7 Spooky Trips to Take This Halloween

It’s October, the month of ghosts, witches, and all things spooky. Looking to liven up your Halloween plans this year? Consider these 8 spooky spots around the globe for you to visit.

Salem, MA

Well, duh. We have to start this list off with the Halloween hot spot. Salem in October is nothing like it is the rest of the year. Ghost tours abound, and you can even choose to take a ghost AND vampire tour if you so dare. But don’t be limited to tours. Plenty of the buildings in Salem are reportedly haunted. Get some Halloween libations at Bunghole Liquors, and you may just see a ghost cat. The Old Burying Point cemetery is even more haunted than your usual cemetery. Follow up dinner with some ghost hunting at Turner’s Seafood, which is on the land of one of the women hanged for witchcraft during the Salem witch trials.

Sleepy Hollow, NY

Old graveyard in Sleepy Hollow, New York

Do I even have to say anything more? The quintessential Halloween story, the Legend of Sleepy Hollow tells the tale of the headless horseman and poor Ichabod Crane. Sleepy Hollow is filled with plenty of spooky things to do. Try champagne cocktails with the dead, a cocktail party at the cemetery, giving you access to areas not usually open to the public. You can also try the haunted house at Philipsburg Manor, which comes with a warning for claustrophobic adults. Sleepy Hollow has plenty of things to do for Halloween visits.

Jerome, AZ

Jerome is a copper mining town that boomed in the late 1800s and early 1900s that now has only 474 residents, and it takes advantage of its ghost town creepy status. With tours that include a Haunted History Walk and Ghost Tours, the typical ghost stories that go along with abandoned mining towns are aplenty. Tour the Douglas Mansion, now a state park, which actually has an intro video that stars a “ghost.” Most old jails are pretty eery, and the Sliding Jail is no different, just with an added odd factor in that it slid downhill after a land slippage caused by the mine shaft. As you wander the streets, you just may see the ghost of Sammie Dean, a woman who was murdered in the early 1930’s, who won’t rest until her killer is found.

England

Seriously, the whole country can have a spooky feel when it’s dark and drizzly out (which is most of the time). From York, to London (The Tower Of London being one of my favorite eery spots), to Cornwall, England has plenty of spook to satisfy thrill seekers. Berry Pomeroy Castle in the southwest is considered “the most haunted castle in Britain.” It’s just ruins but you can take a free audio tour of the hauntings of the castle. Whitby Abbey is forever linked with Bram Stoker's Dracula. With its crumbling facade and general creepiness, the abbey inspired an ominous setting for his classic novel. While in Whitby, check out the Museum of Victorian Science, which is sure to raise a few hairs on your neck.

Charlotte, NC

The Carolina Theatre in Charlotte, North Carolina

A city with a long history, Charlotte is sure to give you goosebumps from time to time. The Fourth Ward is the area you probably picture in your mind when you think of Charlotte, and it will not disappoint, especially if you walk around at night. Try the Beyond the Grave Haunted History Tour to get a feel for the ghosts that walk the streets. Or, you can take in a show at the McGlohon Theatre, which is said to be haunted, and is actually located in Spirit Square.

Pripyat, Ukraine

This town, abandoned by all 50,000 residents in 24 hours after the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster, is now open for touring, just a day trip from Kiev. A true, real life, modern ghost town. I wouldn’t hang around after the tour though, as the radiation numbers are still extremely high in the area. While you’re in Kiev, check out the Richards Castle for some ghosts. You can also visit the Main Post Office, located in Independence Square where the existence of poltergeists is believed to be first proven in Europe.

Bhangarh, India

Touted as the “most haunted place in India,", these 17th Century ruins were abandoned by residents, either due to famine or a curse (that’s up for you to decide). The village will definitely give you chills. Tours to Bhangarh leave from Jaipur, which has it’s full of creepy places to visit. Head to Jal Mahal, which one TripAdvisor reviewer described as having a “haunted peacefulness” to it. Jagatpura, a section of Jaipur, is said to be haunted by witches who refuse to leave, so a walk around is a must if you’re visiting.

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