If you’ve ever been on a road trip but thought “there just aren’t enough ghosts around here,” one state may have a suggestion for you. Nevada just announced an expanded and extended investment into its creepy side, with free “Paranormal Passports” available to visitors of the Silver State. Like a real passport, stamps are available at multiple gateways and visitor hotspots. But unlike a real passport, where filling your pages with stamps means a lengthy replacement process, Nevada Paranormal Passport holders who collect stamps will instead win road-trip-ready prizes (if they survive visiting all the spooky destinations, of course).
The Paranormal Passport first launched in 2023 as a response to the rising interest in odd, offbeat, historic, and generally less-crowded tourist sites, which thrived while people were “social distancing” during the COVID-19 pandemic. While Nevada saw 56 million visitors in 2024, the vast majority were to Las Vegas. Nevada is one of the least densely populated states in the country, with only about 30 people per square mile, compared to more than 250 in California. So as soon as you get beyond the neon lights of Vegas, there’s a good chance you’ll have lots of space to yourself. That’s ideal for roadtripping, and if you ask paranormal experts, ideal for everything from UFO sightings to mysterious creatures that go bump in the night.
Photo: Travel Nevada
Visitors can get their own free Paranormal Passport from the official website, which maps out more than 50 haunted, historic, and downright mysterious attractions across Nevada. Stops range from the infamous Clown Motel to old mining town saloons still slinging beer in historic Virginia City. After signing up, a passport link will be automatically texted to users, allowing them to access their passport at any time without needing to download an app. It acts like a digital checklist, where checking in with GPS at participating sites earns users a stamp. Collect enough stamps, and you can redeem it for Nevada-themed swag like tote bags and Rumpl blankets.
What makes Nevada so spooky?
Photo: Travel Nevada
Nevada’s reputation as a paranormal hotspot stems primarily from its mining history. Towns that saw rapid growth overnight during silver or gold rushes had saloons, hotels, and theaters, but also accidents, violence, and epidemics. When these towns’ mines dried up, many left in a hurry, leaving behind crumbling buildings, hastily built cemeteries and, in some cases, even personal possessions. It’s hard to visit the state’s ghost towns and not feel something a little eerie, especially if you’re the only one there.
Nevada’s geography also plays a role, as much of the state is sweeping, quiet desert. When road tripping, you’ll encounter long stretches of empty highways, abandoned shacks, and plenty of tumbleweeds. It makes some places feel extra removed from civilization, and in places like that, it’s hard to not overthink things when you hear an unexplained sound or see lights in the distance.
Photo: Travel Nevada
Layered on top of the state’s Gold Rush history and empty places are Nevada’s ties to extraterrestrial stories. Area 51 and the “Extraterrestrial Highway” have become international symbols of government secrecy and ground zero for speculation that the US Government is covering up knowledge of alien visitation. Throw in Nevada’s few top-secret military testing sites, and it’s no wonder the state is known for everything from ghosts to aliens to unexplained desert phenomena.
Other states leaning into their creepy offerings
Tarrytown Music Hall in New York. Photo: Adam McCullough/Shutterstock
Nevada has some of the most mysterious places in the US, but it’s not the only state welcoming visitors to take a look at its creepier side. You’ll find similar offerings on New York’s Haunted History Trail, which includes more than 80 stops, or West Virginia’s Paranormal Trail, which includes sites like the Mothman Museum and cryptid-themed mini golf. Other states, like Kentucky, may not have official themed routes, but have plenty of information on their tourism websites about where to find the creepiest locations in the state. Travelers who have only a day or evening to devote to paranormal activity will likely find ghost and history tours in most major cities throughout the US, from Chicago and New Orleans to San Francisco and Orlando.
