Travel Inspiration

Destination Travel: Scary Places to Go For Halloween

Destination Travel: Scary Places to Go For Halloween

Halloween is lurking right around the corner and thrill seekers across the country are planning out their spookiest adventures. If you’re a fan of ghost stories and spine-chilling urban legends, we’ve got some destination travel inspiration for you. After you check out our list, read on to see how trip insurance can keep your spooky Halloween travels from becoming downright scary.    

7 of the Spookiest Places in America

A photo of Salem at sundown.

Fall River, Massachusetts

This city is one of the most haunted places in Massachusetts. Intrepid travelers and ghost hunters alike flock here year-round to brave one of the most haunted forests in the world and stay overnight in one of the country’s spookiest BnBs. Legend has it that the Freetown Fall River State Park forest is cursed. It certainly has a history of tragedy and violence to support that. Over the decades, there have been plenty of reports of paranormal activity as well. Visitors report sightings of everything from UFOs to ghosts and mysterious orbs of light.  If that’s not chilling enough, you can stay overnight in this downright spooky house. In the late 1800s Lizzie Borden was tried but ultimately acquitted of murdering her father and stepmother. Today the house doubles as a bed and breakfast and museum. Guests have reported several paranormal occurrences, from the ghost of Lizzie Borden’s stepmother, to the mysterious figures of two small children. It’s even rumored that Borden herself haunts the place. 

Waipi’o Valley, Hawaii

Spooky isn’t exactly what people think of when they think of Hawaii, but this valley is known to be one of the most haunted places in the country.  If you need a break from all the R&R you’re sure to get in Hawaii, head on over to Waipi’o Valley on the Big Island for a real adrenaline rush. Visitors to the valley have reported seeing a group of ancient warriors marching to the beat of a drum. It’s said that these aptly-named Night Marchers wear cloaks and armor and carry archaic weapons and are either marching out of or into battle. If you catch a glimpse of these warriors, it’s said to bring a bit of bad luck. The legend advises witnesses to lie on the ground until they pass by.  

Main Street, St. Charles, Missouri

One of the most haunted streets in the United States, this Main Street is anything but commonplace. Local legend has it that several of the buildings on the street are haunted. Shop patrons have reported hearing disembodied voices and certain restaurant employees and guests have reported a number of ghostly encounters. 

The Haunted Bridge, Avon, Indiana

It’s natural to feel a little anxious when crossing any bridge, but Indiana’s Haunted Bridge is a whole nother level of scary.  However, it’s not crossing the bridge that alarms locals, it’s crossing under the bridge. Rumor has it that a young mother and her infant were walking along the tracks when they fell to their deaths. Today, locals say you can hear the mother wailing as you pass under the bridge. As the superstition goes, if you pass under the bridge while driving, you’re supposed to honk to ward any bad luck away. 

Battery Point Lighthouse, Crescent City, California

Lighthouses have a reputation for being a little eerie and Battery Point Lighthouse might be a little more eerie than you bargained for. According to visitors the lighthouse may be haunted by up to three specters, two adults and a child. Fortunately, reports are that the ghosts border on playful rather than dangerous. 

Cahawba, Alabama

This is one of America’s most famous ghost towns, which pretty much makes it a perfect place to explore over Halloween. Most of the buildings of this Civil War-era town were burned or dismantled by 1900. But Cahawba didn’t officially achieve ghost town status until 1989. According to lore, a mysterious apparition-like orb haunts the abandoned town. There seems to be some debate as to whether the sighting was the ghost of a Civil War general or something equally eerie: a will-o’-the-wisp, a ghostly phosphorescent light. 

Salem, Massachuttes

No list of spooky places would be complete without Salem. Made infamous for its witch trials of the late 17th century, the town has really leaned into its spooky reputation. Every halloween there’s a host of activities to enjoy, ranging from the celebratory to the downright scary. If you feel like dancing at the Salem Witches Halloween Ball or exploring the haunted history of the Burying Point Cemetery, book your trip to Salem sooner rather than later. Salem is arguably one of the most popular Halloween destinations in the world. 

Wherever Your Halloween Travels Take You, Trip Insurance Can Help

Whether you’re inspired to tackle any of the haunted places on our list or just want to explore some of the best haunts the world has to offer, trip insurance can help protect you and your travel companions both physically and financially. For a fraction of your total trip cost (usually between $100 to $200) you’ll get the benefits and protections you need for an unforgettable time.   

Group of friends celebrating Halloween with a group selfie.

How Can Trip Insurance Help?  

Whether you’re out there hunting ghosts or investigating the eeriest urban legends, you’ll want to check out these trip insurance benefits: 

Basic trip cancellation includes a number of covered reasons. For example if there’s a catastrophic natural disaster in your area or in the destination country, or if you are suddenly too sick to travel, your basic cancellation insurance would likely cover you. 

And if your nerves just get the best of you, the Cancel For Any Reason add-on benefit lets you cancel your trip for any reason up to two days before your departure date. You’d recoup most of your prepaid nonrefundable expenses.  

  • Flight Delay, Cancellation or Missed Connection Coverage: When you have trip insurance, issues like flight cancellations, flight delays and missed connections are a lot less scary. When a flight is delayed or you miss your connecting flight, trip insurance may cover the policyholder’s unexpected related expenses like a hotel stay or hotel-to-airport transportation. If your flight is canceled due to the airline, it is their responsibility to offer you some form of compensation, but if they don’t, trip insurance may help mitigate the financial blow. 
  • Baggage Loss: If a baggage claim ghost nabs your luggage or it just doesn’t arrive when you expected it to, trip insurance ensures that you’re covered for resulting fees. 
  • Accident & Sickness Coverage: Eat a little too much candy corn while exploring the Paris Catacombs? A hazy apparition runs you off the road in Berlin? Trip Insurance offers Americans traveling abroad coverage for new injuries and illnesses. While a typical policy maximum will cover up to $500,000, for more comprehensive medical coverage consider travel medical insurance.  
  • Emergency Medical Evacuation:  Whether you’re caught in the middle of a zombie apocalypse or suddenly injured in a remote and/or medically unequipped area, with this benefit you can be airlifted to the nearest medical facility for urgent care. Without insurance, this procedure would cost a blood-curdling sum of $100,000. 

Keep Your Spooky from Becoming Scary with VisitorsCoverage 

Whether you run into a vampire in Transylvania, encounter a zombie in the cornfields of Iowa, or just, you know, lose your luggage, having trip insurance in your back-pocket can help you on your adventures to any Halloween travel destination. Have questions? Our award-winning Customer Success Team of licensed travel insurance experts has answers. Want a VisitorsCoverage trip insurance quote? Find it here.