The Most Haunted Live team is scheduled to return to the United States to investigate the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA in a 7-hour live event. They will tour the 161-room estate with their high-tech equipment in an attempt to contact any spirits that might live there. As with the Eastern State Penitentiary investigation, multiple Web cams will stream live images from selected areas within the mansion.

TV viewers may actively participate in the broadcast by posting paranormal sightings, well wishes for the team, and suggestions on rooms to investigate, predictions and premonitions via message boards, text messaging, and faxing psychic art. Selected user-submitted content will be presented during the interactive segments of the event, as well as scrolled across the bottom of the screen during the live investigation.

Sound like fun? Then tune in to The Travel Channel on Friday, October 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Thomas Whaley couldn’t have chosen a worse place to build his house–on top of an old public gallows site and a Native American burial ground. While I found no reports of hauntings during that time period, I read the chronological history of this family, who suffered from devastating financial losses as well as the deaths of two children.

Thomas Whaley, Jr. died at 18 months, cause unknown. His sister, Violet, died at 17 from an alleged suicide. An article from Eeeek-net suggests that Violet may have been murdered by her father or her sister, Corinne. I found it interesting that Corinne chose to be buried away from her family’s plot. She also wrote a book about San Diego, but failed to mention her family or their contributions to the city’s growth.

Today, visitors claim that this stately house is haunted by several ghosts. Reports of footsteps, strange odors, apparitions and orbs have been reported. Regis Philban tried to sleep in the house in 1974 while hosting a local TV show, but fled in terror.

Eeeek-net investigators concluded that the ghosts of Thomas (who was abusive to his family), his wife and Violet still reside in that house. For more information about The Whaley house hauntings, visit Viewzone.com.

America’s Best Haunts has released its list for the top frights for 2007, just in time for Halloween. Out of all the places on this list, I’ve visited only one, and that was Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. While I wouldn’t call it scary, it is a fun attraction.

Bennett’s Curse, Baltimore, MD: Bennett’s Curse - House of the Vampyres is Maryland’s can’t-miss attraction come Halloween. Revolutionizing fright entertainment, its unique special effects and attractions are sure to leave visitors screaming. From the “Dominion of Darkness” to the “Sanctuary of Insanity,” its mazes and paranormal illusions make for an unforgettable adventure.

Woods of Terror, Greensboro, NC: Woods of Terror will celebrate its 16th season this year. Located on 20 acres, it comprises numerous haunted houses, a hay ride, corn maze and a midway. On October 12 and 13, Woods of Terror will host a special eerie guest - Doug Bradley, “Pinhead” from the Hellraiser films.

Realm of Darkness, Pontiac, MI: The Realm of Darkness transports more than 25,000 visitors each year back to medieval times with an adventure deep into this enchanted castle. Visitors control their own destiny, traveling through the spooky castle walls. If they choose their path wisely, they’ll be rewarded. If not, their fate will surely be grim.

The Nest, Phoenix, AZ: Located just outside Phoenix, Arizona, The Nest is a journey through the barn of Arizona’s most notorious serial killer, Jacob Kell. Visitors first venture through the graveyard where all 35 of his victims are buried and later experience The Carnage, 5,000 square feet that represents the torture “Killer Kell” reaped upon his victims.

Screamworld, Houston, TX: Screamworld is Houston’s longest running haunted attraction. From 2004 – 2006, it was voted Houston’s scariest haunted attraction by the Houston Chronicle and Houstonhaunts.com. Screamworld comprises 5 attractions: The Haunted Hotel, The Edge of Darkness, Monsters in 3D, The Maze of Maniacs and The Tobias Strange Family Cemetery.

Nightmare, New York, NY: Rated as AOL Cityguide’s ”No. 1 Haunted Attraction in America,” Nightmare is primed to spook its way into its fourth season. Located on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the haunt features 23 rooms that each host a different spirit waiting to inflict a unique brand of fear on the unwary.

Terror on the Fox, Green Bay, WI: 2007 will mark the 10th season for one of Wisconsin’s top Halloween traditions, Terror on the Fox. To celebrate, it will feature its newest attraction, Torment, which tests the limits of fear with vertigo, claustrophobia, chainsaws, darkness, rats, snakes and much more.

Thrillvania, Dallas, TX: Thrillvania is the nationally-acclaimed thrill park featuring six different haunted attractions, a midway with fun and games, food and beverages and a haunted store. Founded nearly 20 years ago, the renowned park is located on 50 acres of haunted property approximately 30 miles east of Dallas. Attracting more than 25,000 visitors each Halloween season, Thrillvania is the premier area attraction for discerning thrill seekers.

The Haunted Mansion, Disneyland, Anaheim, CA: Established in 1969, visitors to The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland first experience the mysterious stretching room and portraits that transform before their eyes. Later, a “Doom Buggy” waits to transport visitors to a world of humorous houseguests, silly dances and ghostly galas. As they depart, the 999 happy haunts wish them well.

Universal Horror Nights, Orlando, FL: Now in its 17th year, Halloween Horror Nights was Amusement Today’s “2006 Golden Ticket Award” winner for the best Halloween event. Annually drawing hundreds of thousands of horror fans from around the globe, the event promises to break new ground this year with all new frights and immersive thrills never before imagined.

Frightfest, St. Louis, MO: Each October, Six Flags in St. Louis hosts FrightFest, a Halloween celebration that is tough to stay away from. The celebration features haunted houses, frighteningly entertaining shows and beloved Warner Brother’s characters. Entertaining for young and old, Frightfest provides fun and terrifying excitement all in one place.

Lisa Llewellen began to notice strange things within weeks after moving into her Antioch home off G Street. At first they were insignificant noises, such as a shuffling sound on the stairs or a thump that occurred in an upstairs bedroom. They were things that could be explained.

One night, Lisa received a startling surprise while standing in front of her kitchen sink.

“Mom,” a child’s voice said as someone tugged on her shirt.

Lisa turned around, expecting to find one of her children standing behind her. She was alone in the kitchen while they were together upstairs. From that point on, she became a believer in the paranormal.

Her husband wasn’t so quick to believe until he heard someone rattling his bedroom door late at night. When he went to investigate, he found no one outside. A thorough search of the house turned up nothing.

The Llewellens lived in that house for seven years, until they decided that they needed a bigger place. At one point during this time, their son refused to go upstairs during the day unless someone went with him. Lisa’s brother, who was a frequent visitor, saw a little girl running up and down the stairs. He saw her again when she peeked at him from under the living room coffee table.

When the Llewellens rented out the house, they didn’t tell the new tenants about the ghostly girl. They fled four months later and disappeared.

“They told me that they were standing in the living room and the floor began to buckle and wave,” said Realtor Joy DiRicco in an interview. “Not just a little movement; a large, noticeable movement.”

DiRicco went to the house to see if she could find a possible cause for the floor’s bizarre behavior. She found nothing. Acting on a hunch, she called the Llewellens, who told her about their experiences. This left her no other choice but to disclose the information about the ghost when she put the house back on the market.

“There are people out there who want these kinds of houses, and those who don’t,” she said.