Top destinations for an eerie getaway

From classic ghost tours to not-entirely-haunted castles, we’ve delved into data from Tripadvisor, Rotten Tomatoes, and World Population Review to uncover the best spooky destinations worldwide and have curated our specialists’ top experiences for exploring the macabre in each one. You might choose to visit the storied streets of Boston or New Orleans with a guide, hearing tales of the cities’ grisly pasts, explore an atmospheric castle, or visit landscapes once featured in classic horror movies.

Destination with the most “haunted” tours: the USA

With a thriving entertainment industry and a passion for all things spooky, it’s no surprise that the USA is home to 723 different ghost and vampire tours. Many are clustered around the older cities — New Orleans, for instance, where seemingly every hotel, mansion, plantation, and bar claims a resident spirit.

A guided tour is the only way you can explore the cemeteries here. Because of the city’s high water table and tendency to flood, bodies are traditionally interred in above-ground mausoleums, making them like cities of the dead — they’re rife with legends of paranormal activity. The grave of local legend Marie Catherine Laveau is a particular draw — the marble walls of the tomb are marked with an XXX, thought by some to bring a blessing from this voodoo priestess.

San Francisco is thick with ghost stories as well, which you can explore on a guided tour of Chinatown or an after-dark tour of Alcatraz. You’ll also find a ghostly trolley tour in Boston.

Coming in at second on the list, Canada boasts a rich maritime history that’s given rise to a plethora of stories as well. A self-drive tour of the Atlantic provinces gives you the chance to hear spooky tales and see some of the many lonely (and often haunted) lighthouses that stand sentinel on the wave-lashed coast.

And in third-place India, you can visit Jaipur’s Bhangarh Fort, considered the most haunted building in the country.

The top five destinations with the most ghost and vampire tours:

1. USA — 723
2. Canada — 31
3. India — 30
4. Australia — 27
5. Jamaica — 24

Destinations with the most castles (outside of Europe)

Few types of building have the haunted reputation that clings to most castles — by their nature, they tend to be old and often the site of violent events. While spooky castles are most prevalent in Europe, several other countries have their own versions of castles, albeit often with less history and intrigue.

The top five destinations (outside of Europe) with the most castles:

1. USA — 303
2. Armenia — 293
3. Japan — 264
4. Azerbaijan — 106
5. Canada — 69

Topping this list by dint of sheer size, the USA has the most castles. Despite the fact that they’re all fairly recent, many are still considered haunted castles. However, another of our favourite destinations has a long history of distinctive castles — Japan. Earthquakes are common on the archipelago, so castles here are made from wood, which can survive the frequent shakes better than rigid stone walls.

We’re happy to arrange guided tours of many of the country’s castles, from the flamboyant Nijo Castle in Kyoto to Kanazawa Castle and its renowned Kenrokuen Garden. You might even don shogun attire and spend the night in Ozu Castle, where you’ll be greeted with taiko drums and treated like a lord for the evening.

Destination with the most horror-film settings: the USA

Many modern-day ghost stories are told first on the silver screen, and a list of the top 100 horror films of all time revealed that New York has been used as the setting for the most horror films, followed by California.

The top five destinations with the most horror film settings:

1. New York – USA — 7
2. California – USA — 4
3. Japan — 4
4. Canada — 4
5. South Korea — 3

With thriving entertainment industries, it’s natural that the top two spots for horror places to visit are held by two US states. In New York, a guided tour of neighbourhoods like Little Italy and Chinatown can offer insight into the cultures that mingle here. In California's Los Angeles, you might get a glimpse into the movie (and television) magic that goes into creating these films with a backstage tour of Warner Bros or Universal Studios.

Meanwhile, Japan’s distinctive horror movie genre draws on a wealth of stories about yōkai (supernatural beings), which date back to the Edo and Meiji periods. These films are presented with uniquely Japanese styles and conventions that make them popular among fans around the world. You can delve into Japan’s storytelling culture by visiting Studio Ghibli’s Anime Museum, and explore the Edo origins of the geisha in Kyoto.

Whether you’re interested in an entirely ghost-themed holiday, from start to finish, or just want to add a visit to a “haunted castle” to your travels, our specialists can create a trip around what intrigues you most for your next Halloween holiday.