The List: For Meetings That Thrill

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Gather at film sites for famous scary movies

If any time of year is made for cozying up under (or hiding behind) a blanket and watching a horror thriller, it’s October. But how about a meeting or event at one of the very sites where a classic horror film was created? From sprawling resorts to secluded inns and destinations made to wow, these locations are sure to excite both the horror fanatics and your “I’ll stick to my rom-coms” attendees.

The Stanley Hotel, Colorado

As the story goes, during a stay in The Stanley Hotel, Stephen King awoke from a nightmare one night with his novel The Shining fully formed in his mind. The 1980 Jack Nicholson flick followed. You can see why the setting brought the story to life for King, with its regal 20th century design and remote mountainous location; but events there are sure to spark joy rather than horror, with elegant accommodations and 41,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space—not to mention its new The Shining Tour.

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Biltmore Estate, North Carolina

In the Silence of the Lambs sequel, Hannibal (2001), Gary Oldman plays Mason Verger, a surviving victim of Hannibal Lecter obsessed with revenge but confined to his colossal manor. IRL, it’s the Biltmore Estate, a towering, castle-like setting at the base of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. With 418 guest rooms, 20,000 sq. ft. of elegant meeting space and an on-site winery, there’s no horror film creepiness at the property—but those horror film fanatics in your group will still be thrilled (in a good way).

Oak Alley Plantation, Louisiana

The kitschy cult classic Interview with the Vampire (1994) takes place all over the world, from Paris to San Francisco; but the story begins at the home of Louis de Pointe du Lac, filmed at Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana. An hour outside of New Orleans, the property is now an inn with charming cottages and private event space in an ideal location to take in the site’s plantation history, countryside and swamps, and cajun/creole cuisine.

Santa Cruz, California

If you’ve seen Jordan Peele’s “Us” (2019), then you’ve seen the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Don’t worry, the hall of mirrors depicted in the movie isn’t actually there; but that’s the only attraction of the beachfront amusement park the film fabricates. Hop aboard the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, which recently turned 100. The town beyond completes the laid-back NorCal atmosphere, with delectable dining, pristine beaches and ancient redwoods.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Florida

A resort already on many wish-lists, Fontainebleau Miami Beach is a horror film fan destination, too, as a site for the cult classic Al Pacino star turn Scarface (1983). The iconic line “Say hello to my little friend” wasn’t delivered onsite, but the pool in the film is the resort’s very own. The cherry on top? The leading luxury destination just debuted its Coastal Convention Center, so it now offers a grand total of 231,340 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, with 1,504 guest rooms.