San Antonio is one of those bustling, vibrant cities that form the spirit of Texas. Stepped into three hundred years of tradition, the city stands proud and resilient today; however, its history has been violent and bloody. Various colonial powers have fought over the city’s ownership and left a lot of bloodshed and horror stories in their wake. Many haunted places in San Antonio have the same history etched into their walls. It is ironic that a city named after a saint – Anthony of Padua – has so many haunted attractions and scary stories. Still, such is life in Texas, rife with irony and ridiculousness.
Most Haunted Places In San Antonio
These haunted places in San Antonio are the scariest. Discover San Antonio, Texas’s three most terrifying, tragic, and spooky places.
1. San Fernando Cathedral
Image Credit: Michael Barera for Wikimedia Commons
Technically called the Church of Our Lady of Candelaria and Guadalupe, this church was built between 1738 and 1750 and named after Spain’s Ferdinand III of Castille. Being the oldest church in San Antonio, the cathedral has seen many renovations. In 1868, the cathedral took on the present shape it holds in a mesmerising Gothic revival style. In the renovation of 1936, some bones were excavated, which are supposed to have belonged to the men who fought in the battle of Alamo. They were promptly entombed again inside the cathedral; however, the spirits were said to be reawakened as their place of rest was disturbed. The same ghosts continue to haunt the grounds of the cathedral to date.
Location: 115 Main Plaza, San Antonio, Texas 78205, USA
Timings: 9 am – 5 pm
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2. Donkey Lady Bridge
The Donkey Lady Bridge is one of the most popular haunted places in San Antonio, Texas. Many locals claim to have encountered this entity. It is an essential attraction of San Antonio; it is so legendary that there is even a Donkey Lady hotline you can use if you come to this haunting spirit. The beloved story has multiple versions, and no one can say for sure where or when the story started.
One version talks of a farmer who tried to murder his own family by setting a fire to the house. The children died, and the wife was disfigured. The scary appearance often registers to people as animalistic, getting her the moniker “Donkey Lady”. One of the fun, scary things tourists can do in San Antonio is visit the Donkey Lady Bridge to see if the legends and lore surrounding the lady are true.
Location: Applewhite Road, San Antonio, Texas 78264, United States
Timings: Open 24 hours
3. The Alamo
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The Alamo is one of the most important heritage monuments in the United States. The 1836 battle for Texan independence from the Mexican armies happened at the Alamo, and it is well-documented in the 1960 film of the same name (The Alamo). It is said that about 190 Texans fought from within the fortress of the Alamo against the hordes of the Mexican calvary, which consisted of over 4000 soldiers.
Though they fought bravely, they failed. Every single one of the 190 Texans was martyred that day, but the damage done to the other side was also noteworthy, striking down over 1600 men. The Alamo defenders’ bodies were looted, disfigured and buried in mass graves. The Alamo men still haunt the monument today, making it one of the most haunted houses in San Antonio.
Location: 300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, Texas 78205, USA
Timings: 9 am – 5:30 pm
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Haunted Houses In San Antonio
The following places are buildings in San Antonio that are haunted by spirits from the other realms. Be it residential houses, hotels, or theatres and museums, these haunted houses will give you the spooks.
1. Emily Morgan Hotel
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Nestled in the heart of downtown San Antonio, Emily Morgan has earned a reputation as one of the most haunted places in San Antonio and one of the top haunted hotels in the country. One of the most significant reasons for the hotel’s haunting is its proximity to the legendary Alamo across the street. The spirits are said to spill over into the entire region, infecting the surroundings with an eerie atmosphere.
Emily Morgan is home to multiple ghosts and unexplained phenomena, including an apparition of the Vanishing Nurse, electrical malfunctions and anomalies, warped reflections in the hotel’s many mirrors, echoing footsteps on the 9th-floor staircase, and room 810, in which strange shadows and whispers bounce around. The hotel has accepted its haunted status and even markets itself as such now, daring visitors to come and stay a night here.
Location: 705 E Houston St, San Antonio, Texas 78205, USA
Timings: Check-in Time: 4 pm. Check-out Time: noon
2. Spanish Governor’s Palace
Image Credit:Lutz Fischer-Lamprecht for Wikimedia Commons
Despite its name, the building was never a palace. It started as a one-room residence for the captain of the Spanish forces in Texas in the mid-18th century. Over time, it changed hands and passed down in lineages, and each owner added several rooms to make it the grand fortress it stands as even today. Luis Antonio Menchaca, several generations down the line, became its owner and included the courtyard in the house to construct six more rooms.
Thus, the hanging tree became part of the house. It was from the branches of this tree that convicts were hanged and swiftly persecuted. The tree and the burial grounds, also located on the premises, contribute to the festering spirits and negative energies at the Spanish Governor’s Palace. Tourists come from all over America and worldwide to see this place, which is counted among the most haunted houses in San Antonio.
Location: 105 Plaza de Armas, San Antonio, Texas 78205, USA
Timings: 9 am – 5 pm
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3. Majestic Theatre
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The pride of San Antonio, this theatre is truly majestic. When it opened in 1929, it was one of the first places of this size in Texas to be fully air-conditioned. People wore their winter jackets to watch movies here. The acoustics of this place were designed to be such that even a whisper from the stage could be heard in all directions and corners of the theatre. The place is an architectural marvel. But perhaps this is why people complain of hearing strange whispers even when they can’t see the person speaking. However, the only flaw in this theory is that whispers can also be heard after hours, even when the theatre is empty. Locals and tourists alike love to visit the Majestic Theatre, one of the top haunted places in San Antonio.
Location: 224 E Houston St, San Antonio, Texas 78205, United States
Timings: 10 am – 5 pm
Abandoned Places in San Antonio
Some places are haunted because they have been abandoned. When people leave these buildings to rot alone, they start accumulating ghosts, while others are abandoned because of the presence of ghostly beings.
1. Bexar County Juvenile Home for Boys
One of the most infamous haunted houses in San Antonio, Texas, is the Abandoned Asylum. People on the internet have made up many stories about this place, but the truth is even more sinister than fiction. The place began as an old-age home or a ‘poor farm’. Later, it was converted into a home for troubled youth—the Bexar County Juvenile Home for Boys. The place soon gained popularity for cruelty and violence.
In 1925, a 14-year-old boy was found unconscious after having swallowed rat poison. In 1933, another teenage inmate was bludgeoned to death by a worker on the dairy farm on the juvenile home grounds. These stories are the possible explanations for the hauntings reported in this abandoned asylum even today. One thing’s for sure: this asylum is possibly the scariest haunted house in San Antonio.
Location: 600 Mission, San Antonio, Texas 78210, United States
Timings: NA
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2. Saint John Seminary
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One of the other interesting abandoned places in San Antonio is the Saint John Seminary. It was established in 1915 to train the Catholic priests in the region to serve the people best. The bishop of San Antonio opened a seminary in his residence, teaching theology to his students. The seminary later opened in a second location, but this one was abandoned. Visitors to this place often claim to feel out-of-body experiences, uneasiness and tension, cold spots in certain areas, and hearing strange sounds inside the building.
Location: 222 E. Mitchell, San Antonio, Texas 78210, United States
Timings: NA
3. Ghost Tracks
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On the intersection of Villamain and Shane, a little south of San Antonio, lie the haunted train tracks that killed ten students in a tragic accident. The story goes that in the 30s, a nun was driving a school bus, returning students from a field trip. When the bus reached the train tracks, it abruptly broke down, and a train came suddenly, materialising from nowhere, and hit the bus. The nun tried to key the ignition over & over again but with no success. The train hit the bus, and the ten children died on the spot.
The nun miraculously was left, but ridden with survivor’s guilt and shame for not being able to save the children, she drove to the same place again, stopping the car in the tracks and waiting for a train. She was prepared to die, but the car moved out of the way on its own as if pushed from behind. The nun noticed dusty child-sized handprints on the back of the vehicle, even as no one could be seen. It is said that even today, if you visit the area with powder sprinkled on the back of your car, you will see those children’s handprints.
Location: 2902 Shane Road, Railroad tracks, San Antonio, Texas 78223, United States
Timings: NA
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More scary things to do in San Antonio
1. Shopping At La Villita Art District
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La Villita district was one of the first settlements in San Antonio. This humble settlement, over time, turned into a vibrant & thriving art neighbourhood. Art enthusiasts often visit the place, strolling and browsing interesting pieces and buying souvenirs. But the visitors and shopkeepers claim to see shadowy figures, hear strange noises, and feel a sense of being watched from afar. It is said that the old ghostly residents of the district never left. The ghosts do not disturb anyone and just go about their mundane ghostly lives, but a sense of uneasiness prevails among the tourists here. La Villita is one of the most haunted places in San Antonio Texas where you experience the paranormal without it being too overwhelming.
Location: 418 Villita St, San Antonio, Texas 78205, USA
Timings: 10 am – 6 pm
2. Pay A Visit To San Antonio Missions
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The five San Antonio Spanish missions have been essential to the city community. The missions transformed local ways of life by introducing religion, farming, and settled communities. Mission San Antonio de Valero was built in San Antonio in 1718, but the paranormal activity wasn’t recorded here until after the Battle of Alamo in the 1830s. Visitors along the Mission Trail have reported sightings of shadowy figures believed to be monks or indigenous Texan spirits watching over the land. Others have seen apparitions of an army from a bygone era marching through the hallowed grounds with a ghostly figure resembling a Mexican general leading it. Today, it is counted among the most haunted places in San Antonio.
Location: 298 Woodhull Dr, San Antonio, TX 78214, USA
Timings: 9 am – 5 pm
3. Explore The Briscoe Western Art Museum
This place has been haunted even before the Museum existed. It is one of the most popular haunted places in San Antonio Riverwalk, and a horrifying tale lies behind it. The museum was once a house where John McCullen, one of the first residents in the area, lived. It is said that one night, an intruder broke into the house, stabbed McCullen in the neck, and nicked a bunch of valuables from the house. Some believe that the intruder was none other than his own house, who inherited the house. In 2013, the place was turned into a museum, but the staff and visitors often report feeling McCullen’s presence in the long corridors and hallways.
Location: 210 W Market St, San Antonio, Texas 78205, United States
Timings: 10 am – 5 pm
How To Reach San Antonio
The best way to reach San Antonio from India is by air. The journey takes approximately 24-30 hours, depending on the place of departure and the stops. International flights are connecting flights via Washington DC, New York City, Dubai, Toronto, and Chicago. There are direct flights as well. The average cost of a flight to San Antonio is around INR 60,000. Travelling by road from US cities is also an option, but it can be hectic and tiresome. Texas has many international airports – Dallas (DAL), El Paso (ELP), Houston (IAH), Austin (AUS), and San Antonio (SAT).
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We’ve compiled a list of the top haunted places in San Antonio. These places will lure you in with their mysterious charm and scare you to your bones with their eerie atmosphere and terrifying stories. Almost every corner in San Antonio has some lingering ghosts. Are you ready to meet them? Plan a trip to the USA and combat your scariest fears.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Haunted Places In San Antonio
What's the most haunted place in San Antonio?
The Alamo is possibly the most haunted place in San Antonio. This is the same place where over 189 Texans gave up their lives fighting the Mexican colonisers. Their spirits are said to haunt the fortress and the surrounding region today.
What is the haunted road in San Antonio?
Applewhite Road in San Antonio, where the Donkey Lady Bridge is located, is believed to be the scariest road in the city. A disfigured woman, resembling a donkey, appears on the bridge and stops passing cars to give them the scare of their lives.
What is the haunted mission in San Antonio?
There are multiple haunted missions in San Antonio, including Mission San Juan Capistrano, Mission San Jose, and the most popular one, Mission San Antonio de Valero. The spirits of nuns, Spanish and Mexican soldiers, and indigenous Texans who fought against the colonising forces are often witnessed here.
What is the most haunted cemetery in San Antonio?
The Chinese Graveyard, also known as the Loma China Cemetery or the Guzman Burial Ground, is considered one of the most haunted cemeteries in San Antonio
Why is the Emily Morgan Hotel haunted?
The Emily Morgan Hotel was built in the same region where the Battle of the Alamo occurred two centuries ago. Being in the same area, the spirits of the battle martyrs spill over into the hotel’s premises, and various unexplained events have been recorded here.
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Abhay Kumar is a graduate of English Literature. Writing is both his hobby and his passion. He writes academic research articles as well as poetry and short fiction. He loves reading science fiction, fantasy, literary fiction, and translated fiction. He also loves traveling and writing about himself in the third person.
