Marilyn is one of HJ’s Facebook pages most active commenters even though she also maintains her own Facebook group, The Unexplained and Paranormal Phenomena Group. She had made a comment on her group’s page recently about she hopes to go on a ghost hunt in 2011.
I know others feel like her. I get asked all the time: “I’m not part of a paranormal investigation group, but do you know how I could go on a ghost hunt like I see on TV?”
Absolutely!
Here’s how:
- Get connected with the paranormal community online. In my post about best paranormal social networking sitesI explained not only what an active, but what a helpful, community the paranormal one is. Make friends online with paranormal investigators in or near your area. Tell them you’d be interested in accompanying them the next time they go on a hunt. Many will be glad to make you an honory member for a night and have you along on a hunt. For example, my friend Donna Marsh of the Ghosts of Tennesseewill organize outings open to anyone who’s game. She makes it a Facebook event and sends out invites and often encourages everyone to spread the word. They’re very informal events and everyone just brings whatever equipment they have to contribute. Makes for a fun time.
- Watch for when paranormal investigation groups make their hunts open to the public. For instance, my friend Nate from Paranormal Research Association of Boston (PRAB) recently let me know his group is doing a public investigation of the Colonial House Inn on Saturday January 22, 2011. Find a group local to you and, if the information isn’t already on their website, ask if they ever do public hunts.
- Follow groups that organize public ghost hunts. This one is kind of a combination between numbers one and two above, except in addition to being paranormal investigators they coordinate paranormal events. Thanks to Steve from Ghost Eyes (aka @HauntedPlaces on Twitter) who is affiliated with Southern Ghosts, I lost my ghost hunting virginity on an organized public hunt to Old South Pittsburgh Hospital. They had all of the equipment, and even provided some, like EMF detetcors and K2 meters, for others to use. (And in my case a radio in case I got lost.) Other groups who provide similar experiences are Beyond Ghosts, Dark Encounters, and American Hauntings.
- Take advantage of ghost hunting packages offered by haunted places . In some cases haunted places themselves are now organizing and offering their own ghost hunting adventures. For instance, if you want to stay on property places like the Copper Queen Hotelin Bisbee, Arizona, and Thayer’sB&B in Annandale, Minnesota, offer ghost hunting packages. Here’s some other haunted places that offer ghost hunts: Smith-McDowell Ghost Hunt(Asheville, NC), Tennessee Ghost Walk (Morristown, TN – offers combo ghost walk and ghost hunt packages), Haunted Bissman Building Ghost Hunt (Mansfield, OH), or the ghost hunt of the colonial-era Powel House (Philadelphia, PA – organized by Ghost Tour of Philadelphia). In some cases equipment is provided, in others they suggest you bring along any devices you might like to use and they just make areas open for investigatation. (At minimum you’ll always be encouraged to bring your own camera.) Basically, if you’d be interested in investigating a certain haunted place, give their site a look to see if they offer any kind of ghost hunting deals. More and more they are these days.
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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Hey, Court! Thanks for the shout out! We’ve had a great response so far – spots at the Colonial House are going fast! You’re always welcome to join us on a public investigation if you ever jaunt out to Massachusetts! 🙂
Take care,
Nate
AWESOME! I’d love that, Nate! I made it to Gloucester last summer, but only for a day. (We were on a cruise.) We’re hoping to go back that way and see Boston and Salem and some of the other hot spots. I’ll for sure look you up!
Very good advice. I haven’t tried all of these things, but #1 has worked very well for me. Getting to know you has worked the best as the South Pittsburgh Ghost Hunting trip with Southern Ghosts was the best ghost hunting trip ever.
ST.LOUIS MISSOURI. HAS A GHOST HAUNTING TRIP ALSO. THEY TO THE LEMP HOUSE. ITHINK THEY DO IT.? THEY GO ALL OVER MISSOURI. AND ILLNIOS HAS A GHO ST HAUNTING TOO. THEY GO ALL OVER ILLINOS.
I am hoping to join a few ghost hunts next year. We are going to check out the Birdcage Theater and Vulture Mines.
MISSOURI AND ILLINOS HAS HAUNTED PLACES ALLSO.!!!!
Jessica: Hey, THANKS! I, too, really enjoyed getting the chance to meet you and spend a night going all around a haunted hospital sweating like that. hehehehe =)
I think Lemp might have a ghost hunt, you’re right, TJ. And you’re also right about Illinois having ghost hunting excursions. They’re one of the original places to have them!
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!!!!!!!!!! HAER IN MISSOURI WE HAD A TORNADO.IT WAS A BAD ONE. MY CHURCH GOT HIT BY THE TORNADO. IT RIP THE ROOF OFF. THE RECTORY GOT HIT BY THE TORNADO ALL SO. THE RECTORY IS BLEW DOWN TO THE GROUND. MY PASTOR AND THE ASSOCIATE PASTOR WER OK.WENT FROM WHITE CHRISTMAS LAST WEEKEND. THIS WEEKEND A TORNADO.IT HAPPING IN FENTON MISSORUI. IWAS WORKING AT THE MOVIE THEATER. YESTERDAY. WE WER OK.
I have been sick TJ or I would’ve responded earlier. I heard about the tornado you had there and was hoping you were okay. So sorry to hear about your church. But thank goodness everyone was okay! What a way to start your New Year! And what about your St. Louis football team? Did they win???
NO THEY LOST BIG TIME. HOPE YOU ARE FELING BETTER NOW!!!!! IT DID NOT HIT MY HOUSE. BUT IT THE OTHER HOUSES IN MY SUBDVISON. IN FENTON MO.THE RAMS ARE GONE FROM THE PLAYOFF.
The Rams…couldn’t remember their name before. Sorry they lost! But glad you are safe. Doing better today. The flu is a rough beast!
OMG! That sounds like an incredible time, Michele. THANK YOU so much for stopping by and sharing this great info!
The most professional and INSURED Ghost Hunt Event company that I have come accross (and believe me I’ve checked them all) is http://www.GhostHuntWeekends.com They host events across the US at locations that are usually too expensive or unaccesable to most people. They also have Celebrity events where you get to ghost hunt with the stars! Note to the wise, DEMAND that you see any event or location’s Insurance Certificate, there has been several people who have died or injured by being led around by so called “Ghost Hunting Groups” who think they can make a quick buck. So stick with professionals who are insured.
Thanks so much for sharing this excellent advice, Ed.