Many people think that most ghost towns in the country are located in California and Nevada, home to the gold rush. And, there are some really good ones there, but there are also really remarkable towns in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, which were old mining towns.  

Some of my favorite Ghost Towns, where you will get the more authentic experience without all the glam, is in the Great Plains. These areas have lost a third of their population since 1920 and became railroad ghost towns when railroad was built. More towns were abandoned with the rise of the US Highway System (I mean, have you ever tried to get to these areas, it’s nearly impossible!) 

New Mexico and Arizona are also home to some neat Ghost Towns. There are also a few on the East Coast and in the South.  

One thing that is really great about taking a Ghost Town vacation is that you get to see so much of the Wild Wild West. Lots of these places are not near any airports, so you have to rent a car. It’s a great way to experience our country in a completely different way, and it sort of helps you see how big it truly is. Some of my favorite parts of any Ghost Town vacation is just the driving to see the place, wondering who lived there, and what it was about this place that made them leave. I like to think about their great-great grandchildren coming back to visit. It’s really fun to take in these places and learn so much about our country.