I want to start off this article by saying that I am in no way responsible for your jail time if you're caught, nor for the spirits that may or may not follow you home. Just kidding... kinda! Our generation has brought on a newfound love for exploring things we probably shouldn't be and scaring ourselves silly.

I always saw people on the internet going to cool abandoned places and documenting their trips. It made me want to go, but I remembered that I can sometimes be a big baby who is scared of my own shadow. I recently broke out of my comfort zone and decided that going to these cool places was something I wanted to do. Knowing a backstory and the urban legends behind a haunted place make it so much fun to go to. Inferring the stories behind why a building got abandoned is fun as well.

DISCLAIMER: I am not encouraging or forcing you to any of these places. There is always a big risk when exploring private property or closed-off areas. And no, I have not been to all of these places!

Here are 6 haunted or abandoned places near Philly for you to explore:

1. Shenandoah Woods (Abandoned):

Located in Warminster, Pennsylvania, the Shenandoah Woods is 55-acres and contains 199 abandoned houses. They housed military staff that worked at the nearby Naval Airbase. The houses were deemed uninhabitable and closed down in 1997 after there was an issue with toxic chemicals in the town's water supply. They removed piping from the houses and everyone left the development.

21 years later, the houses still remain abandoned. They are now deteriorating and filled with graffiti. Going there during the day, you can see just how big the development was. Going there at night, you might feel an eerie feeling. According to articles on the internet, the government still owns the property to this day. What are they using the area for? Why did they leave things a mess as if they evacuated if it were just water issues? Is something non-human haunting the development? Look it up, and maybe you'll go see for yourself one day.

2. Byberry Tunnels (Abandoned):

Located in Philadelphia, PA, residing on Byberry Road, these tunnels were once connected to Philadelphia State Hospital. The hospital was open from 1907 to 1977. It was tucked into the back of a woodsy area, hidden away from plain sight. Patients were tortured beyond belief and left uncared for. Many patients died in the hospital from abuse or neglect. The stories of these patients and what they went through are gruesome and the highest level of horrifying you can get.

After the building was closed and abandoned, too many people were breaking in and stealing things from the hospital. The government hired a company to tear down its walls from top to bottom. Now, all that remains are the tunnels that went underneath the hospital. These tunnels have been a popular exploration spot for years. Sources say that down there you can hear screams of inmates, as well as see shadows. There are still hospital beds and straitjackets in the tunnels just waiting to be found.

3. Cry Baby Bridge (Haunted):

Located in New Hope, PA and otherwise known by its real name, Van Sant Bridge, this small bridge has a big backstory. Legend says that many criminals were hung on this bridge after being convicted of thieving. However, the most popular story is the one of a mother and her baby. The mother was too young, and she was judged for having her baby. She took the baby to the bridge and threw it off into the shallow water below. She then hung herself from the middle wooden rafter of the bridge.

If you go to the bridge late at night, it is said that you will hear the cries of the baby, as well as see shadows. If you park your car in the tunnel of the bridge, you will hear feet scraping the hood of your car. As someone who avidly visits this place, I can attest that almost every single time I have seen or heard something. This place is definitely worth a visit.

4. Eastern State Penitentiary (Haunted):

Located in Philadelphia, PA, and home to Al Capone's famous cell, this prison was anything but average. It was open from 1829 to 1971. It was one of the biggest prisons here and considered a historical site as well as National Landmark. The story behind Eastern State is really interesting if you have time to read it. After the closing, the building was completely abandoned for a while, until the city of Philadelphia bought it. Vandals would break windows, destroy things, and take things that were left in the cells. Trees and plants grew into the broken windows and surrounded the area.

Today, the building is used for day tours and Halloween haunts from September through November. If you go on the day tour, it is said that things are always eerie. Lights flicker, shadows are seen, and many people have caught figures in photographs. When visiting Al Capone's cell, apparently the vibe is not a good one. The air gets colder, and everything is just weird. Different things are said about different cell blocks, but it's up to you what to believe.

5. Gettysburg, PA (Haunted):

Almost every historic area in Gettysburg is said to be haunted. There have been many of the places that appear on ghost shows or in movies. On the old battlefield, there is said to be sounds of war and gunshots heard even though there is nothing but an open empty field. There is a place called Devil's Den where you can look out onto Triangular Field and see shadows of old soldiers. A lot of people have photo and video evidence, and in my opinion, it's definitely a place on my list that I want to visit.

6. Pennhurst Asylum (Half abandoned):

Located in Spring City, PA, The Asylum opened up in 1908 and was closed for a number of reasons in 1968. Overcrowding, understaffing, and torture. That's what went down constantly at Pennhurst. Doctors would beat their patients, lock adults in adult-sized cribs so that they couldn't move, and inject them with harmful substances.

Hearing the stories behind some of these places are chilling yet interesting. The place is indefinitely haunted, I myself have been in one of the buildings with activity. It's scary, crazy, and I have a clear photo of a ghost. During Halloween, this is used as a haunted house, but try and tour it during the day if you can. Definitely worth it.

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And those are just a few abandoned and haunted places for you to explore. Feel free to share if you know any more, I'd love to expand my own list one day!