Freaky Friday Guest Post by Elle Jauffret
Hello, Freaky Friday readers! I’m Elle Jauffret, and I’m truly honored to be a guest on Terri’s corner of the internet — she is, after all, the master of ghost stories. I write spooky horror short stories alongside traditional mysteries set in sunny Southern California, so when Terri gave me the floor, I knew exactly what to bring: the haunted places of my own town.
When people think of San Diego, they usually picture sunshine, beaches, and palm trees. Ghosts rarely make the travel brochure. Yet beneath the postcard surface, San Diego has a long reputation for unexplained sightings, restless spirits, and buildings where history seems reluctant to stay in the past. For a region known for perfect weather, the supernatural here has a surprisingly persistent presence.
Here are eight places that dominate San Diego’s ghost lore.
Whaley House (Old Town San Diego)
Often cited as one of the most haunted locations in the United States, the Whaley House has accumulated decades of paranormal reports. Visitors and staff frequently describe hearing heavy footsteps on the staircase when no one is there, sudden cold spots in otherwise warm rooms, and the sensation of being watched. Some claim to have seen shadowy figures in 19th-century clothing moving through the halls. Among the spirits most often mentioned are “Yankee Jim” Robinson (an outlaw executed near the property before the house was built) as well as former residents Thomas and Anna Whaley, whose apparitions are occasionally reported during evening tours.
I personally visited the house around Halloween, at night, as any ghost story enthusiast does. I expected atmosphere. What I didn’t expect was the way the air on the second-floor landing seemed to thicken, like held breath. I write fictional hauntings. Standing there, I found myself considerably less certain about the fiction part.
El Campo Santo Cemetery (Old Town)
The historic El Campo Santo Cemetery is a block away from the Whaley House. It dates back to the mid-1800s and holds the graves of many early residents of San Diego. In the late 19th century, parts of the burial ground were paved over during street expansion, leaving some graves beneath the road. Visitors often remark on the cemetery’s unusually heavy atmosphere. Some claim to feel sudden chills or hear faint sounds at night, and local lore suggests that spirits disturbed by the construction still linger around the edges of the burial ground. Since it’s located in a very touristy area, it’s difficult to be there in complete silence unless you visit late at night, outside of vacations or weekends. So you’ll not be able to hear a whisper, but you’ll definitely feel the drop in temperature.
Hotel del Coronado (Coronado)
The Hotel del Coronado is best known to film buffs as the sun-drenched backdrop for the 1959 comedy classic Some Like It Hot (starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon). But the hotel harbors a far darker story. It is associated with one of San Diego’s most enduring ghost legends: the “Lady in Red,” believed by many to be Kate Morgan. In 1892, Morgan checked into the hotel alone to meet her estranged husband. He never showed, and she was later found dead on the nearby beach. Since then, guests and staff have reported unexplained activity in and around her former room — flickering lights, televisions turning on without explanation, and personal items being moved or misplaced. Some visitors have reported glimpsing a woman in a black lace dress walking along the corridor or near the beach-facing windows. If you feel like meeting Kate, simply book Room 3327. Maybe you can help solve her murder to allow her to rest in peace.
Horton Grand Hotel (Gaslamp Quarter)
In the heart of downtown San Diego, the Horton Grand Hotel is known for paranormal reports centered on Room 309 (another room starting with a “3”). Guests staying there have described lights switching on and off during the night, beds shaking slightly as if someone had sat down, and distinct footsteps crossing the floor when the room is otherwise empty. Some stories attribute the activity to a 19th-century gambler named Roger Whitaker, who is said to have died violently in the building. Whether legend or lingering presence, the room has become a point of curiosity for visitors intrigued by haunted history.
USS Midway Museum (Embarcadero)
The aircraft carrier USS Midway served the U.S. Navy for nearly five decades before becoming a museum. Given the thousands of sailors who lived and worked aboard, some believe the ship retains echoes of its past. Volunteers and overnight crew members have reported hearing disembodied voices over the ship’s intercom system, footsteps in empty corridors, and doors closing on their own. A few docents have also described sensing unseen presences in the engine room and lower decks — areas where visitors sometimes report sudden chills. They told my group and me that all the ghosts were just playing, benevolent spirits, so I’ll grab the next opportunity to spend the night on it. I’ll update you if I experience anything. Personally, I found the atmosphere welcoming, maybe because I am a Navy wife and was accompanied by my active-duty Navy husband.
Davis–Horton House (Gaslamp Quarter)
The Davis-Horton House — the oldest standing residence in downtown San Diego — is now a museum, but its past residents may not have entirely departed. Paranormal investigators and visitors have reported sightings of a Victorian-era woman appearing briefly in doorways or windows. Guests have also described hearing faint footsteps, doors opening on their own, and unexplained whispers in otherwise quiet rooms. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, there’s something about standing in the oldest room in a city that makes the past feel very close.
Old Point Loma Lighthouse (Cabrillo National Monument)
Perched above the harbor, the Old Point Loma Lighthouse offers sweeping ocean views — and, according to some visitors, unexplained sensations. Park staff and tourists have reported hearing unexplained noises on the narrow spiral staircase and feeling sudden cold drafts in otherwise still rooms. A few visitors say they have sensed someone standing behind them when no one else was present, contributing to the lighthouse’s quiet reputation for eerie encounters. The predominant feeling I experienced while standing in the lighthouse was isolation and suffocation. According to my friend, it could have been the narrowness of the place or the spirit communicating.
Proctor Valley Road (Chula Vista / Jamul)
Stretching through a remote area of eastern San Diego County, Proctor Valley Road is associated with the long-standing legend of the “Proctor Valley Hitchhiker.” According to local folklore, drivers traveling the road late at night sometimes see a lone figure standing or walking along the roadside. In some versions of the story, the figure disappears as a car approaches; in others, drivers report a sudden sensation of someone sitting in the back seat before the presence vanishes. While these accounts are part of a regional storytelling tradition, the legend continues to draw curious visitors after dark.
San Diego has given me something I didn’t entirely expect: a genuine respect for the stories people tell about these places. Thanks so much to Terri for having me here. If you’d like to find my books or my short fiction, come say hello at ellejauffret.com — I’d love to meet you.
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Elle Jauffret is a PenCraft Award‑winning and Agatha Award-nominated mystery author whose work explores identity, perception, and hidden power structures. A French native, US Navy spouse, and former California criminal attorney, she brings legal insight, cultural nuance, and sharp psychological tension to contemporary mysteries. You can find more about Elle at ellejauffret.com or on social media @ellejauffret.