The Spookiest Travel Destinations in the U.S. and Canada, Revealed

Travel is often about discovering the stories that make a place unique. From eerie cemeteries and historic streets to centuries-old ghost stories, some destinations offer a different kind of adventure after dark.

From New Orleans’ cemeteries and Savannah’s historic squares to the old hotels and buildings of Victoria, ghost stories have become part of the experience of visiting cities across North America.

Nomad eSIM analyzed destinations across the U.S. and Canada using reported haunted locations, ghost tours and paranormal search interest to uncover North America’s spookiest states, cities and regions.

The findings reveal some unexpected contenders, showing that a destination's spooky reputation isn't necessarily determined by how many haunted locations it has.

Massachusetts Is America’s Spookiest State

Massachusetts has a head start when it comes to spooky history. Salem’s witch-trial legacy may be the obvious draw, but ghost tours, old settlements and centuries of local folklore extend well beyond one city.The state takes first place with a spookiness score of 35.75 out of 50, narrowly beating California, which scores 35.50.

What makes this particularly interesting is that California has almost three times as many reported haunted locations as Massachusetts, with 1,082 compared with 358. Texas follows with 711, while Pennsylvania records 677.

Massachusetts comes out on top thanks largely to its ghost-tour offering, with 103 tours recorded in the research. California has 51, while Texas has 40.

The rankings also reveal an unusually close contest for third place. Texas, Pennsylvania and Kentucky all score 34.50, despite performing very differently across the three factors.

New Orleans Is the Spookiest City in the U.S.

New Orleans takes the national crown with a spookiness score of 37.50 out of 50, and its 147 ghost tours help explain why. Paranormal tourism here has become part of how visitors experience the city.

Savannah follows closely behind with a score of 36.25. The Georgia city records 71 ghost tours, while search data reveals considerable interest in its supernatural attractions. “Ghost tours Savannah” receives 1,500 searches a month, compared with 1,300 for “ghost tours New Orleans.”

The results suggest that America’s spookiest destinations aren’t necessarily those with the most reported hauntings. Cities with established ghost-tour industries and strong paranormal search interest can compete with places that have considerably more haunted locations.

The Most Haunted City in Every U.S. State

While destinations like New Orleans and Savannah dominate the national rankings, every state has its own collection of ghost stories, haunted landmarks and local legends.

Some are well-known paranormal hotspots that attract visitors from across the country, while others are smaller destinations whose spooky reputations rarely extend beyond state borders.

To explore these locations further, Nomad eSIM also examined haunted destinations across individual states, revealing where travelers can discover the supernatural beyond the nation’s most famous ghost-hunting hotspots, offering another way to uncover lesser-known destinations and add a distinctive stop to an existing itinerary.

Ontario Is Canada’s Spookiest Province

Ontario takes first place in the Canadian rankings, achieving a spookiness score of 40.00 out of 50. The province records 175 reported haunted locations, considerably more than Alberta’s 56 and British Columbia’s 48.

Ontario also leads when it comes to ghost tours, with 17 recorded across the province. British Columbia follows with four, while Nova Scotia has two. Alberta takes second place overall with a score of 30.00, followed by British Columbia at 26.25.

Toronto Is Canada’s Spookiest City – But Victoria Has the Most Curious Residents

Toronto takes first place in the Canadian city rankings with a spookiness score of 40.00 out of 50.

The city records 29 reported haunted locations, the highest number among the Canadian cities analyzed, alongside six ghost tours.

Calgary follows in second place with a score of 30.00, while Victoria ranks third at 27.50.

But Victoria may be the more interesting result. Despite having just seven reported haunted locations and two ghost tours, the British Columbia city records 230 monthly paranormal searches.

What Does This Mean for Travelers?

From New Orleans and Savannah, where ghost tours are part of the city experience, to California and Los Angeles, which have numerous reported haunted locations, North America offers plenty of ways to explore its spooky side. Toronto leads Canada’s city rankings, while Victoria stands out for its high paranormal search interest relative to its size.

Whether joining a nighttime walking tour or seeking out historic landmarks, check tour schedules and meeting points ahead of time, and leave room to explore beyond the main attractions.

You don’t need to plan an entire trip around ghosts. Sometimes, a single tour or haunted landmark is enough to discover a different side of a destination.

Every Destination Has Stories to Discover

From Edinburgh’s underground vaults and London’s haunted pubs to the centuries-old castles of Ireland and the eerie streets of Prague, some of the most memorable travel experiences come from looking beyond a destination's familiar attractions.

Whether you're following local legends, exploring unfamiliar neighbourhoods after dark or sharing unexpected discoveries with friends, the freedom to explore often comes down to having the essentials taken care of.

Staying connected can make those moments easier, from finding your way to a tour meeting point to checking local recommendations along the way. Nomad eSIM helps travellers arrange mobile data before departure, so they can spend less time figuring out the logistics and more time experiencing what makes each destination unique.

Nomad eSIM — More With Every Journey.

Methodology

Nomad eSIM ranked destinations across the U.S. and Canada using reported haunted locations (50%), ghost tours (25%) and monthly searches for paranormal-related terms (25%).

Data was sourced from the Shadowlands Haunted Places Index, Tripadvisor and Ahrefs. Search terms covered haunted places, ghost tours and haunted hotels.

For U.S. destinations, search interest was adjusted per 100,000 residents using Census Bureau data, with a minimum city population of 10,000 to avoid skewed results.