The struggles of the hustle and bustle of everyday life can start to grate on anyone's nerves after a long while, and taking a much-needed vacation can be just the way to de-stress, decompress, and regain one's sanity. Of course, if that vacation happens to take place at Camp Crystal Lake, fun in the sun soon turns into a fight for survival.
The notion that even something as safe and secure as a gentle getaway to the beach, the mountains, or a cabin in the woods could be the backdrop for bloodshed is more than a little unnerving. Sometimes it's just not easy to have a good time.
Motel Hell
Norman Bates wasn't the only killer to make use a murderous motel. In this early entry into the slasher genre, a seemingly innocent farmer and his sister run a roadside motel with a deadly secret to their famous smoked meats. Mayhem ensues when travelers soon discover the answer to the secret ingredient puts them on the menu.
It's a horror-comedy that tributes and lampoons the likes of Psycho and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Complete with bloody pig heads, chainsaws, and humans being harvested for meat. There'll be no RnR at this rest stop.
Open Water
Partially based on a true story, Open Water takes the nautical nightmare that was Jaws and grounds it in realism with this found-footage film. One shark is enough to make any swimmer uneasy, but try being a pair of divers stranded in the middle of an ocean during a feeding frenzy.
When a couple's boat accidentally leaves them to swim for their lives out in the middle of the Australian reef, the elements soon set in and nature takes its course as a swarm of sharks soon catches them in their feeding grounds. It's the element of reality that truly makes this indie film terrifying.
Hostel
Eli Roth is one of the masters of horror and mutilating splatter films, and Hostel is a prime example. A group of teenagers backpacking through Europe is a common trope, but their idyllic adventure suddenly turns into a bloodbath when they are introduced to a facility under the guise of a hostel that caters to its clients' most fiendish desires.
The film is absolutely disturbing as the three travelers face off against a selection of sadists looking to maul, maim, and mutilate their victims. An excellent example of the aforementioned trope, but one not many will likely be able to stomach.
The Houses October Built
On the search for the most extreme haunted experience, a group of travelers goes cross country interacting with various haunted houses. Needless to say, they get more than they bargained for when they discover an underground haunt with a deadly reputation.
An interesting take on the found-footage genre, The Houses October Built grants viewers a gripping perspective into the world of haunted attractions. With a fairly simple plot and plenty of scares, this is one road trip movie that takes many dark twists and turns that will have viewers gripping their chairs.
The Descent
The Descent is a special breed of monster movie that doesn't get nearly enough recognition. When a group of friends decides to go spelunking in an unexplored cave system, they soon fall prey to a race of blind bat-like creatures that start picking them off one by one.
The suspense in this movie is positively palpable as horrifying creatures lurk around every dark corner in this 2000s horror thriller. Pair that with the impressive creature effects and the gritty drama in the relationships of the film's victims, and it's a recipe for a solid scary experience. The Descent shows that there are more than a few reasons to be afraid of the dark.
The Strangers: Prey At Night
When a family takes a vacation to an aunt and uncle's trailer park, they are soon set upon by the three mysterious assailants in the dead of night. A mix of home invasion and classic slasher movie with all the typical carnage, this gruesome getaway is a return to form for a slow-burning series.
The sequel to 2008's The Strangers took a hard left turn in the genre department with the release of this slasher sequel, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The masked murders might be up to their old tricks, but seeing them work with a larger environment is certainly a twist on the formula.
Hatchet
Hatchet is a modern slasher classic that takes a trip down south to the bayous of New Orleans where a cursed shack and the vengeful spirit of Victor Crowley lie in wait for a group of tourists who get more than a few scares when they embark on an ill-fated ghost tour. It's a solid recommendation for anyone who enjoys the traditional horror movie setup.
Rural environments of the deep south always have a bit of an uneasy edge to them, especially swamps and bayous with little light and a host of unseen creatures lurking beneath the waters. Throw in an ax-swinging maniac played by Kane Hodder and obstacles like alligators and quicksand will be the least of the cast's problems.
The Cabin In The Woods
Easily a fan favorite, The Cabin in the Woods uses the setup of a weekend trip in the mountains seen in movies like Evil Dead for the backdrop of the ultimate love letter to the horror genre. A group of teens, a creepy old house, and a whole nest of horrifying entities waiting beneath them. It's impossible not to call this a golden horror opportunity.
Not the most conventional horror movie on the list, but one that deserves more than a few rewatches. Part horror comedy, part commentary on the slasher movie industry, this movie is a modern monster movie masterpiece with more than a few winks and nods to the audience.
Fear Street Part Two: 1978
Like creepy cabins and rural wildernesses, summer camps are another common setting for a scary movie. Inspired by movies like Friday the 13th and Cropsey, Fear Street Part Two: 1978 takes the cursed camp setting and brings forth the second entry in a modern slasher series that will stand alongside classics like Scream and It.
This sequel unfolds the events of the Camp Nightwing Massacre in the lore of Fear Street's Shadyside, in which the curse of Sarah Fier is better explored and its effects are brought to a new horrifying light. What transpires is a night of murder and mayhem where not even the children will be spared.
Friday The 13th
Of course, no list about vacation horror films would be complete without the icon of the genre, Friday the 13th. The entire series literally revolves around Jason Voorhees hacking up various victims who disturb his stomping grounds along Camp Crystal Lake in dozens of new and creative ways.
From summer camps to swanky lakehouses, a hockey-mask-wearing maniac is a certain way to take the fun out of one's weekend in the wilderness. But it certainly helps Jason become a fan favorite amongst gore-hounds everywhere.