Top 10 places to get spooked

By Editorial Staff

updated 2:49 p.m. ET Oct. 24, 2005

They say the freaks come out at night – and on no night more so than October 31. Our top ten places to get spooked on Halloween are a frightful blend of spine-chilling cities, weird wayside towns, and baffling bodies of water. We propose four uncanny urban settings, both stateside and across the pond, where ghosts and ghouls add to the daily hustle and bustle. Or, discover the places where legends are born, like Transylvania, Roswell, or Salem. We’ve also hacked our way through several hair-raising hotels to recommend a night where a notorious ax-murder once slashed or the hotel where Stephen King was inspired to write The Shining. So pack your best costume, vampire stake, or ghost buster, and head out for the Halloween night of your dreams (or nightmares)!

Bermuda Triangle
We’ve all heard of the Bermuda Triangle – that mysterious oceanic abyss blamed for swallowing a slew of aircrafts and ships, and, more humorously, all of the socks that seem to vanish from washing machines. Plan on a cruise through the baffling Bermuda Triangle this Halloween and you just might get to witness some eerie sights.

Edinburgh
Descend into the underworld, literally! A forgotten city lies beneath Edinburgh’s South Bridge – an underground maze of chambers, vaulted rooms, tunnels, and passageways where thousands of people are thought to have lived and died. Not surprisingly, the vaults are famous for their strong paranormal presence; many visitors swear they’ve seen wraithlike ghost shadows down below – and some have even managed to photograph them.

Lizzie Borden B & B
Good night, sleep tight – don’t let the axe-murderers fright! For a bone-chillingly good scare and a guaranteed sleepless night, book a Halloween getaway to the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast, a Greek Revival house in Fall River, Massachusetts (about 50 miles south of Boston). Built in 1845, the house famously became the setting of the 1892 ax murders of Abby and Andrew Borden, allegedly by their very own daughter, Lizzie!

London
While it may be merrie olde England on the surface, there is a frightening underbelly in this ancient capital city. Forget high tea – and head out for a spot of ghost-hunting instead, in haunted nooks and crannies in courtyards, churches, and alleyways that recall bloody and brutal events from times long ago.

New York
As if the streets of New York weren’t freakish enough all year long, the freakiest of them all get to show off their eccentricities to applause and prizes on Halloween, as part of the annual parade that celebrates the spooky – and kooky – spirit. The fun doesn't end when it does – countless costume parties abound around town as well.

MORE FROM SEASONAL

Seasonal Section Front

Summer lake towns Hotel shown in ‘Hawaii Five-O’ shutting down Southwest, AirTran and Frontier start sales America's best ice cream shops Cool tools for road trippers Dollar-saving strategies for summer travel Long days, short trips: rethinking summer Summer airfares: Hesitant travelers need to act America's top summer activities 2009 America's best summer getaways 2009 Seasonal Section Front   Add Seasonal headlines to your news reader: