during my stay I discovered a great reason to make the hour-long drive down to San Jose from San Francisco – the Winchester Mystery House.

This sprawling, ornate Victorian mansion sits just a short distance from the city’s downtown. Spanning a property of over 4 acres, the mansion contains more than 160 rooms, 40 bedrooms, 2 ballrooms and 3 elevators. But it’s not just pretty to look at – the Winchester Mansion boasts a mysterious history thanks to its late resident Sarah Winchester, heiress of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.

Sarah’s husband William Wirt Winchester amassed great wealth through the sale of his company’s most famous product – the Winchester rifle. The gun was responsible for many deaths in the late 1800’s, which weighed heavily upon Sarah. She was convinced she was being haunted by the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles. In an effort to confuse these spirits, Mrs. Winchester began construction on a massive estate near San Jose. From 1884 until her death in 1922, the house underwent 38 years of continuous, non-stop construction, taking on a confusing and labyrinth-like floor plan. Stairways were built that led to nowhere and many doors open onto blank walls. All of this a tribute to the madness and persistence of its reclusive owner, Sarah Winchester.

The next time you’re in the Bay Area, why not swing by San Jose for a visit? For what you paid for that bottle of Napa Cabernet you’ll get to experience a real piece of Americana and a house that truly has to be seen to be believed.

Travel Channel’s Most Haunted Live Showtimes


Alas, the weekend paranormal lovers and Halloween fanatics have been waiting for all month long has arrived! As I type this very blog many have probably made way into the town dressed in the most frightening costume for a creepy soiree of sorts. However, I am aware that there are several too afraid of the dark to go lurking the night streets just days before Halloween actually arrives. Lock yourself in, double-bolt the door and be sure to turn off all the porch lights you scary cats. You needn’t leave your home to have an encounter with the third kind, you can invite them over. Just turn your television to the Travel Channel and travel vicariously to some of the Most Haunted places around! And as a courtesy to all of you arm chair trick-or-treating individuals I am including the program show times below, although you will need to swing through to the Travel Channel to find out all the horrifying details on what you’ll be viewing.

Most Haunted Live! 2006 schedule:

Sunday, October 29:
4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET/PT -LIVE

Monday, October 30:
4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – LIVE; 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. – encore; and 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. – encore

Tuesday, October 31:
4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – LIVE; 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. – encore; and 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. – encore

Top Haunted Hikes

Go on and laugh when I tell you this, but horror is not my movie-watching genre of choice and the Blair Witch Project seriously scared the chicken-poop out of me, so when I read this piece about haunted hiking I could just feel the hairs-raising on my neck by imagining the sound of every snapping twig in a forest. In other words -psssh, yeah right. Count me out, hold me, and if I somehow manage to venture out just promise not to leave me behind. I kid you not, I’m the kind of person that will push a small child into the hands of a scary ghoul, goblin, ghost or U.F.O if I ever had an encounter with the paranormal. I’m that much of a wuss. No shame.

Anywho, let’s talk more spooky stuff. If you’re planning way ahead of the game for Halloween travel, you’re in luck because Andrea Lankford’s Haunted Hikes, Spine-Tingling Tales and Trails from North America’s National Parks is available for purchase and to read over campfires. According to the author she doesn’t believe in ghosts, but she goes on to say things like such:

“…People disappear. People die. People kill. Bad things happen. Something lingers. Death leaves it’s mark on the landscape.”

A knack for story-telling or telling the truth? I guess that is for the curious National Parks traveler to find out and it is my hope that very curiosity won’t kill… Well, no time for clichés, USA Today talks about the author’s new book and highlights some of the spookiest hikes around. Big Bend National Park, Yosemite National Park, Virgin Islands National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway and Grand Canyon National Park are only a few that make the list. If you’d like to know why they’re haunted and the rest, you’ll need to check out the book or USA Today.