Dead Famous Vacations For the Spooky At Heart

by JoAnne Kenrick

Five Wacky places you could go to enjoy a spooky-esk holiday where famous people walked before you...and perhaps still do.

I'm going to race straight to my favorite, one that's on my bucket list, right at the top. Being a Vamp nut, I bet you can guess where I'm going to take you first. Uh-huh, a vampire hotel. Well, A Dracula themed hotel to be exact.

The House of Dracula Hotel

Romania

You get to dress up, play make believe and have a ruddy cheesy time dancing in Vampire Balls and meeting the oddest of people. The surrounding area offers all kinds of vampire touristy things to do along with the Vlad museums. I'm sure it won't be long before there's a theme park there, too. Can you imagine? FUN! Of course this is not everyone's idea of a spooky holiday, but it would be wacky nonetheless. Anthony Bourdain took his infamous travel show, No Reservations, to Romania and stayed at this very hotel. His experiences were, well, not so good. In fact, that particular show garnered a lot of complaints: Romania: What the hell happened. Regardless of that, it's still a top must-visit place on many a travelers list. If you do go, you'd probably want to drop by Bran Castle, too, if you're a Bram Stoker fan. I hear it's worth visiting, but don't go if it's just for the Dracula connection. Guess what? Bram Stoker has never even been to the region so it's not likely this is the castle from the novel. Which brings me to my next location for you, a wee Dracula tie in.

Ecclesgreig House

St Cyrus, Scotland

It's a known fact that Bram Stoker stayed in the Kilmarnock Arms Hotel (still open for business) in Cruden Bay, where he penned Dracula, and Slains Castle was his inspiration. But the likeness has also been placed on nearby Ecclesgreig House and many argue this was the inspiration for Count Dracula's Castle not Slains. Whichever it was, maybe both?, they're stunning buildings and have haunting tales worthy of further investigation and lands worth exploring.

There's more...curses galore for Ecclesgreig house!

"Story goes the Forsyth-Grant family who owned it had a son who, according to locals, was a bit of a character. Placed in charge of a whaling ship he had a crew with mixed backgrounds and nationalities, including a group of eskimo's.
Whilst in charge of the ship, he briskly ordered the eskimo's off but not before attaining their curse. Where upon the ship shortly after went missing in a violent storm, supposedly shipwreked. Rumours have it that there was supposed to have beeen a violent mutiny and killings on board, but its curious only the eskimo's survived - curse or not ?
The Eskimo's had according to rumour placed the curse only on the ship but insisted it was the son 'Osbert Clare Forsyth-Grant' who sent them a shore, in order for them to perish.
To this day the family crypt has only one missing place as no body was ever found. It is also said 'Osbert Clare Forsyth-Grant' sustained the wrath of his father for joining the navy and not the army - where the family had a long distinguished and honoured reputation." -- Ralph Keeton, exorcisms.co.uk

Stanley Hotel

Estes Park, Colorado

For the sake of those who haven't heard yet, this is the hotel that inspired Steven King's The Shinning -- Here's Johnny -- It is reputedly haunted. TAPS did spend the night investigating and experienced some interesting phenomena for their TV show, Ghost Hunters. So whether you're a Steven King fan, want to spend the night hiding under your covers, or search basements and boiler rooms for proof of life after death, this sure is a beautiful spot to do so. Many companies run paranormal overnight/weekend conventions at this location. Check the TAPS page and scour google for more information. And if you can, try book room 418!

The Hotel Roosevelt

Hollywood/Hollyweird.

For a slice of American History, and a possible sighting of someone mega famous, this is the hotel for you. Of course, there's no promise that those celebs will actually be alive! Yes, another haunted hotel for you, this time in the dead center of Hollywood. Be sure to have your night vision camera at the ready incase you spot Marilyn Monroe or Montgomery Clift.And if you have no luck Celeb Ghost Hunting, you can always book yourself a midnight ghost tour, take a ride in a haunted hearse (can you image) or see a classic movie while sat in a cemetery full of Dead Famous people...literally!

And to end my Dead Famous Vacation Spots, I'm going to take you to one more place...

Paris, France.

Why? So we can go Jim Morrison ghost hunting of course.

Hit me with it. Where is the strangest place you ever spent the night that is supposedly haunted by the famous. Did you experience anything and would you go back?

Images from tripadvisor