Snow Sculptures Galore

Click HERE to check out some amazing snow sculptures featured at the International Snow Sculpture Art Expo in China. These sculptures are so cool that they make you forget that you are looking at art and freezing your ass off

50 State Challenge - Kansas

When you think of Kansas you might just think it's another state in the Midwest for you to quickly drive through. However, there is more to Kansas that meets the eye, like Mushroom Rock State Park.

Off of Highway 140 in Kansas' is a small state park called Mushroom Rock State Park. It is a 5 acre park that is surrounded by farms and cattle. If you are looking for peace and quiet than this is the park for you. You have to go down miles of dirt roads to reach the park and on rainy days the dirt road can be treacherous. Often times you will notice that there isn't a soul in sight, so this park makes for an ideal spot for a romantic picnic

There are two huge mushroom shaped rocks in the tiny state park and there are several other oddly shaped rocks located there too. The two largest are approximately 25 ft tall, with caps about 15 ft wide. These rocks once served as meeting places and landmarks for Native Americans and early pioneers, like Kit Carson and John C. Fremont. They also say you are no longer allowed to climb on top of the rocks, but most people park their car under them and attempt to climb up anyway.

If you are in the area plug this address into your GPS and have fun exploring this tiny yet beautiful park.

Ave K, Carneiro, KS 67425

Well That's One Way Down A Mountain....

Check out the video below to see how one daredevil gets down a mountain. Norwegian daredevil Eskil Ronningsbakken (Imagine trying to spell that last name when you were a child) decided to bike backwards down Norway's Trollstigen Mountain with only a bike helmet to protect him.

I have a theory about this guy, he either has a death wish or the worlds biggest balls. Either way I plan on an in-depth investigation and will report on my findings as soon as we can.

****Update*****
It turns out his balls are massive!

Just Walk It Out

Below is an interesting article I found while surfing the internet. The original article written by Grant Stoddard can be found HERE.

Halfway through a walk around the world, ultimate traveler makes a big American detour

By Grant Stoddard

Photo Courtesy of Karl Bushby

When Karl Bushby started walking north from Punta Arenas, Chile, pulling a handcart nicknamed the Beast and packed with 100 pounds of supplies, he was a 29-year-old British ex-paratrooper aiming to do something no one had done before: circle the globe on foot. His intended route would take him through the Darién Gap, across the Mojave Desert, over the Bering Strait, through Mongolia and the Middle East and finally back home to England, where he would be reunited with his parents and the son he left behind when the boy was just 5.

Within hours, the Beast fell apart. Within a week, Bushby's toenails started popping off. He's survived near-starvation in Patagonia, a dust storm in Peru, brushes with crocodiles and narcoterrorists in Colombia, and a total of 71 days in jail in two different countries. Over 15 years, Bushby, now 44, has covered half the planet.

Now he’s in an unlikely spot for a budget-conscious world traveler: the United States. When Moscow completely banned Bushby from entering Russia for five years in 2012, the indefatigable Yorkshireman decided to go on a 3,000-mile jaunt from Los Angeles to the Russian Embassy in Washington D.C. In September 2013 — with the support of “House of Cards” creator Beau Willimon and record label owner Jordan Tappis — he set out on the 3,000-mile hike to the U.S. capital, where he hopes to convince the Russian government to grant him a visa.

By mid-October, Karl was in Las Vegas, where he’d accepted a free stay from Ceasar’s Palace and was busy raising awareness about his quest. Within a few days, he’d moved on and is currently crossing desert in northern Arizona.  

Anyone interested in watching the longest walk in human history live can tune in to Bushby3000.com, which Karl uses to broadcast his whereabouts. He's also gotten aggressive about maintaining his Instagram feed, which is currently full of images of the desert Southwest.

While posh grub and ritzy accommodations in Vegas were somewhat novel for him, the real change on this leg of his journey is his ability to get more people engaged with his mission via social media. "When I started out, it was before an age of smart phones, GPS and the Internet,"He told celebrity reporter Robin Leach in Las Vegas "I began with just a cassette player and a disposable camera. I've progressed as technology has progressed, and now, with GPS and the Web, everybody knows where I am any time of the day or night." 

The son of a decorated Special Air Services officer, Bushby grew up feeling he had something to prove. In school, teachers humiliated him when he couldn't master his lessons, and a diagnosis of dyslexia at 15 didn't remove the sting. The next year, he decided to try out for the army's elite Parachute Regiment. On his fifth attempt, he was given a "commanding officer's pass," meaning he was waved through more on effort and persistence than fitness for the job. The favor haunted him.

"Every time I stood in the mirror and donned my red beret, I was reminded of my shortcomings," Bushby says. "As a soldier, you're responsible for your brothers. If they're thinking there's a chance you don't deserve to be there, that's a burden almost impossible to bear."

Over the 12 years Bushby served in the military, his marriage fell apart, and he grappled with self-doubt. He soon realized that the only way to relieve it would be to accomplish something almost preposterous in scope, something only the hardiest, grittiest of men could pull off. So he started walking.

"It's quite a long walk," he says. "But I've made it my mission, and frankly, failure isn't an option."

One Of The Cheapest Places To Stay In Boston

Most people in America are already aware at how expensive the city of Boston is. If ya want to go to a bar, it'll cost ya. If ya want to park your car, that will cost you $20 or more. Literally everything you do in Boston will cost you a pretty penny or two. However, in the Chinatown neighborhood of Boston there is a place to stay that won't burn a hole in your pocket.

A typical room in the HI Boston

Located at 19 Stuart Street in Boston, Massachusetts, sits a modern and affordable hostel called HI Boston. Compared to the hotels in the area this place seems almost too good to be true. The rooms go for about $40 a night, and you have an option of getting a private room or you can bunk in a dorm style room that sleeps up to 8 people. Next to each bunk is an over sized locker that provides some privacy. Every bunk also has a nook with four sockets that you can use to charge your phone or laptop. The bathrooms are located next to the rooms, and are very well maintained.

When you awake in the morning you find yourself enjoying the free breakfast from 7am - 10am. After breakfast you can hang out in the modern looking lobby and chat with fellow travelers. There is also a pool table and TV so you have in-house entertain.

Location is probably the best selling point for this hostel. It's located in the colorful neighborhood of Chinatown and just a block over is the entertaining Theater District. There are two T stops with in walking distances and a number of bars, historic landmarks, and other activities are located near by.

The lobby at HI Boston

The only negative aspect about this hostel is that check out is no later than 11am, beer is not allowed inside (quiet hours are 11pm - 7am) and there is an extra $3 a night charge at check in if you are not a Hostelling International member. Other than that, I can confidently say that this is the best hostel you will ever stay at.

For more Info check out their website HERE

Amazing Video of a Flying Eagles Point of View

Check out this amazing video of an Eagle with a GoPro Camera attached to it. If this isn't the coolest thing you've seen all day, then I don't know what to tell ya.

P.S. Does any one have the sudden urge to fly??

Real Haunted Houses in America

Below is a list of 11 of the most truly haunted house in America. The link to the original article by Sarah Carpenter can be found HERE.

1. Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana

A staggering 10 murders are said to have been committed on the grounds of The Myrtles Plantation, although only one is confirmed. Nevertheless, numerous reports of ghoulish activity—ghosts of former slaves appearing to ask about chores, inexplicable footsteps heard on the stairs, and even a grand piano playing itself—have earned this 18th century Louisiana plantation the reputation of being one of America's most haunted homes. The property is now a bed-and-breakfast, so you can check in and check it out for yourself.

2. Franklin Castle in Ohio

With its gloomy exterior and secret passageways, Franklin Castle certainly lives up to its title: the Most Haunted House in Ohio. Franklin Castle has it all—children crying, voices arguing in the walls, chandeliers spinning, faces materializing in the woodwork, a reoccurring blood stain, and a mysterious woman in black who appears in the topmost turret window. Other peculiarities about the home are almost as creepy: a room that is 10 degrees colder than the rest of the house, a stash of baby skeletons said to have been discovered in the 1970s, and the macabre history of its original owner, whose family and many of those around him may have died under mysterious circumstances.

3.  Hampton Lillibridge House in Georgia 

The stately Hampton Lillibridge house is considered to be the most haunted house in Savannah. The site of multiple unfortunate deaths, the home was uninhabited for years and is believed to be cursed by an ancient crypt in its basement. The house's eerie history does not disappoint: Even now, neighbors report seeing shadowy figures in the windows and hearing music and laughter—signs that some otherworldly party is under way.

4. The Arnold Estate in Rhode Island

The last words the previous owner said to the Perron family as they moved into their new, spacious Rhode Island home were, "Leave the lights on at night." From that moment on, the Perrons endured 10 years of hauntings so chilling that they became the basis for a movie,The Conjuring. Some spirits were kindly, sweeping the kitchen every week, while some were malicious, attacking—and even possessing—their mother. The eldest daughter, Andrea, explains, "Eight generations of one family lived and died in that house prior to our arrival...some of them never left."

5. Villisca House in Iowa

In 1912, this Iowa home was the site of a gruesome axe murder that took the lives of eight people in their sleep, six of them children. At the time, the police had no protocol for criminal investigations of this nature and allowed city residents to walk about the house while the victims lay in bed. In the 100 years that followed, people have heard voices of children crying and seen doors opening and shutting on their own. Neighbors have watched multiple tenants flee, terrified, in the middle of the night, never to return.

6. George Stickney House in Illinois

Because he believed spirits needed the freedom to roam his house without getting trapped in angles, George Stickney designed his Illinois home with rounded corners. It has been more than 150 years since Stickney and his wife conducted regular seances in this now famous abode, but the supernatural occurrences have not ceased. Stickney's residence is now home to the Bull Valley Police Department; strange footsteps, objects moving on their own, and shouts coming from thin air have been enough to prompt a few officers to turn in their badges.

7. Ashmore Estates in Illinois

Ashmore Estates, a former poorhouse and then mental facility in Illinois, sat abandoned for decades. Some believe that it used to be the meeting place for a satanic cult. Others say they've heard disembodied voices, felt hot and cold spots, and even seen full-bodied apparitions. Still others claim they've run into Elva Skinner, the spirit of a young girl who tragically died there more than a century ago. Visitors' experiences differ, but all agree on one thing—this building is massively haunted.

8. Smith-Ely Mansion in New York

Built in 1858, this 43-room Classical Revival mansion in upstate New York retains much of its original craftsmanship. But craftsmanship isn't all you'll find here. Shadows move from room to room, there are sounds of people breathing when no one is around, and some mysterious event in 2008 upset one construction worker so much that he refused to reenter the house! Thrill seekers have the chance to experience the hauntings for themselves—today the Smith-Ely Mansion is a bed-and-breakfast.

9. Rowan Oak in Mississippi

Famed writer William Faulkner is said to haunt his former residence in Oxford, Mississippi. The Greek Revival house was built in the 1840s and is now a National Historic Landmark. If you take a trip to see Faulkner's famous homestead, you might just spy his ghost wandering the grounds—or even writing on the walls.

10. Pittock Mansion in Oregon

This 22-room French Renaissance-style chateau in Portland, Oregon, sounds like the ideal site for a horror movie, and for good reason—several films have been shot here. Although random apparitions are said to materialize, they seem to be happy. In fact, many people would even say that one of the mysterious presences—a strong scent of roses—is actually a blessing.

11. Pioneer Park in Colorado

Although charming, this Aspen, Colorado, house is said to be haunted by the scorned wife of Henry Webber. Rumor has it she learned of his apparent affair with their niece and committed suicide by ingesting strychnine. Webber went on to marry the niece, and the couple heard gloomy footsteps wandering the house and roof until Henry’s death.

10 of America's Creepiest Attractions

Check out this scary list of ten of the creepiest attractions in America. You can find the original link by Larry Olmsted HERE.

1. The Grove - Sanger, California

Photo courtesy of Forbes

With a wooded forest ambiance straight out of “The Blair Witch Project,” The Grove’s three attractions include a walk-through haunted forest, a haunted hayride and the main act, the maze-like Bad Manor haunted house with enough twists and turns to disorient even those with the best sense of direction. They warn visitors not to take a wrong turn down a cold, dark hallway, but that is hard advice to follow. 

2. Terror on Washington Street Haunted House - Clinton, Illinois

Photo courtesy of Forbes

A deserted 53-year-old building on Washington Street is set up in the form of a haunted house maze, with 18 rooms on multiple levels — including the creepy basement. This is a great example of an old-fashioned haunted house low on technology but big on interior detail, darkness and live actors. 

3. Erebus - Pontiac, Michigan

Photo courtesy of Forbes

For years the world’s largest such attraction, the four-story haunted house tells the story of Dr. J. Colbert, who built the world’s first functional time machine here in 1965, but with a fatal flaw in his design. Each time a test subject traveled, the time period reacted to the subject as a virus and attacked. Still trying to fix his machine after running out of volunteers, he had a nefarious idea and disguised the time machine as this haunted attraction, allowing for an endless supply of paying subjects to experiment on. 

4. Fear Fair - Seymour, Indiana

Photo courtesy of Forbes

FearFair comprises several different highly themed attractions, including Hangar 17, where guests are dropped into an interactive mutagenic gas outbreak; Cinema of Fear, where you come face to face with some of the scariest movie monsters ever, with Hollywood-style quality; and Myctophobia (Fear of Darkness) which ramps up the terror, sending guests — 18 and older only — through alone, single file, to be touched by actors and scared silly. 

5. Ghostly Manor - Sandusky, Ohio

Photo Courtesy of Forbes

One of the few such attractions open year-round, award winning Ghostly Manor, featured on television shows as a top haunt, has just been renovated to make it even better. The large haunted house full of demonic children, living dolls, the possessed and all sorts of other creatures anchors the 6-acre “Lake Eerie Fearfest” along with four other seasonal haunts — Darkmare, Caged, Quarantine and Eerie Chateau — for five haunted houses in one spot. 

6. Howl-O-Scream - Florida, Virginia, Texas

Photo Courtesy of Forbes

Some of the nation’s most elaborate such offerings, SeaWorld theme parks have three completely different versions of Howl-O-Scream, all state of the art, at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va., and Tampa, Fl, as well as at SeaWorld San Antonio. After dark, each fun theme park is transformed into a world of horror. 

7.  Frightland - Middletown, Delaware

Photo courtesy of Forbes

Rated one of America’s scariest attractions by The Travel Channel, The Frightland complex is like a whole theme park of scares with eight terrifying indoor and outdoor haunted attractions: haunted attic, zombie prison, horror hayride, outdoor walk-through haunted cemetery, house of fear, Old West zombie ghost town, haunted barn and haunted manor house.

8. Terror behind the Wall - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

photo courtesy of Forbes

America’s largest haunted house is inside the massive castle-like walls of Eastern State Penitentiary, a real-life former prison believed to be one of the most haunted spots in the country and frequently featured on paranormal TV shows (“Ghost Hunters” did five episodes here). In its 22nd year, this extraordinary theatrical production is consistently ranked among the best — and scariest — haunted attractions in the country.
9. House of Shock - New Orleans - Louisiana 

photo courtesy of Forbes

With its long voodoo, ghost and vampire history, New Orleans is the perfect creepy setting for a haunted attraction. And The House of Shock, in its 21st year, delivers big time. Known as one of the scariest and most intense such haunted houses in the country, House of Shock has a heavy satanic theme and comprises more than a dozen sets, from a butcher shop to a twisted French Quarter to an outdoor swamp. Besides the house itself, there is an attached free outdoor festival with food, live entertainment on stage, pyrotechnics and, since this is New Orleans, a full bar.

10.  The Scarehouse - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 

Photo Courtesy of Forbes

An ax-wielding maniac in a blood-splattered bunny suit is one of the disquieting reasons the Travel Channel named this “one of America’s scariest Halloween attractions.” Located in a 100-year-old former Elks Lodge that is actually thought by many to already be haunted, ScareHouse features three differently themed haunts for one price: The Forsaken, Creepo’s Christmas in 3-D, and Pittsburgh Zombies. These are not recommended for those under 13, one of the higher age ratings in the business.  A fourth separate new attraction, the immersive Basement, is only for 18 and up. While most haunted houses have a “no touching” rule for actors, the Basement, which allows guests in two at a time, does not, and it is perhaps the scariest such offering in the nation.

One Cyclist's Inspiring "Do-Good" Tour

Check out this inspiring article written by Jennifer Carofano from Yahoo Shrine.

Rob Greenfield wants to inspire others to do good. Photo Courtesy of Rob Greefield.

Rob Greenfield is trying to make a difference one wildflower at a time. The 27-year-old is cycling from Berkeley, California to San Diego this October and performing good deeds along the way as part of what he's dubbed the Do Good Tour. “I want to inspire people to start taking action and to do just one good thing a day,” Greenfield tells Yahoo Shine. Traveling by bike (no carbon emissions!), Greenfield is riding 60 to 70 miles daily, stopping to plant native wildflowers on the edge of parks and roadside ditches or pick up garbage. 

Greenfield sold his car in early 2012 and has been using pedal power to get around ever since. Before embarking on his current 600-mile cycling trip, Greenfield bought a $1,000 bike specifically for the journey. But when the bike was stolen a mere two days before he was set to start his ride in Berkeley, he wasn't about to let a bad act stop him from doing good. “When I walked outside and my bike was gone, I knew this was an opportunity to make something good happen and overcome a challenge,” he says. Without missing a beat, Greenfield picked up a used bike on Craigslist for $480. So far, the bike is holding up just fine, except for a few blown tires and broken spokes.

Greenfield credits his desire to do good with his passion for the planet. “I’ve traveled to six continents and seen how diverse and magnificent this Earth is, and I’ve just really grown to appreciate it. The more I see, the more I have a desire to protect it,” says Greenfield, who completed his first bike tour from California to Vermont to raise awareness for the planet this past spring. “I’ve made living an Earth-friendly and happy lifestyle my way of life and everywhere I go, I try to get people involved,” he says. “ I talk to a lot of strangers.”

Greenfield’s approachable attitude has helped him earn an ambassador role at Waitsfield, Vermont-based environmental nonprofit 1% for the Planet. “I’m really impressed by how Rob can approach just about anyone and connect with them,” 1% for the Planet marketing manager Brodie O’Brien tells Yahoo Shrine “Our ambassadors are people who care about the planet and give back with their everyday actions. Rob really embodies that for us.”

Greg Pepping, executive director for Santa Cruz-based nonprofit Coastal Watershed Council, met Rob last Wednesday when he rode into town. Introduced by a mutual friend, the pair took an evening sail on Pepping’s boat. “Rob’s feet were sandy, so I asked him to wash them off,” Pepping tells Yahoo Shine. “Rather than use the hose I offered, he asked if he could wash them in the water that surrounded the boat instead.” Pepping said he didn’t think much about the exchange at the time, but when he thought about it later he realized that Greenfield had made a conscious choice to save water by washing his feet in the ocean. “He’s successful in getting people to rethink when we should be using natural resources and when we shouldn’t,” says Pepping, who says he’ll now be washing his feet in the ocean, too. To his credit, Greenfield is taking water conservation to a new level by bathing only in natural bodies of water. “I haven’t taken a shower in six months,” says Greenfield, who wrote about the experience on his Facebook page.

Greenfield is no stranger to being resourceful: Raised by a single mom in Ashland, Wisconsin, a small town on Lake Superior, along with his three siblings, he says he grew up poor but happy. “I’ve learned to live with very little money,” says Greenfield, who estimates he spends less than $20 daily, mostly on whole, healthy foods. He’s also a big fan of the sharing economy. He frequently uses couchsurfing.org and warmshowers.org to keep his living expenses on the road to a minimum. Greenfield is able to offset some of his travel costs with revenue from his small business. His marketing company, the Greenfield Group, focuses on companies and nonprofits that have an environmental focus.

Greenfield’s current Do Good Tour ends in San Diego on Oct. 30, but he doesn’t intend to stop riding. He's already planning a second tour from Los Angeles to New York next spring. Says Greenfield, “It’s all about making people smile and inspiring people to live a happier and healthier lifestyle, and I know that will happen by leading by example.”

Top 10 Most Haunted Cities in the U.S.

Below is a list of the top 10 most Haunted cities in the United States. The list is taken from FACTS.FM  and if you want to view the actual page this list is on, you can find the link HERE.

#1 Athens, Ohio 

Athens is a small town in Ohio that is home to stories of all sorts of hauntings. There are stories about everything from a headless train conductor to violent murders of livestock. Some even claim that the town’s five major graveyards form the symbol of a pentagram when they are plotted on a map.

The most haunted place in Athens is the Athens Lunatic Asylum which held many violent patients and is known for performing hundreds of lobotomies. A deaf-mute former patient of the asylum was supposedly trapped in an abandoned ward and died. The deaf-mute patient’s decomposing body wasn’t found until weeks later, and the stain from her body supposedly can still be seen today.

#2 Savannah, Georgia 

Savannah, Georgia holds several gothic mansions, cemeteries, and trees that were used in hanging Spanish moss. The most haunted place in Savannah is The Hampton Lillibridge House which was built in 1796 and was originally used as a boarding house. The house started to undergo restoration in the 1960s, and this is when the strange phenomenon began to occur. The roof collapsed during construction and killed one of the workers, and other workers claimed to hear voices and footsteps. Oftentimes equipment would get thrown across the rooms and a man in a black suit has been spotted staring out of the windows.

#3 Portland, Oregon 

Portland’s strange history and significant amount of ghost sightings has given the city a reputation as the most haunted city of the Pacific Northwest. The most haunted location in Portland is the Shanghai Tunnels where the practice of shanghaiing took place. Shanghaiing is where men and women were kidnapped, shipped to the Orient, and forced into prostitution or slave labor. The tunnels run under the city streets and today they are said to be haunted by the ghosts of those who were kidnapped.

#4 Chicago, Illinois 

Chicago’s history of underworld criminals and its infamous great fire has influenced many of the city’s ghost stories. One famous ghost story is the story of Resurrection Mary where a young girl was hit and killed by a car. The young girl was buried in a nearby cemetery and has since been seen wandering the streets in her white burial dress.

The most haunted place in Chicago is the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery which is rumored to be one of the prohibition-era gangsters’ favorite locations to dump the bodies of those they killed. There have been several sightings of headstones moving and ghostly apparitions walking the grounds at night. The most famous sighting here is of the “White Lady,” which is the ghost of a young woman cradling a baby in her arms.

#5 Key West, Florida 

Key West is the southernmost Florida Key that holds some of the oldest and creepiest ghost stories in the United States. The rich history of buccaneers and rumrunners in Key West provides some background to many of these ghost stories.

The most haunted – and creepiest – artifact in Key West is known as Robert the Doll. Many have claimed Robert to be possessed. Robert the Doll was originally given to the young painter Gene Otto in the early 1900s. Otto became extremely afraid of the doll because Robert the Doll would threaten Otto and wake him in the night by throwing furniture around his room. Otto’s parents even claimed they saw the doll moving, neighbors claimed to have seen the doll pacing the halls when the family was out.

#6 New Orleans, Louisiana 

New Orleans is filled with haunted mansions, graveyards, taverns, and more. The most haunted place in New Orleans is the LaLaurie House which is a mansion that is rumored to be a place where the homeowners treated their slaves viciously. There was also evidence that gruesome surgical experiments were performed on the slaves. Ever since these tragic events occurred there have been several sightings of the ghosts of the slaves tortured here.

#7 San Francisco, California 

San Francisco developed a reputation as a Mecca of all things haunted. This city is home to creepy folklore, ghost tours, and a large quantity of haunted mansions, hotels, and army bases. One of the most famous haunted hotels is the Queen Anne Hotel which, in the 1980s, was a school for girls and is said to be haunted by the ghost of the school’s headmistress, Mary Lake.

The most haunted place in all of San Francisco is Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz was formerly a maximum-security prison, and visitors who go there today say they have some very strange experiences. Visitors have claimed to hear the voices of former inmates in what used to be the cafeteria and apparitions of inmates walking around the cellblocks.

#8 Charleston, South Carolina 

Charleston is one of the oldest cities in the U.S. and is filled with Victorian mansions that line downtown in an area known as the Battery. The Battery was a protective artillery installation during the Civil War, and this is where most of the city’s haunted houses can be found.

The most haunted place in Charleston is The Dock Street Theater which was built in 1809. Two ghostly spirits are claimed to haunt the theater: a poor prostitute who was killed by lightning and an actor who was the father of John Wilkes Boothe, the man who killed Abraham Lincoln. Many say these spirits wander the backstage area of the theater.

#9 Salem, Massachusetts 

A series of infamous trials were held in 1692 after three local women were accused of using witchcraft to terrorize young girls. Several accusations were later made on over 150 people who were arrested and charged for witchcraft, and 19 of these accused people were executed by hanging. The most haunted place in Salem is the Joshua Ward House, which housed the man who served as Sheriff during the Salem witch trials. A gruesome death occurred in this house where the Sheriff crushed a man accused of using witchcraft to death, and this man is said to haunt the Joshua Ward House today.

#10 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 

Gettysburg was the site of the biggest military clash of the Civil War in July of 1863. This event remains the bloodiest event that has ever occurred in the U.S. Many people claim that those who died during the battle still haunt the battlefields. The most haunted place in Gettysburg is The Devil’s Den which was the site of one of these battles. The ghosts of those who were killed and dragged to the Devil’s Den are said to haunt the area and prevent cameras from taking clear photos, and on some occasions cameras have suddenly died.

Too Close For Comfort - Shark Surprises Paddle Boarder

I love to surf. I love the salty taste of the ocean water and the feeling you get when you ride one of mother natures beautiful waves. However, I hate sharks and I hate how sharks are always lurking in the ocean. Below is an amazing video shot this week in California of a close encounter with these intimidating creatures. Honestly, I would have pooped myself if this happened to me!

While paddle boarding at Manhattan Beach, Mike Durand came way to close to a young Great White shark out for a swim. Durant quickly turned on his GoPro camera and captured this amazing footage. It is estimated that this shark is about 8 ft long. My question is if this is the baby, where is its mommy?

Frightening Things to do in Salem

When you think of Halloween it's hard not to think of Massachusetts spookiest city. Salem is well know for the witch hunts in the 1600s that led to many villagers being murdered or run out of town. All though Salem has been modernized, it still holds a great deal of America's darkest history. Below is a detailed list of some of the top attractions in Salem today.

THE HOUSE OF SEVEN GABLES

Built in 1668, this is the oldest surviving 17th century wooden mansion in New England and one of the most famous houses in America. The House of the Seven Gables inspired author Nathaniel Hawthorne to write his legendary novel of the same name. Visitors can tour the house and other buildings on the campus. Guided tours and group tours are available for a small fee. More info on rates and reservations can be found HERE.  

HAWTHRONE HOTEL

Located  in the heart of historic Salem, Hawthorne Hotel has a rich history which began in 1925 and has welcomed numerous leisure travelers as well as celebrities and ghosts. Over the years, episodes of iconic shows including Bewitched and Ghost Hunters  have all been filmed on this historic property. Room 612 and room 325 are reported to be the most haunted rooms in the hotel. Do you think you have what it takes to spend the night? More info about the Hawthrone hotel can be found HERE.

THE WITCH HOUSE

The Salem witchcraft trials took place between February 1692 and May 1693. During the trials, 19 people were convicted and hanged. Among the judges who convicted the witches was Jonathan Corwin, whose home is today the only structure left with direct ties to the trials. Today the house is a museum focusing on 17th-century living. It's one of the last remaining links to that time in American history. More info about visiting this historic house can be found HERE. 

JOSHUA WARD HOUSE

The most haunted place in Salem is the Joshua Ward House, which housed the man who served as Sheriff during the Salem witch trials. A gruesome death occurred in this house where the Sheriff crushed a man accused of using witchcraft to death, and this man is said to haunt the Joshua Ward House today.

SALEM WAX MUSEUM 

This is the one place is Salem that truly scared me as a child. The wax figures are very disturbing and even more so because they depict true events.  This museum depicts Salem's vivid history from it's founding in 1626 through the terrifying hysteria of 1692. Behind the Wax Museum building is the Old Burial Point, reputed to be the second oldest burial ground in the country and open to museum visitors. Adjacent to the Old Burying Point is the Witch Trials Memorial erected in memory of the victims of the witch hunt of 1692. The memorial is also open to museum visitors. More info about the wax museum can be found HERE

SALEM WITCH DUNGEON MUSEUM

At this museum you are treated to a live reenactment of the Salem Witch Trails. You'll experience the acclaimed performance of the witch trial adapted from the 1692 historical transcripts. After the trail, guest are taken on a tour through the terrifying dungeon. More info can be found HERE