If You're A Fan Of Anything Creepy Or Mysterious, You Need To Visit These 9 Places ASAP
These U.S. destinations are certifiably strange and unusual.
Welcome to the ultimate list of top-10 places to visit in 2021 that are perfect for lovers of all things horror, mystery, and paranormal! From strange and unusual destinations to the locations of iconic horror films, you'll feel practically haunted by travel plans!
1. The Haserot Angel – Cleveland, OH
The Haserot Angel (it's official name being "The Angel Of Death Victorious") pierces the soul when you see black tears mysteriously pouring down its cheeks. While incredibly creepy, the tears actually have a scientific explanation – they were formed over time by the effect of bronze aging. However, according to lore, there's more to the Angel than meets the eye. Upon hugging the statue, many visitors have reported feeling stuck in the grasps of an unknown force and being brought to tears in its presence. And the Haserot Angel isn't the only marker in this sinister cemetery that'll leave you chilled to the bone. It's an eerie destination but one you're going to want to visit if paranormal activity is your thing.
2. Kreischer Mansion – Staten Island, NY
The abandoned Kreischer Mansion boasts a huge amount of paranormal activity, but it's not just a random haunted mansion. It's also the site of a terrible real-life crime scene. Notably found on Arthur Kill Rd, it's said to be one of the most haunted places in New York. The wealthy Balthasar Kreischer came to Staten Island in the 1800s and soon had his mansion constructed and a second replica mansion built for his sons. Unfortunately, Mr. Kreischer died before the completion of the second mansion. His sons attempted to keep their father's brick business afloat but ultimately failed, leading to one of his sons taking their own life in the surviving mansion. The unfinished mansion was subsequently lost in a fire, but the main mansion was left standing. It remained abandoned for years due to increasing speculation on the strange phenomenon felt within the walls of the mansion. That is, until it was allegedly purchased by a Mafia Boss. The boss's caretaker was supposedly found guilty of killing and dismembering people in the basement of the house where he burned their bodies and drove himself mad.
The mansion was preserved as a landmark in the '60s, but in 2020, the landmark board voted to allow condominiums to be built in its place. Additional approvals are still needed and have not yet been approved so demolition and construction on the site have been delayed indefinitely. This site might not be around much longer so I'd hurry if you want to visit the mansion in its full glory.
3. Ohio State Reformatory – Mansfield, OH
Did you love the movie, The Shawshank Redemption (1994)? Well, here's your chance to visit it in real life and possibly witness some paranormal activity in person. The prison's east cell block is the largest remaining free-standing steel cell block IN THE WORLD at six-tiers high! Hotspots for paranormal activity include two chapels, the infirmary, the solitary confinement section, and the warden’s office. Over 200 people died at the prison while it was still in use including a handful of guards killed during escape attempts.
4. The Montana Vortex & the House Of Mystery – Columbia Falls, MT
The House of Mystery and the surrounding Montana Vortex is sure to make you question the laws of gravity. Built in 1970, this bizarre crooked house was built to show the true powers of the land it was built on. Where else can you visit and see yourself and others shrink or grow right before your eyes? Native Americans first discovered this natural phenomenon and still to this day honor it with offerings of sweet grass and tobacco.
5. Texas Chainsaw Massacre Gas Station – Bastrop, TX
If your love for old horror movies with cannibal chainsaw-wielding mass murders leaves you hankering for some BBQ, look no further! Complete with four rustic on-site cabins, this Texas gas station is right up any horror movie buff's alley. And if you're a little worried about eating somewhere cannibals ran rampant, don't fret. The sign out-front will put you at ease with the words, "We Slaughter BBQ."
6. The Evil Dead Cabin – Morristown, TN
This is the site where Sam Raimi shot one of the most iconic horror movies ever made. The story goes that during the filming of the movie, some of the actors nearly killed each other which some fans suspect was due to supernatural occurrences. Unfortunately, remnants of the building seem to be all that's left these days due to the nature of the film, but that doesn't seem to stop people from wanting to experience the site's spooky power for themselves. Would you dare go out in the middle of the woods to find the ruins of the Evil Dead house?
7. Cave Of Kelpius – Philadelphia, PA
Within this dark abyss is the location of where a doomsday cult awaited the end of the world. The group was often referred to as the Hermits of Wissahickon or the Society of the Woman of the Wilderness – a reference to a section of a passage in Revelations. Kelpius – a self-proclaimed guru from Transylvania – settled the area and formed his cult of 80+ people in 1694 until his death in 1704. Then the group disbanded and left the area. No one's quite sure what went on within these eerie caves, but based on the evidence they left behind, it was pretty strange stuff.
8. The Witch House – Salem, MA
Boasted as one of the only surviving structures with direct ties to the Salem witch trials of 1692, the Witch House has a tragic history. Judge Corwin bought the house in 1675 at the age of 23 and lived there as he oversaw more than 200 convictions of "witches" from February 1692 to May 1693. Of the 200+ convictions, 59 were tried; 31 were found guilty; and 20 were executed and tortured to death. Today, it serves as a museum but will always be home to one of the men who sent people to their death for being "witches.” It's supposed to be an incredibly haunted area, and honestly, I can see why.
9. And finally, the Clown Motel – Tonopah, NV
Ok... Hear me out. I know that not everyone feels a strong fear or dislike of clowns and that this creepy little motel located in the Nevada desert might not seem like a horror fan's play ground. However, just beyond the entrance of this creepy dead-eyed clown doll motel, you'll find a troubling number of rock and stone markers in its adjoining abandoned cemetery. The graveyard is the site where forgotten miners who tragically lost their lives centuries ago were laid to rest but left abandoned in the middle of the desert. So realistically, this is what you'll find at this "charming" motel: 1,000s of glass eye clowns and dolls and a full onsite abandoned graveyard full of lost souls doomed to spend eternity haunting the desert. What better vacation destination, right?