15 Tourist Destinations in the U.S. That’ll Give You Goosebumps
Some Americans plan their vacations around warm weather, cultural experiences, or enjoyable outings. There’s a growing trend, however, of Americans traveling to destinations that allow them to explore the darker parts of the country’s history.
Dark tourism involves traveling to sites associated with death, tragedy, or unnatural events. In the United States, there are many sites you can visit to learn more about these experiences.
These are some dark tourism destinations to consider visiting in the U.S. While undeniably dark, each site can allow you to learn and reflect on how tragedy has shaped American history and culture.
1: Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz Island in San Francisco has a long and complex history. For 29 years, Alcatraz operated as a maximum-security federal penitentiary. The government created the prison to house inmates who were difficult to incarcerate in other prisons.
During its time as a federal penitentiary, Alcatraz held over 1,500 inmates, including notorious criminals, like Al Capone and Robert Stroud. Today, the National Park Service operates Alcatraz Island, where you can take guided tours and visit exhibits.
2: National 9/11 Memorial
The deadliest terror attack on American soil occurred on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks.
The National 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City honors those victims and tells the stories of the survivors, first responders, and civilians who witnessed the attacks. You can also visit the 9/11 Memorial, located at the site of the former World Trade Center complex.
3: Salem Witch Museum
The town of Salem, Massachusetts, has become linked to the infamous Salem witch trials of 1692. During the witchcraft trials, at least 25 innocent people died, and up to 200 people were jailed.
Today, you can visit the Salem Witch Museum to learn more about this dark time in American history. The museum serves to tell the stories of victims and explain how scapegoating and injustice led to the trials. The museum notes that some exhibits, such as a tableau of the Devil, may be inappropriate for some.
4: Museum of Death
The Museum of Death, which has locations in Hollywood, California, and New Orleans, Louisiana, offers this warning to potential visitors: Enter at your own risk. Both museums contain macabre exhibits with hundreds of items on display.
Exhibits at the two Museum of Death locations include coroners’ instruments, crime scene photographs, and artwork by serial killers. Prepare yourself for graphic and explicit content, and be warned that some visitors have fainted on their tours.
5: St. Louis Cemetery
While you’re in New Orleans, you can continue your dark tour with a visit to St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, known as the “Cities of the Dead.” It’s an active gravesite and the final resting place of many New Orleanians, including Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.
You can only visit St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 as part of a guided tour. You’ll learn about the people interred in the cemetery and the history of the city’s above-ground tombs.
6: Rachel, Nevada
In 2013, the U.S. government admitted the existence of Area 51, a top-secret active military base in remote Nevada. For years, Area 51 has been at the center of conspiracy theories and alleged UFO sightings. While you can’t visit Area 51, you can visit Rachel, Nevada, known as the UFO Capital of the World.
Rachel is the closest town to Area 51, and it leans into the distinction in a big way. You can visit the Alien Cowpoke Gas and General Store, take a photo in front of the Extraterrestrial Highway sign, and visit the Little A’Le’Inn souvenir shop.
7: Centralia, Pennsylvania
Centralia, Pennsylvania, doesn’t offer much to see, but that’s the point. This ghost town is the site of an underground mine fire that’s been burning since 1962.
Many buildings have been demolished over the years, but you can still visit Centralia and wander the abandoned streets. On some days, you can even see smoke rising from the ground.
8: Eastern State Penitentiary
Another dark tourist destination in Pennsylvania, the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia continues to attract visitors as the most historic prison in America. It held nearly 85,000 inmates throughout its history, including “Slick Willie” Sutton.
Today, the Eastern State Penitentiary offers tours of the abandoned complex, allowing you to view the crumbling cells up close. It hosts a special immersive experience at Halloween that you can attend (if you dare).
9: Oklahoma City Memorial
The Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum remembers the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995. The bombing killed 168 people, including children, and injured many others.
The Memorial Museum documents the day of the bombing and the aftermath of the tragedy, including the stories of first responders, survivors, and family members of the victims. There’s also a memorial on the site of the former Murrah building with two gates, called 9:01 and 9:03. The gates signify the minute before the bombing and the minute after, when everything had changed.
10: National Museum of Funeral History
Funerals have existed since ancient times as a way to mourn, remember, and celebrate the dead. The National Museum of Funeral History in Houston pays homage to this tradition.
The museum has 19 permanent exhibits with the largest collection of historical funeral items in the United States. On a tour of the museum, you can view historic coffins, learn about famous funerals, and discover funeral traditions in other cultures.
11: Hindenburg Crash Site
In 1937, the Hindenburg airship crashed in Lakehurst, New Jersey, as it attempted to land at a naval station. The crash claimed the lives of 35 people, and 62 others survived.
You can visit the Hindenburg crash site, which is marked with an outline in the shape of the airship. It’s designated as a Registered National Historic Landmark.
12: Pearl Harbor
The Pearl Harbor National Memorial serves as a remembrance of the “date which will live in infamy.” On Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, resulting in the deaths of over 2,400 people.
At the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, you can tour a museum and visit the USS Arizona Memorial, the final resting place of over 900 sailors who remain there. There are also memorials for the USS Oklahoma and the USS Utah.
13: Manzanar National Historic Site
The Manzanar National Historic Site marks a dark time in American history. It preserves the site of the camp where the U.S. government detained over 110,000 Japanese Americans and immigrants during World War II.
At the historic site in Independence, California, you can view exhibits with artifacts, photographs, and audiovisual recordings. Block 14 includes the mess hall, women’s latrine, and two barracks buildings.
14: Wounded Knee
In 1890, a massacre at Wounded Knee in South Dakota resulted in the deaths of around 150 Lakota Sioux. Nearly half of those killed were women and children.
The tragic massacre was one of the last battles of the Indian Wars against Native Americans. You can visit a monument to the Native Americans who lost their lives in Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
15: Hurricane Katrina Memorial
One of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history, Hurricane Katrina killed over 1,800 people, including over 1,100 New Orleans residents. Over 80% of the city flooded when the levee system failed.
You can visit the New Orleans Katrina Memorial, which pays tribute to those who lost their lives in the natural disaster. There are also other markers documenting the storm in the city.
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