Special Edition: Halloween Road Trips

These are a little farther than others in our road trip series and will likely be an overnight trip; especially to experience the night time activities.

Tennessee: The Bell Witch Cave

In the tiny town of Adams Tennessee sits an old farm with an incredible history. It is the only case where a ghost was deemed legally responsible for a person’s death. It is believed that a spirit, dwelling in the cave was responsible for the harassment of the entire Bell family and eventual murder of the patriarch, John. We went there in 2023 and toured the cave and the replica cabin. It is a fairly easy cave to navigate but because of the nature of the site is not handicap accessible. Anyone who enjoys folk history, caves, or spooky things would have a fun time here.

For more info: https://www.bellwitchcave.com/

Travel time from Blackwell Automotive: Approx. 3 hrs

Kentucky: The Jack O’Lantern Spectacular

Running from Oct 1^st through November 2^nd, Louisville hosts a massive carved pumpkin showcase. This is such an awesome atmosphere!! There is nothing scary about it and I love that it is something the whole family can do together. As you walk through there, are many pumpkins that are precarved but each year they carve fresh pumpkins with the most intricate details. You will see several themed areas and even a memorial section for celebrities that have passed away that year. (There was even one of a Richard Moll who had died just 3 days before our visit.) You’ve gotta see the pictures!!!

For more info: https://www.jackolanternlouisville.org

These first 2 are relatively close to each other so you could see both in the same weekend. When we went, we left out early on a Saturday Morning and saw the Bell Witch Cave around lunch time, saw the Spectacular that night, and drove home on Sunday. They also have a special rate with a LaQuinta Inn for only $104 per night so you don’t have to break the bank to make this trip.

Travel time from Blackwell Automotive: Approx. 4hrs 45 min

Travel time from Blackwell Automotive and stopping by Adams TN: Approx. 5hrs 30 min

West Virginia:  The Pumpkin House and the Mothman

This is always listed as one of the top sites to see around Halloween every year. It is only for 1 weekend and is usually right before Halloween.  The owners of the house, with the help of the community, carve over 3000 pumpkins to illuminate and decorate the house. The house sits on a regular street in Kenova WV and it is such a pleasant relaxed atmosphere. There are food trucks set up across the street and there is no admission fee to see all of the pumpkins. Oh, and there are no two pumpkins that are alike except for the musical instruments. They have several themes including the wall of musical instruments that illuminate when that particular instrument is used in the song that is playing. There is also a wall of presidents. Some of the pumpkins are carved by students at the school just down the street.

For more info: https://www.facebook.com/KenovaPumpkinHouse/ 

Only an hour’s drive north sits the town of Point Pleasant, WV. Does this town sound familiar? It is the place of the famous Mothman and the Men in Black sightings. Back in the 1960s the Mothman was seen all over the western part of West Virginia and southern Ohio. There is a pretty cool museum dedicated to both where you can see old newspaper clippings and buy souvenirs. Also, Point Pleasant is the site of the Silver Bridge collapse that took 46 lives and changed the rules for bridge inspections and safety in America.

For more info: https://visitpointpleasantwv.com/see-do/

Travel time from Blackwell Automotive: Approx. 6hrs

Travel time from Kenova to Point Pleasant: Approx. 45 min

West Virginia: Lake Shawnee Amusement Park

This one could be more for adults but kids could go in the day time for tours. Lake Shawnee was a small amusement park back in the 1920s - 1960s. Once a bustling park it has since been left for nature to reclaim it. There are several legends of tragedies that happened on the property to give it a few ghost stories. It is definitely a great place for photographers to capture the rides that have been covered in vines and vegetation.  For the teen to adult aged crowd, you can camp over night at the property Halloween. They also have a haunted carnival for those of you who are looking for something a little more scary.

For more info: https://www.wvlakeshawnee.com/

Travel time from Blackwell Automotive: Approx. 5hrs 15 min

Make it a spooktacular road trip and do them all in the same extended weekend! Start with the Bell Witch cave during the day on Thursday, then go to the Pumpkin Spectacular Thursday night. Friday drive to Point Pleasant and end the Day at the Pumpkin House. Saturday Visit the Lake Shawnee in the daytime to take pictures and stay for the Dark Carnival that night and drive home on Sunday.