Casa Loma, Toronto, Canada, Courtesy Hector Vasquez

People love to explore the uncanny and unexplained as Halloween draws near. One way to do so is by visiting some of the purportedly haunted places around the world that also happen to be spectacularly beautiful. Not only is it a great way to get in some travel time, but it can also elicit thrills, as one never knows what to expect when visiting the following locales.

Casa Loma, Toronto, Canada

This gothic revival castle that sits on a hill in midtown Toronto was built in 1914 by Sir Henry Pellatt as an homage to his wife. The 70,000-square-foot structure with 98 rooms was later acquired by the city after Pellatt lost his fortune. It has multiple secret passageways and hidden storage areas. Legend has it that ghosts have been spotted on the property for years.

Today, Casa Loma is run by Liberty Entertainment Group and is a popular year-round destination for tours, weddings, film productions and special events. Each October, the estate is transformed into a haunted attraction called Legends of Horror. For 2025, the event runs October 4 through November 1, with Family Hours on select evenings (5:00–6:30 p.m.) that are less dark and actor-free, making them ideal for kids. Standard hours begin at 7 p.m. and run until late. Visitors outside of Halloween season can enjoy the Murdoch Mysteries Escape Game or simply explore the lavish grounds and history of the castle.

Visit casaloma.ca

Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California

When Winchester rifles heiress Sarah Winchester lost her husband and infant daughter, a medium told her it was payback by the spirits of all who had been killed by Winchester rifles. She was instructed to build a house large enough to accommodate the angry spirits.

What started as an eight-room farmhouse became a 24,000-square-foot labyrinth of 160 rooms, 10,000 windows, 2,000 doors, 52 skylights, 47 staircases and fireplaces, 17 chimneys, 13 bathrooms and six kitchens. Oddities abound: staircases to nowhere, upside-down columns and secret passageways, all designed to confuse spirits. Visitors report unexplained phenomena throughout the house.

The attraction is open year-round, but this fall its marquee event is Festival Fright Nights, running September 26 through November 1, 2025, on select nights. This new three-part haunt features themed rooms and scare zones across the property. Guests can also sign up for Unhinged: Hotel on select nights, along with daily tours such as Walk with Spirits, which takes visitors through a Victorian séance, the third floor and the basement.

Visit winchestermysteryhouse.com

The Myrtles Plantation, St. Francisville, Louisiana

Built in 1796, this plantation has a long history of tragedy, disease and violence. The most famous legend centers on Chloe, an enslaved girl said to have poisoned a birthday cake, killing members of the household. The story has been widely debated by historians, but the legend persists.

The plantation, often called “America’s Most Haunted Home,” is now a small inn with lush gardens. Guests can book daytime or evening tours—or even stay overnight in one of the antique-filled rooms. Many report paranormal encounters ranging from cold spots to ghostly apparitions.

Visit themyrtles.com

The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado

Overlooking the Rocky Mountains, the Stanley Hotel inspired Stephen King’s novel The Shining. Despite its reputation, visitors flock here for both its beauty and its ghosts.

The hotel offers a variety of tours, including the Spirited Night Tour, The Shining Tour and King’s Cottage Tour, which blend history with ghost lore. Seasonal events add to the atmosphere, such as the annual Shining Ball. In 2025, the Shining Ball will be held Saturday, October 25, featuring music, a DJ, and a costume contest for both overall best and best “Shining”-themed costume. The hotel also hosts theatrical performances and paranormal-themed events throughout the year.

Visit stanleyhotel.com

The Queen Mary, Long Beach, California

Built in 1936, the Queen Mary was once a luxury liner before being pressed into service as a World War II troopship nicknamed the “Grey Ghost.” On Oct. 2, 1942, she accidentally sliced through her escort ship, HMS Curacoa, killing more than 200 sailors. Tragedy has followed the ship ever since.

Guests and staff have reported screams in the pool area and sightings in the engine room. Now permanently docked in Long Beach, the Queen Mary has been restored to much of her original grandeur and serves as a hotel, museum and event venue.

History tours and dining are available daily, but the ship’s most popular option is the Haunted Encounters  tour, which highlights the vessel’s infamous paranormal residents. The Queen Mary also hosts Dark Harbor, a massive Halloween festival running September 19 through November 2, 2025 on select nights. This event features haunted mazes, scare zones, themed bars and live entertainment, cementing the Queen Mary’s reputation as one of America’s most haunted ships.

Visit queenmary.com

Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Once among America’s largest and most expensive prisons, Eastern State Penitentiary opened in 1829 as a bold experiment in “penitence” and prison reform. Its soaring, Gothic-Revival cell blocks, long barred hallways, and crumbling guard towers have become iconic — and infamously haunted. Al Capone and “Slick” Willie Sutton served time here, and visitors report whispers in empty wings, distant footsteps, and shadowy figures lingering behind rusted bars.

Today, the penitentiary is preserved as a National Historic Landmark and offers multiple ways to explore its past and its phantoms. By day, visitors can take audio tours (narrated in part by former inmates and staff), guide-led tours that delve into its architecture and the history of solitary confinement, or self-guided walks through exhibits and installations.

At night, the penitentiary comes alive in a more chilling way. Halloween Nights runs select nights from September 19 through November 8, 2025. During this immersive festival, expect five haunted houses, historic tours, themed bars and lounges, live performances, and scare zones — all within the walls of the ten-acre former prison complex.

For those who want something more exclusive, there’s a VIP admission option: skip the general-entry line, get into certain haunted attractions early, enjoy The Speakeasy at Al Capone’s Cell lounge with cocktail service, plus a complimentary drink. There’s also the Hospital Flashlight Tour, where guests walk through the medical block and operating room by flashlight — eerie, intimate, and not for the faint of heart.

Visit easternstate.org

Ready for a Thrill?

From Canadian castles to Southern plantations, from Colorado mountains to the California coast — and now, a notorious Philadelphia prison — these destinations combine history, beauty and mystery. Whether you’re chasing chills, history or both, these haunted locales promise a trip you’ll never forget.

By Carrie Dunlea, Special Contributor

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