Real-Life Locations From Famous Scary Movies and Books You Can Visit

DO Go in There
Nearly all of our favorite scary movies and books were filmed or set somewhere that can be visited in real life. So why not make a trip to one of the following creepy locations this Halloween? Click on the slideshow for a tour of some of the eeriest examples across the country and the world.

Oakley Court
This stately Victorian mansion in Berkshire, England was a rundown mess when it stood in for Dr. Frank N. Furter’s castle in the classic cult film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It has since been converted into a luxury hotel and fans are more than welcome to book a time-warp-inducing stay.

Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco
If you’ve seen the original Friday the 13th movie, you know the grisly connection between villain Jason and Camp Crystal Lake. While the summer camp that he terrorizes in the film is fictional, the scenes were shot at a real summer camp called Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco. Special tours and merch are available, but just remember to leave the hockey mask at home.

The ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ House
Fans of Freddy Krueger should make a beeline to Genesee Ave in Los Angeles. While the movie is set in fictional Springwood, Ohio, this is the real house that served as the Thompson home in the first two films. Whatever you do though, just don’t fall asleep while you’re there!

Mount Hope Cemetery
Head to Bangor, Maine to stroll through one of the nation’s most gorgeous garden cemeteries and to see scenery you’ll recognize from the film adaptation of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. Probably best to stick to daytime visits, though.

The ‘Amityville Horror’ House
You’ve read the book, you’ve seen the movies, so why not cruise past the Long Island home that inspired everything this Halloween. While the veracity of some of the published accounts have been questioned, what’s not up for debate is that this house on Ocean Avenue in Amityville was the scene of a grisly crime in 1974 and things haven’t been quite the same since.

Whitby Abbey
The coastal town of Whitby in Yorkshire, England will forever be connected to the world’s most famous vampire book: Dracula. The author Bram Stoker was inspired by a stay in the town, and in the book, the Count arrives in Whitby after a shipwreck and then—in dog form—scurries up its famous 199 steps to reach the Church of St. Mary, its graveyard and the town’s moody ruined abbey. Climb the steps for yourself to re-create his journey.

The Steps from ‘The Exorcist’
The Excorcist is an icon in the genre of scary movies and much of the film was shot in and around Georgetown in Washington, DC. Perhaps the most memorable scene that doesn’t involve a spinning skull involved Father Karras tumbling down these steps that connect M Street to Prospect Street.

Palazzo Vecchio
Sure, Florence is famous for being the birthplace of the Renaissance, but it also takes a turn in Hannibal as the home of the infamous serial killer Hannibal Lector. In the film, its gorgeous town hall Palazzo Vecchio is the setting for one of Lector’s signature heinous acts.

Seneca Creek State Park
The Blair Witch Project ushered in a wave of found-footage horror flicks and this sedate state park is where some of the most unsettling scenes were filmed. Visit to stand on the stones where the three ill-fated filmmakers interviewed local fishermen and to see the ultra-creepy Coffin Rock.

The Dakota Building
Home to a moody Gothic facade, The Dakota on W 72nd Street is one of New York City’s most recognizable buildings. Part of its fame stems from the fact that it served as The Bramford (a name inspired by Bram Stoker) in the film Rosemary’s Baby. Walk past to see if you spot any strange goings-on.

The Bodega Bay Schoolhouse
Sonoma County, California’s Bodega Bay was the setting for Alfred Hitchcock’s groundbreaking film about avian terror The Birds. Visit the town today to see this historic schoolhouse, which was famously featured in the scene involving kids fleeing from the horror above them.

The Salzspeicher
Back when Lübeck, Germany was a Hanseatic League trading powerhouse, these storehouses were filled to the rafters with salt. Then the film crew for Nosferatu came to town in the 1920s and the storehouses have been linked with what is regarded to be cinema’s very first horror film ever since.

Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park
How does a trip to the forest from The Cabin in the Woods sound? Oh, don’t worry, nothing will happen to you like the kids from the film, it’s just a work of (very clever) fiction, right? This park in British Columbia, Canada offers lots of recreation opportunities in addition to the chance to re-create some scenes from the movie.

Evans City Cemetery
The opening scene of George Romero’s often replicated, never duplicated landmark horror flick The Night of Living Dead was shot in this Pittsburgh cemetery. Many of the same gravestones from the film are recognizable today, so why not stop by and see if your favorite undead character is still hanging around?

The ‘Scream’ House
The entire third act of this movie was filmed in this gorgeous house near Tomales, California, making it sacred ground among fans of the Scream franchise. It is located on the Spring Hill Estate and is only slightly visible from the road, but the home is occasionally open for private events, not sure about the garage though.

The ‘Ghostbusters’ Building
Ghostbusters may be a comedy, but there were some truly freaky happenings that went down at this apartment complex, which was known as “Spook Central” in the film. You’ll find it at 55 Central Park West in New York City, so feel free to pass by and snap a pic or two, but just keep your eyes peeled for the Gatekeeper and Keymaster.

The Partarriu Palace
Director Juan Antonio Bayona has gained quite a reputation for making moody films (the most famous being Pan’s Labyrinth), but The Orphanage might just be his creepiest. You’ll find this spooky manor near the town of Llanes in Northern Spain, and you’ll be transported to the film the moment you step onto the property.

The ‘Poltergeist House’
Head to Roxbury Street in Simi Valley, California to see where everyone’s favorite “family moves into a house that was built over a burial ground” flick was filmed. For the record, you’re going to have to bring your own static-filled television if you want to re-create the famous “They’re Here …” scene.

The Catacombs of Paris
Already high on the list of creepy tourist attractions, the catacombs of Paris and their population of skeletons starred in Jeremy Bates’ book The Catacombs. Take a tour to see if your group runs into the same sort of trouble as the one in the book does. Only if you dare, of course.

The House from ‘Paranormal Activity’
There’s nothing on the surface to suggest that the nice, normal-looking house on Bavarian Drive in suburban San Deigo was the scene of a frightening case of paranormal activity. Oren Peli, the filmmaker behind Paranormal Activity, shot the film in his own house and says it was a work of pure fiction. Well, there’s only one way to find out: politely roll up and see the vibes the house gives off from the outside for yourself.

Salem, Massachusetts
The cult 90s hit Hocus Pocus filmed all over Salem, with Pioneer Village standing in for Salem Village in the opening scenes of the film, the Ropes Mansion playing Allison’s House and the Old Town Hall hosting the Halloween party that gave us Bette Midler’s famous rendition of “Put a Spell on You”. Salem’s also got that whole Witch Trail vibe going on, too.

Geneva, Switzerland
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a dream Eurotrip come true, with the story stopping in The Netherlands, Germany, France and Scotland, but nowhere features as prominently as the region surrounding Geneva, Switzerland. The lake is namechecked numerous times, with the Plainpalais district being the scene of the monster’s first murder—and today there’s a statue to commemorate him. In fact, the novel itself was conceived in Geneva after the author spend a summer at a lakeside villa with friends.

Barton Academy
This historic school in Mobile, Alabama was done up to be the basement in Jordan Peele’s modern classic Get Out. You’ll only be able to view it from the outside, but that’s enough to imagine yourself strapped into a chair surrounded by dark woods.

All Saints Church
This atmospheric church in the Fulham neighborhood of London was the setting for a most unreligious turn of events in The Omen. For it was here where Fr. Brennan ended up on the wrong side of a lightning rod that fell off the roof of the church. You should be fine though, but go ahead and check the forecast before you visit.

Port Hope, Canada
This cute town in Ontario—near Toronto—was the spot where the most recent adaptation of It was filmed. Head to Memorial Park to see where the Paul Bunyan statue went berserk in the movie, the alley off Walton Street to see a door still sporting a Quality Meats sign and have a gander at town hall, which served as the Derry library. Then, search the nearby area for the intersection of William Street and Springmount Avenue and the infamous sewer grate.

Bronson Cave
This cave has starred in two disturbing films: 1957’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers and the modern-day zombie movie Cabin Fever. And if for some reason you find the original 1960s Batman TV show (Bam! Pow!) frightening, you’ll be happy to know that Bronson stood in as the Bat Cave.

Mount Tamborine
This lush national park in Queensland, Australia stands in for Mexico in the underrated horror flick The Ruins. In the film, a set of ancient ruins are discovered by a group of travelers and the jungle surrounding them turns out to be a pretty evil place indeed. But nothing bad will happen to you at the place where they filmed it though, right?

Grand Central Cafe
You’ll find delectable food served in a sumptuous setting inside this gorgeous Queen Anne-style cottage in Kingsland, Texas. But you’re probably more interested in the fact that the home served as a location for the original—and best—slasher film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse
The shockwaves of The Ring’s success reverberated for years as this remake of a Japanese movie was a certified sensation. The role of the eerie Moesko Island Lighthouse in the still-haunting film is played by this lighthouse in Newport, Oregon (near Agate Beach).

Timberline Lodge
While it’s true that Stephen King was inspired to write The Shining after a stay at The Stanley in Colorado, parts of the film were filmed here at the Timberline Lodge near Mount Hood, Oregon. For fans, laying eyes on the hotel and its dramatic backdrop is certain to send a chill down the spine.

The Witch’s House
This utterly unique home started life in Culver City before being moved to its current location in Beverly Hills. Along the way, it starred in the old-school scary movie The Undead (a role that gave it its nickname) and has become a favorite of local kids on Halloween every year.

The ‘Halloween House’
That powder blue house that the Myers called home in Halloween is still hanging around. You’ll find it by the train tracks in South Pasadena, California and while visitors aren’t typically allowed inside (the house is now a business), fans have been welcome to sit on the porch in the past. Which is fine, because why on earth would you want to go into that house anyway?