Halloween Haunts & Creepy Things to Do in Maine

Along with cooler temperatures and fog-draped coastlines, fall in Maine ushers in another type of hair-raising chill. Make the most of spooky season with haunted houses, historic sites and spine-tingling stories best told by candlelight.

Wadsworth–Longfellow House, Portland

Explore the Wadsworth-Longfellow House (open June–Oct.), once the childhood home of American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The red-brick home is the oldest-standing brick structure on the Portland peninsula and displays furnishings from four generations. Longfellow’s own “Haunted Houses” poem sets the tone as guides lead you through dimly lit rooms where shadows linger and stories of the past take hold.

All houses wherein men have lived and died
Are haunted houses. Through the open doors
The harmless phantoms on their errands glide,
With feet that make no sound upon the floors.

— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807–1882

Fort Knox & Penobscot Narrows Observatory, Prospect

This granite Civil War–era stronghold looms over the Penobscot River with chilling presence. In October, the Fort Knox Historic Site turns into playground for frightful Halloween events: scavenger hunts, haunted campouts and after-dark ghost tours led by investigators. Above it all, the observatory offers a dizzying 360-degree view of the bay below.

Old York Gaol, York

Dating to 1720, the Old York Gaol is a former British prison and one of America’s oldest jails. Now a museum, it shares tales of inmates who once languished within its stone walls. Visitors swear some voices never left.

Bar Harbor Ghost Tours, Bar Harbor

Hear traditional Wabanaki spirit tales and local lore with the Indigenous-owned Bar Harbor Ghost Tours. Lanterns flicker as a costumed guide leads you down hushed streets, recounting hauntings tied to Bar Harbor’s grand hotels and seaside mansions. Choose from an array of ghost tours, which blend regional legends with spectral sightings that still unsettle the town.

Haunted Grandview Manor, Lebanon

Deep in the woods of Lebanon, a legend known as the Pig Man lurks. Meet him and other ghastly beasts at the seasonal Haunted Grandview Manor: a mix of haunted houses and trails that layer graveyards, slaughterhouses and derelict buildings with relentless jump scares. It’s an endurance test designed for the most daring.

Hutchins Haunted Hayride, Medway

Looking for a scary ride? Pile onto the Hutchins’ Haunted Hayride for a mix of frightful scares and costumed characters.

Stephen King Landmarks, Bangor

For fans of horror’s master, Bangor is holy ground. With SK Tours of Maine, take a guided ride to see where legendary author Stephen King has lived and worked, plus places that have inspired his stories. Mount Hope Cemetery starred in “Pet Sematary,” and the town itself inspired Derry, the setting for It.

Maiden Cliff, Camden

Part of Camden Hills State Park, the moderately challenging Maiden Cliff Trail climbs to an 800-foot outcrop marked by the Elenora French cross, a memorial to a girl’s tragic fall in 1864, when a gust of wind blew her off the cliff. The hike rewards adventurers with sweeping views of Megunticook Lake and a chilling story that lingers.

International Cryptozoology Museum, Portland

Less frightening, but no less fascinating, the one-of-a-kind International Cryptozoology Museum explores creatures that may (or may not) exist. From Sasquatch to sea serpents, its exhibits blur the line between folklore and possibility.