You won’t find abandoned ghost towns in Maryland, but you’ll discover something more haunting: historic properties where you can sleep among actual ghosts of the past. Stay at Revolutionary War-era hotels where Washington walked, camp on Civil War prison grounds that held 52,000 Confederate soldiers, or book entire plantation manors along the Chesapeake. Victorian Eastern Shore estates and famously haunted inns like the Admiral Fell offer supernatural encounters alongside period architecture. These living monuments preserve Maryland’s darkest and most pivotal moments in places you can actually experience overnight.
Key Takeaways
- Historic Annapolis Hotel operates since Revolutionary War era, with corridors walked by Washington and basement tunnels to Maryland State House.
- Civil War prison camp grounds offer 143 campsites with hookups and cabins at the largest Confederate prison site from 1865.
- Plantation manors like Great Oak Manor and Bohemia Manor Farm provide exclusive overnight estate experiences with waterfront amenities.
- Victorian-era Eastern Shore properties like Cellar House Farm feature original colonial architecture including hand-hewn beams and colonial glass.
- Haunted inns including Maryland Inn and Admiral Fell Inn offer overnight stays with documented supernatural encounters and Civil War-era history.
Historic Annapolis Hotel Operating Since the Revolutionary War Era
Revolutionary guests like Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin frequented these halls when Annapolis served as the temporary capital. You can dine where delegates celebrated the Treaty of Paris ratification in 1784, or walk corridors where Washington passed before resigning his military command.
Unlike abandoned ghost towns, this living monument lets you experience Revolutionary-era hospitality with modern comfort. The building’s basement tunnels connect to the Maryland State House, though their original purpose remains a mystery. Archaeological excavations revealed a hypocaust heating system in the Governor Calvert House basement, a rare architectural feature from the colonial period.
Exclusive Plantation Manor Experiences for Small Groups
While historic hotels preserve Maryland’s Revolutionary past, the state’s plantation manors offer something different—intimate escapes where you’ll have entire estates practically to yourself. These waterfront properties transform traditional plantation tours into immersive overnight experiences where you’re not just visiting history—you’re living it.
Exclusive manor experiences include:
- Great Oak Manor’s 12-suite Chesapeake Bay estate with private beach access and farm-to-table dining
- Bohemia Manor Farm’s riverside vineyard retreat offering jet ski rentals and waterfront cottage privacy
- Sugar Water Manor’s three distinct lodges on the Manokin River, from $175 nightly
- Antrim 1844’s restored 24-acre property near Gettysburg with resort amenities
- Linville Manor’s paranormal investigations with professional equipment exploring estate ghost stories
Each property delivers authentic estate ghost stories alongside modern luxury, letting small groups claim entire manors as temporary domains. Guests can gather farm-fresh eggs during their stay, connecting with working agricultural traditions that have sustained these estates for generations. The 1854 Greek Revival mansion in Upper Marlboro stands among Maryland’s most historically significant properties, built on the site of a former plantation that once encompassed 190 acres.
Victorian Homes Along Maryland’s Eastern Shore
Beyond the grand plantation manors, Maryland’s Eastern Shore conceals architectural treasures in a quieter register—Victorian homes that rose along the Pocomoke and Chester rivers during the region’s agricultural golden age.
You’ll discover Georgian, Greek Revival, Federal, and Victorian architecture blending seamlessly across nine counties, each structure telling stories of French sea captains, agricultural wealth, and independent-minded families who shaped this peninsula.
Eastern Shore heritage reveals itself in distinctive configurations: big house, little house, colonnade, and kitchen arrangements that defined prosperous farmsteads.
At Cellar House Farm, circa 1700 construction sits atop Native American fields and colonial homesteads dating to Lord Baltimore’s 1666 land grants. The timber frame structure features hand-hewn beams and colonial glass, with original handmade nails still visible throughout the building.
These properties weren’t museums—they were working farms with brick potato houses and functional outbuildings, now preserved as gateways to understanding pre-Revolutionary life beyond conventional tourist narratives. Chimneys rising from specialized structures signaled the presence of heated curing spaces where sweet potatoes transformed from harvest to market-ready crop.
Civil War Prison Camp Grounds With Overnight Camping
Today, you’ll find 143 wooded campsites where prisoners once suffered:
- Electric hookups available in Green’s and Hoffman’s Loops
- Full RV amenities with sewer and water in Tulip Loop
- Six cabins accommodating four people each
- Reconstructed prison pen with interpretive signs
- Civil War Museum displaying authentic artifacts
Book early—demand runs high for sleeping where history’s shadows linger. The prison camp grounds now offer fishing piers, beach access, and haunting reminders of America’s bloodiest conflict. This 45-acre site once held over 52,000 Confederate prisoners by August 1865, making it the largest Civil War prison camp. The location sits along Chesapeake Bay, where a summer resort with a hotel, cottages, wharf, and lighthouse once welcomed visitors before the war transformed it into a detention facility.
Haunted Inns Featuring Documented Supernatural Encounters
Maryland’s historic inns don’t just offer comfortable beds and continental breakfast—they come with centuries-old residents who refuse to check out.
At Linville Manor’s “Non-Believer’s Bathroom,” even skeptics encounter unexplainable lockings, while the eyeless Lurker watches from doorways at 1:11 AM.
The Maryland Inn hosts Revolutionary War spirits, including Captain Charles Campbell, spotted enjoying phantom beer by the fireplace. The inn also served as ratification site for the Treaty of Paris in 1784, cementing its place in American history alongside its supernatural legacy. Guests report a cold presence in fourth-floor rooms where The Bride is said to pace eternally.
Historical ghost sightings intensify at Admiral Fell Inn’s Room 413, where sailors’ apparitions knock on doors throughout the night.
For paranormal investigation tips, visit Lord Baltimore Hotel when chandeliers mysteriously sway and Molly roams the 19th floor clutching her red ball.
Inn Boonsboro’s ghostly cat and phantom bell offer gentler encounters.
These establishments prove Maryland’s most compelling ghost towns welcome overnight guests seeking authentic supernatural experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should I Pack for an Overnight Ghost Hunting Investigation?
You’ll need an equipment checklist covering EMF detectors, infrared thermometers, audio recorders, and flashlights. Don’t forget safety precautions like two-way radios and extra batteries. Pack documentation tools, thermal cameras, and motion sensors for capturing Maryland’s spectral encounters.
Are Paranormal Accommodations in Maryland Suitable for Children and Families?
You’ll find family-friendly accommodations with happy child spirits at River Gem and River House Inn, where paranormal safety isn’t concerning. However, locations featuring adult hauntings like Maryland Inn better suit bold adults seeking intense supernatural encounters.
Do I Need Prior Ghost Hunting Experience to Participate?
No experience needed—you’ll step from everyday life into haunted history effortlessly. Maryland’s ghostly inns welcome curious newcomers and seasoned explorers alike. Overnight safety remains standard; you’re simply choosing atmospheric accommodations where spirits add character, not requirements.
What Is the Best Time of Year to Visit Haunted Locations?
Fall offers you prime haunted location visits when seasonal weather shifts create atmospheric conditions for paranormal activity. You’ll find annual festivals celebrating Halloween amplify the experience, while cooler temperatures and storms potentially trigger more ghostly manifestations during your investigation.
Can I Request a Non-Haunted Room at These Properties?
You’re out of luck—these properties don’t offer escape hatches from their haunted history. Every room promises ghostly encounters, as spirits roam freely throughout. You’ll embrace the paranormal experience whether you’re seeking it or not.
References
- https://www.hauntedrooms.com/maryland/ghost-hunts/linville-manor
- https://usghostadventures.com/annapolis-ghost-tour/the-maryland-inn/
- https://annapolisghosttour.com/the-spirits-of-the-maryland-inn/
- https://chesapeakeghosts.com/10-haunted-inns-maryland-eastern-shore/
- https://www.visithowardcounty.com/things-to-do/tours/ghost-tours/
- https://www.marylandhauntedhouses.com/real-haunts/hotels.aspx
- https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/western/savagehighlands.aspx
- https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/stays/maryland/haunted-campground-md
- https://www.visitmaryland.org/list/unique-places-stay
- https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-maryland-inn
