There are spirits and then there are spirits. With 73 breweries in Denver County alone, it’s no secret the Mile High City is one of the top 5 beer cities in the country. But Denver also boasts a plethora of those other spirits. You know, those of the less liquid, more spectral variety. As any Denver folklore aficionado will gladly share, Denver is rich in haunted history. In fact, when it comes to things to do in Colorado for adults, a tour of the haunted hot spots is high on the list of favorites.

Yes, we’re talking ghosts – some of whom are said to inhabit the graveyard-turned- public park that inspired the movie Poltergeist. Carol Ann was right. They’re baaack.

Check out these well-known spooky spots. As senior activities in Denver go, delving into the phantom realm may feel like a trick, but it will also surely be a treat.

Peabody – Whitehead Mansion

Dubbed “Denver’s Most Famous Haunted Mansion,” the Peabody-Whitehead Mansion was once the home of Dr. William Riddick Whitehead. After his stint as an army surgeon in the Crimean and Civil Wars, Whitehead claimed to see the ghosts of patients he was unable to save. After the mansion’s conversion to a restaurant in the 1950s, people started making reports of unusual occurrences. According to the lore, ghosts had quite the field day hurling silverware through the air, breaking glasses, and even rearranging furniture. Rumors include sights of “shadow people,” and ghosts in and around the mansion. At last count, some 12 ethereal residents call the mansion home.

Cheeseman Park

Now an 80-acre park in a residential Denver neighborhood, Cheeseman Park was once the Denver City Cemetery. When the cemetery became a park, some of the bodies were relocated. Others were not. Today Cheeseman is a neighborhood hub as well as the alleged location of an occasional ghost sighting.

The Molly Brown House

Molly Brown was known as “Unsinkable,” after surviving the Titanic disaster, but she was also famous for her philanthropy and human rights activism. Her house, one of the oldest buildings in Denver, is now a museum open to the public. Apparently, her spirit lives on in the house as guests have reported rearranged furniture and apparitions roaming the premises. Visitors also claim to smell the pipe tobacco from her husband JJ’s pipe.

The Brown Palace Hotel

Visitors to the Brown Palace Hotel have much to buzz about. First of all, the hotel is well known for its rooftop bee colonies which pollinate the area and provide honey for guests. But according to the ghost gossip, some guests from days of yore liked the place so much, they decided not to leave. Reported ghost sightings include a waiter standing by the elevator, a man dressed as a train conductor, and a crying baby.

Denver International Airport

The haunted history stage is set from the moment you arrive at Denver International Airport. Stories surround the airport’s strange artwork and gargoyles including the tale of the Blue Mustang, known to those in the know as “Blucifer.” Legend has it that due to the accidental death of sculptor Luis Jimenez, the piece is cursed.

‘Tis the season for haunted hijinks. And if you do happen to come in contact with any of Denver’s resident phantoms, who you gonna call? Why, your friends at Overture senior apartments of course. Overture 9th and Company, and Overture Central Park are luxury 55+ active adult communities in Denver. Book a tour today and enjoy the best of all normal – and paranormal - worlds.

That’s the spirit!