Anne Rice House (aka Rosegate House), New Orleans

Prepare yourself for a unique opportunity to peek at the stately – and perhaps just a tad spooky – New Orleans residence that once belonged to none other than Anne Rice, the undisputed queen of gothic fiction. Aptly named after the distinctive rosette pattern of its fence, this abode encapsulates how New Orleans's rich history has seamlessly woven itself into American pop culture.

Constructed in 1857 for a “nouveau riche” family, the grand mansion is an intriguing architectural mishmash, borrowing a little something from every style. Its Greek revival columns, Italianate embellishments, and hexagonal window come together in surprising harmony, making it a fitting counterpart to the opulent estates of the Garden District.

While the neighborhood is renowned for its lavish homes, it's equally famous for tales of the paranormal. Stories of spectral waltzes in colonial manors and ghostly brides meandering down the streets have turned the Chestnut and First Street area into a veritable Disneyland of haunted houses. The Rosegate House is no exception, naturally. It's said that Miss Pamela Starr Crapp, a resident in the early 1900s, occasionally makes an appearance in the living room, a claim vigorously supported by the home's owners in the 1950s.

But perhaps the more celebrated supernatural connection to the Rosegate House is not with Pamela but rather the Mayfairs – a fictional family of witches brought to life by none other than Anne Rice herself. She and her husband acquired the house in the late '90s, and Rice used this dwelling as the backdrop for her tales of Louisiana's occult. Every nook and cranny of the Rosegate – from its staircase to the elevator and swimming pool – serves as a backdrop for the narrative of her sorcery sagas. In these tales, the house transcends its physical presence, evolving into a character as vital as Suzanne, Deborah, or Julian Mayfair.

The six-bedroom, 7,609-square-foot home has pastel walls, exquisite stained glass dating to the 1880s, intricate moldings and mantels, and no shortage of crystal chandeliers to illuminate the shadows. Anne Rice bid adieu to her abode in 2010, and since then, the place has floated in and out of the real estate market, its secrets and stories waiting to be unraveled once more.