As the weeks before students’ long-awaited summer break dwindle, many begin brainstorming places to visit during the break. Oftentimes, those looking for a beach getaway research places like the Gulf Shores or Miami. Outdoorsy students tend to steer towards places with great hiking or skiing opportunities. Basic destination interests like those previously mentioned are relatively easy to locate and research. But what about those looking for an interesting, lore-filled destination? Because they are less known, they are somewhat difficult to find, although they are frequently searched for. It is important to give readers, at the very least, the information that will allow them to explore the various options available for them to travel to.
Beginning with the Blarney Stone Castle, located in Ireland. An ancient castle where the main attraction is surprisingly enough, kissing the Blarney Stone, which can be found at the very top of the large castle. Kissing the Blarney Stone is a long-standing tradition that started in the late 18th century based on the belief that by smooching the rigid stone, visitors would receive gifts of luck.
Along with a tradition that borders on being disgusting, some visitors recall paranormal experiences after touring the castle and kissing the stone. Tourists remember feeling an unsettling sensation of being watched as they kissed the stone, which happens to also resemble the shape of a stereotypical witch, and later, as they hiked around the castle, they remembered seeing from afar animals they couldn’t quite place as they did not look like anything they had ever seen. This experience is quite common and can be explained by century-old folklore, which says there is a witch with a glass eye that lives in the dungeon of the castle and who curses each person that kisses the stone, keeping her imprisoned.
With a 16-hour ferry, people can travel from witch-filled Ireland to France. The home of the prized Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, and most importantly, the Catacombs of Paris. Built in the second century with the original purpose of being a convenient place to store millions of bodies, it has now turned into a popular tourist attraction and a common destination brought up when creepy places are discussed, even being featured in the movie As Above, So Below.
Both citizens of France and tourists seem to be engrossed in the 200-mile-long cemetery, and after touring the small portion that is available to the public, they frequently report experiencing a strange phenomenon of whispering throughout the vast tunnels and, during and after the tour, feeling a sensation of being watched. The Catacombs could be considered spooky simply because of the many decayed bodies inside of them, but the weird experiences paired with that make them even more mysterious and enticing for those who crave the unsettling feeling of spine-chilling encounters.
Similarly to the Catacombs of Paris, the Cecil Hotel, located in Los Angeles, California, often evokes chilling experiences. However, rather than feeling as if something is watching you, it is rumored that there is actually someone following you during your stay. Due to the recurring pattern of premeditated murders and shady characters who visit the hotel, it is considered one of the most haunted hotels in the United States.
Throughout the years, at least 16 people have died while at the hotel. Richard Ramierz, a well-known American serial killer, stayed at the hotel while carrying out a killing spree, and most famously, Elisa Lam died in a confusing and unfortunate manner. Popular streaming platforms like Netflix, IMDb, and Yahoo even show the TV show based on the odd occurrences regarding Elisa Lam’s death and at the hotel as a whole, The Vanishing at Cecil Hotel. Needless to say, the Cecil Hotel is not a place many would want to stay at, but it could be interesting for those interested in crime and mystery to visit.
Straying away from haunted places, we will visit our final destination, an eerie area much larger: the Appalachian Mountains, which run throughout 15 states located in the east of the United States. In each of the Appalachian mountain towns, ghost stories are common, and unease is faint in the air. These mountains have been around for about 1.1 billion years, which researchers know based on the rock formation. Because they have been around for so long, they have seen a lot as Earth has continued developing, which is one of the many reasons why it is considered to be so haunted and otherworldly.
One popular tale specific to the Appalachian Mountains is the story of the screaming woman. Early settlers reported hearing the shriek of a woman, sending one of their own to investigate, for which he was never seen again. Now, when traveling through the mountains, if you hear the scream of a woman, it is advised to ignore it if you value your life. Stories similar to the screaming woman are commonly told in areas surrounding the mountains and are believed by many. However, they are not regarded as true for all, usually only those who are superstitious.
Places like the Cecil Hotel, Blarney Castle, the Catacombs of Paris, and the Appalachian Mountains are great destinations for those looking for a scary or haunted experience; nevertheless, watch your back; you never know what or who is lurking.
