While Delaware doesn’t have traditional ghost towns, you’ll find something better: historic buildings where you can sleep among the spirits. Book a room at the oceanfront Addy Sea B&B, where Kurty Addy’s footsteps still echo through Victorian halls, or stay at the David Finney Inn‘s third-floor Airbnb, dating back to 1683. The Bewitched and BEDazzled B&B even offers a Ghost Hunter’s Package so you can investigate Eleanor Sigsbee‘s apparition yourself. Your overnight encounter with Delaware’s paranormal past awaits below.
Key Takeaways
- Delaware lacks traditional ghost towns, but offers haunted historic accommodations like Victorian-era bed and breakfasts with documented paranormal activity.
- Addy Sea B&B in Bethany Beach features 13 rooms with reported apparitions, phantom footsteps, and nightly supernatural experiences since 1902.
- David Finney Inn in New Castle provides Airbnb stays in a colonial building dating to 1683 with unexplained third-floor activity.
- Bewitched and BEDazzled B&B in Rehoboth Beach offers a Ghost Hunter’s Package to investigate encounters with multiple resident spirits.
- Historic sites like Cannonball House serve as museums rather than lodging, preserving Delaware’s haunted heritage for daytime visits only.
Addy Sea Bed & Breakfast: Where the Addy Family Still Resides
When you step through the doors of the Addy Sea Bed & Breakfast, you’re entering more than a charming Victorian inn—you’re walking into a property where the original family never quite checked out.
Built in 1902 by John M. Addy, this oceanfront retreat at 99 Ocean View Parkway maintains its authentic Victorian architecture while hosting guests—both living and spectral. Kurty Addy’s footsteps still echo across the roof where he fell to his death, and his obituary mysteriously appears for unsuspecting visitors.
The original owner’s son still walks the roof where he died, leaving his obituary as proof of his presence.
Room 11 hosts handyman Paul Delaney’s apparition, who’ll sit beside your bed or roam the hallways trailing perfume and phantom music. The haunted Victorian-style bed and breakfast has earned its reputation through decades of documented paranormal activity.
The copper bathtub in Room 1 vibrates violently, while Room 6 fills with organ music despite no instrument present. The property offers 13 rooms that can accommodate up to 37 guests who dare to spend the night.
Paranormal investigations confirm what guests experience nightly.
Cannonball House: a Historic Lewes Landmark With Restless Spirits
Standing at the corner of Front and Bank streets in Lewes, the Cannonball House has witnessed over 260 years of Delaware history—and some of its former residents refuse to leave.
You’ll find a British cannonball still lodged in its foundation from the 1813 bombardment, when the McCracken family—father and son pilots who defended Lewes—called it home.
Today’s maritime artifacts and historical preservation efforts transformed it into a museum, but visitors report unexplained footsteps and shadowy figures wandering its cypress-shingled walls.
The spirits seem most active near exhibits showcasing the Fresnel Lens from Fourteen Foot Bank Lighthouse.
Whether you’re drawn by its nationally recognized maritime collection or hoping to encounter its restless inhabitants, this rare survivor stands exactly where it’s always been—refusing to fade into Delaware’s past. The Lewes Historical Society acquired the property in 1963, ensuring its preservation as both a museum and a testament to the town’s wartime experience.
The building’s remarkable journey includes stints as a sundry goods store at the turn of the 20th century and later as restaurants, reflecting the broader transformation of Lewes from a maritime community to a modern coastal town.
The Vanished Rodney Hotel: Dewey Beach’s Lingering Presence
Though its weathered walls vanished in flames over half a century ago, the Rodney Hotel refuses to be forgotten along Dewey Beach’s Coastal Highway. You’ll find nothing but empty space at 19598 Coastal Highway, where Walter Weather’s establishment once welcomed African American travelers seeking refuge during segregation’s darkest days.
From 1944 until fire consumed it in 1965, this Green Book landmark offered soul food, dancing, and dignity when few places would. The two-acre property in New Castle County provided not just lodging but essential amenities like restaurant access and restrooms along Dupont Highway—lifelines for travelers of color navigating a hostile landscape.
Today, urban legends persist about shadowy figures wandering the site. Locals whisper about ghostly encounters—strange noises echoing where the dancehall once stood. Meanwhile, another Rodney-named hotel in nearby Lewes, the Caesar Rodney Hotel, has survived since 1926 and remains listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Some say guests who found sanctuary here during Jim Crow’s reign have “checked in but never left—at least in spirit.” The Rodney Hotel’s physical presence disappeared, but its cultural significance remains eternally anchored.
David Finney Inn: Colonial Charm With Phantom Guests
Across from the New Castle Courthouse where Delaware declared independence in 1776, you’ll discover 338 years of history compressed into the brick walls at 222-224 Delaware Street.
Three centuries of Delaware history stand preserved in brick across from where independence was born in 1776.
The David Finney Inn started as Renere Vandercoolen’s 1683 tavern before attorney David Finney unified the structure in 1757.
Today’s third-floor Airbnbs book solid through holidays, hosting guests drawn to authentic Georgian architecture and something else—unexplained footsteps echoing through centuries-old corridors.
Innkeeper Cheryl Carey reopened this colonial landmark in 2023, where paranormal investigations have documented activity in rooms that once sheltered sailors, lawyers, and Chief Justice James Booth Jr. himself.
The ground floor houses Booth House Tavern, where chef Samuel K. Wall serves rack of lamb and pan-seared sea bass alongside morning coffee for cyclists exploring the cobblestone streets.
The building’s ongoing renovations respect its Colonial roots while modernizing the interior features and updating bathrooms for contemporary guests.
Between haunted tours of Historic New Castle’s waterfront district, you’ll sleep where Delaware’s first families walked, their presence perhaps never quite departed.
Bewitched and BEDazzled B&B: Delaware’s Most Spirited Accommodations
While New Castle’s ghosts maintain their colonial dignity, Rehoboth Beach’s Bewitched and BEDazzled B&B embraces the paranormal with coastal flair at 65-67 Lake Ave.
This haunted hospitality destination doesn’t shy from its supernatural history — it celebrates it. You’ll find ghost journals in every room, documenting encounters with Eleanor Sigsbee, the 13-year-old daughter of USS Maine Captain Charles Sigsbee, who died on the property. Guests can also encounter the apparition of Sigsbee’s daughter appearing in full form throughout the inn.
Guests regularly report beds mysteriously disheveled in empty rooms, self-operating doors, and phantom tobacco smoke wafting through hallways. Staff members experience genuine encounters with four documented child spirits.
Located fifteen minutes from Rehoboth’s beaches and shops, you can combine sun-soaked days with spine-tingling nights. The inn also features phantom organ music that echoes through the building at unexpected hours.
Book the Ghost Hunter’s Package through Delmarva Historic Haunts and investigate this spirited accommodation yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should I Pack for an Overnight Stay at a Haunted Location?
Pack a flashlight, sleeping bag, EMF meter, and camera to document local legends within historical architecture. You’ll need warm layers, snacks, and a voice recorder to capture paranormal evidence while exploring Delaware’s haunted overnight destinations freely.
Are Paranormal Investigation Tools Allowed at Delaware’s Haunted Bed and Breakfasts?
You’ll need to contact each bed and breakfast directly about their investigation policies before packing paranormal equipment. While Delaware’s haunted venues vary widely in restrictions, calling ahead guarantees you won’t face disappointment or property access issues.
Can Children Stay Overnight at These Haunted Delaware Accommodations?
Unlike Sleepy Hollow’s headless horseman, Delaware’s mythical legends welcome young ghost hunters. You’ll find no age restrictions at these haunted inns—children can experience authentic ghost stories firsthand, making unforgettable family memories amid paranormal activity.
What Is the Cancellation Policy for Haunted Hotel Reservations in Delaware?
Haunted house policies vary by Delaware property. You’ll find cancellation deadlines ranging from 24 hours to 7 days before arrival. Ghost Light Inn requires non-refundable deposits, while Delaware Hotel offers flexible rates with different penalties—choose wisely for freedom.
Do Haunted Hotels in Delaware Offer Discounts for Extended Stays?
You’ll hit a ghostly wall here—Delaware’s haunted inns don’t advertise extended stay discounts. These luxury accommodations focus on overnight paranormal experiences and historical ghost stories rather than long-term rates, keeping their supernatural encounters brief but unforgettable.
References
- https://www.delawonder.com/articles/haunted-halloween-in-southern-delaware/
- https://hauntedhotelstays.com/usa/delaware
- https://usghostadventures.com/dover-ghost-tour/
- https://www.farmweddingde.com/wedding-blog/haunted-history-in-delaware-city-tourism-in-the-first-state
- https://www.delawarehauntedhouses.com/real-haunts/hotels.aspx
- https://www.hauntedrooms.com/delaware/haunted-places/haunted-hotels/the-addy-sea-bethany-beach
- https://frightfind.com/addy-sea-inn/
- https://www.seacolony.com/single-post/10-haunted-areas-near-bethany
- https://www.addysea.com
- https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g33997-d120925-r495474475-Addy_Sea_Historic_Oceanfront_Inn-Bethany_Beach_Delaware.html
