The Ultimate Fall Road Trip for 'Beetlejuice' Fans

Halloween season is even more spirited this year with the return of a certain striped-suited poltergeist. To celebrate the premiere of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Tim Burton's highly anticipated sequel to the 1980s classic, we're going back to Winter River, chatting with Beetlejuice designers and visiting the most Insta-worthy attractions this fall dedicated to the ghost with the most. Check out these must-dos and start planning your ghost-guided trip.

Cue the Danny Elfman tuba. While the town of Winter River, Connecticut, is fictional, the village of East Corinth, Vermont, is very real and that's the actual location where both the original and sequel were filmed. Today, you can still drive by the row of shops that featured Adam Maitland's hardware store (It was turned into a coffee shop for the sequel.) and the small town fire station as seen on the big screen. A former East Corinth Masonic Lodge was used for Miss Shannon's School for Girls. And, yes, there's also that iconic red bridge where the cutest dog in cinema committed a double homicide.

Of course, East Corinth's most iconic Beetlejuice structure is the Maitland-then-Deetz house on the hill overlooking Winter River. The original avante-garde, Otho-curated house was torn down after filming Beetlejuice. But for the new sequel, the crew went right back to the same spot. HGTV sat down with Mark Scruton, production designer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, who said the film is “handmade insanity.”

“In the first film, the Deetz house is so ingrained into the psyche of the world," said Scruton. "Tim [Burton] and I had a conversation about it, and he was like, we need to go back. We can’t do this film if we don’t go back to the original place. We built the whole house again exactly as it had been before — exactly the same spot. You could still see a little bit of depression in the ground where the original one had been built."

However, not everything could be shot in Corinth this time. Melrose, Massachusetts, was also used for select shots in the fictional town of Winter River. About a half-hour drive from both Boston and Salem, the suburb features several late 19th-century Victorian mansions. While in town, swing by Main Street for Molly's Bookstore or a snack from Buckalew's General Store.

The world of Beetlejuice is the epitome of Tim Burton's signature aesthetic. Dark, moody colors certainly set the scene, but so much of the eerie personality comes from shape. You rarely find perfectly straight lines or neat and tidy corners in Beetlejuice. Silhouettes twist and turn such as this crooked, creepy treehouse that was built on location in Melrose.

After a stroll through Melrose, head down to New York City (You'll drive right through Hartford, Connecticut, for any Gilmore Girls fans.) for more ghostly sights such as the Beetle House. The immersive experience, created by New Gold Empire, features Beetlejuice-inspired decor and entertainment. Tim O’Grady, logistics director at New Gold Empire, said it's a love letter to the strange, the unusual and the wonderfully macabre world of Beetlejuice.

"We were drawn to the way Beetlejuice balances darkness with humor, chaos with charm," said O'Grady. "He’s the kind of character that, despite his flaws, you can’t help but root for. It’s that balance that inspired us to create spaces that feel like stepping into his world — immersive, visually stunning and just the right amount of eccentric."

"We wanted to build a place where fans of all things weird and wonderful could come together and feel at home," added O'Grady. "At Beetle House NYC, we wanted to create a space that reflects the gritty, whimsical energy of the city itself. Much like Beetlejuice, he’s wild, unpredictable, but impossible to ignore. We love the way this character lives unapologetically, which mirrors the boldness of New York’s culture.”

Expect the craft cocktails to be wild and unpredictable, too, from The Beetle's Juice to The Big Fish Bowl, which features rum, vodka, gin and tequila. You've been warned.

While Danny Elfman's score is certainly part of the magic that's made Beetlejuice such a beloved film for generations, there's another musician who is synonymous with this film: Harry Belafonte. You hear four of the Calypso singer's iconic songs in the original movie, but "Day-o (Banana Boat Song)" will always be the most remembered as it was the song used for that possessed lip-synching-at-dinner scene. Belafonte, who was born in Harlem, dedicated much of his life outside of entertainment to the Civil Rights Movement and, in 2017, the New York Public Library renamed Harlem's 115th Street Library in his honor.

Another NYC stop for Harry Belafonte fans: New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. The Harlem archives, which feature Belafonte in the center's welcome video, now contain a collection of the singer's personal photographs, letters, artwork, original music and more. You can take a closer look at items in the collection by scheduling an appointment with the library.

Not ready to pack up just yet? Tack on six more hours on the road for Pittsburgh, actor Michael Keaton's hometown. In the basement of Lawrenceville Market House, you'll find Main Street Diner & Kickback Cafe, a Beetlejuice-themed haunt with a bevy of nerdtastic pinball machines. Don't miss the detailed model display that we know would impress Adam Maitland.

There are Beetlejuice-inspired vignettes everywhere you look, from sandworm tablescapes to a why-didn't-we-think-of-that skeleton display featuring Barbara and Adam's bride and groom outfits. "With Michael Keaton from Pittsburgh, as a city, we have a huge love for all things Halloween and Beetlejuice," said owner Brian Mendelssohn. "At the Main Street Diner, we wanted to create a family-friendly spooky atmosphere that makes it a joy to spend time here with your family and friends."

If you've got the vacation days or measure time a la Saturn, extend your trip down the East Coast and head to Atlanta for an unusual takeover at the Museum of Illusions. For a limited time, the museum's most popular interactive exhibits will feature visual displays inspired by Beetlejuice. The paranormal takeover, which is a collab with Allied Global Marketing and Warner Bros. Pictures, is expected to run through Halloween.

“We’re excited to showcase the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice takeovers as an unparalleled experience that only Museum of Illusions can deliver,” said Kaylie Heyner of Allied Global Marketing. “This is a celebration of the spooky and surreal, and we know Atlanta has the most imaginative and engaging fans who will love to see the exhibits and the movie.”

Photo ops and optical illusions aside, the highly detailed decor is just as inspiring. One installation features a ceiling adorned with suspended Polaroids of classic white sheet ghosts. It's an homage to Lydia's photography and paranormal proof that recreating this on a small scale at home would be so much fun for Halloween decor. You could create a garland of Polaroids for the mantle or staircase and get everyone in the family — even pets! — to pose like Barbara and Adam.

Can't get to the East Coast this fall? There are tons of themed must-dos on the West Coast such as Beetle House LA, the sister venue to Beetle House NYC. But it should be noted that the two are not the same experience.

“In LA, we wanted to blend the quirky Hollywood charm with Beetlejuice’s iconic mischief," said O'Grady. "We’ve always loved how Beetlejuice transcends the boundaries between the living and the dead, much like how LA blurs the line between reality and fantasy.”

While in Tinsletown, don't miss Fever's brand-new pop-up exhibit inspired by the sequel. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: The Afterlife Experience features an immersive, 70-minute journey through the bureaucratic afterlife complete with that iconic waiting room, interactive entertainment and a run-in or two with the famed bio-exorcist. There are tons of photo ops, a souvenir Afterlife Passport and specialty-themed food and drinks.

For the ultimate California crawl devoted to all things Beetlejuice, you have to head to Oakland. (A short flight is likely more practical. However, we love driving the California coast.) and book a stay in The Moonlight Manor, a themed vacation rental with set-like living spaces.

Created by costume and set designer Christina Molcillo, The Moonlight Manor features stunning handpainted murals inspired by Beetlejuice as well as more subtle Dark Academia designs and decor that you'll love if, like Lydia Deetz, your whole life is a dark room.