Sometimes the spookiest options for Halloween are a little further than the big skeleton in your front yard.
For people who like to travel, heading out for the holiday to explore supernatural locations across the world may be a fun alternative to dressing up for a friend's party or handing out candy at home. And hey, you can visit these spots year-round—so why limit yourself to Halloween?
If you’re ready to pack your bags, here are seven bewitching destinations that feel straight out of a Halloween movie. Using data from TripAdvisor, SpinBlitz (via Yahoo! Creators) ranked these locations based on ratings, reviews, and local legends.
- Salem, Massachusetts
- Hunedoara, Romania
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Banff, Alberta
- Estes Park, Colorado
- Derry, Northern Ireland
- Savannah, Georgia
Salem, Massachusetts
There is nothing quite like Salem, Massachusetts during the Halloween season. The town is known for leaning into its history with the witch trials that took place in the late 1600s. More than 200 people were accused of being witches and 20 were executed. For Halloween, you can head to the Salem Witch Museum, visit the Witch House that is the only building still standing from that time, or take a ghost tour at night for an extra spooky experience.
The town also features spooky-themed shops, restaurants, and other quirky stops. Hocus Pocus fans will remember some of the exterior shots that were filmed in Salem, such as Allison’s house.
Hunedoara, Romania
You may not have heard of Hunedoara, but you probably know one of its most haunted historical inhabitants. The town is home to Corvin Castle, which was once occupied by a prisoner known as Vlad the Impaler. He's better known today as a possible inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. The castle was started in the 1400s as a medieval fortress and includes a five-story tower and a drawbridge for visitors to explore.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Another city with a possibly haunted castle is Edinburgh, with its iconic Edinburgh Castle. The historic site, which sit atop Castle Rock overlooking the city, has several supposed apparitions living there, including the Headless Drummer, the Lost Piper Boy, and the Grey Lady. The city itself is also believed to be home to other ghosts including the Mackenzie Poltergeist, and spirits still haunting Edinburgh's famous Victoria Street.
Banff, Alberta
Canada is home to the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel, which is both breathtaking and potentially haunted. Located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the building is supposedly host to the Ghost Bride and Sam the Bellman. Fairmont Banff Springs also has rooms that have allegedly disappeared or are haunted too, such as Room 873 where a family was supposedly murdered.
Estes Park, Colorado
Another hotel that keeps horror fans on their toes is the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, which inspired Stephen King to write The Shining. It includes a Room 217, which is where King stayed while the hotel was almost empty. There are rumors it was the same room where a chambermaid for the hotel survived a gas explosion in 1911. There’s also talk of supposed piano-playing ghosts and phantom parties. Guests can book a ghost tour to see if they can find any specters themselves.
Derry, Northern Ireland
Halloween traces some of its origins back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, which may be why the town of Derry in Northern Ireland hosts a four-day Halloween festival—the largest in Europe. But the city is also supposedly home to spirits like the Headless Coachman that rides down the road and into the cemetery, and a demon bride that had to be exorcised from a home in the 1940s.
Savannah, Georgia
On the Atlantic shore of Georgia sits Savannah, a town founded in 1733. Since then, the town has picked up some of its own ghost stories, including the supposed haunting of Marshall House where wounded Civil War soldiers were treated.
The town is also home to the Mercer House, which was made famous in the 1994 book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. The book chronicled the unique characters of Savannah including Jim Williams, an antiques dealer who lived in the Mercer House when he shot a man in his home and was acquitted after four murder trials.