Are you the kind of traveler who would rather explore an abandoned asylum than sit on a sunny beach? Do you watch Ghost Adventures under the covers, know your favorite Ghost Hunters investigators by name, or find yourself Googling the history of a supposedly haunted hotel before booking a room?
Then it may be time to add a little paranormal adventure to your travel plans.
From historic prisons and abandoned asylums to murder houses, haunted hotels, and entire cities steeped in ghost stories, there are destinations around the world that have become legendary among paranormal enthusiasts. Some have been investigated by popular television shows such as Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures, while others have become famous through centuries-old legends and reported encounters.
Whether you believe in ghosts or simply love a good spooky story, here are some of the most fascinating haunted places to put on your travel bucket list.
1. Eastern State Penitentiary – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
If you are building a haunted travel itinerary, Eastern State Penitentiary is hard to leave off the list.
The massive former prison in Philadelphia opened in 1829 and became famous for its revolutionary—but extremely harsh—penitentiary system. Over the decades, countless prisoners passed through its walls, and stories of strange sounds, apparitions and unexplained experiences began circulating.
Paranormal television fans may recognize Eastern State from both Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. The historic site itself acknowledges that officers and prisoners reported mysterious visions and eerie experiences as far back as the 1940s. It has also appeared on Most Haunted Live, Paranormal Challenge, America’s Ghost Hunters and other paranormal programs.
One particularly famous area is Cellblock 12, where paranormal investigators filmed what has become one of the location’s most debated pieces of evidence.
Spooky travel tip: Eastern State is a museum and historic site, so paranormal investigations by visitors aren’t permitted. You can, however, experience the eerie prison atmosphere through its regular tours and seasonal events.
2. The Stanley Hotel – Estes Park, Colorado
If a haunted hotel is more your style, put the Stanley Hotel near the top of your list.
Located in Estes Park, Colorado, the Stanley is famous for inspiring Stephen King’s The Shining. Long before it became associated with the novel and movie, however, guests and employees had reported unexplained occurrences.
The hotel has also become a favorite destination for paranormal television. Ghost Hunters investigated the Stanley Hotel in an episode that explored reports of paranormal activity, and Ghost Adventures investigated it in the Season 4 episode “Stanley Hotel,” which originally aired in October 2010.
For travelers who like their vacations with a side of goosebumps, spending a night at a historic hotel with a reputation for paranormal activity certainly makes for a memorable trip.
Just don’t be surprised if you hear something in the hallway after midnight.
3. Waverly Hills Sanatorium – Kentucky
Few locations have the eerie atmosphere of Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Kentucky.
The former tuberculosis hospital has become one of America’s best-known paranormal destinations. Its history is undeniably tragic, and stories of apparitions, shadow figures, unexplained voices and other activity have helped give the building its haunted reputation.
Both Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures have investigated Waverly Hills. The Ghost Hunters episode focused on reports including ghostly nurse sightings, disembodied voices and shadow people. Ghost Adventures later investigated the location in Season 4 in the episode “Waverly Hills Sanatorium.”
For paranormal fans, Waverly Hills is almost a rite of passage.
4. Bobby Mackey’s Music World – Wilder, Kentucky
If you’ve watched Ghost Adventures, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of Bobby Mackey’s Music World.
The legendary honky-tonk in Wilder, Kentucky, became one of the most recognizable paranormal locations in television history. It was the subject of the very first episode of Ghost Adventures and was associated with stories about a mysterious basement, the infamous “Portal to Hell,” unexplained activity and decades of paranormal folklore.
Unfortunately for modern ghost hunters, there’s an important update: the original Bobby Mackey’s building is gone. The historic building was demolished on December 10, 2024, after deteriorating conditions made it too expensive to preserve.
The building’s demolition marked the end of an era for paranormal fans who had traveled to Wilder specifically to experience the location made famous by Ghost Adventures. The club temporarily relocated to Florence, Kentucky, while plans were developed for a new building at the original Wilder property. In June 2026, plans for a new venue at the site received approval, with construction expected to bring Bobby Mackey’s back to Wilder.
That makes Bobby Mackey’s a particularly interesting entry on a haunted travel bucket list: you can no longer visit the original building, but its paranormal history is still a huge part of the story.
For fans of Ghost Adventures, it is worth putting on your “haunted places I wish I could have visited” list—and keeping an eye on the future of the new Bobby Mackey’s.
5. The Lizzie Borden House – Fall River, Massachusetts
Few American houses have a history quite as notorious as the Lizzie Borden House.
In 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were murdered inside their Fall River home. Lizzie Borden, Andrew’s daughter, was accused and famously acquitted at trial.
Today, the house has become one of America’s best-known destinations for true-crime and paranormal enthusiasts. Visitors can take tours and, depending on the available offerings, experience the property after dark.
The house was investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 2, Episode 22, making it another destination where fans can visit a location they’ve seen explored on television.
For travelers who love the intersection of history, true crime and paranormal stories, this one is difficult to beat.
6. Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum – Weston, West Virginia
Imagine spending the night inside a gigantic 19th-century psychiatric hospital.
That’s exactly the type of experience available at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, West Virginia.
The historic asylum offers paranormal tours and overnight ghost hunts. The site says that visitors, staff and paranormal television crews have reported apparitions, unexplained voices and other unusual activity. It has been visited by both Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures, among other paranormal programs.
For serious paranormal enthusiasts, the opportunity to explore a historic asylum at night is hard to resist.
And yes—the building is enormous.
7. Winchester Mystery House – San Jose, California
Not every spooky destination is an abandoned building.
The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose is one of America’s strangest historic homes. The enormous mansion became famous for its unusual architecture, including staircases that lead nowhere, doors that open into walls and a maze-like collection of rooms and hallways.
The home’s history has inspired plenty of ghost stories, and paranormal television fans may recognize it from both Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. Ghost Adventures investigated the property in the Season 4 episode “Winchester Mystery House.”
Even if you don’t encounter anything supernatural, wandering through a house designed like a giant architectural puzzle is an experience in itself.
8. New Orleans, Louisiana
Instead of visiting one haunted building, why not visit an entire city with a reputation for being haunted?
New Orleans is a dream destination for anyone interested in ghosts, cemeteries, folklore and the supernatural. The city’s history is filled with stories surrounding the French Quarter, historic cemeteries, old hotels, restaurants and private residences.
One of the city’s most infamous locations is the LaLaurie Mansion on Royal Street. The property became notorious following the discovery of abused and mutilated enslaved people after an 1834 fire. Over the years, stories of phantom screams and other paranormal activity became part of the property’s legend.
The mansion has also attracted paranormal television attention, including investigations connected to Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. The property itself is privately owned, so visitors should admire it from permitted public areas rather than attempting to enter.
New Orleans is also packed with ghost tours, making it one of the easiest destinations to turn into a full paranormal vacation.
9. Poveglia Island – Venice, Italy
Ready to take your haunted vacation overseas?
Poveglia Island, located in the Venetian Lagoon, has developed a particularly dark reputation. The island has been associated with plague victims, quarantine and a later psychiatric hospital, creating the foundation for generations of eerie stories.
Paranormal television fans may recognize Poveglia from Ghost Adventures, which investigated the island in Season 3.
The combination of an abandoned setting, dark history and isolation makes Poveglia the kind of location that feels like it belongs in a horror movie.
However, access to the island can be restricted, so travelers should always research current rules and authorized access before attempting to visit.
10. Ohio State Reformatory – Mansfield, Ohio
You may recognize the Ohio State Reformatory from The Shawshank Redemption, but movie history isn’t the only reason people visit.
The enormous former prison has developed a reputation for paranormal activity and has appeared on paranormal television, including Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures.
Ghost Hunters investigated the reformatory and reported investigating areas including the isolation unit, cell blocks and infirmary after hearing accounts of footsteps, shadows and other unexplained phenomena.
For travelers who love both movies and the paranormal, it’s a two-for-one destination.
11. The Old Idaho Penitentiary – Boise, Idaho
Another former prison with a long list of ghost stories is the Old Idaho Penitentiary in Boise.
The prison housed thousands of inmates during its years of operation, and its history includes executions, violence and difficult living conditions.
It was also one of the locations investigated during the first season of Ghost Adventures. The episode originally aired in December 2008.
If abandoned prisons are your favorite type of paranormal destination, this one deserves a place on the itinerary.
12. Salem, Massachusetts
You can’t make a spooky travel list without mentioning Salem.
The Massachusetts city is forever associated with the Salem witch trials of 1692 and has embraced its witchcraft and Halloween history as a major part of its tourism scene.
Today, visitors can explore historic sites, museums, walking tours, cemeteries and attractions connected to Salem’s complicated past.
Paranormal television has also visited Salem. Ghost Adventures investigated locations in the area, including the Salem Witch House, making the city an especially fun destination for fans of the show.
October is particularly popular, but if you want a quieter experience, consider visiting outside Halloween season.
13. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg is another destination where history and ghost stories seem to follow you around every corner.
The 1863 Battle of Gettysburg was one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War, and the area has developed a long-standing reputation for paranormal activity.
Ghost tours are a major part of the Gettysburg tourism experience, with stories involving soldiers, historic buildings, battlefields and reported apparitions.
And, naturally, Ghost Adventures has investigated Gettysburg as well. The show has explored several locations connected to the battlefield and surrounding town.
For history buffs who also happen to love ghost stories, Gettysburg offers a fascinating combination of the two.
14. The Queen Mary – Long Beach, California
Who says a haunted destination has to stay on land?
The Queen Mary is a permanently docked historic ocean liner in Long Beach, California, and it has earned a reputation as one of America’s most famous haunted ships.
The ship’s long history, deaths aboard the vessel and countless ghost stories have made it a favorite among paranormal enthusiasts.
The location was also investigated by Ghost Hunters, which visited the Queen Mary as part of an episode that also featured the Winchester Mystery House.
For travelers who love cruises and ghost stories, this might be the ultimate combination.
15. Villisca Axe Murder House – Villisca, Iowa
For those who like their paranormal adventures especially chilling, there’s the Villisca Axe Murder House.
In 1912, eight people were murdered inside the home. The crime remains unsolved, and the house has since become a destination for people fascinated by true crime and the paranormal.
The property has been featured on Ghost Adventures, adding another recognizable location to the show’s long list of haunted destinations.
It’s the type of place where the history alone is enough to send a chill down your spine.
16. The Ancient Ram Inn – Gloucestershire, England
If you’re ready to take your paranormal bucket list across the Atlantic, consider the Ancient Ram Inn in Gloucestershire, England.
The historic building has a reputation for ghost stories, strange occurrences and an extremely unsettling atmosphere.
Ghost Adventures investigated the Ancient Ram Inn during its early seasons, and the location has remained a favorite among fans of paranormal television.
With its old-world architecture and centuries of history, it’s practically designed for a ghost story.
Planning Your Own Haunted Road Trip?
One of the best things about paranormal travel is that you can build an entire vacation around it.
You could plan a Pennsylvania ghost trip featuring Eastern State Penitentiary and Gettysburg. A Kentucky paranormal road trip could include Waverly Hills and Bobby Mackey’s. A New England spooky getaway could combine Salem with the Lizzie Borden House.
And if you’re really ambitious, you could create a bucket list based entirely on locations featured on Ghost Hunters or Ghost Adventures.
There are dozens of locations to explore, including prisons, hotels, hospitals, mansions, battlefields and even an island in the Venetian Lagoon. Some are open for tours and overnight experiences, while others are private properties or have restricted access.
A Little Travel Insurance for Your Ghost-Hunting Adventure
Even when your vacation is centered around ghosts, the unexpected can still be very real.
Flights can be delayed. Luggage can disappear. A sudden illness or injury can interrupt your plans. Transportation can be disrupted, or an emergency can force you to cancel or cut a trip short.
That’s where travel insurance can be worth considering.
If you’re planning a haunted getaway, paranormal road trip or Halloween vacation, look at your travel insurance options before you leave. Depending on the policy, coverage may be available for things such as covered trip cancellations, interruptions, travel delays, lost or delayed baggage and certain medical emergencies.
Because while we can’t promise that travel insurance will protect you from ghosts, it can help you prepare for some of the very real surprises that can happen while traveling
Ready to Add a Haunted Destination to Your Travel Bucket List?
Whether you’re a serious paranormal investigator, a Ghost Adventures superfan, a history lover or simply someone who enjoys getting a little creeped out on vacation, there is no shortage of spooky destinations to explore.
From the haunted halls of Eastern State Penitentiary to the mysterious Winchester Mystery House, the legendary Stanley Hotel and the ghost stories of New Orleans, these destinations prove that sometimes the most memorable travel experiences happen after dark.
So grab your flashlight, charge your phone, book your trip and leave a little room in your itinerary for the unexpected.
Just remember: if you hear footsteps behind you in an empty hallway…
Maybe don’t look back.
The Travel Insurance Chick™️ is here to help you explore your travel insurance options before your next adventure.
Call or Text (813) 448-7580
https://www.travelinsurancechick.com/
Sources:
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum
National Geographic