Monday, Jul. 13, 2009
Colorado
Photo credit: Steve Hamblin / Alamy
Heeeeeeeere's the Stanley! The historic 1909 hotel located atop a mountain in Estes Park was the inspiration for The Shining, and it was here in Room 217 that Stephen King sat, stared creepily into the distance and pecked out half the novel. The owners don't seem to mind playing up the building's spooky connections. Ghost tours are offered ($13), taking guests into some of the hotel's supposedly haunted rooms and into a secret underground tunnel. If your husband happens to be a mentally unhinged writer, it's best to leave him at home. Rates: from $99 per night