If you’re a real Halloween enthusiast, you can incorporate haunted houses and ghost tours in your travels. There are spooky attractions all over the world. Some cater to children, while others are strictly for adults.
Across Europe, centuries-old castles are rife with paranormal activity. In the U.S., old manors, prisons and asylums report ghost sightings and unexplained disappearances. In most cases, you can book tours at these places. There’s no better time to do so than in October.
Here are four sites to check out this Halloween season.
Bran Castle (or Dracula’s Castle) – Transylvania, Romania
From Nosferatu to Lestat, the lore of the vampire continues to intrigue. This is thanks in no small part to Bram Stroker’s novel “Dracula, ” which takes place at Bran Castle.
Located in Transylvania, Bran Castle was built in the hills in 1377. At that time, it was intended to hinder the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. Over the years, it has experienced sieges, natural disasters and disrepair. It was a royal residence for quite some time before becoming a museum in 1956.
On October 28, 2023, the castle is hosting a Halloween tour, party and a special sit-down dinner. All are geared toward adults.
Eastern State Penitentiary – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
This Philadelphia prison is unsettling, so it’s an ideal setting for the spooky season. When it was in use, it housed thousands of inmates, including Al Capone.
Tickets for the Halloween Nights experience are on sale. A VIP ticket affords access to several haunted attractions, lounges and bars on the prison’s grounds.
If you opt in at the haunted attractions, you consent to getting shoved by the actors and possibly being separated from your group. This adds another layer of fun to the whole experience, but the exits are clearly marked if things get too scary.
Rolling Hills Asylum – East Bethany, New York
There’s no need to wait till Halloween to partake in a ghost tour at this former asylum in East Bethany, New York. The site dedicates the month of October to ghost tours, scary movies and psychic readings.
Rolling Hills functioned as a poorhouse and an institution for the outcasts of society. Many believe the spirits of these people still haunt the grounds today.
Rose Hall Great House – Montego Bay, Jamaica
You probably won’t find a Jamaican who hasn’t heard of the woman dubbed “The White Witch of Rose Hall.” The former residence of Annie Palmer is open all year long. The After Hours Tour is the only one of its kind in Jamaica.
This specialized tour features reenactments by actors. During the tour, a guide takes guests through the 18th-century house, the dungeon and the grounds. Reservations are required, and discounts are offered for Jamaicans.
Keep an eye out for Annie Palmer’s ghost, which meanders the grounds.