The best Halloween movies do more than deliver witches, ghosts and things that go bump in the night – they can also transport us to some seriously atmospheric places.
From the historic streets of Salem and the misty forests of New England to California beach towns and grand English estates, some of cinema’s spookiest stories come with filming locations worth travelling for. Whether you prefer cozy witchy classics like Practical Magic and Hocus Pocus or horror favourites including Scream and The Shining, there’s plenty of inspiration for your next autumn adventure.
So, grab the popcorn and embrace spooky season as we round up 15 of the best Halloween movies – and the real-world destinations behind them.
1. Hocus Pocus (1993)
Cast: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Omri Katz
Few movies scream Halloween quite like Hocus Pocus, which unleashes the Sanderson sisters on modern-day Salem. Better still, much of it was filmed around Salem, Massachusetts, where fans can visit recognizable locations, including Max and Dani’s house and the historic Old Town Hall. This is one of the best Halloween movies around!
2. Halloween (1978)
Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, P.J. Soles, Nancy Kyes
Michael Myers terrorises the fictional Midwestern town of Haddonfield on Halloween night, but those leafy Illinois streets were actually found around Southern California. Pasadena and South Pasadena provided many of the movie’s suburban locations, making this horror classic an unexpectedly sunny filming-location pilgrimage.
3. Practical Magic (1998)
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest
Sisters Sally and Gillian Owens return to their magical family roots in this ultimate witchy comfort watch, with the seaside town of Coupeville, Washington, transformed into fictional Maria’s Island. Between its Victorian storefronts and waterfront setting, Practical Magic practically begs for an autumn trip to the Pacific Northwest.
4. Beetlejuice (1988)
Cast: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin
The Maitlands’ idyllic Connecticut town may be fictional, but its wonderfully autumnal exterior was created in East Corinth, Vermont. Rolling countryside, a white-steepled church and small-town New England scenery make Beetlejuice as much fall travel inspiration as supernatural comedy.
5. The Craft (1996)
Cast: Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, Rachel True
Four teenage outsiders dabble in witchcraft at a Catholic high school in Los Angeles, with the city providing the real backdrop to their increasingly dark adventures. From historic school buildings to recognisable LA streets, The Craft offers a wonderfully ’90s take on Southern California.
6. Scream (1996)
Cast: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich
Ghostface descends on fictional Woodsboro, California, but Wes Craven found his quintessential small American town farther north in Sonoma County. Santa Rosa, Healdsburg and the surrounding wine country helped create Woodsboro, making Scream an excellent excuse for a rather macabre Northern California road trip.
7. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
Cast: Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard
Three student filmmakers disappear while investigating a local legend in the Maryland woods, with much of the famously unsettling footage actually shot in the state. Fans can head to Burkittsville and the forests surrounding Seneca Creek State Park – although getting deliberately lost is probably best avoided. An iconic classic on the list of best Halloween movies.
8. Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Cast: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon
Tim Burton transports viewers to the misty village of Sleepy Hollow, New York, for his gothic take on the Headless Horseman legend, but much of that eerie world was actually constructed and filmed in England. Its forests, historic estates and perpetually foggy atmosphere make this one of the best Halloween movies for a gothic countryside escape.
9. The Shining (1980)
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers
The isolated Overlook Hotel becomes a nightmare for the Torrance family during a Colorado winter, but travellers can find its instantly recognisable exterior at Oregon’s Timberline Lodge. Perched high on Mount Hood, the real hotel offers considerably less terrifying mountain accommodation.
10. The Conjuring (2013)
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston
Ed and Lorraine Warren investigate terrifying events at the Perron family’s Rhode Island farmhouse in one of modern horror‘s biggest franchises. The movie itself was primarily filmed in North Carolina, while the real house that inspired the story still stands in Burrillville, Rhode Island.
11. The Lost Boys (1987)
Cast: Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Feldman
Vampires take over the fictional coastal town of Santa Carla, but The Lost Boys owes its distinctive seaside look to Santa Cruz, California. Its famous Beach Boardwalk appears throughout the movie, making this cult favourite perfect for anyone who prefers their Halloween with ocean views and retro amusement parks.
12. The Witch (2015)
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw
A Puritan family encounters something sinister beyond their isolated farm in 1630s New England, although Robert Eggers found the movie’s bleak wilderness across the border in Ontario, Canada. Dense forests and remote landscapes create an unnerving sense that civilization is very, very far away.
13. It (2017)
Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Martell, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard
Stephen King’s terrifying fictional town of Derry, Maine, was largely brought to life in Ontario, with Port Hope providing many of its small-town streets and historic buildings. It’s considerably more charming without Pennywise lurking beneath it.
14. The Exorcist (1973)
Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Max von Sydow, Jason Miller
One of cinema’s most famous possession stories unfolds in Washington, D.C.’s historic Georgetown neighbourhood, where several real exterior locations remain instantly recognisable. Most famous are the steep Georgetown steps beside the MacNeil house, now a bona fide horror landmark.
15. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Cast: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O’Brien
Brad and Janet’s innocent road trip takes a spectacularly strange turn when they arrive at Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s castle, played in real life by Oakley Court in Berkshire, England. The grand Victorian Gothic mansion makes a fitting final stop for a Halloween movie tour – and today operates as a luxury hotel.
Whether you’re dreaming of a witchy weekend in Salem, a horror-inspired California road trip or a stay at a grand English estate, the best Halloween movies prove that spooky season can provide plenty of travel inspiration too.
And you don’t have to wait until October 31. Many of these filming locations can be explored year-round, whether you’re retracing the Sanderson sisters’ footsteps, visiting the real Overlook Hotel exterior or simply looking for somewhere with a little movie magic.
So, which of these best Halloween movies will be making it onto your spooky-season watchlist – or your future travel plans?