Historic scares

The most haunted city in America: Galveston spooks with real scare houses,ghosts & displaced graves

Welcome to Galveston, "the most haunted city in America"
Photo by Tyler Rudick
During renovations of the Menard House, crews uncovered some spooky children'swall art, now repurposed as a Halloween decoration.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
Mausoleums at the Broadway Cemeteries were covered in several feet of infillafter the 1900 storm.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
Creepy buildings, like this abandoned orphanage, dot the windswept landscape ofGalveston Island, making for a spooky time even in broad daylight.
Photo by Tyler Rudick
The Hotel Galvez offers amazing views of the Gulf as well as opportunities tospend the night in a haunted guest suite (ask for room 501).
Photo courtesy of Hotel Galvez
The main foyer of the Galvez is know for regular creepy activity. Note the faintghostly figure stading in front of the doors of this vintage image.
Photo courtesy of Hotel Galvez
Built in 1838, the Menard House is one of the island's oldest buildings . . .and one of the most haunted.
Photo by Tyler Rudick

Historians estimate that more than 6,000 Galveston residents lost their lives in the Hurricane of 1900 — the deadliest storm in United States history and a central theme to the town's claim to fame as "the most haunted city in America."

CultureMap took the short drive to Galveston to bring you first-hand knowledge on all the spooky legends, haunted history tours and a level of quirkiness only "the Island" can provide.

Here's are some highlights to get you started on a Halloween adventure.

Hotel Galvez (2024 Seawall)

We kicked off our recent weekend at the century-old Hotel Galvez for a special "Dinner with the Ghosts" package tour. Concierge and paranormal investigator Jackie Hasan led our small group through the hotel, pointing out the building's ghostly hot spots — the main foyer, room 501 and first floor ladies restroom — while offering the latest gossip about hotel guests . . . who've never checked out.

The Galvez is perfect for anyone looking for a vintage Galveston atmosphere without the hustle and bustle of the Strand. Plus, it easily has one of the island's best views of the Gulf. Hotel staffers are happy to share stories of the hotel's eerie past whether you're on a tour or not.

Menard House (1605 33rd St.)

Built in 1838 for a prominent Galveston landholder, the Menard House is one of the oldest existing buildings on the island and purportedly one of the most haunted. John Sydney Thrasher, who lived in the home in the late 19th century, liked to conjure up the spirits at every opportunity, inviting the local public into his parlor for regular séances.

The Galveston Historical Foundation is recreating one of Thrasher's sessions at the Menard House or the first time in 130 years with the help of noted medium Sandra Logan. All attendees have the option of spending the night in one of the upstairs bedrooms following the séance. Click for info.

Broadway Cemeteries (2401 Broadway)

Galveston's Broadway Cemeteries have a layered history — literally. After the devastating 1900 storm, city engineers raised the level of the island with three to six feet of soil, all placed behind the newly-constructed seawall.

As such, cramped area graveyards like those on Broadway simply lifted (and repositioned) the old tombstones and made room for another level of coffins. Take note of the suspiciously short mausoleums, whose pre-storm foundations were covered with several feet of infill. Visit the Galveston Historical Foundation for tour information.

Haunted Mayfield Manor (2310 Harborside)

Just so that nobody ends up like the distraught elderly couple on our tour, Haunted Mayfield Manor is not a historic home tour. In fact, it's not even a home . . . It's a surprisingly terrifying "haunted attraction" led by an actor playing Dr. Horace Mayfield, a real-life historical figure tasked with maintaining an island quarantine after the 1900 storm.

Also be sure to check out the shockingly informative exhibit on Gulf Coast pirates located to the right of Haunted Mayfield.

Dash Beardsley Ghost Tours (various locations)

A Galveston legend in his own right, rocker-slash-paranormal-expert Dash Beardsley has spent the last 15 years carefully researching the island's history to create historically-accurate (and wildly entertaining) ghost tours. His team of guides concentrates on the Strand with additional forays into area cemeteries and historic buildings along Broadway.

Don't miss the company's newest tour tracing the steps of Jack the Ripper, who — no joke — is believed to have wandered the streets of Galveston in the 1890s. Beardsley claims he has evidence to back it up.

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go rural

Tiny West Texas town tops Airbnb's 'off-the-map' destinations to visit

Matador, Texas, Airbnb, best rural destinations

Photo courtesy of Airbnb

Welcome to Matador, Texas.

More Texas travelers are shying away from tourist traps for their vacations and instead embracing the calming roadside with increasing interest in rural areas of the state, according to Airbnb, and one tiny Texas city in the Panhandle is generating buzz atop a brand-new list of under-the-radar rural destinations in America.

The vacation rental marketplace's inaugural "Off-the-Map" list features 20 rural destinations across the country where short-term rentals are bringing in "new opportunities for local tourism."

"From coastal fishing villages to Cajun bayou towns and alpine mountain escapes, America Off-the-Map invites travelers to discover something new and helps support local economies and communities across the country," the report said.

Matador, a small town about 80 miles northeast of Lubbock and 530 miles from Houston, was named the No. 1 hidden gem vacation destination in Texas. The report described Matador as a part of Texas that tourists "haven’t found" yet, which is what makes it all the more rewarding as an undiscovered treasure.

"Welcome to the seat of Motley County – where the wind is constant, the skies are enormous, and the history is deeper than the caprock beneath your boots," the report said.

Visitors can explore the Motley County Historical Museum, which explores the building's history as the Traweek Hospital that was originally built nearly a century ago. The museum also sheds light on Native American history, the life of ranchers, and other historical facts about the town and county.

Local restaurants like Chelle's Garden or TC's Ponderosa in nearby Dickens are good spots for travelers to eat like a local, while the Coffee Mill and Mercantile in Quitaque is the place to be for breakfast, lunch, and a cup of joe.

Matador is also less than an hour away from the newly expanded Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway, a popular Texas state park known for its roaming bison herd and bat colony.

According to Airbnb's website, there are over 130 short-term rentals in Matador and the surrounding Motley County area, with some homes available for $172 for an overnight stay in April 2026.

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