Haunted houses are popping up all over at this time of year. Some, however, exist all year and are said to be “really” haunted. If you are looking for an “authentic” haunted experience, several places offer organized tours so you can understand the history of these places, as well as get to know the spirits you may, or may not, encounter along the way.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), America’s Spookiest Tours are:

• The Ghosts of Savannah – Walking Tours
  In Savannah , Georgia, supernatural researchers recount hair-raising ghost stories while groups stroll through what is supposedly the most haunted city in the country.

• Haunted History Tours
  Theatrical guides in New Orleans, Louisiana, tell macabre tales of voodoo, vampires, witchcraft and historical tragedies, while following a sinister path through the twisted streets and alleys of the oldest (not to mention those least affected by Katrina) parts of the city.

• Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast – Museum Tour
  “Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks...” The inspiration for this childhood rhyme can be found in Fall River, Mass. Not only are tours available, you can also spend the night. The six bedroom home where the crime was committed in 1892 is now a bed and breakfast. Lizzie was acquitted of the murders and remained in Fall River the rest of her life.

• Myrtles Plantation – Mystery Tour
  One of America’s most haunted homes, this elegant Southern Plantation, built in 1796 in St. Francisville, Louisiana, has been the subject of several TV programs due to its legendary connection with the afterworld.

Ghosts, of course, are not restricted to just these places. In fact, Haunted America Tours offers Haunted Walking Tours in many locations across the U.S., including “newer” communities such as the Haight Ashbury neighborhood in San Francisco, Calif., and Las Vegas, Nev. Those interested in a “real” Halloween experience might also be interested in visiting Salem, Mass. The infamous site of America’s most widely known witch trials in 1692, also hosts one of the longest Halloween celebrations with numerous special events throughout the month of October.