Ghosts, Inns, and Fall Foliage: Haunted Washington Adventure

October in Washington — the leaves are turning, the air is crisp, and the ghosts are… well, they’ve been waiting all year. Pumpkins, cider, and All Hallows’ Eve are all around, so why settle for a boring fall weekend when you can add a little spectral flair?

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Enter the Haunted Heart of Washington Road Trip. Think of it as your seasonal combo: haunted inns where the ghosts check in before you do, cemeteries with residents who don’t like being ignored, and diners where the coffee might just come with a side of ectoplasm.

Take a few days, buckle up, and explore from Chelan to Spokane — if you’re brave enough. This trip is fun for the whole family… as long as your family isn’t too squeamish about cold spots, phantom footsteps, or the occasional disembodied laugh.

Fall, fright, and fun — Washington’s Haunted Heart has it all.

👻 The Haunted Heart of Washington Road Trip

Because who needs sleep when you can have ghosts?

Route: Chelan ➜ Wenatchee ➜ Ellensburg ➜ Yakima ➜ Roslyn ➜ Spokane
Distance: ~340 miles (plus extra mileage for screaming)
Suggested Duration: 3–4 days, depending on how fast you can drive away from your fears.

🏨 Day 1: Chelan ➜ Wenatchee – Lady in White & Lakeside Frights

Stay: Campbell’s Resort on Lake Chelan

• Open since 1901 — older than your grandma’s ghost stories.

• Staff whisper about a “Lady in White” who roams the original building at night, probably judging your choice in pajamas.

• Guests report phantom 1930s music, so if you hear jazz after midnight, don’t panic — it’s just the undead having a soirée.

Stop Along the Way:

• Tunnel Hill Winery: Rumor has it there’s a “resident spirit” — hopefully the liquid kind, but who knows?

• Downtown Chelan: Flickering lights and phantom cigar smoke from the early 1900s. Basically, the nightlife won’t quit — even if its patrons did.

Evening Idea: Grab a pizza at Local Myth, then take a moonlit ghost walk. Bonus points if you make it back without sprinting.

🏚️ Day 2: Wenatchee ➜ Ellensburg – Murder, Miners & Masons (Oh My!)

Stay: The IvyWild Inn (formerly the Cherub B&B) – Wenatchee

• Once home to a 1920s domestic dispute that ended… poorly.

• Guests report cold spots, music boxes playing uninvited, and the occasional “I swear I saw a guy on the stairs.”

• Don’t worry, he’s mostly polite — just, you know, dead.

Stops:

• Blewett Pass Ghost Towns: Abandoned mining shacks, lingering regrets, and the faint sound of your car refusing to start when it’s getting dark.

• Ellensburg Historic District: Old saloons and hotels rebuilt after the 1889 fire. Locals say spectral barmaids still serve imaginary whiskey.

Optional Stay: Hotel Maison – Yakima

• Once a Masonic lodge, now a boutique hotel where whispers echo through sealed-off floors.

• If you hear heavy footsteps behind you in the hall… maybe don’t check.

🍻 Day 3: Ellensburg ➜ Roslyn ➜ Yakima – Booze & Boos

Stop & Lunch: The Brick Saloon & Hotel – Roslyn

• Washington’s oldest operating bar (1889).

• Patrons have spotted ghostly miners and barmaids still on shift, proving even death doesn’t get you out of work.

• Ask about the haunted tunnel under the bar — once used for smuggling liquor, now apparently smuggling ghosts.

Optional Stay: Roslyn Historic Hotel

• Charming, rustic, and occasionally musically inclined — guests have reported piano tunes from nowhere.

• If you hear ragtime music at 2 a.m., it’s not your phone.

Dinner: Cowiche Canyon Kitchen – Yakima

• Modern restaurant in a haunted old building. Because why not pair craft cocktails with existential dread?

👻 Day 4: Yakima ➜ Spokane – Elegance Meets Ectoplasm

Stay: The Historic Davenport Hotel – Spokane

• Built in 1914 and glamorous enough to make a ghost stay for eternity.

• The “Lady in White” (another one — we’re collecting them) roams the mezzanine ballroom, possibly judging your posture.

• Elevators occasionally run themselves — because even ghosts can’t resist pressing all the buttons.

Alternate Stay: Mirabeau Park Hotel – Spokane Valley

• Slightly more modern, still haunted.

• Guests report ghostly phone calls and towels that vanish — which is just rude, honestly.

• Staff say a woman in vintage clothing appears in the halls, then disappears into the drywall like a moody magician.

Bonus Stops:

• Thorp Cemetery: Home to “Suzy’s Ghost.” Visit at dusk if you hate peace of mind.

• Palouse Falls: Not haunted, but hauntingly gorgeous.

• Turnbull Wildlife Refuge: Fog, eerie lights, and the occasional “what was that?!” moment.

🕯️ Trip Tips (or How to Not Become a Ghost Yourself)

• Bring a flashlight and snacks — ghosts don’t like hungry travelers.

• Ask hotel staff about hauntings politely; they’ll spill the tea faster than you can say “unpaid exorcist.”

• Respect cemeteries, old sites, and anyone who appears semi-transparent.

• Go in fall — crisp air, colorful leaves, and the perfect setting for your impending panic.