Top 5 Haunted Destinations to Visit for Halloween

The most haunted places to visit this Halloween.

Haunted Travel Destination Bucket List for Halloween 2018. 

October is an exciting month of the year; the weather becomes a lot cooler, the trees start to change colors, and days get shorter. With a lot of seasonal changes, there is still a lot of opportunity for travel. Escape the office by getting into the Halloween spirit this October by traveling to one of the most haunted destinations in the United States. Here are a few of the most haunted locations and the backpack that will be your best companion for any spooky travel plans that you dare to take this year.

RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California

This retired ocean liner took her maiden voyage on May 27, 1936 and has a vast history. Now located in Long Beach the RMS Queen Mary is now a museum and hotel. Her first three years at sea were spent as a luxury ship sailing the Atlantic Ocean. When World War II broke out in 1939, the ship was stripped of all luxuries to become a troopship known as “The Grey Ghost.” She transported more than 800,000 troops, survived a collision at sea, and transported war brides to the United States. After more than 1,000 transatlantic voyages and war, it’s no surprise that there are 150 known spirits lurking on the ship. You can experience the haunted phenomenon for a day with a self-guided tour; or book a night if you dare.

Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, California 

The Federal Government first housed military prisoners on this island in the late 1850s; those same prisoners were forced to build a new prison better known as “The Rock”. This prison was designed to break the spirit of prisoners by providing brutal punishments. Alcatraz closed in 1963, leaving behind trapped spirits who still haunt the island. If you dare to encounter the ghost of Al Capone and a mob hitman known as the Butcher, then this is one haunted travel location you must experience to get into the Halloween spirit.  

Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia

This frightening prison opened in 1829 and was one of the first prisons in the United States to implement solitary confinement. Inmates stayed in gloomy stone cells with no human contact; hoods were placed over their heads anytime they needed to be moved. Ghosts and inmates took back the prison in 1971 once it was closed. The prison is open for tours, and visitors have claimed to see shadows wandering the halls and hear mischievous whispers in abandoned cells.

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Weston, West Virginia

This promising asylum opened to patients in 1864. This massive building was designed to maximize sunlight and fresh air to act as a healing environment. By the 1950s this facility, which was only designed for 250 people, now housed 2,400 patients with disorders ranging from alcoholism to epilepsy. Patients were often treated with inhumane conditions causing hundreds of deaths. This facility closed in 1994 leaving behind hundreds of spirits to roam the hall.  

The LaLaurie Mansion, New Orleans, Louisiana

The LaLaurie Mansion was owned by a woman named Madame Marie DelphineLaLaurie and was once known as a location that held grand parties. Guests would gorge on fine champagne and food, but little did they know what secret she had two floors above the mansion. In 1834 police responded to a kitchen fire and discovered bodies of several mutilated slaves in the attic. This discovery prompted Madame Marie to flee back to France leaving the mansion abandoned. It has been said that you can hear phantom screams from her victims in the dead of night.  

As you embark on a spooky Halloween trip to escape the work week, remember that all explorers carry their essential items. Don’t forget to pack your laptop, chargers, and cell phone. These haunted destinations will get you in the spirit for Halloween, but you do not want to miss out on taking your essentials because you did not have the proper backpack. The 15.6” Urban Explorer Backpack will house all of your items and sit comfortably on your back as you walk in the footsteps of the spirits left behind.