The Top 10 Cities For Horror Movie Tourism

Many people like watching movies that keep them up at night. The horror movie genre has some passionate fans, and it's not unusual for some of them to seek out the places they saw on screen. If you're one of those scary movie buffs, this list below should help you get started on exploring some iconic locations where legendary movies were filmed.

Seeing these places up close and personal may make them seem less scary than they did on the screen...or maybe even scarier. Either way, snap some pictures! Check out some of the cities below that you might not have known served as a set for your favorite film!

10 Los Angeles, California

Of course, the city where most of the entertainment industry takes place is on this list. In fact, there are so many cool spots that there are tours you can take where you'll be shown multiple locations where scary movies were filmed. Some of these locations include the house featured in the 1978 film Halloween and the home where character Nancy Thompson lived in 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Those particular examples are private property, so keep that in mind if you plan on taking pictures. If you want to cover a lot of horror movie ground in one city, Los Angeles is the way to go.

9 Oak Bluffs/Edgartown, Massachusetts

Care for a swim? Head to Joseph Sylvia State Beach in Martha's Vineyard. Not only will you get a little sun and sand, but you'll also be visiting the main filming location for the 1975 movie Jaws. Also, check out the "Jaws Bridge," a.k.a. the American Legion Memorial Bridge, as the stones Roy Schneider ran across are still visible.

Many locations in the downtown area, such as restaurants, stores, and houses were also used in the famous Steven Spielberg movie. Hopefully, a freakishly large shark will not actually be there to greet you.

8 Government Camp, Oregon

If you're more of a snowy mountain person than a sandy beach person, why not book a stay at Timberline Lodge a.k.a. the Overwatch Hotel from The Shining? You can choose to ski or hike around the property, of course, but the best part about Timberline Lodge is that they totally embrace fans that come for the sole purpose of exploring where The Shining was filmed.

The hotel actually has the ax used in the film on display, alongside the iconic quote "Here's Johnny!" The lodge is said to sometimes play the film after 10:30 pm upon request, and there are many Shining-themed events held there around Halloween time.

7 Newport, Oregon

While you're still in Oregon, why not make your way over to Newport and visit the Yaquina Head Light? You may recognize this particular location as the Moseko Island Lighthouse in The Ring. Tours are available for this lighthouse on a first come first serve basis, and you can climb all the way to the very top and look out.

The weather is often very foggy and dim - part of why the location was chosen for the movie - so you may be able to immerse yourself into the environment and feel as if you are actually in the movie.

6 Bastrop, Texas

Remember the gas station from the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre? While that's since been turned into a restaurant, gift shop, and lodge aptly named "The Gas Station." There are four cabins available to stay in and the restaurant serves up some pretty good BBQ.

As for the gift shop, it's entirely dedicated to merchandise and memorabilia related to Texas Chainsaw and some other scary movies. Make sure you check out the van out back, which is an exact replica of the van featured in the movie. Bastrop, Texas might seem a little random of a place to visit, but it's actually the perfect city to go to if you're a horror movie fan.

5 Hardwick, New Jersey

Have you ever wanted to be a camper at Camp Crystal Lake? Fortunately, that dangerous of a camp doesn't exist, but Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco, where Friday the 13th was filmed, does. Turns out the "Crystal Lake" on the property is actually called "Sand Pond," and it's now a summer camp for Boy Scouts.

Showing up there randomly isn't advised, but if you check out the camp's website they offer guided tours almost all of the time. Most of the set is exactly the same as it was during filming, and some actors from the film have even been known to show up for meet and greets.

4 Washington, D.C.

The home of a possessed little girl named Reagan from The Exorcist is still up in Washington, D.C., but it is private property so you won't be able to go in and explore. You'll have to stick to taking pictures from a distance. You will be able to check out, however, the stairs where a certain character from the movie meets his demise.

The stairs are very narrow and creepy, and D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser had them officially recognized as a tourist attraction with a plaque commemorating the location. You'll know you've found the right steps when you see the plaque!

3 Evans City, Pennsylvania

As most of the original 1967 movie Night of the Living Dead was filmed around Evans City, a museum dedicated to groundbreaking film now resides there too. The Living Dead Museum details the history of zombie lore, dating all the way back to Babylonian times. The museum not only celebrates Night of the Living Dead and other zombie films in history, but it celebrates more modern iterations of the zombie genre like Resident Evil and The Walking Dead.

There are also celebrity hand-prints featured on the "Maul of Fame." For an in-depth look at props, production photographs, and notes from filming Night of the Living Dead, this museum must be checked out.

2 Monroeville, Pennsylvania

Night of the Living Dead's sequel, Dawn of the Dead, made just as much of a splash as its predecessor. If you've ever been curious about the mall featured in the majority of the 1978 movie, good news: It's still open!

After your visit to the Living Dead Museum, make your way over to Monroeville and visit the Monroeville Mall, where the movie was filmed. While the stores are bound to be different decades later, visitors report that other things -- like the escalators, in particular -- really haven't changed that much.

1 Gaithersburg, Maryland

Feel free to take a peaceful stroll around Seneca Creek State Park -- just make sure to keep an eye out for the Blair Witch. The innovative 1999 film The Blair Witch Project, which started a whole new sub-genre of "found footage" horror films, was filmed at this park in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

The park rangers even give an occasional tour and will guide you to important landmarks in the film, so its recommended you look into that for the ultimate horror movie experience. Or, you could just go on a nice walk or bike ride and admire nature - but where's the spooky fun in that?

NEXT: 20 Real-Life Spooky Locations That Inspired Iconic Halloween Films