Savannah's largest cemetery is also the city’s most fascinating. The 160-acre former plantation includes a number of notable Georgians (like former governor Josiah Tattnall) but it's the less-famous gravesites that draw the most attention here. Seek out the final resting place of Gracie Watson, a six-year-old girl whose site is adorned with a realistic (and really creepy) sculpture of her. And although he wasn’t six feet under, in 1867 the cemetery famously hosted John Muir, who spent six nights sleeping among the graves in what he called the cheapest accommodation he could find.
Cemeteries are spooky, there’s no denying it. But if stop and look around, the scenery might surprise you. The most beautiful cemeteries in the U.S. are often lined with trees and ornate monuments, mausoleums, and memorials — it’s no wonder that these places were popular in the Victorian era when picnicking or strolling through the graveyard was peak leisure. And these gorgeous graveyards are worth checking out even today.
No, you don’t need a spooky season (we see you, October) to wander through these hauntingly beautiful cemeteries, though it does make the trip even more atmospheric. These eerie and stunning gravesites across the U.S. are remarkable both for their landscapes and their permanent residents — famous figures like Alexander Hamilton, Paul Revere, and even the Colonel Sanders all rest in the cemeteries on our list.
Whether you’re watching a movie at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, snorkeling among the underwater Neptune Memorial Reef in Florida’s Key Biscayne, or paying your respects to the artists and writers buried in Brooklyn’s Green-Wood, these beautiful cemeteries are some of our favorite spots in the country.
Looking for more haunted getaways? Whether it’s Halloween season or not, we have recommendations for the best haunted Airbnbs and haunted hotels to fuel your nightmares — that is, if you can get to sleep at all — and for creepy ghost towns filled with the spirits of days gone by. If bone-chilling adventures aren’t your thing, there’s still plenty of fall fun to be had: check out our lists of the best corn mazes and the best places to see dramatic fall foliage.
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