Some venues have history. Some have atmosphere. And some apparently have a few permanent guests.
From historic theaters and museums to naval ships and grand mansions, these group-friendly venues offer plenty of character—and local stories of unexplained happenings. Halloween may last one night, but these sites bring the boo year-round.
Cincinnati Music Hall
Built in 1878, the Music Hall was originally Cincinnati’s first convention center, hosting exhibitions, trade shows, conventions and even national political events. Today it remains a major special-events venue, home to the city’s ballet, opera and orchestra companies and… more? The Hall is said to be one of the country’s most haunted buildings, a reputation tied in part to its construction atop a public burial ground. Guided ghost tours are offered, should attendees care to explore the unexplained.
Orpheum Theater, New Orleans
New Orleans already supplies plenty of ghost stories; the Orpheum adds an appropriately grand setting. The century-old theater hosts corporate gatherings, seminars, galas, receptions and business meetings beneath its ornate ceiling. For a group, the theater itself can be the entertainment, or the setting for a private event with a distinctly NOLA backdrop.
USS Hornet, Alameda, CA
If you’re looking for an alternative to already alternative offsite venues, an aircraft carrier is certainly a change of scenery. The USS Hornet is a museum ship and event venue that accommodates meetings, banquets, trade shows, product launches and team-building programs. Its paranormal reputation adds another reason to explore the ship after dark.
USS Salem, Quincy, MA
The USS Salem offers special-event space for groups of all sizes aboard the historic naval ship. The museum also offers guided group visits and, for those who want the full spooky treatment, paranormal investigations aboard the vessel. A corporate dinner aboard a Cold War-era warship is memorable enough; a few unexplained noises would simply add to the story.
Ventfort Hall, Lenox, MA
This Gilded Age mansion brings the haunted-venue concept into incentive territory. The 19th-century Ventfort Hall is now a museum and event venue, providing a grand setting for receptions and private gatherings. Its reported paranormal activity adds an intriguing twist to an otherwise classic Berkshires event.
Old Santa Fe Depot, Guthrie, OK
Completed in 1903 after a flood destroyed the original 1887 wooden depot, the Guthrie Depot hosts social and corporate events, while local lore notes the specter of a woman looking out an upstairs window, unexplained voices and phantom train whistles.
The Brewerie at Union Station, Erie, PA
This working restaurant and event venue occupies a former railroad station, combining dining and historic architecture with reported paranormal activity. For a group, the Brewerie offers the practical benefit of an actual restaurant and event setting—with a backstory that could make an evening reception considerably more memorable, especially when paired with a Haunted History Tour of Union Station.
Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, New Orleans
The historic French Quarter theater dates to 1916, moving to its current home in 1922, and is associated with stories of ghostly actors, stagehands and audience members who refuse to acknowledge the final curtain. Its intimate scale is part of the appeal for smaller receptions, performances or private events.
The Queen Mary, Long Beach, CA
Historic Hotels of America includes it among the 2026 haunted properties, and paranormal staterooms are available, but The Queen Mary also offers more than 80,000 square feet of versatile meeting and event space along with a full-service event planning team.
