Written by Milly Whitehead on 21 / 10 / 2016
Gap Year Advice
By the UK's Best Gap Year Company - The Leap.
With Halloween upon us we thought we would share with you our top 10 scariest movies to get you in the spookie mood and if nothing else give you some great fancy dress ideas.
But seeing The Leap is all about travel we have researched movies where the set has become a tourist attraction or the film/country back drop is so amazing you'll want to pack your bags immediately.
Brace yourself -
Filmed Where? In New Jersey, America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVsVKn-MS14
Not sure I could bear to watch this film – the trailer has sent me into a cold sweat. But the location looks heavenly – the all American perfect lakeside dream in Blairstown, New Jersey.
Crystal Lake is now run as a boy’s scout camp but they have special exclusive spookie tours around Halloween and Friday 13th is near to show you the not so joyful side of Crystal Lake.
Filmed Where? In Havana, Cuba
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb6ZK9UIWHA
Coming out soon – a dark and spookie movie for Angelina Jolie, but filmed in the glorious city of Havana. Havana is looking its best and it is centered around one particularly beautiful, abandoned house, which isn’t quite so beautiful inside, apparently.
For all our volunteers heading out to Havana ask Vienko to take you there. If you dare.
Filmed Where? In Western Australia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm8duRDsS8E
This movie is about three travelers and their journey into the outback to find a real life meteorite crater called Wolfe Creek, in Western Australia. Not quite the adventure they had hoped as their car breaks down and a not so friendly bush man helps them out…
However, back into the cheery world - Woolf Creek is a hot spot for backpackers on their Western Australia tour – it is a remote meteorite crater on the edge of the Kimberly and the Great Sandy Desert. It is now a national park and all geared up for backpackers with hostels, treks and adventures. Definitely worth a visit.
Filmed Where? In Washington, America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDGw1MTEe9k
The Exorcist Stairs - remember those, where Father Karras died? You’ll find them on the corner of Prospect St NW and 36th St NW in Washington. Apparently the stairs were padded with ½” thick rubber.
Filmed Where? Rajasthan, India
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1HjOEubv2Y
A great story, show casing the best of Rajasthan which is an unbeatable with regard its culture, architecture and general buzz. If you are lucky enough to travel there definitely look up the Mehandipur Balaji Temple in the Dausa district in Rajasthan, otherwise known as the ‘Ghost temple’.
Only temple in India where you can see an exorcism taking place. If you don’t believe in ghosts - go there.
Filmed Where? Transylvania, Romania
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgFPIh5mvNc
One of the old favourites when it comes to scary movies and indeed dressing up on Halloween. Dracula’s castle has been on the tourist route for many years but they are now letting people stay there this Halloween. Really? What ever next!
Filmed Where? Hollywood, LA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVzJNnRXn8Y
You’ll be pleased to hear that this house does not actually exist despite all those spookie houses you have driven past and thought “OMG that house looks just like the one where Mr Bates…” It is however one of the most iconic surviving movie sets in the world, found on the Universal Studios Hollywood backlot and part of their grand tour. Go see.
Filmed Where? LA, America.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WlON7r0m7E
We all love a vampire on Halloween and the lost boys is one of those perfect cult movies to watch on the day. The Magic Mountain theme park plays a big part in the movie and remains one of the highlights in LA – so definitely pop it on your list of top days out. Magic Mountain is big on spookie rides so if you are in LA right now – prepare to be spooked.
Where? Chihuahuam, Mexico.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNuIn4T-CLk
Random vampire horror but the good news is it stars Quentin Tarantino and George Clooney as a pair of bad brothers who end up in Vampire bar in Mexico? Worth watching if you are fan of these boys and love a Mexican back drop, which looks pretty good.
Chihuahua City is affectionately called the Lady of the Desert. The city was founded in 1709 and is now home to a mixture of colonial and modern architecture – if visiting make sure you see the Pancho Villa’s House, a 50-room mansion which has been converted into the Museum of the Revolution.
Filmed Where? Northern Spain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUZQgqxIZ6s
Nothing more spooky than a orphanage full of dead kids still playing on the landings. Based around a stunning colonial house, set on the headland in Llanes, Asturias – it should be such a happy place. Indeed it is in real life – spectacular cliffs, big rollers for surfing and amazing architecture and history in the town.
Having watched those trailers I have to admit I have a chill running down my spine and a desire to lock the doors. Who invented Halloween? However India and Cuba have got my travel taste buds going, so not all bad, that’s next year sorted.
Happy Halloween to you all.
If you need any more help with your gap year planning, download The Gap Adventure Blueprint our comprehensive gap year advice guide, contains several chapters on gap year preparation, where to go and what to do.
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