Steps to the Unknown: My Love for All Things Horror

As spooky season begins, I’m reminded of the places that shaped my love for Halloween and horror. Growing up, I split my time between Richmond, Virginia, and the D.C. area. Richmond, with its festivals and neighborhood parks, was a place of childhood fun. Summers were filled with events like the Watermelon Festival and Easter Parade, while afternoons often found me in Carytown or Dogwood Dell. Later, Bethesda became home when my mom moved there for work, and D.C. was always just a quick metro ride away. Bethesda’s own memories include countless late-night hangouts at the Tastee Diner, a staple for high schoolers at the time.

Halloween has always been my favorite season, and I can trace the roots of my fascination with horror back to childhood. One vivid memory involves walking into the living room while my dad was watching Time After Time—I caught a glimpse of a severed hand, and that was it. I was hooked.

                                                                                                                     Severed Hand from the movie Time After Time 1979

Middle school introduced me to classic black-and-white horror films, while high school brought on an obsession with Tales from the Crypt and slasher flicks like A Nightmare on Elm Street. Horror became my comfort zone, and I set the rule: Halloween must be watched every Halloween.

Growing up in D.C., I lived near one of horror’s most iconic locations: the infamous steps from The Exorcist. The film terrified people when it was released, and its connection to Georgetown made it all the more real. I had walked by those steps countless times without truly experiencing their eerie presence. Little did I know that years later, I would return with my husband to tour The Exorcist filming sites.

On that trip, we started by dining at The Tombs, a cozy bar located just across from the MacNeil house. The atmosphere inside was perfect—dark wood, brick walls, and high-backed booths provided a snug spot to reflect on our evening ahead. After dinner, we finally approached those notorious steps. From the top, it’s a daunting sight. The narrow staircase seems to stretch endlessly down, with just a simple handrail on each side.

Descending the steps was both eerie and thrilling. The history and cinematic significance felt palpable, and standing at the bottom where Father Damien’s body fell, it was impossible not to feel a chill. Whether you're a horror fan or not, The Exorcist steps are a must-see, especially as Halloween approaches.