Iconic Halloween Film Locations Around the US
Since Halloween is right around the corner, it’s only fitting to explore the spookiest places in the US.
To kick the festivities off right, let’s explore some of the most famous horror film locations around the country that you can actually visit.
Written by Amelia Johnson
Photo courtesy of Carter Andrews
The Blair Witch Project
Seneca Creek State Park, MD
The scary ‘Black Hills Forest’ of the 1999 horror film The Blair Witch Project, where the villain haunts a small Maryland town is actually Seneca Creek State Park.
Today, you can go picnicking, kayaking, rent boats and enjoy the scenic Seneca Creek all without the fear of witches! 45 minutes away, the town of Burkittsville, in which the legend of the Blair Witch originated in the film, has had an ongoing relationship with fans ever since.
Photo courtesy of Van Terry
Dawn of the Dead
Monroeville Mall, Monroeville, PA
The Monroeville Mall just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the sight of cult-classic, Dawn of the Dead (1978). Two Philadelphia S.W.A.T team members, a traffic reporter + his television executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded mall from flesh-eating zombies. Dawn of the Dead is considered to be one of the best zombie movies + has a 93% approval rating on the movie critic website, Rotten Tomatoes. Today, the mall reminds visitors of its past as the sight of this famous movie by offering zombie laser tag, official plaques and a twice yearly “The Living Dead Weekend” that celebrates the iconic film!
Photo courtesy of the Timberline Lodge
The Shining
Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood, OR
Set as the fictional, isolated hotel called the Overlook Hotel in the 1980 film, The Shining, is the Timberline Lodge. Although the film takes place in Colorado, the actual Timberline Lodge is located on Mount Hood in Northern Oregon and remains an active mountain resort to this day! Contrary to common belief, only the exterior was used in the film. The majority of The Shining was filmed at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, England which was used for the interior scenes.
Photo courtesy of Scouting NY
The Sixth Sense
St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, Philadelphia, PA
Although the majority of M. Night Shyamalan’s 1999 film, The Sixth Sense, was filmed in the city of Philadelphia (also where the story takes place), we choose to highlight St. Augustine’s Church.
St. Augustine’s church is where the audience sees Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) + Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) meet for the first time. Additionally, this church is where Cole seeks refuge from his demons. Take a trip to Philly + travel to each of the filming locations (especially St. Augustine’s Church)!
Photo courtesy of Business Insider
Rosemary’s Baby
The Dakota, New York, NY
This historic apartment building, The Dakota, is the set of the fictional building, The Bramford in the 1968 film, Rosemary’s Baby. In the film, The Bramford is known for its dark past + is coincidentally where Rosemary (Mia Farrow) conceives the child of Satan.
Additionally, it is the same apartment building where John Lennon + Yoko Ono once lived and is also the location of John Lennon’s murder in 1980.
Photo courtesy of Joanne C
The Exorcist
Georgetown, Washington, DC
This set of steps located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington D.C. is the backdrop for the scene in The Exorcist (1973) where Father Karras plummets seventy-five steps to his death, ultimately sacrificing himself to kill the demon, Pazuzu.
Today, the steps are commemorated with a plaque + attract movie lovers for a perfect selfie spot.
Photo courtesy of The Gas Station
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Gas Station: Bastrop, TX
This gas station turned barbecue joint, is the location of the 1974 horror classic, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Here, a group of ill-fated friends discover that this “gas station” doesn’t sell gas at all + must escape a killer cannibal who wears a flesh-skin mask. The gas station turned into a barbecue restaurant in 2016 + sells horror film memorabilia. Definitely capitalizing on the theme of murder, the restaurant has a sign hanging outside saying “We Slaughter”.
Photo by Craig Philpott
Stand By Me
Lake Britton Bridge, Burney, CA
Set in 1950s small-town Oregon, Stand By Me (1986) uses the Lake Britton Bridge in Burney, California as the location where the boys, off to find a dead body, attempt to cross this train bridge. Based on Stephen King’s thriller, “The Body”, Stand By Me trails a group of young boys as they make the decision to find this body and get caught up in a series of misadventures, ultimately embarking on a journey that defined each of their lives.
We hope you enjoyed this list and have a ghoulishly good time this October! What are your favorite films to get into the Halloween spirit?
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Book your next adventure today, and let us know if you have a special interest in haunted locations or movie sets!