Halloween is fast approaching which, for some, will mean pumpkin carving and an abundance of sweets. For others, however, it's time to lean into the spookiest time of the year and scare yourself senseless with a gory slasher movie or psychological thriller.
If you prefer real-life frights over the cinematic kind, why not embrace scary season with a visit to one of the sets, cities or filming locations used in your favourite horror film?
The horror genre is vast so whether you're into paranormal jump-scares or literature-based gothic thrills, there's something for everyone.
October 31 falls on a Saturday this year, making it perfect for a nerve-jangling weekend getaway, so ditch the sofa and get out there! Here's 15 film sets with a macabre backstory – are you brave enough?
New York, US
VERITY, 2026
Scenes from recently released Verity were shot in and around New York, including at Books Are Magic bookshop in Brooklyn
The film, based on Colleen Hoover's novel, stars Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson
Where better to start than with newly released Verity, based on the book of the same name by Colleen Hoover?
Filmed largely in and around New York state and city, there are a number of destinations featured in the film you can see for yourself.
Books Are Magic in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, is where we meet protagonist Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson), while other scenes were filmed at the restaurant Rolo’s in Ridgewood, Queens.
Meanwhile, Lowen meets lover Jeremy at Laissez Faire, a cocktail lounge in the city's financial district, according to Conde Nast Traveller, while her birthday dinner takes place at German pub Zum Stammtisch in Glendale.
Osea Island, Essex, UK
THE WOMAN IN BLACK, 2012
Osea Island set the eerie scene for The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe
The Woman In Black came out in 2012
Osea Island has been used as a filming location for both the 1989 TV adaptation and the 2012 movie version of The Woman in Black.
Dating back 5,000 years, there are creepy remains of neolithic villages and Viking burial grounds on the island.
The 380-acre private estate, which features an ancient Roman causeway and is cut off at high tide, was a secret naval base during the First World War.
Located on the Blackwater Estuary, it has now been refurbished to provide a luxury retreat, with state-of-the-art recording studio facilities, an event and holiday letting business and private properties.
The island has 38 residential properties, from an Edwardian Manor House to Charrington House, which provides a range of luxury apartments converted from a former orphanage.
There's also a village pub and static caravans as well as fields for camping, glamping and festivals. oseaisland.co.uk.
Timberline Lodge, Oregon, US
THE SHINING, 1980
Timberline Lodge seems like the stuff of nightmares – but is actually a cosy winter hotel
Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is one of the most recognisable horror films
Few horror films are as widely known as The Shining, and while the hotel that inspired the fictional Overlook Hotel is actually The Stanley Hotel, located in Colorado, most of the scenes were filmed either at Elstree Studios in the UK or outside of the Timberline Lodge in the shadow of Mount Hood in Oregon.
Nowadays, you can stay at Timberline – and you'll be reassured to know it's not full of twins and paranormal activity.
You can book one of the rooms and chalets, or even a private cabin, and enjoy the year-round heated pool and hot tub with alpine views.
A night in the lodge starts from just $155 (£117). timberlinelodge.com.
Oakley Court Hotel, Windsor, UK
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, 1975
Oakley Court Hotel in Windsor featured in The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a classic musical horror film
Built in 1859, Oakley Court Hotel is an imposing mansion that sits in 35 acres overlooking the Thames upstream from Windsor.
It has been the setting for TV shows and films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Tommy Steele's Half A Sixpence.
The Gothic hotel has been recently refurbished, and has an on-site omakase restaurant for lavish Japanese cuisine.
Visit for afternoon tea or stay the night – rooms start from £255 a night. oakleycourt.co.uk.
Glasgow Necropolis, UK
THE BATMAN, 2022
Fancy a creepy cemetery stroll? Head to Scotland to visit Glasgow Necropolis
Scenes from 2022's The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson, were shot there
Glasgow Necropolis's most high-profile movie feature was The Batman in 2022, not quite a horror film per se – but it's certainly dark enough to warrant a Halloween visit.
Inspired by the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, the ghoulish site opened in May 1833 and is the final resting place for around 50,000 bodies.
The Victorian cemetery is built on a prominent hill to the east of Glasgow Cathedral, and is easy to visit from the city.
Friends of Glasgow Necropolis offers informal walking tours.
Hooper's, Texas, US
THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, 1974
Hooper's Restaurant in Kingsville, Texas has hosted events for fans of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Terrifying scenes from the original film are mirrored at the site
A restored 1974 Victorian farmhouse served as the cannibal family home in this horror classic – and it's since switched murder for dinner (with no humans on the menu, thankfully).
Inside the former set, you can dine on breakfast plates, loaded potatoes, steak and sandwiches, among other hearty meals.
The restaurant says: 'At Hooper's, we pay homage to the original director and screenwriter, Tobe Hooper.
'As you step inside, you'll find subtle and bold nods to the history of the house, adding to the unique and intriguing atmosphere of our restaurant.' hooperskingsland.com.
Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, UK
SLEEPY HOLLOW, 1999
Channel your inner Tim Burton with a visit to Hambleden, aka Sleepy Hollow
The classic film has lured in plenty of set-jetting tourists
The Buckinghamshire village of Hambleden offers a compendium of frightening delights, having served as a key filming location for Tim Burton's 1999 gothic horror film starring Johnny Depp.
Oh-so-quaint Hambleden is mainly known for its chocolate box charm, but the historic edge and (of course) gloomy weather add a spooky appeal.
And there's a darker side to the town – in 1912, archaeologists discovered the skeletal remains of 97 newborn infants at historic Yewden Villa in the area.
Scared yet?
St Michael's Mount, Cornwall, UK
DRACULA, 1979
St Michael's Mount, Cornwall, is already popular among tourists – but it also has a perfectly spooky edge for Halloween visits
The 1979 film starred Frank Langella as an unsettling Dracula
Originally the site of a Benedictine Chapel, this spectacular castle dates back to the 12th century and is cared for in partnership by the National Trust and the St Aubyn family.
It was used as the exterior of Castle Dracula in 1979 film Dracula, starring Frank Langella, as well as appearing in the 1983 James Bond film Never Say Never Again, as two guided missiles flew over the English countryside.
It's one of the UK's most popular tourist attractions, although if you're planning to visit it's worth checking ahead as weather conditions can prevent access.
Enjoy the walk across the causeway to reach the island at low tide, or if the tide is in, you'll need to take a short boat trip in order to get across. The last day of boating operations is October 31 – fitting timing for All Hallows' Eve.
Wismar, Germany
NOSFERATU, 1922
Historic buildings at the old town of Wismar, where Nosferatu was set
1922's Nosferatu is one of the oldest horror films you can watch
The 1922 silent German horror film Nosferatu was only really known among die-hard fans of the genre until a new version emerged in 2024.
Starring Bill Skarsgard and Lily-Rose Depp, the blockbuster brought back to life the deeply unsettling plot surrounding the relationship between a young woman, Ellen, and the terrifying Count Orlok/Nosferatu, based on the character of Dracula.
Much of the filming for the new movie took place in the Czech Republic.
But for the black-and-white original, Wismar and Lubeck in Germany were chosen.
The red-brick Gothic city of Wismar in particular has a stunning Unesco-status centre, and the Marktplatz square and Holy Spirit Church both feature in the film – and can be visited today.
Elm Street house, LA, US
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, 1984
The famous home from the Wes Craven classic, A Nightmare on Elm Street
The 1984 blockbuster starred Robert Englund as antagonist Freddy Krueger
Fictional Elm Street is, sadly, not an address you can visit. But the filming location is.
The iconic home from A Nightmare on Elm Street is a charming three-bedroom property located in Los Angeles' Spaulding Square neighborhood.
The Dutch Colonial-style home built in 1919 still looks nearly identical to how it did when it was filmed for the slasher movie – minus the shambles.
It sold for nearly $3million (£2.265million) in 2022, so you can't go inside, but you can take a look from the street.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, US
US, 2019
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk features in modern horror film Us
Jordan Peele's Us starred Lupita Nyong'o in a rapidly deteriorating holiday gone wrong film
Acclaimed film-maker Jordan Peele's Us was so unsettling that following the film's release in 2019, moviegoers were too scared to visit the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, where opening scenes were shot.
Lupita Nyong'o and Winston Duke star as a couple holidaying in the area in the film, but soon things start to go wrong... although you won't find any spoilers here.
It was clearly terrifying enough for fans to express their desire to give the town a wide berth, though, with one writing on Twitter at the time: 'The movie Us really got me scared to go back to Santa Cruz and that's my [favourite] vacation place.'
Old Arnold Estate, Rhode Island, US
THE CONJURING, 2013
The famous Conjuring House on Rhode Island is perfect for horror fans
The Conjuring terrified audiences after its 2013 release
Old Arnold Estate farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island, gives the feel of 18th-century New England – or, if you've seen the film, more likely the sense of constantly being watched.
With period fireplaces, timber framing and exposed beam ceilings, it's an authentically creepy property, having been the actual home that inspired The Conjuring.
During the 1970s, the Perron family's experiences with paranormal activity while living in the house prompted them to hire Ed and Lorraine Warren (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in the movie) to investigate.
Currently, restoration work is underway, but guided tours are planned for once it is complete.
The film wasn't actually shot here, rather in North Carolina, but the destination plays a huge part in the cult surrounding the film series.
Palazzo Vecchio, Florence, Italy
HANNIBAL, 2001
The Palazzo Vecchio, constructed in 1299, features in 2001's Hannibal
Anthony Hopkins starred as Dr Hannibal Lecter in the film
For fans of the 2001 psychological thriller Hannibal, perhaps a weekend break to Florence is on the cards?
The city's Palazzo Vecchio served as a pivotal filming location for Sir Ridley Scott's movie.
It stood in as the library where the protagonist lives and works.
It is the real exterior you might recognise from the famous scene where Hannibal dangles Inspector Pazzi from the palazzo balcony after disembowelling him.
The house from The Amityville Horror, US
THE AMITYVILLE HORROR, 1979
Up next is the Amityville Horror house located at 112 Ocean Avenue in the town of Amityville, New York
The Amityville Horror film is based on a true story in the US
It has been 52 years since the murder of a family in a Dutch Colonial home led to later claims of experiences by the Lutz family – a phenomenon that became known as the Amityville Horror.
On November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr shot and killed six members of his family at 112 Ocean Avenue, a large house situated in a suburban neighbourhood in Amityville, on the south shore of Long Island, New York.
The chilling case shocked the nation – but the property gained even more notoriety three years later when its new owners were forced to flee, claiming they were terrorised by paranormal phenomena while living there.
The events inspired a slew of books and films that have made the house one of the most infamous in the US.
The five-bedroom home's original address was 112 Ocean Avenue but has since been changed to 108 to deter tourists.
The actual property has been refurbished, but you can't go inside – just drive past and have a look.
The stairs from The Exorcist
THE EXORCIST, 1973
Be careful not to fall! Thrillseekers will be enticed by the prospect of visiting the site from The Exorcist
It has often been considered one of the most terrifying horror films
The steep, narrow flight of 75 steps in the US capital's Georgetown area are part of Hollywood legend.
They are where Father Damien Karras falls to his death in one of the most memorable scenes of classic movie The Exorcist – which is regularly voted the most terrifying horror film of all time.
Now, it's free to visit.
'Do it at night for more thrills,' one visitor suggested on Tripadvisor.
Český Krumlov, Czech Republic
HOSTEL, 2005
Rounding out the list is Český Krumlov in the Czech Republic
The 2005 horror film paints Slovakia in an arguably negative light
Join the discussion
Would you spend the night at a famous horror movie location for a thrill, or is it too creepy to even consider?
The 2005 horror film Hostel is set in Bratislava, Slovakia – but was mainly filmed in Prague and picturesque Český Krumlov in the Czech Republic.
Unfortunately, the film was badly received in Slovakia, with fears its depiction in a horror film would damage its reputation.
Český Krumlov looks gloomy in the movie, with an air of decay, but visiting today will provide much more cobbled charm than the film would have you believe.
Český Krumlov Castle is stunning and the romantic ruins of the Dívčí Kámen castle, situated on a high rocky promontory above the confluence of the Vltava River and Křemežský brook, is the largest medieval ruin in the Czech Republic – and is well worth a look.