With over 4.1 million miles of public roads, it’s no wonder that the road trip has become an all-American pastime. Earlier this year, we published a list of motorcycle routes for sunny days, but what about travel plans for that time of the year when melancholy coats our highways and winding roads like a blanket of fog? If you’re the kind of person who loves the Victorian tradition of reading ghost stories for Christmas and considers a resident ghost a plus when booking a hotel, here are some road trip locales that might appeal.
We’re not saying these places are all haunted… but we’re also not saying that they’re not. It’s up to you to visit and decide for whether the legends are true.
Salem, Massachusetts
Here’s a town that delivers the quaint adorableness of Stars Hollow while also proudly boasting its grisly past. You can get tasty fish and chips, do some leaf peeping, and visit the Witch Dungeon Museum all in the same day!
Other attractions include sites where Hocus Pocus was filmed, The House of the Seven Gables, and arcading and snacks at The Willows.
Sleepy Hollow, New York
Here’s another charming East Coast small town with some spooky lore attached. Besides the obvious Headless Horseman, Sleepy Hollow is purported to be haunted by a whole cadre of ghosts, including the school bus children, a lady in white, a hell dog, and a ghostly carriage.
While you’re there, you can visit the Old Dutch Church and Burying Ground, stop by Kykuit (The Rockefeller Estate), and go apple picking in the autumn.
Savannah, Georgia
If you’re chasing milder winter weather, love historical buildings, and find the thought of visiting one of the most haunted cities in America titillating… this one’s for you.
Fill your trip itinerary with an architectural walking tour, dine and drink at The Pirates House restaurant (rumored to be haunted by sailors and pirates), stay at the Hamilton-Turner Inn if you dare. You might just encounter one of the hotel’s resident ghosts.
Eureka, California
Founded in the 1850s as a supply post for the mining industry, Eureka in a town on the Northern Californian coast known for its architecture, surrounding nature, and of course… some ghostly spirits who hang about all over the place, from the Carson Mansion to the Eureka Theater and the local high school.
While you’re there, be sure to explore the Redwood Sky Walk, go back in time in Eureka’s Old Town, and stare at the Carson Mansion’s dazzling exterior.
Tonopah, Nevada
We must admit that we would never, ever venture to a place famous for something called The Clown Motel, but to each their own. If your idea of a good time involves being in the middle of the desert and surrounded by clowns then… enjoy?
Other attractions include the Old Tonopah Cemetery (is it filled with clown victims???), the Historic Mining Park, and the Clair Blackburn Memorial Stargazing Park.
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is another city that is widely known as one of the most haunted places in the U.S., with many hauntings attributed to the devastating hurricane of 1900.
Famous ghosts include the phantom piano player at Aston Villa, the pirate Jean Lafitte, and a woman in white at the Hotel Galvez.
During your trip, you can also visit the Historic Strand District, hunt for seashells at the beach, and visit an antique warehouse that used to be a brothel.
Good luck on your travels, adventurous spinsters. Should you meet with any spirits along your journey, we hope they treat you with benign indifference and aren’t tempted to follow you home.
