Where beauty meets mystery and intrigue

Rumors of strange disappearances, large monsters and UFOs? They’re mostly untrue. And mysteries aside, these eerie places make for lovely getaways.

The Bermuda Triangle happens to fall right in the middle of some prime vacation real estate, with its three points located in Miami, Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Bermuda, of course. Also known as the Devil’s Triangle, this area has become infamously associated with shipwrecks and mysterious disappearances. Fortunately for travelers, these supernatural occurrences are a bunch of malarkey. Researchers have found that the Bermuda Triangle has significantly fewer shipwrecks than other parts of the world. In fact, the waters off the coast of Bermuda are so clear and beautiful that glass bottomed boat tours have become a major attraction. If you go on one keep an eye out for the lost city of Atlantis, rumored to be buried under the waters of the Triangle.

Another body of water with an eerie rap is Scotland’s Loch Ness. The lake is supposedly home to Nessie, a dinosaur (or descendant of dinosaurs) that has miraculously survived in the Scottish Highlands for millennia. Aside from the rumors of giant sea monsters, the area around Loch Ness is quite beautiful. Several small, picturesque villages surround the lake and the nearby Urquhart Castle is one of the most visited sites in Scotland. If you’re still on the hunt for Nessie, you can take one of the multiple boat tours that go out onto the Loch or visit the Nessie Shop, which has thousands of plush toys, T-shirts, and other Nessie tchotchkes.

The Sattva Sanctuary in Trout Lake, Washington is little known outside of the UFO community, but is supposedly a hotbed of paranormal activity nestled in the scenic Cascade Mountains. The Sanctuary is open to “seekers who want to raise their consciousness and interact with extraterrestrial intelligence,” but the general public can also make reservations to stop by if they just want to do some skywatching. As with the Bermuda Triangle and Loch Ness, Trout Lake is a gorgeous place that’s worth visiting in spite of its mysterious reputation. White water rafting, hiking, and charming bed and breakfasts put Trout Lake on the New York Times’ list of best places to visit in 2013.

Tagged: Destinations