16 Horror Film Locations You Can Still Visit

Published October 19, 2014
Updated March 26, 2021

Nancy’s house from A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) still sits on a little street off Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Another very popular horror franchise from the slasher-heavy 1980s, A Nightmare on Elm Street continues to cause some teenagers to lose sleep; though it’s probably coming in behind the internet now, 30 years later. The current homeowners have restored it to look just like it did in the iconic film, and don’t mind fans taking pictures—from the street, that is.

Directly across the street from Nancy’s Hollywood home is the house in which Johnny Depp’s character Glen met his very bloody demise. The role was the first acting credit of the future superstar.

The Timberline Lodge in Oregon is most recognized for doubling as the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Shining, though the inspiration for the classic book was actually The Stanley Hotel in Colorado. Horror fans actually travel to both locations to seek photo ops and purchase souvenirs.

Horror Film Locations Exorcist House

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The main poster for 1973’s fright fest The Exorcist is one of the most recognizable in cinema history, helping the home of Regan and her mother –which appeared on the poster- retain its tourist appeal.

Exorcist Stairs

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One of the most important locations from the same film would be the M Street Stairs, where Regan’s demon throws Father Karras to his death. Visitors to the site have often had the opportunity to encounter the Georgetown track team, who often use this stairwell for practice and conditioning.

Horror Film Locations Texas Chainsaw House

Source: Kaneva

Tobe Hooper’s 1974 blood-curdling creation, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, was gritty and disturbing. It proved even more unsettling given that it was reported to be “based on actual events.” Finding out that the events of the film never actually took place did not lessen the cult status the film still holds today.

The main house is now a restaurant called the Grand Central Café. Built in Red Rock, Texas (where the movie takes place), the current owners had it moved piece by piece to Kingsland, Texas after purchasing it.

Though it’s now a quaint stop and not home to a menacing psychopath, horror tourists come from across the country to eat at that famed house, the former dwelling of Leatherface.

Horror Film Locations Texas Gas Station

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Ryan’s Hills Prairie Grocery is the creepy, backwoods gas station featured in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It is just as run down now as it was in the film, and had become Bilbo’s Texas’ most notable landmark before going out of business. You’ll now find bars covering the windows to deter aggressive fans from attempting to enter and collect their own souvenirs.


Next, read about the supposed demonic possession of Anneliese Michel. Then, read about the survival mentality in horror movies.

author
Erin Kelly
author
An All That's Interesting writer since 2013, Erin Kelly focuses on historic places, natural wonders, environmental issues, and the world of science. Her work has also been featured in Smithsonian and she's designed several book covers in her career as a graphic artist.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.
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Kelly, Erin. "16 Horror Film Locations You Can Still Visit." AllThatsInteresting.com, October 19, 2014, https://allthatsinteresting.com/horror-film-locations. Accessed December 5, 2024.