Princess Anne Country Club

A historic country club founded in 1916 in Virginia Beach. The elegant venue has hosted generations of Virginia Beach's social elite and witnessed countless celebrations.

The Princess Anne Country Club stands as one of Virginia Beach's most notorious haunted locations, its elegant halls concealing a century of unexplained phenomena. Founded in 1916 by Norfolk businessmen seeking a coastal retreat, the club opened its renowned golf course in 1921, establishing itself as the premier destination for Virginia's elite. The original 1916 clubhouse underwent sixteen architectural changes over its lifetime before being replaced in 2005 with a new million facility built directly behind the historic structure.

The most frequently encountered spirit is that of a spectral bride, believed to have been married at the exclusive club sometime in the 1920s, shortly after it opened to the public. One account suggests she may have died in a car accident near the club during the early 1900s. Her ghostly figure has been spotted late at night near the clubhouse and wandering the golf courses, always wearing an old-fashioned white dress. Whenever she appears, witnesses report hearing the unmistakable sounds of a 1920s jazz band playing in the bar area, phantom melodies drifting through the empty halls as if the Roaring Twenties never ended.

But not all spirits at Princess Anne are so melancholy. The club is distinguished by having predominantly malevolent supernatural entities, making its hauntings particularly unsettling. Multiple phantom men have been reported aggressively chasing people away from the property, seemingly determined to protect the club's exclusivity even in death. The most intimidating of these is a particularly mean male spirit who appears wearing a cape, suggesting he may have been a high-ranking man with military or aristocratic ties during his lifetime. Now he spends eternity patrolling the historic halls, rudely shooing away anyone he suspects to be a non-member.

During the 2005 clubhouse construction, workers experienced phenomena that suggested the spirits of former staff members also linger on the grounds. Construction crews swore they heard what sounded like the dining room being set up for dinner service, complete with the jangling of silverware and the clinking of glasses, when there was no possible way for dinnerware to be anywhere on the premises. The sounds echoed through the empty construction site as if phantom servers were preparing for guests who would never arrive.

Members and staff continue to report unexplained occurrences throughout the property: lights flashing in unoccupied rooms, mysterious sounds with no apparent source, and cold drafts that sweep through areas where no one is present. The construction during the 2005 renovation may have disturbed dormant spirits or triggered increased paranormal activity, as is common when historic buildings undergo major changes.

Because the Princess Anne Country Club remains exclusively open to members, their families, and guests, its hauntings are not as well documented as those at public locations. The club's policy of discretion has kept many stories from circulating beyond the Virginia Beach community. Yet the legends persist, passed down through generations of members who know that at Princess Anne, once you join, you remain a member forever, perhaps even after death. Located just down the street from The Cavalier Hotel, another famously haunted Virginia Beach landmark, the club continues to offer fine dining, pristine golf courses, and access to the world's longest pleasure beach, along with the occasional brush with the supernatural.