1. Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Massachusetts – Surely you’ve heard of the Salem witch trials. With its historic yet oddly creepy appeal, the Hawthorne Hotel has beckoned distinguished guests such as Bette Davis, Colin Powell, George Bush Jr., and Walter Cronkite. If you happen to be traveling to the area in the next few days, rumor has it they throw a killer Halloween party.
2. Bourbon Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana – A mysterious dancer is said to frequent the famous Bourbon Ballroom, once home to the 19th century’s most prestigious events. She has been sighted twirling under the chandelier late at night. Did you just get a chill down your spine?
3. Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California – LA residents and tourists can’t help but feel the freaky vibes when they wander near this place, said to be haunted by none other than Marilyn Monroe. Founded in 1957, it happens to be the oldest hotel in LA that continues to operate, which gave it plenty time to be haunted by the sordid, heartbreaking lives of Old Hollywood.
4. Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado – Mentioned before in a previous blog, the Stanley Hotel not only provided a spooky backdrop for Stephen King’s novel, The Shining— it drove his inspiration for the whole story. Stay for the mountains…leave when you see the creepy children or the blood in the elevator.
5. The Marshall House in Savannah, Georgia – Consider this: One of the world’s most haunted hotels is also in one of the world’s most haunted cities, so you can only imagine how much paranormal activity is going on in this place. But calm down: Marshall’s website claims that all their ghosts are friendly.
6. The Waverly Hills Sanitorium in Louisville, Kentucky – Nothing says “freaky” like a five-story hospital and tour guides who can show you tangible evidence of ghosts on their cell phones. Wandering into certain rooms, like the famous Room 502, is sure to give you heart palpitations, nausea, or heartburn. For around $1K, you can spend the night roaming the Sanitorium. Would you?
Creepy Haunted Houses – As we said, these made just for people who are actively seeking the scariest situations possible, so avoid them if you’re a casual haunted house enthusiast.
7. The Dent Schoolhouse in Cincinnati, Ohio – Only an hour away from our Lexington headquarters lies one of Hauntworld’s scariest haunted houses. The Dent Schoolhouse was built around a terrifying, and potentially true, story. According to legend, “The Dent Schoolhouse takes place in a schoolhouse that was built back in 1896 and contains a gruesome legend… The Janitor of the school, Charlie McFree, is said to have killed a large number of the student body over a period of 10-20 years. Hiding their bodies within the basement, the smell became too much and alerted the town of Dent. Discovery of the hellish scene has made a permanent residence in the basement. The building is said to be haunted by both the lost children… and The Janitor!”
8. The Darkness in St. Louis, Missouri – Noted by horror critics as one of the top scare destinations in the world, The Darkness features Hollywood sets, animations, and special effects on its sprawling 60,000 feet. If giant monsters jumping out at you or chasing you isn’t your thing, this attraction offers an intermediate scare of terrifying, yet stationary monsters, in their famous Monster Museum.
9. McKamey Manor in Nashville, Tennessee and Huntsville, Alabama – “This is not your typical (boo) haunted house,” says their warning statement. “This is an audience participation event in which YOU will live your own Horror Movie.” The four-to-eight-hour event demands that you sign a waiver: You could even leave bruised, cut, or shaven, the waiver warns. But if you’ve read this far, and you’re excited, not terrified, I have good news. Ready? The event is free.
10. House of Torment in Austin, Texas – To add to the consummate terror, House of Torment has more than one haunted house. In fact, they just opened up three new attractions for the 2016 Halloween season, including Dawn of Evil, The Frenzy, and Graveside Manor. Everyone has their own fears, and House of Torment exists to awaken, well…every single one of yours.
