real estate adviser: How a Lifetime of Spooky Road Trips Made Me Who I Am Today

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How a Lifetime of Spooky Road Trips Made Me Who I Am Today

I'll admit it: I'm what some may call a spooky enthusiast. In my opinion, Halloween is the year's best holiday, and the seasonal focus on the ghoulish and macabre is a free pass for me to spend even more time doing what I would normally be doing throughout the year: watching scary movies, listening to true crime podcasts, and fantasizing that I have supernatural powers and a pet cat named Salem. But one thing that makes spooky season even more great? It's the perfect time for road trips.

For one thing, spooky season arrives in fall, the absolute most inviting time to hit the road. There's nothing better than crisp air, a steaming cup of hot chocolate in your cup holder, and the sound of crunching leaves as your wheels drive over them. As a kid, my family would drive up to Salem, Massachusetts, where we'd visit the Salem Witch Museum, do a history walk, and admire the surrounding foliage. Each year, I remember feeling like the world was full of spooky possibilities—the potential to see a ghost or carve the perfect jack-o'-lantern was always within reach.

To this very day, the weeks leading up to Halloween are still my favorite time to take a road trip. This past weekend, I drove down to Shenandoah National Park, looking for the perfect autumnal getaway. After a full day of scenic hikes, pumpkin picking, and the purchase of many apple cider products, I ended the night just as you would expect me to: watching The Blair Witch Project before bed. If you're a Halloween lover like I am, these are the products you should bring along for a screaming good time on your next spooky road adventure.