Winchester Mystery House Day Trip San Jose

A fascinating house of a very eccentric wealthy Sarah Winchester. Sarah believed in spiritualism and added strange features to the house because of her odd beliefs and interests. The “Mystery” part implies you might find a “Haunted Mansion.”

Don’t expect any animatronic ghosts talking inside a crystal ball. The house isn’t as expensive or extravagant as Hearst Castle, but it is still worth visiting and is a beautiful day trip from the San Francisco Bay area.

Purchase Tickets Online

Several tours are available, including the Grand Estate, Mansion, and behind-the-scenes tours. If you have a tight budget, take the free garden tour outside. The exterior of the house is imposing.

According to popular belief, Winchester thought the house was haunted by the ghosts of the people who fell victim to Winchester rifles and that only continuous construction would appease them.

The home has many bizarre adornments that Mrs. Winchester believed contributed to its architectural beauty. The Tiffany company created many stained glass windows.

Some windows were designed specifically for her, and others by her, including the renowned “spider web” window. This piece features her favorite shape, the spider’s web, and a repetition of 13.

Instead, this window is not installed but featured in the so-called “$25,000 storage room”. The room is so named because its contents were initially appraised at $25,000. Tiffany himself designed a second framed window for Mrs. Winchester.

Fright Nights at the Winchester Mystery House

Fright Nights is a specially ticketed nighttime event at the Winchester Mystery House. On select nights in September and October, Winchester Mystery House is transformed into San Jose’s most terrifying Halloween experience, filled with haunted walk-through attractions, intense scares, roaming scare actors, and nightmare-inducing tales.

Getting to Winchester Mystery House

The Winchester Mystery House is located in San Jose, on Winchester Blvd., between Stevens Creek Blvd. and Interstate 280 (one hour south of San Francisco).

Winchester Mystery House 525 South Winchester Boulevard, San Jose, CA 95128

Purchase Tickets Online

Winchester Mystery House Tickets Mansion Tour and self-guided Garden Tour include a guide map and narrative tapes at the ten major points of interest. Guests also see the greenhouse, garage, car wash, pump, and tank houses.

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