Paranormal Travel in 2027: Destinations, Experiences and What to Expect
There is usually one person in the group who wants to book the ghost tour. Someone else laughs, says they don’t believe in any of it, then quietly asks whether the guide stays with you the whole time.
By the end of the evening, everyone has a story to tell.
That is part of the appeal of a holiday with a little mystery. A familiar street becomes somewhere you look at differently. An old hotel gives you something to talk about over breakfast. And for an hour or two, nobody is checking what comes next on the itinerary.
Booking.com has named paranormal experiences among its travel predictions for 2027. But what does that kind of trip actually involve, and do you have to spend the night somewhere supposedly haunted to enjoy it?
Start with how curious you are, and how much darkness you’re comfortable with. There is more than one way to meet a place’s ghost stories.
What is paranormal travel?
Paranormal travel means choosing a place or experience because of its association with ghost stories, unexplained encounters or supernatural folklore. It can be as simple as adding a guided evening walk to a city break, or as involved as booking an overnight investigation.
The experiences are not interchangeable. A storyteller-led walk, a haunted-house attraction with actors and a ghost hunt using electronic equipment offer very different evenings.
Book the experience you want, rather than the strongest “most haunted” claim. History, atmosphere, theatre and investigations are different reasons to go. None comes with a guaranteed supernatural encounter.
Why is paranormal travel a 2027 trend?
In its Travel Predictions 2027 report, published on 14 October 2026, Booking.com says 65% of surveyed travellers were interested in paranormal travel experiences. The research surveyed 28,230 adults across 32 countries and territories in July and August 2026.
That is a measure of stated interest. It does not mean 65% have booked a haunted holiday, or establish how many more ghost tours will sell in 2027.
Source: Booking.com’s Travel Predictions 2027 and research methodology.
For travellers, the appeal can be much smaller and more personal than a belief in ghosts: a shared shiver, an unfamiliar story, or the pleasure of seeing a city after its daytime crowds have moved on.
A good guide gives that feeling a setting. Who lived here? What happened behind this door? How did a story survive long enough for strangers to hear it centuries later? Those questions can make a place memorable even when everyone leaves with the same opinions they arrived with.
Where to go for a paranormal trip
These five destinations offer different ways into the subject. The suggested trip lengths below are editorial recommendations, allowing room for the place beyond its ghost stories.
| Destination | Choose it for | Suggested trip |
|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh, Scotland | Underground vaults and atmospheric guided storytelling | 2–3 nights |
| York, England | An easy first ghost walk within a compact city break | 1–2 nights |
| New Orleans, USA | French Quarter legends and hotels with haunted reputations | 3–4 nights |
| Estes Park, Colorado, USA | The Stanley Hotel’s tours and connection with The Shining | 2–3 nights |
| Bran and Brașov, Romania | Castle history, Dracula fiction and Transylvanian folklore | 2–3 nights |
Edinburgh: for stories beneath the streets
Edinburgh suits travellers who want the setting to do some of the work. Stone passages and underground spaces give an evening tour a different feel from an ordinary city walk.
Mercat Tours offers ghost experiences in the Blair Street Underground Vaults, alongside family options and adults-only tours. Its listings distinguish the content and minimum ages, so choose the actual tour carefully.
What to expect: guided storytelling in atmospheric surroundings. An underground ghost tour is not automatically an equipment-led investigation. Ask about stairs, darkness and the route if anyone in your group is uncomfortable with enclosed spaces.
Build the trip around: an Old Town day with one evening tour, leaving the following morning free for a slower start.
Source: Mercat Tours’ published ghost-tour options.
York: for a first ghost trip without a big commitment
York is a good starting point if you like a story more than a scare. Visit York lists ghost walks throughout the year, so the experience does not depend on visiting during Halloween week.
The Original Ghost Walk describes itself as an outdoor walk blending history, mystery and folklore, without tricks or gimmicks. Other operators take a more theatrical or comic approach.
What to expect: time on your feet, the weather that turns up, and stories told against the city’s old streets. Compare tone as well as duration.
Build the trip around: a daytime wander, an early dinner and an evening walk. You can enjoy the ghost stories and still choose a perfectly ordinary place to sleep.
Source: Visit York’s year-round ghost-walk guidance.
Source: The Original Ghost Walk listing.
New Orleans: for a city break with ghost stories woven in
New Orleans lets you combine an evening of legends with days built around the wider city. Its tourism organisation lists French Quarter ghost walks and several operating hotels with haunted reputations, including Hotel Monteleone and Bourbon Orleans.
Hotel Monteleone also tells its own ghost stories. Treat these as the property’s accounts and reported experiences, rather than verified evidence that a building is haunted.
What to expect: a choice of neighbourhood walks, themed tours and historic stays. A tour passing a hotel does not necessarily include access inside it.
Build the trip around: several days in the city, with one ghost walk or hotel experience. Ask separately about cemetery access and any properties included in the route. Keep living religious traditions distinct from entertainment marketed around ghosts.
Source: New Orleans & Company’s haunted places guide.
Source: Hotel Monteleone’s own account of its history and ghost stories.
Estes Park: for The Stanley Hotel and a familiar horror connection
The Stanley Hotel offers several distinct tours, including history, ghosts and The Shining. Choose according to what interests you: the building’s past, its reported hauntings or the novel and screen adaptations.
The hotel’s published ghost tour lasts around 60 minutes and currently has a minimum age of eight. Its route varies, and it does not enter guest rooms or guest floors. A room booking should therefore not be confused with a ticket to an investigation.
What to expect: an organised hotel tour, rather than unrestricted access. The Stanley also explains that Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film was not filmed there, an important distinction for anyone travelling to see a movie location.
Build the trip around: a short Estes Park stay with a pre-booked tour, checking the seasonal conditions for any outdoor plans.
Source: The Stanley Ghost Tour’s duration, age and access conditions.
Source: The Stanley Hotel’s history and Shining tour descriptions.
Bran and Brașov: for the line between a castle and a legend
Bran Castle is a compelling choice for travellers drawn to Dracula’s atmosphere. But go with the distinction clear: Count Dracula is fictional, and the castle’s own website encourages visitors to separate its history from the character in Bram Stoker’s novel.
The same source says Stoker never visited Romania. That leaves plenty to explore: the castle itself, how the Dracula association developed, and the relationship between regional folklore and popular fiction.
What to expect: a castle visit shaped by history and a famous literary association. Ordinary admission does not mean an overnight stay or a paranormal investigation.
Build the trip around: a Brașov-based visit with time for Bran. Treat any 2027 Halloween programme as unconfirmed until the venue announces it.
Source: Bran Castle’s explanation of Dracula, fiction and historical reality.
Which experience should you choose?
Before choosing a destination, decide what kind of evening would leave you happily talking about it afterwards.
| Experience | What you are booking | Best starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Ghost walk | A guide sharing stories as you move between locations | Curious beginners and groups with mixed beliefs |
| Historic hotel stay | Accommodation in a property associated with ghost stories | Travellers who want the setting to continue after the tour |
| Paranormal investigation | A session marketed around attempts to detect unexplained activity, sometimes using equipment | People interested in the activity itself; verify the format |
| Theatrical scare attraction | Actors, effects or staged scares | Visitors who want a performance and clear thrills |
| Folklore or castle visit | A place explored through legends, literature and history | Readers, culture lovers and travellers who prefer daylight |
A device responding during an investigation is not, by itself, proof of a ghost. Ask what equipment is used and what the organiser claims it can demonstrate. If a tour promises contact with a specific person who has died, that promise should not be treated as something a booking can guarantee.
What to expect on a ghost tour
Often, the most memorable part is the guide. A pause outside a doorway, a change in tone and a detail about someone who once lived there can make an ordinary street feel unfamiliar.
Read the listing for practical clues: whether the tour is indoors or outdoors, how long you will stand, whether actors appear, and whether the content includes graphic violence. “Family-friendly” and “no jump scares” answer different questions.
For an investigation, ask how the time is divided between introductions, equipment demonstrations and access to locations. For a haunted hotel, ask what is actually included beyond the room.
A worthwhile evening can end without anything unexplained happening. Choose a place whose history, setting or storytelling would still interest you.
What to check before booking
- Exact access: inside a building, outside it, in a public area or in a specifically permitted after-hours space?
- Scare level and age limits: check each named tour rather than the operator’s general family label.
- Mobility and comfort: ask about steps, uneven ground, confined spaces, darkness and seating.
- Total cost: compare the tour, transport, accommodation and any separate entrance tickets. An investigation is not automatically part of a room rate.
- Return arrangements: confirm where the experience finishes and how you will get back after dark.
- Cancellation terms: check weather rules, late arrivals and whether the operator can alter the route.
For 2027, use official venue and operator booking pages. The experiences above are currently advertised, but that does not confirm every future date, price or seasonal event. Check the conditions attached to your actual booking.
Stay within authorised access. Cemeteries, private homes and occupied hotels need the same respect after dark as during the day. A story involving real suffering deserves context, rather than treating the people involved as props.
How to build a trip around the experience
For a first attempt, one evening is enough. Choose a city you already want to visit, add a tour that fits the group, and leave time afterwards to talk about it somewhere warm.
A simple two-night plan could look like this:
| Part of the trip | A comfortable starting plan |
|---|---|
| Arrival evening | Settle in, eat nearby and avoid a late tour if travel has been tiring. |
| Main day | Explore the neighbourhood in daylight, then leave a break before the booked experience. |
| After the tour | Keep the evening open for a drink, food or a walk back together. |
| Final morning | Return to a place that caught your attention, with time before departure. |
These are suggestions, not a fixed itinerary. If the paranormal experience is the main reason for travelling, confirm it first and build the transport and stay around it. If it is an extra, let it fit the holiday rather than take it over.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to believe in ghosts to enjoy paranormal travel?
No. A history or folklore-led walk can be enjoyable for its storytelling and setting. An investigation is a different format, so read the description before choosing.
Is paranormal travel only for Halloween?
No. York promotes year-round ghost walks, and operators in other destinations advertise regular experiences. Seasonal Halloween events are separate and need their own date checks.
Does staying in a haunted hotel include a ghost tour?
Do not assume so. Check room inclusions and tour tickets separately, including whether your booking provides any special access.
Can children join ghost tours?
Some tours welcome children and others are adults-only. Check minimum ages, subject matter, darkness and staged scares for the specific experience.
Which destination is a good first choice?
Our editorial pick is York for a compact city break with an evening walk. Choose Edinburgh for underground storytelling, New Orleans for a wider city holiday, Estes Park for The Stanley, or Bran for castle history and Dracula folklore.
You may come home with the same beliefs. You might also come home with a story everyone wants to hear.
Research checked 29 October 2026. Destination recommendations and trip lengths are editorial suggestions. Ghost accounts are attributed folklore or reported experiences, not independently established supernatural events. The photographs show real destinations and do not depict paranormal activity.
