These Horror Movies Were Inspired By Real-Life Haunted Houses And Places

Halloween is just around the corner so it's safe to say that we're firmly into spooky season. For some of us, it means binging some classic horror movies before the Christmas vibes kick in.

For others, it's an appropriate time to lean into the scary vibes and delve deeper into the lore behind these horror flicks. That can mean visiting haunted locations that inspired some of our favorite movies, like The Conjuring and The Amityville Horror.

Below is a list of 15 horror movies accompanied by the real-life haunted locations that inspired them. Although some of them remain private residences, there are others that you could actually visit!

1. The Amityville Horror - The Amityville House (Long Island, New York)

2. Lizzie - The Lizzie Borden House (Fall River, Massachusetts)

3. American Horror Story: Coven - The LaLaurie Mansion (New Orleans, Lousiana)

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At 1140 Royal Street, Madame Delphine LaLaurie was believed to be a sadistic socialite who tortured enslaved workers who were discovered in the attic on April 10, 1834 after a house fire, per History. LaLaurie fled after a mob ransacked her home, while 1140 Royal Street has undergone many renovations over the years. Today, it is a private residence, but locals call it "the Haunted House," according to Ghost City Tours, who list the LaLaurie Mansion as one of the most popular locations on the New Orleans Ghost Tours (the tour passes by the home). They also claim that several reports of paranormal activity have come from the home in the past 200 years. American Horror Story: Coven features a heavily fictionalized version of Madame Delphina LaLaurie.

4. The Shining - The Stanley Hotel (Estes Park, Colorado)

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The inspiration behind Stephen King's novel, The Shining, along with the mini-series and the excellent film adaptation by Stanley Kubrick, The Stanley Hotel, has been rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Freelan Oscar (F.O.) Stanley and his wife, Flora, according to ABC News. They also report that the former housekeeper, Elizabeth Wilson, haunts room 217 after an explosion. This is the same room that King stayed in and based The Shining on. The Stanley Hotel now hosts tours at their facilities, and visitors can book room 217 if they choose. 

5. The Conjuring 2 and The Enfield Poltergeist - The Enfield Poltergeist House (London, UK)

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The Enfield Poltergeist House was the site of a poltergeist haunting that went on to inspire The Conjuring 2 and Apple TV's The Enfield Poltergeist. The story of a young girl who was believed to be possessed made national headlines and eventually led to the involvement of Ed and Lorraine Warren, per PEOPLE. 

The Daily Mail reports that while the home is a tourist attraction, it remains a private residence. 

6. The Axe Murders Of Villisca - The Villisca Axe Murder House (Villisca, IA)

7. Haunting Of Queen Mary - The RMS Queen Mary (Long Beach, CA)

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The inspiration behind Haunting Of Queen Mary, this ocean liner has been a major tourist attraction, thanks in part to rumors of haunting. Time named it one of the most haunted places, suggesting that ghosts, including a sailor and a "lady in white," reportedly hang out at the location. The Queen Mary also offers a "Haunted Tour" that "gives visitors a detailed overview some of the Queen Mary's most haunted areas & paranormal hotspots."

8. The Conjuring - The Conjuring House (Burrillville, RI)

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The haunted house that appeared in the first installment of The Conjuring series remains a fixture in Rhode Island. Home of the Perron Family hauntings, where they encountered paranormal activity during their stay at what was previously known as the Arnold Estate. The official website states that the home remains haunted. Currently a tourist attraction, visitors can choose to embark on house tours, investigations, and even overnight stays. 

9. 1408 - Hotel del Coronado (Coronado, CA)

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Another haunted place that Stephen King based one of his works on, the Hotel del Coronado, was once a major attraction for the stars. However, shortly after its opening, a woman named Kate Morgan checked in under a false name and five days later, she was found by a staircase, according to the hotel's official website. Rumor has it that her ghost continues to haunt the guestroom she checked into. The Hotel del Coronado serves as the inspiration behind the movie, 1408.  Leaning into the notoriety, the Hotel del Coronado hosts haunted tours of their grounds. 

10. American Horror Story: Hotel - Cecil Hotel (Los Angeles, CA)

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Ironically enough, one of the spookiest places in America can be found in the City Of Angels. The Cecil Hotel became notorious for prostitution, drugs, and more and gained infamy due to numerous mysterious deaths, accidents, and unsolved murders. While currently an affordable housing complex, the L.A. Times reports that it's currently up for sale, therefore closed to the public. However, this location inspired a number of documentaries, shows, and movies, including American Horror Story: Hotel. 

11. Bram Stoker's Dracula - Bran Castle (Transylvania, Romania)

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Bran Castle has become synonymous with Bram Stoker's Dracula and Dracula's Castle. Bran Castle and its surrounding forest, named Romania's "Bermuda triangle" remains a hotspot for paranormal activity in the region, according to ABC News. For anyone curious enough to visit, the Bran Castle is open for tours.

12. An American Haunting - The Bell Witch Cave (Adams, TN)

13. Winchester - Winchester Mystery House (San Jose, CA)

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According to their official website, The Winchester Mystery House, located in San Jose, California, was built by Sarah Winchester, the widow of firearm magnate William Wirt Winchester. The home inspired the movie, Winchester and remains at the center of rumors of it being haunted. Guests and employees have reportedly had brushes with ghosts and paranormal activity, which has turned the location into another hot spot for those interested in exploring haunted houses. The Winchester Mystery House offers guided mansion tours and more to real delve into the lore behind Sarah Winchester's sprawling mansion.

14. The Changeling - Henry Treat Rogers Mansion (Denver, CO)

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Russell Hunter claimed that he dealt with paranormal experiences while staying at the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion in Denver. He turned these alleged encounters with ghosts into the film The Changeling, which he co-wrote. The film itself takes place in Seattle. However, the real Henry Treat Rogers Mansion appears to remain a private residence in the Cheesman Park area, though the Denver Haunted Tour does pass by the location.  

15. The Innkeepers - Yankee Pedlar Inn (Torrington, Connecticut)