This Haunted Fall Road Trip Itinerary is For Horror Buffs
The fall months bring with them a spookiness unlike any other season. Although you might read some tall tales about ghosts and ghouls during Halloween, this haunted fall road trip itinerary will give you the chills IRL. The east coast is filled with enough spooky destinations to provide even the biggest horror buffs a good ol’ scare.
Whether you’re looking to explore haunted houses or camp out in an eerie forest, you’ll find something that fills you with frights on this itinerary. Take winding back roads to visit some historic sites with bloody pasts, or explore the woods on your own — if you dare!
Days 1-3: Massachusetts
Talk about a scary state! A quick search of the best haunted houses and tours in the USA will inevitably turn up a huge number of results located in Massachusetts. Looking further, if you’re not already scared out of your mind, you’ll find that these spooky attractions are some of the most famous out there — making it a must-visit for any true horror buff.
Fall River, MA — Visit this town to see the infamous home of axe murderer Lizzie Borden, one of America’s most intriguing unsolved mysteries. Try not to step on the evil spirits’ toes, though, since you’ve got a long journey ahead…
Plymouth, MA — Who knew the pilgrims could be so freaky? Head first to the Mayflower landing site: Plymouth Rock. You can spend your day touring the sites of some of our nation’s most historic happenings before you scare yourself $*#!less on one of the nighttime Dead of Night tours.
You’ll be surrounded by extremely old cemeteries during your stay, but even the living dead get hungry! Make sure to start one of your mornings with a comfort-food breakfast at Carmen’s Cafe Nicole, right on the water. There are no shortage of hidden gem restaurants in the area, even though they’re not haunted… or are they?
If you need a detox on Day 2 from all the spooky of Plymouth, thankfully you’re only steps away from the Provincetown ferry. Take a trip over and enjoy everything that the famous town has to offer, from beachfront views to a variety of trendy clothing stores.
Salem, MA — Enough said. Salem is the site of the infamous witch trials that occurred during the latter half of the 17th century. This town is proud to be spooky, and you’ll fall in love with all of its shops, museums, and monuments during your stay. We recommend spending at least a full day here, especially since the fall months attract many visitors due to the town’s Haunted Happenings schedule.
Days 4-6: Maine
Stephen King’s novels might be works of fiction, but there’s one thing he wasn’t making up: Maine is scary as hell. And no, that’s not The Mist settling over your campervan, it’s just fog. Keep your wits about you, though, as you head to…
Kennebunk, ME — Home of the Mainely Murders bookstore, this shop is the best place to pick up a few horror novels to page through during vacation downtime.
Portland, ME — This quiet little town has its own nightmarish secrets, and you can take one of the popular Wicked Walking Tours to see what I’m talking about.
Bar Harbor, ME — When you’re getting too comfortable by the bayside, just remember, there’s evil everywhere you turn. Some of the most popular destinations for daytime travelers, like the 1932 Criterion Theater, end up much more frightening at night once you hear their backstories on a Bar Harbor Ghost Tour.
Bangor, ME (optional) — For the true horror buffs, stop in Bangor to take a look at the eerie home of Stephen King, complete with wrought iron gates fit for The Haunted Mansion itself.
Day 7: Rest!
Want to exorcize all those demons you’re about to bring home and leave them in the campervan for us to take care of? Take the last day of your haunted vacation and choose a destination from any one of our field guides to visit on the way back. And since you’ll need a drink or two after all that spookiness, make sure you check out the breweries section of the field guides first.
Still Not Scared?
If after all those hauntings you realize you’re not-so-easily scared, drop us a line at hello@vanishtravel.com and we’ll hide a ouija board in your van, just for the thrill of it all!