Salem, Massachusetts, is America's capital of all things haunted, and come October the whole town leans in — hay rides, pumpkin patches, harvest festivals, and crowds dressed head to toe in black. So it makes sense that the town's short-term rentals go just as hard on the Halloween theme. Travel writer Amanda Norcross at TravelAwaits has rounded up eight spooky Airbnbs worth booking, ranging from subtly witchy to full neon-lit horror.

At the dramatic end of the scale sit the two rooms inside The Salem Victorian, a home built in 1864 in Salem's handsome McIntire District. One room goes boho-gothic with red velvet, black paint, and gaudy gold accents; the other leans darkly romantic. Both come with private bathrooms and upscale toiletries — the vibe is less budget-haunt, more wealthy witch.

For something between spooky and livable, The Raven is a one-bedroom condo sleeping four, with Gothic touches in the bedroom and a stately reading room, plus a private back patio with Adirondack chairs around a fire pit — ideal for an October evening. The Rookery, a two-bedroom in an 1890s house, blends high-end modern finishes with dark décor and is walkable to downtown. Witch Hollow, another two-bedroom for four, keeps the witch theme light and is only steps from Salem Common, which means everything in town is on foot.

Travelling with kids or just allergic to anything genuinely creepy? Goosebumps House is a two-bedroom, four-sleeper plastered with hand-drawn murals and colour-changing mood lights, and it comes with a VCR and a stack of VHS tapes for full 90s nostalgia. The Creaky Cauldron sleeps six across three bedrooms, with a bright pop-horror theme so detailed that every piece of furniture plays along. And for a gentler entry point, The Salty Witches Cottage is a standalone two-bedroom cottage over 150 years old — themed in the communal downstairs areas only, leaving the upstairs bedrooms calm, and still walkable to all the top sights.

Salem works even if you skip the witch trials entirely, though October bookings here fill up months ahead, so these listings are worth saving now. Groups of four have the most choice — five of the eight options sleep exactly four — while larger parties should look straight at The Creaky Cauldron. History buffs and design lovers will get the most out of the Victorian rooms and The Rookery; families should head for Goosebumps House.

Original source: TravelAwaits