10 Terrifying Real Vacation Stories That Put Horror Movies to Shame

Vacations are meant to be relaxing getaways, but sometimes they turn into unforgettable nightmares. From chilling encounters in unfamiliar places to heart-pounding moments of fear, these real-life travel horror stories will make you think twice before booking your next adventure.

• I arrived at my hotel late at night, exhausted from a long flight. The receptionist gave me my key, and I headed up to my room. The moment I stepped inside, I felt uneasy. The bed was unmade, clothes were scattered on the chair, and the bathroom light was on. Someone was already here. Before I could react, the bathroom door creaked open. A man stepped out, just as shocked as I was. I bolted out of the room and ran straight to the front desk. Turns out, they accidentally gave me a key to an occupied room. I still wonder what would have happened if I had fallen asleep before noticing.
• Travelled to Fiji to see some family. I went to a beach and splashing around in the water, when I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my ankle. A second later, the pain hit me like a truck. After a $3,000 hospital bill and discovering I had a five-centimeter-deep wound, I learned that a baby stingray had stung me. The rest of my trip was spent on bed rest, doped up on pain meds. Since the wound was too deep to close, I had to keep going back to the Fijian doctors to get it repacked. 15 year old me was not happy. jags1711 / Reddit
• My ex-boyfriend and I had planned a trip to Hawaii four months ahead of time. We broke up two months before but decided to go anyway since two of our close friends were also coming. Even though things were tense, we tried to stay civil and make the best of it. When we arrived, the hotel messed up our reservation and gave us a room with one bed instead of two. There were no other rooms available. So every night, I was stuck with my overly emotional ex, arguing about why our relationship had fallen apart or why we were supposedly meant to be together. Unsurprisingly, we ended up ruining the trip for everyone. Unknown author / Reddit

• I was hiking alone in a remote area when I noticed something strange. Fresh footprints in the dirt ahead of me. They were deep, like someone had just passed through. But as I kept walking, I realized something chilling. The prints continued for several more feet and then just stopped. No turn, no backtracking, just a sudden end. I stood frozen, scanning the trees, feeling like someone was watching me. I never saw anyone, but I picked up my pace and got out of there fast.
• I was 11, visiting my grandparents in Florida with my unstable dad. One night, he lost his phone and decided we were leaving. He woke us up to pack, and soon we were walking down the street with our bags while my grandparents begged us to get in their car. We caught a cab to the airport, but when my dad realized he couldn’t afford three tickets, he snapped—throwing his suitcase across the terminal before walking out. Luckily, my grandparents found us and took us home. Worst Christmas ever. JiveB**ber / Reddit
• While staying at a small rental cabin in the mountains, I woke up to knocking at my window in the middle of the night. I was in the middle of nowhere. No neighbors, no staff, nothing but forest. The knocking continued, slow and deliberate. I stayed completely still, heart pounding. After a few minutes, it stopped. I never dared to check outside. The next morning, I found faint handprints on the glass.

• I took a guided cave tour with a small group. At one point, our guide led us through a narrow tunnel. As I crawled through, I suddenly got stuck. My backpack had wedged between the rocks. Panic set in as I struggled to free myself, my breathing growing shallow. The people ahead did not notice I was trapped. Just when I thought I would have to scream, someone behind me grabbed my bag and yanked it loose. I scrambled forward, shaking. I have never felt that kind of fear before.
• Riding home from a family vacation when we heard a weird noise coming from the back of the car. The back tire then proceeded to explode, scaring us all half to death and the nearing towns were thirty miles in both directions and it was already 4 pm. We were all scared that we would not be able to get new tires. Luckily we hit a tire store at 4:45 by crawling down the highway very slowly to try not to mess up our car. Made it home that night in one piece somehow. HankHillS**tpost / Reddit
• I checked into a hotel for a work trip and was given a key to Room 303. When I got to the third floor, I searched for my room but there was no 303. The numbers jumped from 302 to 304. Confused, I went back to the lobby. The receptionist looked at me strangely. “We don’t have a Room 303,” she said. I showed her my key, and her face went pale. She quickly took it and handed me another without explaining. I did not ask questions. I just took my new key and tried to shake the uneasy feeling that someone or something had wanted me in that nonexistent room.

• I was showering in my hotel room when I suddenly felt someone watching me. I was all alone. I turned the water off and immediately heard footsteps. It scared me to the bone. Mustering all my courage, I stepped out and saw my clothes on the floor. I clearly remembered laying them on the bed. As I grabbed my phone to call the cops, someone yelled from behind me, “Ma’am, you need to evacuate, it’s an emergency”. It was the hotel staff. Apparently, there was a report of a gas leak on the floor and the staff was evacuating everyone. I didn’t hear them knocking in the shower, so they got in using the master key.

And here are 10 funny stories from people who tried to be romantic but failed miserably.