21 Spooky Date Ideas For You And Your Boo

Dating just got even scarier.

Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

1. Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast in Fall River, Massachusetts

David CC BY / Via Flickr: bootbearwdc

Book a room for two or just do a tour to have a horrifyingly good time at the setting of one of the most famous double murders in American History. The owner has said that the room where Lizzie's stepmother Abby was found murdered is the most requested booking among guests.

2. Sleepy Hollow, New York

Shinya Suzuki CC BY / Via Flickr: shinyasuzuki

Escape New York City on a day trip to this village about an hour north of the city that's inspired iconic books, movies, and TV shows. The two of you can visit nearby Sparta Cemetery, where mists and lights float around graves (Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is equally creepy-cool and houses Washington Irving's tombstone); Sunnyside, Irving's own home where apparitions are a common sight; and Patriot's Park, where the ghost of a beheaded Revolutionary War soldier still roams.

3. Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia

See-ming Lee CC BY-SA / Via Flickr: seeminglee

Cozy up to your love by grabbing onto their arm for dear life as you tour through this Gothic, ghost-ridden prison in the City of Brotherly Love. Once the home of Al Capone, it was continuously used for 142 years before it was abandoned in 1971. Take a daytime tour to catch a glimpse of the famous visions and ghosts that haunt the place. Better yet, make a night of it with Terror Behind the Walls, a haunted house installation that runs through November 7.

4. Cape May, New Jersey

Shinya Suzuki CC BY / Via Flickr: shinyasuzuki

Perennial beachgoers, pack your bags and head over to Cape May, one of the oldest resort destinations in the U.S., where you can mix in some spookiness with your romance in the sand. Go on a trolley ghost tour to get yourself acquainted with the area's Victorian homes and history, visit the definitively haunted Higbee Beach, and, if you just can't get enough, stay overnight in one of the many ghostly B&Bs, like Windward House.

5. Antietam National Battlefield near Sharpsburg, Maryland

David McSpadden CC BY / Via Flickr: familyclan

Head here ASAP if both of you love history as much as the occult. Often called one of the most haunted battlefields in the U.S., Antietam is the site of the bloodiest single-day battle not just in the Civil War, and the spirits of fallen soldiers haunt the whole place. Stroll à deux along key spots like Bloody Lane and soak in all that the place has to offer.

6. Brown Mountain in North Carolina

Mark Clifton CC BY-SA / Via Flickr: washuotaku

Trek over to Brown Mountain, where tons of people have reported seeing red and white balls of light, known as "ghost lights," appearing through the trees, if you want to add a little haunted glow to your hiking date. Hike to one of the several convenient overlooks on the mountain for a good vantage point. The eerie orbs are best seen in autumn, during or just after a rain, so pack a rain coat and boots along with your picnic for two.

7. The Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville, Kentucky

Aaron Vowels CC BY / Via Flickr: 97964364@N00

Put aside any reservations of a date at a former sanatorium, because this one is a must-see for any couple that loves the weird, sordid history of our country's health systems (and ghosts, of course). Waverly Hills was a tuberculosis hospital from 1920-1961. Some estimates say that more than 60,000 patients died within its walls, and the cold spots, disembodied voices, and ghosts of old women and young children are thought to be the result of this grisly past. Go on a guided tour of the sprawling campus, or, if the idea is too much, wait a few years: Plans are reportedly in progress to turn it into a resort specially catering to people who want to sleep among ghosts.

8. The Florida Theater in Jacksonville, Florida

The Florida Theater / Via floridatheatre.com

Take in A John Waters Christmas or a performance by Bo Burnham during date night whilst surrounded by spirits. Built in 1926, the historic Florida Theater sits on the former site of a rowdy jail and police station, which many believe gave the theater a spooky start. Since then, employees have reported seeing bizarre shadows, lights, and hearing inexplicable humming. In 2010, a local group even captured footage of a full-body apparition.

9. Lafitte's Blacksmith Bar in New Orleans

Vítor Baptista CC BY / Via Flickr: vitorbaptista

Don't miss this spot if you're in ghost-packed New Orleans. At this 18th century Bourbon Street bar, the oldest in the country, you can grab some brews and try to catch a glimpse of Lafitte's ghost. Once a pirate and privateer, his apparition is known to lurk in corners, waiting for patrons to see him. Not enough of a scare for a good date? Head upstairs to see if you can spot the spirit of a woman who died there in 1890.

10. Moon River Brewing Company in Savannah, Georgia

instagram.com

Order some craft beers and toast to love and the paranormal at this brewpub. This is supposedly the spookiest place in all of ghost-tastic Savannah. Several ghosts take up residence there, including a basement dweller named Toby, and Mrs. Johnson, who roams around the upper levels. The brewery embraces its haunted history, and is usually part of the super-popular ghost tours through the city, if you prefer to see it that way.

11. Bell Witch Cave in Adams, Tennessee

The Official Home of the Historic Bell Witch Cave / Via bellwitchcave.com

Go on a cave tour and hole up with your significant other in this haunted cave — romantic, amirite? No really, it's an awesome place to visit if you want a ghostly third wheel to crash your date. The legendary Bell Witch is thought to be the ghost of Kate Batts, a neighbor of John Bell who promised to haunt him and his descendants after he allegedly shortchanged her in a land purchase.

12. Forepaugh's Restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota

Forepaugh's Restaurant / Via forepaughs.com

Treat yo'selves to a classy French dinner in one of the most genteel neighborhoods of St. Paul. At this historic Victorian mansion, though, the food will be second to the atmosphere if you and your date want to drink in some chilling history. Entrepreneur Joseph Lybrandt Forepaugh built the sprawling house for his family, but his pregnant wife Molly hanged herself in a third-floor room. Nearly 30 years later, Joseph died by suicide as well, in a nearby park. Today, their ghosts are spotted all over the property, particularly in the basement.

13. Villisca Axe Murder House in Villisca, Iowa

Jennifer Kirkland CC BY-ND / Via Flickr: jingerelle

Book an overnight tour and bring a sleeping bag to share, because a place described as a paranormal investigator's dream is not something to take lightly. It's not a shocker that this place, where the entire family of Josiah Moore and two overnight guests were killed in 1912, can be terrifying, but that's why it's such a good spot to bring someone you can hold on to when you get scared.

14. Lincoln Square Theater in Decatur, Illinois

facebook.com

If you still don't have Halloween plans, then buy two tickets to the Houdini Seance Spookapalooza at this theater, the oldest in Decatur. The event embraces the spot's scary past: Ghost researchers love it because it was built on the site of a devastating fire in 1916, and a ghost named "One-Armed Red" still walks across the stage. Other apparitions have been spotted in the stairwell and lobby.

15. KiMo Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Ken Lund CC BY-SA / Via Flickr: kenlund

Step out on the town for a movie at this historic theater (they often show throwbacks like E.T. and The Exorcist), or go on one of its haunted tours. The Art Deco-Pueblo Revival Style theater, perhaps the best-known landmark in Albuquerque, is also one of its most haunted. Built in 1927, the ghost of six-year-old Bobby Darnell, who was killed when a water heater in the theater's lobby exploded in 1951 lurks, as does a mysterious bonneted lady.

16. Hotel Monte Vista in Flagstaff, Arizona

Matt Kieffer CC BY-SA / Via Flickr: mattkieffer

You don't need to book a room for two to get a good feel for this ghost-ridden hotel built in 1926. Celebrities like John Wayne and Barbara Stanwyck have stayed there, but the "permanent guests" have become equally well-known. Hit up the Monte Vista Cocktail Lounge for a drink, and you'll still have an ethereally good time — a ghostly couple is often spotting dancing throughout the bar.

17. Catfish Plantation in Waxahachie, Texas

Nicolas Henderson CC BY / Via Flickr: texasbackroads

Go on a dinner date in the Dallas area at this spot — characters from the town's past commingle with diners, including a male ghost that flirts with female guests and a young woman who used to own the property. The 1895 Victorian house-turned-Cajun restaurant takes its slogan, "Serving soul and spirits," seriously, so whether or not you spot anything eerie, you can enjoy a romantic dinner in an extra warm atmosphere.

18. Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California

Mike Shelby CC BY / Via Flickr: mikeshelby

Go on a tour of this topsy-turvy historic home for a fun date, or, if you're feeling truly adventurous, do one of the flashlight tours at night to get up close and personal with its macabre past. The place, built in the 1880s by Sarah Winchester, the widow of William Winchester (of gun fame), still calls itself "the house built by the spirits," and its maze of 160 rooms include a séance room, stairs that go nowhere, and bizarre interior windows.

19. Red Onion Saloon in Skagway, Alaska

Quinn Dombrowski CC BY-SA / Via Flickr: quinnanya

Stop in for some local brews and food with a side of treachery at this brothel-turned-restaurant in one of the most haunted towns in the U.S. Check out its ghost blog before you head in so you know what to look out for as you sip away.

20. Bodie State Historic Park in Bridgeport, California

Oscar Vasquez / Via parks.ca.gov

Walk hand-in-hand through this former gold mining town, located northeast of Yosemite National Park, and make sure to listen out for the occasional howl from the spirit of a former prospector. If you visit during the summer, try to catch one of the ghost walks, when guides will teach you its history beneath the star-studded sky.

21. Haunted Plantation in Waipahu, Hawaii

YouTube / Via youtube.com

Gird each other's loins and prepare for a wickedly good time at this haunted house, Hawaii style. It sits on a sugar plantation that puts it on for most of October every year, and it's described as Hawaii's scariest attraction. It's the real deal, and definitely a worthwhile night out, but not for the faint of heart.

22. Spooked out yet? Grab your favorite ghost and get haunting!

instagram.com

Where are you off to first?