Although the movie was shot at Oregon's Timberline Lodge and at Elstree Studios in England, it was the Stanley Hotel that inspired Stephen King while writing The Shining (he wrote half the book in room 217). Built in the middle of the Colorado Rockies in 1909, stories of hauntings, including ghostly kids playing in the halls, have flourished since Stanley Kubrick's film hit theatres in 1980. Playing along, the hotel now offers daily ghost tours and an annual Shining Ball the Friday before Halloween. Room rates start at about $135 and elevators are guaranteed to be (mostly) blood-free. Room rates start at $150 a night.
For more information, call 1-800-976-1377 or visit http://www.stanleyhotel.com.