The 8 Most Haunted Places in San Antonio

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most haunted places in san antonio tx

Here’s some San Antonio trivia that you might not expect from our good-natured, family-friendy reputation:

Legend has it that San Antonio is one of the most haunted cities in the entire country.

As a local, the spooky stories about my city’s many haunted locations are impossible to ignore. So for those curious about ghosts and the paranormal, today I’m sharing the 8 most haunted places in San Antonio.

Explore these spooky spots, if you dare!

PS – If you’re in the mood to get spooked, don’t miss our article about the 9 most haunted hotels in San Antonio, either!

Map of the Most Haunted Places in San Antonio

The Alamo

I mean, a lot of people died here, so it makes sense that San Antonio’s number-one tourist attraction is also haunted as hell. The Battle of the Alamo happened in 1836, and it wasn’t too far after the battle that people reported hauntings at this old Spanish mission. In fact, when the Mexican army returned to burn the Alamo to the ground, they were so spooked by the ghosts that they left.

Today, rumor has it that you can still see ghosts at the Alamo. It’s mostly ghostly soldiers, but there have also been sightings of a father and son, a lone little boy, and even greats like Davy Crockett.

  • Address: 300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205
  • Website: The Alamo

Spanish Governor’s Palace

The Spanish Governor’s Palace is a gorgeous local landmark that served as living quarters for Spanish military leaders from 1722 to the early 1800s. It’s a beautiful spot for soaking up a little Texas history, but the Palace is also famous for its ghosts.

If you look up at the Palace from the outside, you might get a peek at the famous Lady In Grey, a woman who looks out the windows of the Palace.

Oh, and if you hear mysterious gurgling sounds? That’s likely from the ghost of a woman who was drowned in the Palace’s well. No big deal.

San Fernando Cathedral

The San Fernando Cathedral is the oldest church in the state of Texas. It was built piece by piece from 1738 – 1750 and is still a gorgeous (but creepy-looking) fixture in San Antonio. In the 1930s, they found the bones of soldiers from the Alamo interred here. Rumor says that the body of Davy Crockett also rested at the San Fernando Cathedral, but who knows if it’s true.

What I do know is that you need some serious cajones to visit the cathedral at night. It’s one of the most haunted spots in the United States, with ghosts peeking out through the windows at nightfall. Some people even report seeing a ghostly white stallion roaming the grounds after sundown.

The Emily Morgan Hotel

If you look at Emily Morgan’s website, the homepage conveniently glosses over the fact that their hotel is haunted AF. After a little digging, you’ll find that the Emily Morgan Hotel is the third most haunted hotel in the US, based on the sheer number of creepy reports. While the hotel has been around since 1924, it’s close enough to the Alamo to absorb a lot of its weird ghostly juju. Phones ring at night with no one on the other end, you’ll turn your back to find your room suddenly in disarray, and (if you’re really lucky) you might even see a woman in white walking through the walls.

Huebner-Onion Homestead

Okay, this spot is just down the street from where I live, and it just LOOKS haunted. I’ve heard of people trying to sneak in here at night and that they’ve … seen things.

This homestead was originally built in 1858 by Austrian immigrant Joseph Huebner, and the family was pretty well-to-do. Joseph Huebner mysteriously died in 1882, and in the decades since, both settlers and visitors to the homestead report ghostly encounters. You’ll hear creaking stairs when there’s no one around. Machinery will click on suddenly. Plates will shatter for no reason. Piano music and the sounds of horse hooves are common here, too.

P.S. The homestead is usually closed to visitors, but they do open it up for events like the Fourth of July.

The Haunted Railroad Tracks of San Antonio

There’s no historical proof this actually happened, but the haunted railroad tracks are an urban legend that’s cemented into SA folklore. As the story goes, a school bus full of children stalled out on these railroad tracks. Unable to move in time, the bus was smashed by an oncoming train, killing the children on board. If you visit the railroad tracks at night and park on the tracks with your car in neutral, the ghosts of these children will push your vehicle to safety.

Hundreds of people report that this story is true. Some folks will even coat the back of their car with baby powder to find a dozen children’s handprints on the vehicle.

But if I’m being honest, parking on train tracks is a good way to get yourself killed. I don’t personally recommend risking your life, but you should definitely do a drive-by if you’re into spooky tales.

The Menger Hotel

Billed as the most haunted hotel west of the Mississippi, The Menger is a must-see for ghost lovers. I actually stayed at the Menger for a weekend to celebrate my birthday. I personally didn’t see any ghosts, but there’s so much history in this quirky hotel that I don’t doubt any of the ghost stories. (Actually, I had a friend who used to work here who now refuses to step inside. That’s how haunted it is.)

Depending on when you visit and the room you stay in, you might see the ghost of Teddy Roosevelt, Sallie White the chambermaid, or Captain Richard King (founder of King Ranch).

The San Antonio State Hospital

The SA State Hospital was originally called the Southwestern Insane Asylum. It opened in 1892 originally and housed up to 2,000 patients at one time. And, as most of us know, old asylums are prime ghost territory.

Although the hospital has stricter standards for patient care today, patients used to go through hell on Earth at this hospital. The hospital really tries to downplay the ghosts, but people report hearing the screams of wrongfully-committed patients late at night.