Haunted places are generally easier to locate than you may expect. Here are my best recommendations:
1. Start with local folklore. Almost every town has a ghost story or two. If you're new to an area or haven't heard local ghost tales, ask. The public library may have books about hauntings in your area.
2. Check ghost websites. The Shadowlands: Ghosts & Hauntings lists thousands of ghost reports, free of charge. Many of these are rumors, urban legends, and unreliable folklore, but they're a fine place to start. We have a much smaller list of haunted sites at Hollow Hill.
3. Read the Halloween issues of regional newspapers. Most town papers run articles about local haunts during Halloween week.
4. Search Google News for the word 'ghosts' plus the name of your town. Also, at Hollow Hill - News: Ghosts and Hauntings, we summarize the best ghost headlines weekly, and our information may include earlier reports than what's cached at news sites.
5. Ask people. You'll be surprised at how many people have a good ghost story to share. The police are often the best resource; they know what's a hoax or a prank, and what's unexplained.
6. Visit classic sites for hauntings. Most older cemeteries have ghost stories. Battlefields are 'sure things' for hauntings. Almost every college has ghosts. Theatres--the kinds with stage plays--usually have at least two ghosts; one is a stagehand, and the other is a mysterious visitor who watches rehearsals from the back of the hall.
7. Follow your 'gut feeling'. Is there a location that's intrigued you, and feels 'haunted' to you? If it's open to the public, check it out. That's how we discover unreported haunted sites at Hollow Hill.