Halloween is the perfect excuse to add a little mystery to your next getaway. In a previous story, we explored some of the world’s creepiest destinations, from plague islands and underground catacombs to bone-filled chapels and eerie forests. But you don’t have to travel across the globe—or spend a fortune—to find a place with a haunted history. The United States is filled with spooky hotels, historic towns, abandoned communities and legendary sites where the past seems to linger. Whether you’re a dedicated ghost hunter or simply looking for a unique fall adventure, these five destinations are worth adding to your Halloween travel list.
Tour the Queen Mary, One of the Most Haunted Ships
Despite being permanently docked in Long Beach, California in 1967, this ocean liner’s numerous deaths, ghost stories, and dark history as a WWII ship, luxury liner, and floating hotel have propelled the RMS Mary Queen into infamy. Over 150 ghosts are suspected to haunt the ship, and famous haunted spots include the Stateroom B340 cabin, the first-class swimming pool, and the Engine Room.
Deaths associated with the ship date back to its construction, with one worker falling to his death and another crushed to death. During WWII, the ship accidently crashed into a friendly ship, slicing it in half and killing 300 men. Disembodied voices and strange noises were often heard on the ship, leading to its reputation of being haunted. The RMS Mary Queen is now a tourist attraction and hotel. If you are in Southern California for Halloween, book a ghost tour or stay if you dare!
Book a Stay at The Stanely Hotel in Colorado
The Stanley Hotel is in Estes Park, about 1 hour from Boulder, Colorado, is known for its numerous ghost sightings. Paranormal enthusiasts attribute the ghost sightings not to tragic events; instead it is believed the hotel’s unique location at the base of the Rocky Mountains and architectural features create spiritual portals, allowing spirits to enter and roam around freely, many often returning to the hotel in remembrance of happy times.
While sounds of children laughing, playing, and running are often reported, the hotel rose to notoriety after author Stephen King and his wife stayed in room 217, the location of a gas leak and explosion in 1911. Stephen woke up from a nightmare about his three-year-old son, and his experience at the hotel inspired him to write his horror classic, “The Shining”.
Spend A Weekend This October in Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city with a history so dark it hosts a month-long festival featuring ghost tours, psychic readings, and costume balls. During the colonial period, mass hysteria led to over 200 inhabitants of Salem, Massachusetts to being accused of witchcraft. After the infamous Salem Witch Trials, 20 people were executed.
Today, there is an active community of modern-day Witches, pagans, and metaphysical shops in Salem. Sites of the tragedy, including Proctor’s Ledge, the execution site, are memorialized and open to the public to visit. Salem is often noted as the spookiest town in America, and the city’s massive October festival, “Salem Haunted Happenings”, attracts thousands of visitors each year.
Step Into the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, New York
If you enjoy revolutionary history, spend a weekend in Sleepy Hollow, New York, the location that inspired Washington Irving’s classic, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
In 1820, Washington Irving wrote a short story about a city haunted by a headless horseman, the vengeful ghost of a German mercenary who was decapitated by American revolutionaries. Since then, the story has been adapted to film, with the most recent being Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow in 1999.
Irving’s vivid and gothic writing referenced many real historical landmarks in story, including the Old Dutch Church and Old Dutch Burying Ground. Moreover, the town, originally known as North Tarrytown, was heavily fought over during the American Revolution and filled with hidden paths and war stories. History fanatics, consider taking a guided night cemetery tour!
Explore the Abandoned Buildings Left Behind After the Gold Rush in Bodie, California
In 1859, William S. Bodey discovered gold and froze to death shortly after. In 1876 his namesake town exploded in wealth but quickly gained notoriety for lawlessness, violence, and unscrupulous activity. Subsequent fires 1892 and 1932 left the town abandoned.
Today, the former gold rush town is a California State Historic Park and National Historic Landmark, uniquely preserved in a condition known as “arrested decay” where artifacts and buildings are left frozen in time. Interiors of houses – dishes, bottles, furniture – remain untouched. Mysterious footsteps and voices have been reported by both visitors and park rangers – and legend claims that anyone stealing a souvenir is cursed with terrible luck. If you are in the Mammoth Lake area, consider a day trip out to see this historic haunted ghost town!
You don’t have to travel far to find a spooky adventure this Halloween. From the haunted decks of the RMS Queen Mary and the legendary Stanley Hotel to the witchcraft history of Salem, the literary legends of Sleepy Hollow and the abandoned streets of Bodie, these five destinations offer plenty of history, mystery and paranormal intrigue. Whether you’re a devoted ghost hunter or simply looking for an unforgettable fall getaway, these haunted U.S. destinations are sure to add a little excitement—and maybe a few chills—to your next trip.