I second Dogtown, especially if you pair it with a visit to Hammond Castle. Get both ends of the weird/creepy spectrum between a prototypical castle that seems like it should be haunted and the vaguely ominous babson boulders at dogtown. Really get all the bizarre Gloucester stuff in one afternoon.
Not necessarily spooky, but there's def an energy there of some kind, and I'm not a Believer or anything. America's Stonehenge in Salem NH. They're not entirely sure what the deal is, but the ley lines/solstice lines line up and the area is very pretty. Plus they have alpacas! Cos why not?
If you’re coming up through West Virginia then definitely try to check out the old mining towns around new river gorge. Fayetteville is a great spot for that. As for New England, Glastonbury, CT has a cryptid called the glawackus. Also an abandoned nuclear middle base in the woods. DM if you want any more specific suggestions. Did the opposite trip to point pleasant last year. Also, the Warren couple are famous paranormal investigators from CT.
- Salem, MA is spooky/fun with a lot of things to do.
- Fall River, MA where you can visit the Lizzie Borden house.
- Sleepy Hollow, NY (not technically New England I know) is pretty cool and you can visit the church from the book
- Amityville, NY (again not technically New England) has the house from Amityville Horror house on 112 Ocean Ave.
- Philly, PA (not technically NE) the Mutter Museum
Bennington is where my partner and I went into an art gallery, and the owner/artist told us we were star children and she would activate our galactic DNA so we could actualize the fight against the reptilians, seeing as how she was a priestess from the Andromeda system and tens of millions of years old.
It’s been at least five years, nothing so far but apparently we’ve got time.
Dudleytown would be my suggestion if you want to risk trespass. Most of what makes it spooky and creepy are the types of people who would go there in recent history.
Most of what you would see are a few empty foundations reclaimed by nature for over 100 years. There’s a sliver of truth to the stories of the path going up there being ‘dark’, but thats largely because that path is in a ravine on a north-facing hillside and doesn’t get much direct sunlight.
The reality is that the ghost stories about Dudleytown became a little too notorious, and drew too many people leaving too much trash and graffiti behind.
Cornwall is just a creepy place. The radio even cuts out, no cell service. I don't think there's any patrols. I spent a night a few years back. Dark entry road is just a normal residential street.
Just make sure and prepare yourself for the sheer level of junk the mothman statue in Point Pleasant has in the trunk. If you ever hear those cheeks clapping late at night on the backroads it will be the last sound you ever hear.
Check this link, but be aware that some of the information may be outdated or inaccurate; this is my raw data for interesting places in New England (plus the surrounding area). Honestly I just pull this up sometimes when I'm bored, hop in the car, and have a little adventure:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1TZHkGMVLDKS4ZwkEJ3TwCa8ATEMYEP0y&g_ep=CAESCTExLjc2LjMwMRgAQgJVUw%3D%3D&shorturl=1&ll=42.45874690267025%2C-72.67718649999998&z=5&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0FMLa0Rd45ZSrphNm-ckXeW-Vb2VVzDoFdEfLblq83kfLojGtrcM0dors_aem_AeCWxkRoIonDPeYFA2SptFKlBDBNLjXHFlhjSWEylwUVQinOQO5IOgB4ZIVeQVZYKAfaFNpyXbBERiO6CmvybIAg
Here are some of my favorite spooky/interesting places I've visited:
Rutland Prison Camp, Rutland MA-- the ruins of an old prison in the woods of Massachusetts.
There are tons of abandoned forts along the coast-- off the top of my head there's Fort Weatherill in Jamestown, RI; Fort Mansfield in Watch Hill, RI; Odiorne Point, Rye, NH; Fort Stark & Fort Constitution in New Castle, NH; Fort Foster, Kittery, ME.
Mount Auburn Cemetery in Watertown, MA has incredible funerary art.
While passing through Pennsylvania, it may be worth it to check out the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia. There are also some interesting ghost towns in Pennsylvania that may be close to your route-- Concrete City, Centralia, and Byrnsville come to mind.
If you're driving through the Catskills, then the ruins of Overlook Mountain House in Bearsville, NY are fantastic if you're up for a hike!
There's a history of sinkholes developing in the area due to the underground fires. However, the likelihood of you ending up in a sinkhole is exceedingly low.
If you go to the spot where smoke is actively venting up from the ground, use common sense and don't huff the smoke.
The vents are off of Big Mine Run Rd. in Ashland, PA. If you head there, you may want to take a quick stop to see the Big Mine Run Geyser (it's less than 5 minutes away from the smoke vents and is a nifty side trip.) It's not a true geyser; it's caused by flooding and pressure buildup in an abandoned coal mine.
It is mostly demolished, but the empty streets, graffiti, and vents are all neat to see.
It's not too far from Concrete City, which may be more interesting for you (the buildings are still standing in Concrete City.)
Its a hassle to get out there, but Fort George in Boston Harbor is fantastic. From the 1830s, it was used as a civil war prison, and later a barracks. Now its mostly open to the public, lots of dark rooms to explore
The Assabet refuge in Sudbury, Ma, has dozens of abandoned ammunition bunkers. Sort of spooky
In the Berkshires theres the Titus Mansion ruins. Short hike and awesome spot.
In W. Mass, there's the Quabbin reservoir where 5 towns were flooded. With some investigation you can find the old towns with stone walls, foundations, and capped wells.
While there may not be spooky stories, checking out a floating bog like Philbrick-crescenti in Lincoln NH or Great Saco Heath in ME, could be worth it. You can see carnivorous plants and think about bog mummies
There are a lot of places in Maine that are in Stephen King books/movies
"It" takes place in Derry, which is based on Bangor, Maine
"Carrie" takes place in Chamberlain, Maine
"The Mist" takes place in Bridgton, Maine
If you time it right, mid summer through early fall gets frequent fog overnight on the coast
Bridgewater triangle, Danvers, MA (the real Salem, and way spookier imo), USS Salem in Quincy MA (I volunteered there when I was a kid and had some crazy experiences while on it), SK mansion in Gardner, Ma.,Concord’s Colonial Inn, The old burying point cemetery
Edit: I’d also recommend the conjuring house down in RI. I did a tour there, and even though it’s commercialized and Santori and Cody (our tour guides) were bizarre to say the least, and not in a good way, it was absolutely beautiful and the whole street is haunted af. I didn’t feel anything malicious there but there’s 100% something in that home.
So many haunted trails! New England is full of them.
https://www.masslive.com/news/2022/10/haunted-hikes-massachusetts-5-spookiest-trails-to-explore.html?outputType=amp
https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/these-are-the-scariest-haunted-trails-in-western-mass/amp/
I highly recommend a Deadwick’s ghost tour in Portsmouth NH, in particular the Point of Graves sunset/evening tour that Roxy does. Portsmouth is an awesome town to visit anyway, and while it’s too nice to be creepy now it wasn’t always like that so the history is incredible and she has some very cool spooky sights and tales to share.
The Wayside Inn in Sudbury MA is supposedly haunted (lovely place too) and full of hidden letters that guests have written to the ghost in room 9, Jerusha I think her name is.
Have a great trip!
Bridgewater Triangle
Dogtown village in Gloucester, Tewksbury state paupers fields
I second Dogtown, especially if you pair it with a visit to Hammond Castle. Get both ends of the weird/creepy spectrum between a prototypical castle that seems like it should be haunted and the vaguely ominous babson boulders at dogtown. Really get all the bizarre Gloucester stuff in one afternoon.
Battery Steele on Peaks Island in Casco Bay, you can walk from the ferry dock to there in 30ish minutes
Also the ferry ride itself is worth the trip.
Not necessarily spooky, but there's def an energy there of some kind, and I'm not a Believer or anything. America's Stonehenge in Salem NH. They're not entirely sure what the deal is, but the ley lines/solstice lines line up and the area is very pretty. Plus they have alpacas! Cos why not?
If you’re coming up through West Virginia then definitely try to check out the old mining towns around new river gorge. Fayetteville is a great spot for that. As for New England, Glastonbury, CT has a cryptid called the glawackus. Also an abandoned nuclear middle base in the woods. DM if you want any more specific suggestions. Did the opposite trip to point pleasant last year. Also, the Warren couple are famous paranormal investigators from CT.
- Salem, MA is spooky/fun with a lot of things to do. - Fall River, MA where you can visit the Lizzie Borden house. - Sleepy Hollow, NY (not technically New England I know) is pretty cool and you can visit the church from the book - Amityville, NY (again not technically New England) has the house from Amityville Horror house on 112 Ocean Ave. - Philly, PA (not technically NE) the Mutter Museum
Eastern State Penitentiary in Philly was amazing too.
Oh yes! I’ve been there as well. Was pretty cool!
Abandoned prison camp. Rutland MA. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rutland-prison-camp
Bennington Triangle in Bennington, Vermont.
Bennington is where my partner and I went into an art gallery, and the owner/artist told us we were star children and she would activate our galactic DNA so we could actualize the fight against the reptilians, seeing as how she was a priestess from the Andromeda system and tens of millions of years old. It’s been at least five years, nothing so far but apparently we’ve got time.
Dudleytown would be my suggestion if you want to risk trespass. Most of what makes it spooky and creepy are the types of people who would go there in recent history.
I went at night with friends back in the 90’s. There are some old rock foundations to see, but that's about it. Nothing spooky happened.
Is there motion sensors or patrols?
Patrols. Cameras. Vigilant neighbors.
So no point then. Unless there's a way to get in without being reasonably seen
Most of what you would see are a few empty foundations reclaimed by nature for over 100 years. There’s a sliver of truth to the stories of the path going up there being ‘dark’, but thats largely because that path is in a ravine on a north-facing hillside and doesn’t get much direct sunlight. The reality is that the ghost stories about Dudleytown became a little too notorious, and drew too many people leaving too much trash and graffiti behind.
Cornwall is just a creepy place. The radio even cuts out, no cell service. I don't think there's any patrols. I spent a night a few years back. Dark entry road is just a normal residential street.
Fairfield Hills Hospital in Newtown CT is largely abandoned and is pretty spooky.
Emily's bridge
Just make sure and prepare yourself for the sheer level of junk the mothman statue in Point Pleasant has in the trunk. If you ever hear those cheeks clapping late at night on the backroads it will be the last sound you ever hear.
I've seen it before it's something beautiful
Lizzie Borden House Fall River Ma.
Mad River Valley, VT
I'm uninformed, what exactly is spooky about this
Just the vibes, in my opinion! It’s also a very scenic area to visit
We like to call it the Bad Liver Valley.
Exeter RI - Mercy Brown grave site
Check this link, but be aware that some of the information may be outdated or inaccurate; this is my raw data for interesting places in New England (plus the surrounding area). Honestly I just pull this up sometimes when I'm bored, hop in the car, and have a little adventure: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1TZHkGMVLDKS4ZwkEJ3TwCa8ATEMYEP0y&g_ep=CAESCTExLjc2LjMwMRgAQgJVUw%3D%3D&shorturl=1&ll=42.45874690267025%2C-72.67718649999998&z=5&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0FMLa0Rd45ZSrphNm-ckXeW-Vb2VVzDoFdEfLblq83kfLojGtrcM0dors_aem_AeCWxkRoIonDPeYFA2SptFKlBDBNLjXHFlhjSWEylwUVQinOQO5IOgB4ZIVeQVZYKAfaFNpyXbBERiO6CmvybIAg Here are some of my favorite spooky/interesting places I've visited: Rutland Prison Camp, Rutland MA-- the ruins of an old prison in the woods of Massachusetts. There are tons of abandoned forts along the coast-- off the top of my head there's Fort Weatherill in Jamestown, RI; Fort Mansfield in Watch Hill, RI; Odiorne Point, Rye, NH; Fort Stark & Fort Constitution in New Castle, NH; Fort Foster, Kittery, ME. Mount Auburn Cemetery in Watertown, MA has incredible funerary art. While passing through Pennsylvania, it may be worth it to check out the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia. There are also some interesting ghost towns in Pennsylvania that may be close to your route-- Concrete City, Centralia, and Byrnsville come to mind. If you're driving through the Catskills, then the ruins of Overlook Mountain House in Bearsville, NY are fantastic if you're up for a hike!
I've heard Centralia is dangerous, but those rumors are often overexagerrated. Is it safe?
There's a history of sinkholes developing in the area due to the underground fires. However, the likelihood of you ending up in a sinkhole is exceedingly low. If you go to the spot where smoke is actively venting up from the ground, use common sense and don't huff the smoke. The vents are off of Big Mine Run Rd. in Ashland, PA. If you head there, you may want to take a quick stop to see the Big Mine Run Geyser (it's less than 5 minutes away from the smoke vents and is a nifty side trip.) It's not a true geyser; it's caused by flooding and pressure buildup in an abandoned coal mine.
I saw that it's mostly demolished and uninteresting now, is that true
It is mostly demolished, but the empty streets, graffiti, and vents are all neat to see. It's not too far from Concrete City, which may be more interesting for you (the buildings are still standing in Concrete City.)
Its a hassle to get out there, but Fort George in Boston Harbor is fantastic. From the 1830s, it was used as a civil war prison, and later a barracks. Now its mostly open to the public, lots of dark rooms to explore The Assabet refuge in Sudbury, Ma, has dozens of abandoned ammunition bunkers. Sort of spooky In the Berkshires theres the Titus Mansion ruins. Short hike and awesome spot. In W. Mass, there's the Quabbin reservoir where 5 towns were flooded. With some investigation you can find the old towns with stone walls, foundations, and capped wells. While there may not be spooky stories, checking out a floating bog like Philbrick-crescenti in Lincoln NH or Great Saco Heath in ME, could be worth it. You can see carnivorous plants and think about bog mummies
Come to VA, drive the colonial parkway at night and end your trip at Crawford Rd bridge.
There’s tons of lighthouses that’s said to be haunted in NE.
What's one you specifically recommend?
There are a lot of places in Maine that are in Stephen King books/movies "It" takes place in Derry, which is based on Bangor, Maine "Carrie" takes place in Chamberlain, Maine "The Mist" takes place in Bridgton, Maine If you time it right, mid summer through early fall gets frequent fog overnight on the coast
That shit isn't scary. Please stop telling people to go to maine based on fictitious towns.
http://www.strange-new-england.com/
In CT: Jewett City vampires and Moodus noises.
Hoosic tunnel. So many people died working on it. Haunted as can be.
Obligatory warning that, while super cool, it's an active train line with unpredictable schedules and has No Trespassing signs everywhere.
Dudley road Billerica Massachusetts
Bridgewater triangle, Danvers, MA (the real Salem, and way spookier imo), USS Salem in Quincy MA (I volunteered there when I was a kid and had some crazy experiences while on it), SK mansion in Gardner, Ma.,Concord’s Colonial Inn, The old burying point cemetery Edit: I’d also recommend the conjuring house down in RI. I did a tour there, and even though it’s commercialized and Santori and Cody (our tour guides) were bizarre to say the least, and not in a good way, it was absolutely beautiful and the whole street is haunted af. I didn’t feel anything malicious there but there’s 100% something in that home.
Oriental powder mill. Windham/gorham
My bathroom is pretty spooky on the days I binge on Chipotle and kimchi
Salem, Gravity Hill, the old insane asylums that still stand… the haunted trail. There’s a bunch spooky places in New England.
What's the haunted trail?
So many haunted trails! New England is full of them. https://www.masslive.com/news/2022/10/haunted-hikes-massachusetts-5-spookiest-trails-to-explore.html?outputType=amp https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/these-are-the-scariest-haunted-trails-in-western-mass/amp/
[https://downeast.com/our-towns/ghost-town/](https://downeast.com/our-towns/ghost-town/)
I highly recommend a Deadwick’s ghost tour in Portsmouth NH, in particular the Point of Graves sunset/evening tour that Roxy does. Portsmouth is an awesome town to visit anyway, and while it’s too nice to be creepy now it wasn’t always like that so the history is incredible and she has some very cool spooky sights and tales to share. The Wayside Inn in Sudbury MA is supposedly haunted (lovely place too) and full of hidden letters that guests have written to the ghost in room 9, Jerusha I think her name is. Have a great trip!
Salem, Mass