Haunted Destinations to Visit on Vacation

Dwindling daylight combined with cooler temperatures in the northern hemisphere make autumn the perfect time to explore a new city. Shrouded by legends of the paranormal, these destinations are haunted by real histories that continue to attract ghost hunters and curious travelers alike. From eerie hotels to haunted mansions, Alamo Rent A Car shares the most popular destinations for those who can’t get enough of the paranormal.

 

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Drive about 8 miles east from Sangster International Airport

Set atop a bluff with expansive ocean views, Rose Hall Mansion in Montego Bay, Jamaica, is noted for the legend of the White Witch of Rose Hall. According to folklore, Annie Palmer, whose husband owned the mansion, murdered him in the night while living there in the 19th century. Mystery, murder and curses followed her throughout her life: Her two subsequent husbands died suddenly, as did her parents. Annie is said to appear as a white witch, roaming the halls of her splendid mansion.

Tours of the Rose Hall great house and its gardens, located an easy drive from many of the resorts on the island’s north coast, provide an excellent afternoon or evening adventure for travelers. And whether fact or fiction, the legend of the White Witch of the Rose Hall mansion offers a fascinating look at what the life of the European bourgeoisie was like hundreds of years ago on this Caribbean island.

 

Salem, Massachusetts

Drive 17 miles northeast of Boston Logan Airport

Known around the world as the infamous site of the witch hunts of 1692, Salem is still haunted by the women accused of witchcraft and then executed. Those who dare to roam the streets will discover cemeteries, decaying witch houses, and haunted hotels that hold secrets of the town’s dark past. The bravest travelers will book a room at The Hawthorne Hotel, which holds a terrifying past of its own dating back to 1962. The owner of an apple orchard, on which the Hawthorne Hotel was built on, was executed in the Salem witch trials. Today, guests often report a crisp smell of apples, flickering lights, and the sound of a crying baby. Many others claimed to have seen a female apparition walking up and down the halls.

 

San Antonio, Texas

Drive about 9.5 miles south from San Antonio International Airport

San Antonio, known as the home of the Alamo, is also home to several urban legends and haunted spots. Among them is the Alamo itself, where travelers have spotted several ghosts and paranormal activities. One of the most commonly spotted apparitions at the old mission is the little boy of the Alamo. The blonde-haired boy is often seen in the upstairs window and is said to return to the site where he last saw his parents. Other apparitions include a soldier shaking his head somberly and a father and son on the roof of the Alamo.

 

New Orleans, Louisiana

Drive 17 miles east from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

As one of the most popular cities to visit in the U.S., New Orleans welcomes everyone, even the dead. Walking through the city’s French Quarter reveals more than just Café iconic Du Monde’s generously powdered beignets. Some of the spirits that are said to haunt the French Quarters are those of the victims of Madame Marie Delphine LaLaurie, one of the world’s most infamous serial killers. When rescuers responded to a fire in 1834 at her New Orleans mansion, they discovered bound slaves in the attic, whom Madame LaLaurie tortured and murdered. For those seeking to explore the spooky legend and the lavish mansion left behind, book one of the city’s ghost tours, many of which stop at the LaLaurie Mansion.

 

Orlando, Florida

Drive about 23 miles west from Orlando International Airport

From Hamburger Mary’s, a haunted burger joint, to the I-4 Dead Zone, there is no shortage of spooky places in Orlando. While it may not be a haunted destination, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a must-see spectacle when traveling with family in October. Disney celebrates the season with a twist, inviting families to discover the happiest hauntings on earth with plenty of candy, costumes and characters!