Netflix True Crime Series Fueling a Boom in Morbid Tourism

A burgeoning travel industry is capitalizing on the popularity of true crime documentaries and series, offering tours that allow enthusiasts to visit the real-life locations where notorious crimes unfolded. These experiences range from historical deep dives into unsolved mysteries to explorations of the locales frequented by infamous serial killers.

In London, visitors can retrace the steps of Jack the Ripper through the streets of Whitechapel. Tours delve into the unsolved 1888 murders, bringing to life the grim atmosphere of the Victorian era. Documentaries such as Netflix's "The Ripper" and the upcoming "Jack the Ripper: Written in Blood" have further fueled interest in the case.

For those drawn to more contemporary figures, Milwaukee offers walking tours tracing the life and crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer, the 'Milwaukee Cannibal' who murdered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991. Tours often begin and end at Shaker's Cigar Bar, a known haunt of Dahmer's, and explore other locations where he interacted with his victims. Dahmer's story has been prominently featured in Netflix's "Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story" and "Conversations With a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes."

In Los Angeles, tours focus on the infamous Menendez Brothers case. Tourists can visit the Beverly Hills mansion where Lyle and Erik Menendez murdered their parents in 1989, as well as their favorite shopping centers and the psychologist's office where Erik reportedly confessed. Interest in the case remains high, with the brothers' parole hearing scheduled for 2027.

The UK also offers several true crime tourism destinations. The True Crime Museum in Hastings showcases exhibits related to figures like Fred and Rose West, whose story was recently depicted in Netflix's "Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story." The museum also features items related to Richard Ramirez, the subject of the TV series "Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer."

Paris presents opportunities to explore the scene of the 2010 Musée d'Art Moderne heist in a "Louvre Heists to Art Scandals" walking tour, which also covers other notable criminal events and figures, including Vjeran Tomic, dubbed 'The Spider-Man of Paris,' whose story was told in the 2023 Netflix documentary "Vjeran Tomic: The Spider-Man of Paris."

San Francisco offers experiences related to the unidentified Zodiac Killer, who terrorized the region in the late 1960s. Tours and murder mystery games invite participants to delve into the unsolved case, which was the subject of the 2024 Netflix documentary "This Is the Zodiac Speaking."

Italy's Florence is the setting for tours exploring the crimes of the 'Monster of Florence,' a serial killer active between 1968 and 1985. These tours navigate the city's historic streets, touching upon locations connected to the case, which inspired aspects of Thomas Harris's novel "Hannibal."

In Fall River, Massachusetts, the Lizzie Borden House, where Andrew and Abby Borden were murdered in 1892, operates as a museum and bed and breakfast. Visitors can stay overnight in the house and take tours exploring the details of the still-unsolved case, recently dramatized in "Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story."

Australia features the Fremantle Prison in Perth, which offers a "True Crime Tour" detailing its most notorious inmates, including Eric Edgar Cooke, known as the Night Caller or the Nedlands Monster. Cooke's story was the subject of the 2020 Apple TV documentary "The Night Caller: Eric Edgar Cooke."

Finally, Edinburgh's historic sites are the backdrop for an outdoor escape room experience based on the crimes of Burke and Hare, who murdered at least 16 people in the early 19th century to sell their bodies for anatomical dissection. The trail takes participants through locations like Greyfriars Kirkyard and the Grassmarket, areas frequented by the pair.