With the surge ofparanormal investigation showsin the early 2000s, it’s no wonderGhost Adventuresbecame a household name when it comes to ghost-hunting series. The show stars Zak Bagans, Aaron Goodwin, Billy Tolley, and Jay Wasley as the main investigative team, though Nick Groff was also a main cast member for ten seasons through 2014.
Each episode has two portions: an investigation, where the location’s backstory is covered, and the lockdown, where the team spends a night documenting their experience in the space. They have traveled across the US and internationally to determine whether these locations are actually haunted.
Ghost Adventurespremiered in 2008 and now has over 250 episodes, including Halloween specials, unique spin-offs, and celebrity guest stars. While some question the validity of the evidence or of the supernatural altogether, the show has an excellent balance of humor, paranormal evidence, and a consistent cast viewers can connect with. Here are the top 10 episodes ofGhost Adventures, ranked.
10Upper Fruitland Curse (Season 14, Episode 8)
Season 14 of Ghost Adventures brought us Episode 8, titled “Upper Fruitland Curse.” This investigation takes place in Upper Fruitland, New Mexico, where the Harris family is experiencing paranormal activity from the ghost of a faceless young boy. The lockdown location is in the Navajo Nation, where the team captured an impressive amount of evidence during their investigation. One piece of evidence viewers found terrifying was from the Harris family, who captured a black mass on their home footage.
During the investigation, Zak learns how animals have been attacked on the property and how crops struggle to grow. He experiences an intense amount of energy while examining the family’s trailer and banging on the side of the van. The lockdown proves to be just as extreme, as the team catches a chair moving on its own and a strange EVP.
9Return to Bobby Mackey’s (Season 4, Episode 3)
“Return to Bobby Mackey’s” from Season 4 ofGhost Adventuresis one of the most iconic episodes of the show. The location in Kentucky is a repeat visit for the crew and is referred to as a “gateway to hell.” Bobby Mackey’s Music World is a former slaughterhouse turned country nightclub that is believed to have had satanic rituals performed on the land. Their first visit to Bobby Mackey’s was the Season 1 series premiere, where they encountered physical scratches and spirits that followed them home.
In theGhost Adventuresreturn to the honky-tonk nightclub, there are numerous instances of evidence and unsettling activity. There are apparitions, spirits communicating messages through EVPs, and a possession that causes Zak toseek an exorcismafter the visit. With how deeply each of the crew was affected, “Return to Bobby Mackey’s” remains one of the scariest episodes so far.
8Fear in Flagstaff (Season 24, Episode 4)
One of the show’s newer episodes that ranks best among the series is Season 24, Episode 4, “Fear in Flagstaff.” It first debuted in June 2023 and follows as theGhost Adventurescrew visit the Weatherford Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona.
The historic hotel dates back to the late 1800s, though today, it has most of the staff and guests dealing with terrifying paranormal experiences. The hotel staff share their decade-long experiences during the investigation, which adds another layer of mystery to this location.
There is a good amount of evidence collected during this episode, but the best part is the game the crew plays to determine who will investigate the basement alone. Viewers see Aaron and Zak too scared to go into the basement, along with their fluctuating emotions during this lockdown. It’s not the scariest episode of the show, but it brings back a classic, authentic feel from the early seasons.
7Hell Hole Prison (Season 12, Episode 8)
Season 12, Episode 8 ofGhost Adventuresis “Hell Hole Prison,” an investigation that takes Zak, Aaron, Billy, and Jay to Yuma, Arizona. Here, they visit the Yuma Territorial Prison, which dates back to 1876 and is known for being a historic park and graveyard where over 100 prisoners are laid to rest. The prison gained the nickname “hell hole” due to the terrible treatment many inmates received and the extreme heat that plagues the Arizona desert.
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What makes this one of the bestGhost Adventuresepisodes is the unique evidence captured at the prison. While these types of locations are known to be paranormal hot spots, this lockdown had the team interacting with some friendly spirits. The most impressive evidence captured is with their SLS camera, which shows several figures on the stage who appear to be putting on a musical performance for the team.
6Panic on Pine Street (Season 25, Episode 11)
Season 25’s “Panic on Pine Street” takes the crew to Paso Robles, California, where the team visits a historic saloon that is said to be haunted by a spirit known as “The Old Hag.” Zak and the team learn during their investigation that many of the saloon’s staff members are uncomfortable being in the building alone, and the tension throughout the episode is easy to pick up on. The owner’s security footage is particularly creepy, as well as the audio evidence captured in their lockdown.
“Panic on Pine Street” is a very active location that provides a great deal of evidence for theGhost Adventuresteam. The polterpod device picks up several clear voices that say hello and clearly state the name “Lincoln.” There wasn’t much evidence of “The Old Hag” entity specifically, but the team seems certain her spirit is not at rest and determines she is still a threat to those in the saloon.
5Island of the Dolls (Season 10, Episode 4)
“Island of the Dolls” is from season ten ofGhost Adventuresand takes place in Mexico at a tourist attraction known as the ‘Island of Dolls.’ This location is desolate and weaves through the canals where hundreds of decrepit baby dolls are hung from the trees.
The site is not only creepy from its appearance, but it was also the site where a little girl is rumored to have drowned sometime around the 1950s. A recluse man named Don Juan lived on the tiny island and felt he was being haunted by the little girl’s spirit. He began hanging dolls around the canals as an offering to her but ended up becoming obsessed with the shrine.
This episode is not only creepy because of the dolls but also because viewers get to watch as Zak tries to overcome his fear of dolls. However, this proves to be difficult when dolls start laughing on their own, and a fire ignites with no one around. There’s also evidence of a figure walking across the bridge captured, voices on the spirit box, and thermal apparitions in one of the haunted dolls, making this an episode to remember.
4Curse of the Harrisville Farmhouse (Season 22, Episode 1)
In the Season 22 Halloween special, “Curse of Harrisville Farmhouse,” theGhost Adventurescrew travels to Burriville, Rhode Island, to investigate the infamous house that inspiredThe Conjuringfranchise. The colonial farmhouse is over 250 years old and sits on a secluded road in the Ocean State, with a history rich in supernatural activity and unfortunate events. Most of the evidence and attention over the years was garnered from the Perron family, who lived in the home during the 1970s and eventually sought help from Ed and Lorraine Warren.
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It’s clear from the beginning of this episode that the Harrisville farmhouse has a dark energy that immediately starts to affect the crew. Both Aaron and Zak experience physical symptoms ranging from chest pain and dizziness to extreme emotional distress, which is terrifying for viewers to watch them go through.
They also capture a dark apparition in a window while working with demonologists Carl and Keith Johnson, two brothers who investigated the property even beforethe Warrens' involvement. One of the Perron children who grew up in the house, Andrea, is also a part of the episode.
3Ireland’s Celtic Demons (Season 10 Halloween Special)
The Season 10 Halloween special “Ireland’s Celtic Demons” is a two-hour episode that takes the team on an international investigation to Leap Castle, one of the most haunted castles in the country. Zak and the team dive into the history of Halloween and learn about the legends surrounding an ancient Celtic goddess before diving into a lockdown, where the team splits up and gains a wealth of paranormal evidence. They get to visit several different locations, but their time at Loftus Hall proves to be one of the most active.
During their time in the 1300s home in Wexford, Ireland, rumored to be haunted by the devil, theGhost Adventurescrew does capture a few different strange occurrences. These include a floating white mist, a voice saying “Help me” through the spirit box, and a figure messing with Aaron. Things only intensify during this episode when Aaron becomes violently ill after his encounter with the spirit.
2Route 666 (Season 13 Halloween Special)
AnotherGhost AdventuresHalloween special that ranks as one of the best episodes is “Route 666.” This two-part episode follows the team as they travel on their own route 666 across Texas. They stop at three different haunted locations: the De Soto Hotel, the Concordia Cemetery, and Goatman’s Bridge.
Each of these spots is believed to be riddled with demonic activity and proves to be one of the most intense investigations the crew has had to date. The Concordia Cemetery is filled with apparitions and leads Billy to encounter three dark figures walking in the area. The figures are so realistic Billy ends up calling the police to check the grounds for intruders.
While the De Soto Hotel and Concordia Cemetery had numerous pieces of unsettling evidence, the most terrifying was, without a doubt, at Goatman’s Bridge. Nearly every person on this investigation had a violent, overpowering experience, especially Jay Wasley’s wife, Ashley. Thedemonic presenceat the bridge seemed to take over Ashley, and ultimately, the experience caused her to quit the show altogether. The sheer amount of evidence combined with how intense this episode is makes it one of the series' best.
1Poveglia Island (Season 3, Episode 3)
One of the bestGhost Adventuresepisodes is Season 3, Episode 3, “Poveglia Island.” Poveglia Island is located off the coast of Venice, Italy, and is believed to be a prime spot for paranormal activity.
The site has a rich history filled with death and despair, as it’s where many criminals and those suffering from the plague were sent to live their final days. This episode is filled with not only a mountain of evidence, but also Zak becomespossessed by an entitythat makes him turn on Aaron and Nick. He has little control over his emotions and continues to get more and more aggressive as the episode goes on.
It’s disturbing to see Zak in the plague doctor mask trying to entice the spirits only to be overtaken by an unseen force so quickly. In addition to the possession, theGhost Adventurescrew captures EVPs of a girl’s voice that causes their equipment to malfunction and a creepy figure that knocks over one of their cameras. The raw emotions, along with the different types of evidence captured on Poveglia Island, make it the bestGhost Adventuresepisode to date.
