• Trump is scheduled to meet with China’s President Xi in South Korea this week.
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US and China have reached a “framework” for trade talks.
• Bessent also said Trump could finalize the TikTok deal.

President Donald Trump is expected to make headway on two pressing issues this week while meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea: tariffs and TikTok.

During a Sunday interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said trade talks between the US and China were progressing. He said the additional 100% tariff on China that President Donald Trump threatened earlier this month, and which was supposed to take effect on November 1, is now “effectively off the table.”

Bessent is traveling with Trump during a nearly weeklong tour in Asia, which also includes stops in Malaysia and Japan.

“I’m not going to get ahead of the two leaders who will be meeting in Korea on Thursday, but I can tell you we had a very good two days,” Bessent said, referring to his own meeting with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. “So I would expect that the threat of the 100% has gone away, as has the threat of the immediate imposition of the Chinese initiating a worldwide export control regime.”

During a separate interview on ABC News’ “This Week,” Bessent said China and the US have reached a “substantial framework” for trade negotiations.

“The president had given me maximum leverage when he threatened 100% tariffs if the Chinese imposed their rare earth global export controls, so I think we have averted that,” he said.

Jamieson Greer, the US trade representative, echoed Bessent’s remarks while talking to reporters in Malaysia on Sunday.

“We are moving forward to the final details of the type of agreement that the leaders can review and decide if they want to conclude together,” Greer said, The New York Times reported.

On Sunday, Bessent also told “Face the Nation” that Trump and Xi could push through a TikTok deal when they meet on Thursday.

“We reached a final deal on TikTok,” Bessent said. “We reached one in Madrid, and I believe that as of today, all the details are ironed out, and that will be for the two leaders to consummate that transaction on Thursday in Korea.”

ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok, is expected to sell the platform’s US-based assets in response to a 2024 divest-or-ban law. A group of companies and investors is expected to take over the popular social media app’s US operations. Trump earlier said that Larry Ellison and his company, Oracle, would be involved in the deal alongside Rupert Murdoch and Michael Dell. ByteDance is expected to maintain a minority stake.

Representatives for the White House did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

• Pacaso raised $72.5 million via Reg A, a form of equity crowdfunding.
• Reg A allows startups to raise up to $75 million from both accredited and non-accredited investors.
• “It’s a ‘two birds with one stone’ approach,” Pacaso’s cofounder and CEO, Austin Allison, said.

Have you heard of Reg A? Neither had Austin Allison — until he used it to fund Pacaso, a real estate startup for luxury vacation homes.

Allison, Pacaso’s cofounder and CEO, started the company with Spencer Rascoff. They were both veterans of the real estate and consumer technology industries when they launched Pacaso in 2020.

Pacaso is a platform for fractional ownership of luxury vacation homes. The company facilitates the sale of properties in vacation destinations like Jackson Hole, Tuscany, and Napa, which are acquired through property-specific LLCs. Unlike timeshares, which allow multiple users the right to use a property for a set time each year, Pacaso allows clients to share equity in their properties.

The company reached a $1 billion valuation just five months after launch, and at the time, it was the fastest startup in the US to hit unicorn status. Its current valuation is just short of $1 billion, representatives for the company told Business Insider.

The pair first funded Pacaso the traditional way, raising nearly $220 million over the course of four years from investors like SoftBank, Fifth Wall, Greycroft, and Maveron. By 2024, they began considering other options because, Allison said, venture capital suddenly felt limited.

“Traditional VC rounds put one or two investors on your cap table,” Allison told Business Insider.

The company wanted more eyeballs on its platform.

They came across Reg A, a securities exemption that lets startups raise up to $75 million in a 12-month period through a form of equity crowdfunding.

It functions like a mini-IPO, allowing companies to raise money from both accredited and non-accredited investors — unlike Regulation D, which limits participation to accredited investors — while avoiding many of the regulatory hurdles associated with a full public offering.

Allison said that Reg A presented “a unique way to raise capital while simultaneously expanding brand awareness and customer acquisition.”

“It’s a ‘two birds with one stone’ approach,” he added.

Pacaso’s team spent about six months preparing before officially launching their Reg A campaign, which included making a specialized pitch deck.

Unlike a standard pitch deck designed for investors, this needed to appeal to the masses. “We wanted to make sure our deck was very compliant, very public-facing, and accurate,” Tom Mulholland, Pacaso’s senior director of strategic initiatives and capital deployment, told Business Insider.

The campaign was open between October 1, 2024, and September 18, 2025. During that time, the company prepared four or five different versions of its deck. Mulholland said the team drafted it in large part from the top questions they received from potential investors.

The company distributed the deck on its website. It also hosted investor webinars — which drew thousands of viewers over the course of the raise — where Pacaso’s CEO, CFO, and president walked through the deck and answered questions, Mulholland said.

By the close of the campaign, Pacaso almost hit the $75 million cap, raising money from 17,500 investors. The minimum investment was just over $1,000. Allison said the average investment they received was a bit over $4,000.

The campaign drew a range of investors, but the typical demographic overlapped with the company’s customer profile — high-net-worth individuals aged 45 and above, with household incomes of $500,000 or more, Allison said.

“Only a handful of companies have ever raised over $70 million through Reg A — we’re among the top four. The average Reg A raise is closer to $16 million, so our campaign far exceeded expectations,” Allison said. “Many investors went on to become customers.”

See Pacaso’s pitch deck below.

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• For Love & Money is a column from Business Insider answering your relationship and money questions.
• This week, a reader and her husband have different ideas about how to save.
• Our columnist suggests that the reader remind her husband that her financial goals are important too.
• Have a question for our columnist? Write to For Love & Money using this Google form.

Dear For Love & Money,

My husband believes we should have six months of spending saved up at all times. I think it’s too much, but I just go along with it.

I try to add money to our high-yield savings because, in my opinion, savings means savings. But he never puts money in — he says he just meant we should have it on hand. I don’t agree with this, because it feels like I’m the only one contributing to our “savings.” What should we do?

Sincerely,

My Money, But Not My Idea

Dear My Money,

How many months of salary should a person have saved in an emergency fund (experts recommend at least three to six months), and whether saving should be an ongoing process or about reaching a certain dollar amount, depends on your goals.

As for your specific case, I’m tempted to weigh in on who I think is right. But I don’t think that’ll actually help your situation. Instead, I want to discuss what seems to be the underlying issue: You and your husband hold different financial planning philosophies and what appears to be an unequal approach to who calls the shots.

You’ve clearly outlined the differences in your financial philosophies. You see savings as a wealth-building tool and, therefore, want to contribute to a high-yield savings account where your money can grow. Your husband sees savings as a means of security, so he doesn’t worry about monthly contributions, only meeting a specific dollar amount he knows he can fall back on in case of emergency.

However, your dilemma is bigger than a disagreement over savings strategy. The real issue is that within this disagreement, your husband is the only one getting his way. He has his six months of savings, and so, as far as he’s concerned, your family is set. But that’s not your preference. Your preferred strategy is for both of you to consistently contribute to a high-yield savings account, something only you’re doing.

The obvious answer here is to compromise. You’ve reached your husband’s savings goal, and now you can both turn your efforts toward your savings goal. But it doesn’t seem like he’s open to doing this because in his mind, your savings have been handled — his way.

I don’t know the inner workings of your relationship, but there seems to be a power imbalance evident in your letter that is worth unpacking, in order to decide how to best communicate your needs. In many relationships, one member of the couple becomes the default leader. For obvious cultural reasons, in heterosexual relationships, this is often the man, but plenty of other factors can play into this for all relationships.

A big one in my marriage is that my husband is an oldest child, and I am a middle child. When things get dicey, I tend to look around for someone else to tell me what to do. My husband, on the other hand, walks into every situation assuming he’s in charge, and if things start sliding south, he alone must fix it.

But I’m an intelligent person with great ideas, too. Relationships work best when both partners work together, play off one another’s strengths, and make decisions as a team — each feeling heard, trusted, and respected.

Intentional and equitable collaboration is crucial to working as a team. For you, that’ll involve telling your husband that your savings strategy is as important to you as those six months of emergency savings are to him. Explain to him why regularly saving is important to the way you want to approach your money in life, and remind him — since you seem to share finances — that someday, you’ll both benefit from the money you’re stashing away.

If he responds by arguing with you over the necessity of those savings, do what I did in this letter and avoid debating the merits of your differing plans. Instead, remind him that you’re an equal partner who deserves to have your opinions valued.

You said in your letter that while you think your husband’s goal is “too much,” you “just go along with it.” Why? Because it’s important to your husband, and extra savings never hurt anyone. Your financial priorities deserve the same respect, even when your husband deems them unnecessary.

And as long as you continue to share finances, respect means more than him simply tolerating your choice to set aside a portion of your check every month; it will require his participation. You’re an adult with good ideas and financial anxieties that you two can tackle as a team. This is the whole point of sharing finances.

If you find that your husband won’t agree to supporting your financial goal of putting away savings regularly, it may be worth having a conversation about potentially keeping some finances separate. Sometimes staying true to your financial style is easier for everyone when it’s personally maintained.

This doesn’t mean you have to scratch the joint account entirely and make savings one person’s responsibility while the other person gets to have all the fun. Instead, you might agree on an equitable amount of income for each of you to keep in your separate accounts. This number should reflect how much money is currently flowing towards discretionary financial goals, split in half.

However you choose to get there, true compromise doesn’t result in a win-lose situation where one person triumphs while the other is left carrying their losing argument alone. True compromise is two people agreeing to concede a little and gain a little — and that’s a win-win.

Rooting for you both,

For Love & Money

Looking for advice on how your savings, debt, or another financial challenge is affecting your relationships? Write to For Love & Money using this Google form.

An earlier version of this article was originally published in January 2024.

• Timothy Mellon is a secretive billionaire who’s the heir to a Gilded Age banking fortune.
• He’s recently spent millions backing Donald Trump and RFK Jr.
• Now, Mellon is reportedly behind a $130 million Pentagon gift to help pay troops amid the shutdown.

Timothy Mellon is the heir to a Gilded Age banking fortune. While he’s not the sort to flaunt it, recent political donations have repeatedly thrust him into the spotlight.

The reclusive billionaire’s latest gift was an anonymous donation of $130 million to the Pentagon to help it pay troops during the government shutdown, which is nearing one month with no end in sight, The New York Times reported.

Republicans and Democrats are in a budget standoff over healthcare subsidies, forcing hundreds of thousands of federal workers to go without pay. US troops are expecting their next paycheck next week.

The Pentagon is able to accept donations, but using them to pay workers during a shutdown is a legal gray area that could be challenged.

Melton, a GOP megadonor in recent years, emerged as a key financial backer of Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s 2024 presidential campaign, contributing the majority of the funding for American Values 2024, the main super PAC supporting Kennedy’s candidacy.

Mellon has also supported the pro-Trump super PAC, Make America Great Again Inc., contributing tens of millions.

The day after Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts in his hush money trial, Mellon gave $50 million to Trump’s super PAC, according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Who is Timothy Mellon?

Mellon is the grandson of Andrew Mellon, the banking titan who served as treasury secretary from 1921-1932, spanning three Republican presidents.

He is an heir to the family fortune. Forbes estimates the family’s net worth to be more than $14 billion.

When it comes to Mellon’s own business ventures, he’s perhaps best known for purchasing the former Pan Am.

Mellon is a former liberal who has veered rightward over the years, telling Bloomberg in 2020 that it was mostly about his business dealings.

“I think it came largely from going into business with certain small companies and seeing the interaction between commerce and government — it just seemed like government was making things way too difficult and against the interests of working people,” Mellon said at the time. “The more restrictions you have, the less likely you are to hire people.”

He also once wrote in a self-published autobiography that welfare programs are “slavery redux,” while saying that Black people became “even more belligerent and unwilling to pitch in to improve their own situations” after the expansion of social welfare systems.

He told Bloomberg that he “said everything I wanted to say” and doesn’t “have any regrets” about the book.

He’s a big contributor to GOP causes

In 2021, Mellon contributed $53 million to an effort led by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas to build a wall along the US-Mexico border, effectively funding that entire venture on his own.

He’s given millions of dollars to GOP causes and campaigns in recent years, including $20 million to a pro-Trump super PAC in 2020, $45 million to a super PAC tied to GOP House leadership, and $30 million to a super PAC associated with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Correction: October 26, 2025 — An earlier version of this story misstated that Timothy Mellon was a donor to John F. Kennedy Jr. It was Robert F. Kennedy.

• The Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, now a museum, is said to be haunted by ex-inmates.
• A shuttered psychiatric facility in Washington is said to be haunted by former patients.
• NBA players have reported seeing ghosts at the Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City.

From homes and hotels to churches, theaters, and cemeteries, there’s no shortage of supposedly haunted places across the United States.

Nearly every state has its own eerie legends — stories of restless spirits, mysterious footsteps in empty hallways, and unexplained flickering lights that locals swear attest to these spots being haunted by spirits.

Many of these sites are also steeped in history, with tragic pasts or notorious events.

We examined local legends and historic sites to determine the most reportedly haunted locations in every state, with many having reported ghost sightings, strange occurrences, or bloody histories. 

Whether you believe in ghosts or just love a good scare, these haunted places across the US have earned spooky reputations.

ALABAMA: Sloss Furnaces, Birmingham

The Sloss Furnaces are now a historic national landmark, but in the late 19th century, they produced iron, which was then turned into steel.

James “Slag” Wormwood was the boss at the furnaces, and it’s said that he subjected his employees to some inhumane working conditions.

Labor laws didn’t exist at the time, and temperatures in the furnaces often reached above 100 degrees. A total of 47 men died with Wormwood as their boss, and even Wormwood himself lost his life in the furnaces when he slipped and fell into the iron ore, causing his body to melt, Travel South USA reported.

Wormwood and his workers are believed to haunt the furnaces to this day.

ALASKA: Kennecott

Kennecott is a remote Alaskan town that’s been mostly abandoned since 1950.

The town was a hub for copper mining from 1911 to 1938, but after the area’s copper supply was diminished, Kennecott’s population dwindled.

Today, many rickety wooden buildings still stand in Kennecott, and many people believe that they are haunted by former miners and railroad workers, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

ARIZONA: Lost Dutchman State Park, Apache Junction

The Lost Dutchman gold mine is believed to be situated in a state park in Apache Junction, Arizona, although its exact location is unclear.

The park is said to be haunted by the spirits of people who died over the years searching for the mine, the Phoenix New Times reported.

ARKANSAS: Crescent Hotel, Eureka Springs

The Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, takes pride in its reputation as a haunted hotel.

Guests can participate in ghost tours and potentially catch a glimpse of several ghosts who reportedly frequent the property, including one who’s known as “the girl in the mist.”

CALIFORNIA: Bodie

According to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Bodie, California, is a ghost town turned state park that offers a taste of life during the gold rush of the late 1800s.

Many homes and other buildings are still standing in the town today. Some people believe that the town is haunted by former residents, Legends of America reported.

COLORADO: St. Elmo

St. Elmo, Colorado, was a thriving mining town in the late 1800s, though it was abandoned as soon as the mines in the area shut down, History Colorado reported.

The ghost town has been well-maintained, allowing visitors to get a sense of life in the late 19th century. They might even catch a glimpse of ghosts of former residents.

There’s a particularly popular ghost story about Annabelle Stark, a woman from St. Elmo who is said to have continued living there even after the town was entirely abandoned.

CONNECTICUT: Old Newgate Prison, East Granby

Connecticut History reported that the Old Newgate Prison was the first prison in the state of Connecticut, operating from 1773 to 1827. Most notably, it used to hold prisoners of war during the Revolutionary War.

Many people believe that the site is haunted by soldiers and prisoners who died while trying to escape from the prison. 

DELAWARE: Fort Delaware, Delaware City

Fort Delaware is situated on its own island, accessible only by ferry. It was built as a Union fortress during the Civil War and was later used as a prison for Confederate soldiers.

Many prisoners died while held captive, and their ghosts are believed to haunt the property today, the Delaware News Journal reported.

FLORIDA: Old St. Johns County Jail, St. Augustine

The Old St. Johns County Jail no longer houses inmates, although the spirits of many of St. Augustine’s violent criminals reportedly still haunt the historic jail.

The jail is now a museum, and visitors can go on nighttime “Old Jail After Dark” tours to try to spot the ghosts for themselves. 

GEORGIA: Lucas Theatre, Savannah

Aside from being a beautiful Southern city with tons of history, Savannah, Georgia, is also said to be haunted.

The Lucas Theatre is just one of the city’s haunted locales.

According to a local tour company, visitors to the historic theater have reported ghost sightings, including shadowy figures and sounds of applause, even when there’s no one around.

HAWAII: ‘Iolani Palace, Honolulu

The ‘Iolani Palace was once home to Hawaii’s royalty, although today it serves as a museum of Hawaiian history.

Queen Lili’uokalani and other Hawaiian royals are said to haunt the palace. One room in the museum is notorious for supernatural activity — visitors have reported hearing mysterious music and chanting, Honolulu Magazine reported.

IDAHO: Old Idaho Penitentiary, Boise

According to the Idaho State Historical Society, the Old Idaho Penitentiary housed some of the area’s most dangerous criminals for over 100 years until it closed in 1973.

Visitors can now explore the expansive property in Boise, including jail cells that are reportedly haunted by former inmates.

ILLINOIS: Congress Plaza Hotel, Chicago

The Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, has almost too many ghost stories to count. The hotel was built for the World’s Fair in 1893, and there have been tales of paranormal activity ever since.

For example, the serial killer H.H. Holmes is said to have lured his victims to the hotel. Hotel guests have also reported seeing the ghosts of Al Capone and a ghost called Peg Leg Johnny around the property, Choose Chicago reported.

And if all that isn’t spooky enough, the hotel is reportedly the inspiration behind Stephen King’s short story, “1408.”

INDIANA: Indiana Medical History Museum, Indianapolis

The Indiana Medical History Museum is situated in the oldest surviving pathology building in the United States. It is also said to be haunted by the spirits of former patients of Central State Hospital.

The museum, located in Indianapolis, is home to recreations of amphitheaters and laboratories that were once used by the hospital, which treated a variety of different mental-health-related illnesses from 1848 until the late 1990s, according to the museum.

IOWA: Villisca Ax Murder House, Villisca, Iowa

According to the house’s official website, six members of the Moore family plus two houseguests were brutally killed by an ax murderer who was never identified on June 10, 1912. Their restless spirits are said to still haunt the grounds.

Guests can visit the house during the daytime, but to experience it in its full creepiness, you can make a reservation to spend the night.

KANSAS: Stull Cemetery, Stull

A haunted cemetery? No surprise there. However, Stull Cemetery in Kansas is known to be particularly spooky. 

The cemetery is located in a tiny, nearly abandoned town outside of Lawrence. It has reportedly been the site of witchcraft and other supernatural activity over the years.

KENTUCKY: Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Louisville

The Waverly Hills Sanatorium started as a one-room schoolhouse in the late 1800s. The Board of Tuberculosis Hospital later purchased the land and built the sanatorium, which opened in 1910 as a small quarantine for tuberculosis patients.

The large building that now sits abandoned was built in 1926 in response to the need for a larger facility; the sanatorium could house over 400 patients, according to its website.

Waverly Hills was its own community, complete with a ZIP code, post office, and water treatment facility. Everyone in the sanatorium — patients, nurses, doctors — was cut off from the outside world. It closed in 1961 after the discovery of an antibiotic that cured tuberculosis.

However, it’s believed that some patients never left and still haunt the grounds. Visitors can participate in ghost tours on the hospital grounds during the fall season.

LOUISIANA: St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, New Orleans

One of the most notable people buried at the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 in New Orleans is Marie Laveau, a voodoo priestess who died in 1881, according to the New Orleans Historical Society.

Given her unique profession, many people believe Laveau’s spirit remains present in the cemetery to this day.

Atlas Obscura reported that actor Nicolas Cage bought a burial tomb in the cemetery, so there’s no telling about the cemetery’s haunted future.

MAINE: Wood Island Lighthouse, Saco

The Wood Island Lighthouse is one of the many beautiful lighthouses on Maine’s coastline. It differs, however, in that it’s said to be haunted.

In fact, the television show “Ghost Hunters” visited the lighthouse in 2006 to investigate paranormal activity in the area, according to the official Wood Island Lighthouse website.

MARYLAND: Antietam National Battlefield, Washington County

Many people visit the Antietam National Battlefield in Washington County, Maryland, to learn about the history of the Civil War.

However, others visit to explore the supernatural activity at the site of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War.

Given the site’s history, it’s understandable why many people believe the battlefield is full of spirits. The area is said to be haunted by the ghosts of the soldiers who were killed there in 1862, the Akron Beacon Journal reported.

MASSACHUSETTS: The Mount, Lenox

The Mount in Lenox, Massachusetts, is a historic estate that was once home to the writer Edith Wharton. Aside from being a beautifully restored architectural masterpiece, the estate also has a haunted history.

When she was alive, Wharton herself often wrote about ghosts, so it’s no surprise that her former home may be haunted.

Visitors can see for themselves on one of the ghost tours that the estate sponsors, both online and hopefully in person later this season. 

MICHIGAN: Detroit Masonic Temple, Detroit

From cold spots and doors slamming to odd shadows, the Detroit Masonic Temple reportedly has it all.

One ghost, in particular, that is said to haunt the 1,037-room building is that of George D. Mason, one of its architects, according to the Detroit Historical Society.

However, while legend goes that Mason, distraught over financial losses and the death of his wife, died by suicide by jumping off the top of the 210-foot building, the historical society says this isn’t true. 

“While the story makes for great Halloween horror tale, it is not true,” the Detroit Historical Society states on its website. “George Mason died in 1948 at 91 years old in his home in the Wilshire Apartment building on Grand Boulevard.”

MINNESOTA: Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul

The Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, is the oldest surviving theater in the city, and its rich history is accompanied by some ghost stories.

The theater is perhaps best known for its production of Garrison Keillor’s variety show, “A Prairie Home Companion,” which began in 1974.

Over the years, visitors to the theater have reported sightings of a ghost named Ben, who apparently used to work on the site as a stagehand, Minnesota Haunted Houses reported.

MISSISSIPPI: King’s Tavern, Natchez

King’s Tavern in Natchez, Mississippi, is now permanently closed, although it once had many stories to accompany its hundreds of years of history, including some that involve ghosts.

According to one blog, the ghost of the mistress of the tavern’s first owner — who is said to have been murdered there — reportedly haunted the restaurant.

MISSOURI: Governor’s Mansion, Jefferson City

The Governor’s Mansion in Jefferson City, Missouri, is one of the state’s most beautiful historic buildings, dating back to 1871.

In 1882, the governor’s family experienced a tragedy when their 9-year-old daughter, Carrie, died from diphtheria.

Years later, a construction worker who was renovating the mansion reported seeing a young girl playing in the attic, the News Tribune reported in 2014.

Some people believe that he saw the ghost of Carrie.

MONTANA: Daly Mansion, Hamilton

Now a popular wedding and event venue, the Daly Mansion has a reportedly haunted history.

Over the years, the staff at the estate have reported occurrences of paranormal activity, including a gold picture frame that is frequently found removed from the wall and placed on the ground, the Billings Gazette reported.

NEBRASKA: Ball Cemetery, Springfield

With gravestones in Ball Cemetery dating back to the late 1860s, this historic cemetery is one of the oldest in the state.

Multiple spirits have reportedly been sighted here, including a tall, angry man who has been seen kicking over gravestones and a woman named Mary Mumford, who is said to tug at visitors’ clothes, according to Nebraska Haunted Houses.

NEVADA: Bowers Mansion, Washoe City

The Bowers Mansion is a stately home in Washoe City, Nevada, with a spooky history.

The home once belonged to local millionaires Eilley and Sandy Bowers, and, as legend has it, after Sandy died, his wife held seances to try to conjure his spirit, Nevada Ghost Towns and Beyond reported.

It’s unclear if she was ever able to get through to her husband, although visitors report seeing mysterious figures around the property to this day. 

NEW HAMPSHIRE: Alton Town Hall, Alton

This historic government building in Alton, New Hampshire, is not only a beautiful landmark but also the site of reported paranormal activity, as New Hampshire Magazine reported in 2020.

Locals have reported seeing furniture that moves, doors that open and close on their own, and hearing mysterious voices. 

NEW JERSEY: Pine Barrens

The Pine Barrens in New Jersey are one of the state’s spookiest locations.

Condé Nast Traveler reported that the forest spans seven counties and is home to numerous ghost towns.

During the colonial era, the area was bustling with sawmills, paper mills, and towns to accompany them; however, these industries were all abandoned when coal was discovered in Pennsylvania.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that it’s also said to be home to the infamous Jersey Devil, a beast that the Pinelands Preservation Alliance describes as “a kangaroo-like creature with the face of a horse, the head of a dog, bat-like wings, horns, and a tail.”

NEW MEXICO: The Luna Mansion, Los Lunas

The Luna Mansion was a beautiful estate turned restaurant near Albuquerque, New Mexico, that is now permanently closed.

Visitors reported seeing ghosts from the estate’s past, including a woman named Josefina, who was the home’s interior decorator.

Legends of America reported that one sighting included a rocking chair — placed under her portrait — rocking without anyone in it.

“I hear things,” general manager Farid Himeur told KOAT in 2017. “I see things that aren’t supposed to happen.”

NEW YORK: Letchworth Village, Thiells

Letchworth Village is a former psychiatric hospital that has fallen into a state of complete disrepair, Hudson Valley Magazine reported in 2020.

Located in Thiells, New York, the campus spans 2,000 acres and features various medical buildings, dormitories, and a synagogue.

Like many hospitals and institutions, Letchworth Village is allegedly haunted by the spirits of former patients, and was even featured on the Travel Channel’s popular series “Ghost Adventures.”

NORTH CAROLINA: Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Hatteras Island

The Cape Hatteras lighthouse is an iconic fixture on the North Carolina coastline, said to be haunted by a woman named Theodosia Burr, according to a local travel website.

Burr, the daughter of Founding Father Aaron Burr and a character mentioned in the hit musical “Hamilton,” was killed in a shipwreck in 1812.

She is believed to haunt the lighthouse and the surrounding shore.

NORTH DAKOTA: Fort Abraham Lincoln, Mandan

Fort Abraham Lincoln’s history dates back to 1872.

George Armstrong Custer, a lieutenant colonel in the Union Army during the Civil War, built the fort but died just four years after its completion. 

People who visit the fort today have reported seeing the ghost of Custer and his wife on the property, local news station KX News.

OHIO: Moonville Tunnel, Vinton County

Now overgrown and covered in graffiti, the Moonville Tunnel is a favorite spot among urban explorers and ghost hunters in Ohio.

The tunnel was once used by the local railroad, although it has been in disrepair for years. According to a local legend, some of the ghosts that haunt the tunnel include an old engineer and a railway brakeman.

OKLAHOMA: The Skirvin Hotel, Oklahoma City

The unique architecture of the Skirvin Hilton Hotel, which dates back to 1911, is striking. The hotel reportedly even offered a private room where guests could drink alcohol during Prohibition, Historic Hotels of America reported.

Opposing NBA teams often stay at the Skirvin Hilton Hotel when they visit the city to play the Oklahoma City Thunder. Over the years, many players have reported ghost sightings, specifically of a woman named Effie who died at the hotel, The New York Times reported.

OREGON: The Shanghai Tunnels, Portland

Travel Portland reported that the Shanghai Tunnels in Portland get their name from the practice of kidnapping and selling men as workers on ships headed to East Asia.

Restless, agitated spirits of men who were drugged and trafficked in the city’s ports during the early 19th century are said to haunt the underground tunnels through which they were reportedly sold.

Legend has it that the local saloons had entrances to the tunnels, enabling swindlers to prey on unsuspecting patrons and bring them directly underground before they even knew what was happening.

Visitors can take walking tours to learn more about the dark history of the tunnels.

PENNSYLVANIA: Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia

During its heyday, Eastern State Penitentiary was one of the most expensive and well-known prisons in the world. According to the official Eastern State Penitentiary website, it was built in 1829 and housed notable criminals, including Al Capone and the bank robber known as “Slick Willie.”

Up until overcrowding became a problem in 1913, prisoners were kept in complete solitude at all times. Even when prisoners left their cell, a guard would cover their heads so they couldn’t see and no one could see them.

Today, the decaying penitentiary offers ghost tours and a museum. Condé Nast Traveler reported that shadowy figures, laughter, and footsteps have all been reported as paranormal activity within the prison walls.

RHODE ISLAND: The Breakers, Newport

The Breakers Mansion is a popular museum for tourists in Newport, Rhode Island, but is said to have paranormal activity.

Alice Vanderbilt, the matriarch of the wealthy Vanderbilt family in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, lived in the mansion for many years after her husband, Cornelius, died.

Her ghost is said to still roam the giant home, Nostalgia Providence reported.

SOUTH CAROLINA: Poinsett Bridge, Greenville

Besides bearing the distinction of South Carolina’s oldest bridge, Poinsett is also believed by many to be a particularly spooky spot, Condé Nast Traveler reported.

The bridge, which was built entirely out of stone in 1820, is rumored to be haunted by multiple ghosts.

There’s the story of the mason who died while building the bridge; his body is said to be entombed inside it. There’s also the story of a man who died here in a car accident in the ’50s and an enslaved person who was lynched near the bridge.

SOUTH DAKOTA: The Historic Bullock Hotel, Deadwood

The Bullock Hotel in Deadwood, South Dakota, is reportedly haunted by Deadwood’s first Sheriff, Seth Bullock.

According to the hotel’s website, guests and staff have seen items “inexplicably moved by unseen hands,” and showers turn on out of nowhere.

TENNESSEE: The Orpheum Theatre, Memphis

The Orpheum Theatre in Memphis has survived bankruptcies, a fire, and a threat of demolition since it opened in 1928, according to the theater’s website.

Furnished with 2,000-pound chandeliers and gold leafing, its stunning interior seats 2,000 people, but there’s also plenty of room for spirits.

A little girl named Mary is one of six ghosts that have been spotted in the theater, according to The Tennessee State Museum. Performers onstage have spotted her in the audience of their shows, and theatergoers have seen her dancing in the lobby.

TEXAS: The Alamo, San Antonio

The Alamo is one of the most iconic monuments in the US.

Given its extensive history, it’s understandable why many people believe the site is haunted.

History buffs interested in paranormal activity can go on ghost tours of the site in hopes of catching a glimpse of the spirits of those who died there during the 1836 Battle of the Alamo. 

UTAH: Fort Douglas Military Museum, Salt Lake City

The Fort Douglas Military Museum was formerly known simply as Fort Douglas. Located near the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, the military fort dates back to 1862.

The Daily Utah Chronicle reported in 2014 that visitors to the museum spoke of sightings of a ghost named Clem, a soldier who died at the fort.

Reports of paranormal activity include seeing a figure in Civil War military garb and people feeling something — or someone — breathing down their necks. 

VERMONT: Emily’s Bridge, Stowe

New England is known for its beautiful covered bridges.

However, Emily’s Bridge in Stowe, Vermont, is said to be haunted.

According to the Vermont Historical Society, local legend has it that sometime between 1849 and 1949, a young woman named Emily killed herself on the bridge after she was jilted by her lover.

Local lore holds that her spirit has haunted the area ever since, although the historical society claims there is no evidence to suggest that anyone died at the site.

VIRGINIA: Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery, Lexington

This cemetery is named after Stonewall Jackson, the Confederate general who is buried on the site.

Located in Lexington, Virginia, the cemetery is said to be haunted by Jackson and other Civil War soldiers, according to the official Visit Virginia website.

WASHINGTON: Northern State Mental Hospital, Sedro-Woolley

Located in northern Washington, this former hospital was once a fully self-sustaining psychiatric facility.

The Northern State Mental Hospital operated from 1912 to 1976, and although it has been closed for many years, many buildings on the property still stand today.

It’s said that thousands of patients may have died here, and a graveyard behind the old gymnasium has many unmarked graves.

However, the Seattle Times reported in 2023 that two never-before-released death registers contain information on patients who died at Northern State Hospital between 1911 and 1963.

Some of the hospital’s expansive property now operates as a recreational area, although it’s said to be haunted by former patients. 

WEST VIRGINIA: Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Weston

Originally built as a place of healing, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum welcomed its first patients in 1864.

According to the hospital’s official website, it hit its peak in 1950 when the psychiatric hospital was home to 2,400 patients, many of whom endured lobotomies and electroshock therapy.

Mental health reforms and the building’s poor condition led to the hospital’s closure in 1994. However, many patients died there during the facility’s 130 years of operation. Some are believed to haunt the building’s halls, which is why it attracts visitors and ghost hunters.

Visitors interested in scoping out paranormal activity can participate in ghost tours on the site.

WISCONSIN: The Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee

The Pfister Hotel is popular among professional athletes who visit Milwaukee for games, although the hotel’s haunted history has made many guests skeptical about staying there.

Guests have reported hearing mysterious knocking sounds and voices.

The Los Angeles Times reported in 2005 that Adrián Beltré of the Los Angeles Dodgers, for example, reported that he couldn’t sleep during his stay at the Pfister because of all the strange noises. 

WYOMING: The Historic Occidental Hotel, Buffalo

A stay at the Historic Occidental Hotel in Buffalo, Wyoming, is like taking a step back in time to the Old West.

Famous figures from the era, like Butch Cassidy, Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill, and even President Theodore Roosevelt, have visited the hotel over the years.

Given the hotel’s rich history, it’s no surprise that some people believe it is haunted by former guests, and it was even featured on the Travel Channel’s “Dead Files.”

Madeline Diamond contributed to an earlier version of this story.

• After getting married and before having four kids, my husband and I lived in Spain for a year.
• Being away from everyone we knew pushed us to lean on each other.
• I’m thankful we got to explore the world a little bit before becoming parents.

Every Wednesday, I pedaled downtown Madrid to my Spanish immersion class, pulling out my travel coffee mug as I sat next to friends from Russia and Thailand to practice our mediocre “¿Cuánto cuesta?” together. On Sundays, we traipsed through the booths at El Rastro, a flea market filled with colorful scarves and discount underwear.

After our wedding (and before we had four kids), my husband and I quit our jobs and moved to Spain for a year. He took a contract teaching position at a local middle school, allowing us to get a visa and a flat. I wrote remotely for companies in the US and Australia.

During that year, I enjoyed churros in piazzas and shopping along the Douro River in Portugal, but I had no idea how thankful I’d be that we explored the world before raising a family.

We learned to rely on each other

Navigating life 4,000 miles from everyone we knew pushed us to lean on each other in deep ways early in our marriage.

When we arrived in Madrid, finding a landlord who would rent to expats for a year proved challenging. At one point, we found a place, but needed to put down a deposit within a few hours. Instead, I found myself screaming at an ATM because my international debit card didn’t work. Joe then took the lead on apartment-hunting — his Spanish skills far better than mine — and found us a spot near the Madrid Rio. I had to trust him, and he pulled through, like he always does.

When we hiked El Camino de Santiago, a bee sting inflamed Joe’s leg, and he couldn’t carry his pack anymore. It was up to me to lug all our clothes, snacks, and toiletries on my back as we traveled from hostel to hostel.

Living abroad created a foundation of trust and problem-solving. We fall back on those skills when we’re up at night with kids, or have a blowout in public with no diaper bag in sight. We learned and practiced how to get through anything together.

Living our dreams gave us a spark

On long weekends and school breaks, we traveled across Europe: flights were cheap to Greece, Ireland, and Poland. We bounced to southern France to hike the Pyrenees, to Dublin to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, to Lithuania to ride horses and sip vodka with Joe’s extended family. In Greece, we sampled cheese with the factory workers, explored pristine beaches, and wandered through the Acropolis.

With no kids and no major responsibilities, we skipped to our own beat and took advantage of seeing every bit of Europe we could on our budget. The adventures together formed a sense of pure joy and lightheartedness in our marriage. We could literally see the world. It planted a seed that we could indeed live large, chase our dreams, and design a life we wanted.

We focused on us and our priorities

In a fresh environment, away from family, friends, and US culture, we could listen to what was important to us — not everyone else. We had space to carve out our priorities, like a more relaxed daily pace, a strong community, and traveling to places that filled our souls. We imagined what could be different for our lives and what we truly care about, both now and in the future.

At least two dozen strangers have told me, “It goes by fast” and “Don’t blink” about the younger years with my kids. And I agree with them. But marriage goes fast too — the years with my husband aren’t eternal. Each month we don’t go on a date, is a month I miss out on being with him. This is the only life we have with our spouses, too, and as the years slip by, I become more grateful that we got to have those wonder years together before the kids were born.

Traveling with kids is more complex

We hope to take our kids abroad someday — possibly living there for a year or two. For now, though, with four young kids, it’s difficult to make that happen. The logistics of naps, meals, school, work, and expenses are more challenging as a family of six than it was for just the two of us.

We still hold onto that dream and continue to plot when it might make sense to travel based on the kids’ ages.

For now, I’ve printed large-sized photos of our travels and placed them in frames on our living room wall. The memories serve as a foundation of our love, our dreams, and our connection, even on the busiest days of parenting. Because right now, we have some beautiful things happening right in our own house, too.