Some movie sets are aspirational. When you watch a Nancy Meyers movie, for example, you might wish you could step right through the screen and live in one of those gorgeously decorated homes. When it comes to horror movies, however, you might wish for quite the opposite experience. After watching The Shining, you might even be afraid to stay in a remote hotel no matter how luxurious it is. However, if you’re feeling brave, here are some spots you can visit that were used in the filming of some horror movie classics.
Actresses Nancy Kyes as 'Annie Brackett', PJ Soles as 'Lynda van der Klok' and Jamie Lee Curtis as ... [+]
Halloween: Michael Myers House in South Pasadena, California
The original Halloween is a defining modern classic of the horror genre, and it’s so beloved that its most recently sequel, Halloween Ends, was a big hit this year. The house that serves as the Michael Myers home the fictitious town of Haddonfield, Illinois, in the original film was really located in South Pasadena, California.
The Halloween house has been preserved for its historical significance and moved from its original location to where it is now at 1000 Mission Street in South Pasadena. The city lists it as a landmark, but it is private property, so no trespassing is allowed. However, it can be admired from the street.
If you are in the southeast United States and can’t make it all the way to California, there’s a replica of the Halloween house made by a big fan in rural Hillsborough, North Carolina. If you want to visit that replica home, you can plan a trip on scheduled group visit days.
American actor Tony Moran on the set of Halloween, written and directed by John Carpenter. (Photo by ... [+]
The Shining: Timberline Lodge in Mount Hood, Oregon
The creepy exterior scenes of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining were filmed at Timberline Lodge in Mount Hood, Oregon. Unlike the fictional hotel in the novel and movie, Timberline Lodge does not close for the winter, so you can book a stay here any time of the year. It even hosts The Shining events for fans.
Just keep in mind that the interior of this gorgeous, historical lodge does not look like the hotel from the film. It’s only the exterior shots that were filmed at the Timberline Lodge.
Timberline Lodge and Mount Hood; Mount Hood National Forest, Cascade Mountains, Oregon. (Photo by: ... [+]
The Night of the Living Dead: The Evans City Cemetery in Pennsylvania
Located in Evans City, Pennsylvania, the Evans City Cemetery was used as the cemetery in the classic 1968 horror flick Night of the Living Dead. It’s a rural cemetery not far from Pittsburgh, and it is easily recognizable from the opening scenes of the film.
View of fairly cloudy night, which made for great backdrop of cemetery.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Oakley Court in England
The Victorian mansion that looked like it had seen better days in The Rocky Horror Picture Show was perfect as Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s place. However, it has now been converted into a luxury hotel called Oakley Court, so you can plan a vacation to stay in the not-so-scary castle in Windsor in England. In addition to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, it was used as the exterior for homes in a variety of older horror movies, including The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and Dracula (1958).
Oakley Court, Near Bray, Berkshire, 20th Century. The house was built in 1859 for Sir Richard ... [+]
The Worst Witch: St. Michael's College in England
If you loved Tim Curry in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, you may have also seen him in the 1986 cult classic film The Worst Witch. He even sang “Anything Can Happen On Halloween” in the movie that was filmed at St. Michael's College in Tenbury Wells in England. That school has since shut down, but fans will easily recognize the iconic buildings that still stand today.
