Halloween brings out the kind of traveler seeking a vacation rental with a difference. Whether it’s strange energy you can’t quite put your finger on, or unexplained bumps in the night, spooky season is the perfect time to plan an overnight stay that you won’t soon forget.
Across the country, hosts have leaned into their homes’ odder histories, from colonial houses with restless spirits and a former morgue turned overnight stay to a set piece from a hit horror show. Come with us on a spooky tour of some of the best haunted house rentals for Halloween.
1. Parks-Bowman Mansion
- Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Best for: Garden District history buffs
The Parks-Bowman Mansion is a triple-porched Garden District classic built long before New Orleans traded gas lamps for streetlights, and its owners have kept many of the original features fully intact.
The carved cypress staircase climbs to the very top of the house and is lit by original stained-glass windows. The Haunted Bedroom occupies one of the two largest rooms in the house, with a private balcony that catches the live oak canopy at eye level.
Local lore holds that a young girl in a Gilded Age dress still visits, though most guests remember the impressive hospitality and amenities more than any ghost. Book a stay through the Parks-Bowman Mansion’s Airbnb listing.
2. The Henry Derby House
- Location: Salem, Massachusetts
- Best for: Group trips who want the whole house
Built in 1838 for a Salem tailor, the Henry Derby House still wears its original colonial aesthetic, with wide-plank floors and a garden made for slow mornings. The current owner grew up in the house and converted it from a bed and breakfast into a seven-bedroom rental in 2016, keeping the antique detailing intact through the renovation.
Guests are warned upfront that the stairs creak and the windows rattle, which only adds to the McIntire district’s witch-trial-era atmosphere. See the full Henry Derby House listing on Airbnb.
3. Linville Manor
- Location: Upper Marlboro, Maryland
- Best for: Families craving space and quiet
Linville Manor dates to 1852, making it one of Maryland’s earliest land-grant properties, and its four acres still shelter the state’s second-oldest beech tree.
Guests get their own wing with four bedrooms, 3.5 baths, library, ballroom, and dining room, all restored with a light touch that keeps the original moldings and hardwood visible. The setting gives the estate a sense of country manor rather than suburban rental, which is rare this close to the Capital Beltway.
Guests occasionally mention a “lively energy” after dark, though most leave talking about the picturesque grounds and the easy 12-minute drive into Washington, D.C. Check availability at the Linville Manor listing.
4. The Byers House
- Location: Fayetteville, Georgia
- Best for: Fans of Stranger Things craving set-accurate detail
This is one for the sci-fi lovers, because the exterior of this Fayetteville home is the actual filming location for the Byers family house in Stranger Things!
The owners have carefully recreated the interior to match the on-screen version, taking care of every detail, from Jonathan’s vinyl collection to an original 1960s CRT television. The property also features plenty of modern amenities, including a dishwasher, washer and dryer, and a 75” TV where you can enjoy the most immersive Stranger Things streaming session imaginable.
The Byers House sits just fifteen minutes from Trilith Studios, where the show is filmed, and it’s a fun option for a spooky season getaway. Book the Byers House directly on Airbnb.
Georgia has no shortage of similarly offbeat accommodation; see more in this roundup of unique places to stay in Georgia.
5. The Historic Morgue
- Location: Ozark, Missouri
- Best for: Paranormal investigators and anyone looking for a spooky stay
This nationally recognized historic building once served as a morgue and funeral home, and its current owner has lovingly restored the property with morgue decor that pays homage to the property’s dark past.
The one-bedroom, one bathroom property sleeps six guests, and there’s a large modern kitchen ideal for cooking and eating together. Some guests have experienced hauntings during their stays, and the provided spirit box, EMF detector, and dowsing rods are ideal for DIY paranormal investigations. Do note, though, that refunds aren’t offered if you’re too spooked to stay for your entire booking!
The Historic Morgue is a short walk from Ozark’s downtown square, which makes the morgue’s eerier details an easy contrast to an otherwise ordinary small-town evening. Reserve the Historic Morgue on Airbnb.
For more offbeat stays in the state, see this guide to unique places to stay in Missouri.
6. The Manor Master Chamber
- Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Best for: Solo travelers or couples who like a story
Built in 1883 and held by the same family for generations, this manor was once voted the most mysterious house in Saint Paul, making it a top pick for a unique Halloween stay. Its longtime host has spent years restoring the property room by room with antiques and oddities collected over decades.
The Master Chamber is where guests sleep, offering tall ceilings, deep windows, and an ensuite bath, plus access to an enclosed courtyard with a fire pit. A spiral staircase connects the manor’s levels, which is just one of many original architectural flourishes the host has chosen to preserve.
The host also opens the house for paranormal investigations and photo shoots between stays, which says something about how seriously the building’s reputation is taken locally. Reserve the Manor Master Chamber through Airbnb.
7. Caroline’s House (Mystic Falls Inn)
- Location: Covington, Georgia
- Best for: Vampire Diaries fans and small-town wanderers
Built in 1892, this Covington home doubled as Caroline’s house throughout The Vampire Diaries, and it sits close enough to the show’s other filming locations that fans still stop to take photos from the sidewalk.
Inside, the house keeps its historic character, tall windows, original woodwork, and a wraparound front porch, while offering the modern comforts guests need for a longer stay.
It’s an easy walk to Covington’s town square, which doubles on-screen as the show’s fictional Mystic Falls. Book Caroline’s House on Airbnb.
8. The Haunted Mansion Inspired Retreat
- Location: Fullerton, California
- Best for: Design lovers and Disney fans
This Fullerton house is an immersive retreat designed room by room by its owner, a professional production designer with two decades of experience in film, television, and theme parks.
Four themed bedrooms reference Disney’s Haunted Mansion attraction, including spooky illusions, sights, and sounds that’ll keep you on your toes during your stay. If the scares get too much, don’t worry! The peaceful backyard features a hot tub, BBQ, and putting green for daytime downtime. This California gem is a unique experience not to be missed. Check the Ghostly Retreat’s Airbnb listing for dates.
For more California stays with personality, browse this list of the best places to stay in California.
9. The Black Monarch
- Location: Victor, Colorado
- Best for: Fascinating history and possible ghost sightings
Rebuilt after an 1899 fire, the Black Monarch spent its early years as a brothel, casino, and saloon in a Rocky Mountain gold rush town. Its current owners have lovingly restored the property while keeping the twelve- and fifteen-foot ceilings, oak doors, and original tin ceilings intact.
Every themed room is decorated with curated taxidermy, antiques, and oddities, which makes the building feel more like a small museum than a typical rental, and the oversized bay windows still frame Victor’s gold rush-era streetscape almost unchanged.
Local legend ties the haunting to a miner who died in a gunfight nearby, so keep an eye out for him during your stay. The building’s electrical wiring is also said to have been done by Nikola Tesla himself, adding another quirky element to this eerie property.
Book a room at the Black Monarch on Airbnb. Or, for more high-altitude stays, see this list of unique places to stay in Colorado.
10. Historic Civil War Farm House
- Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
- Best for: History lovers who don’t mind sharing space with the owner (and friendly ghosts)
The farmhouse and barn on this hundred-acre property served as a field hospital immediately after the Battle of Gettysburg, and the same host has lived here for more than three decades, sharing stories about the farm’s history with guests.
Little about the farmhouse’s structure has changed since the war, down to the low doorways and the original stone foundation beneath the addition. The private upstairs rooms keep their old-house character, with worn wood floors and tall windows, and the shared kitchen and wraparound deck look out over trails that guests can hike or bike on.
This Historic Civil War Farm House is a working farm as much as a historic site, with a stocked pond for guests who want to fish between visits to the battlefield four miles away. Reserve a room at the Historic Civil War Farm House on Airbnb.
Finding Your Own Haunted House Rental
Every one of these haunted house rentals is a real, bookable home with impressive architecture and history to match its spooky reputation.
Whether it’s a Gothic brothel in the Rockies or a colonial farmhouse in Pennsylvania, the appeal goes beyond a single spooky night; it’s a chance to spend real time inside a building most people only read about.
If Halloween has you looking for something with more character than a standard hotel room, any of these ten terrifying stays are worth a closer look.
Hero photo by Bogdan Pigulyak.
