Cemeteries and graveyards can be spooky to some folks, but many people find them to be peaceful places that retain the names and places of history.
Taphophiles or lovers of graveyards actually travel around to seek out these resting places to study tombstones and the people listed on them. If you’re an RVing taphophile, or just looking for an eerie trip this Halloween, check out these historic cemeteries where you can sleep close to the dead.
1. Virginia City RV Park, Nevada
Virginia City in Northern Nevada is one of best preserved silver mining towns in the country. It’s still a vibrant community full of restaurants, shops, special events (like the annual outhouse races) and tours of the famous Silver Terrace Cemetery. The cemetery is home to many residents who flocked to the area for the silver boom during the 1860s.
Virginia City Cemetery by Scott Schrantz is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Right next to the cemetery is the Virginia City RV Park & Market. This RV park features 50 full hookup sites and three rental cabins. The main building has a full market, shower house, and a laundromat. Both the RV park and the cemetery are a few hundred yards away from downtown Virginia City.
2. Teeter’s Campground, North Carolina
The small island of Ocracoke off the coast of North Carolina is full of history and some of it is not American. The British cemetery on the island was built for the victims of the HMS Bedfordshire, a British ship that patrolled the area during WWII.
DrStew82, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The ship was sunk by a German torpedo and after the bodies washed ashore, a cemetery was built for them by the U.S. Coast Guard. Teeter’s Campground is located just steps from the cemetery and features a brand new shower house, sites for RVs and tents, as well as free WiFi.
3. French Quarter RV Resort, Louisiana
Did you know that there’s an RV resort in the middle of New Orleans? Many people don’t. The French Quarter RV Resort is also just up the street from the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 and across the street from the St. Louis Cemetery No. 2.
Established in 1789 and 1823, these cemeteries are on the National Register of Historic Places with several gravestones of historical NOLA figures. The campground is only open to RVs, but pets are allowed. The resort also has a pool, hot tub, playground, and a self-service RV wash.
4. Gettysburg Campground, Pennsylvania
The Gettysburg National Cemetery is not only one of the most famous cemeteries in the country, but Gettysburg itself is one of the most visited National Parks. Located in southern Pennsylvania, the park is famous for crucial the Civil War battle, President Abraham Lincoln’s address, and the thousands of casualties over the course of three days.
Ron Cogswell, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gettysburg Campground is not only close to the park, but also offers tours into it. In addition, the resort has 260 campsites, a game room, theme weekends, and they’re pet-friendly.
5. Croton Point Park, New York
This 508-acre park on the Hudson River is a beautiful and unassuming place to camp. You would never know that it’s located just a few miles from one of the most famous cemeteries in the country.
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery was not only brought to life by Washington Irving’s famous Halloween story (he’s also buried there), but it’s the final resting place for other famous people like Henry David Thoreau and Andrew Carnegie.
Nearby, Croton Point Park has sites for both RVs and tents, hiking trails, a boat launch, and special events throughout the year.
