NEWPORT, Ky. — Kentucky After Dark is believed to be the first-state sponsored tourism campaign promoting the paranormal and nighttime attractions and it launched in 2023. 

BB Riverboats CEO, Terri Bernstein, is a lifelong lover of all things spooky. “These were my dolls when I was a kid,” Bernstein recalled. “My dad used to bring me these old antebellum dolls when he traveled, and now we’ve incorporated them into the nightmares on the boat. It’s really creepy.”

For the past 33 years, Bernstein and her family have shared their love of the spooky with visitors. What began as a boat in need of repairs was transformed into one of the region’s most well-known haunted houses.

“We had a boat that had been sitting there. It was going to be a new dock. But it we had never actually refurbished it, and it was sitting there, and it was in perfect but haunted house condition,” Bernstein laughed.

Now, USS Nightmare attracts thousands of thrill-seekers every year, and it has earned a spot in the Kentucky After Dark Passport program, which highlights over 40 haunted locations across 21 counties. The program offers visitors a passport to document their journey as they explore the state’s paranormal and nighttime attractions.

Amanda Johannemann, Director of Communications for meetNKY, said it’s easy for visitors to get involved. “…You’re to pick up your Kentucky After Dark passport at BB Riverboats here in Newport…and then when you do the USS nightmare…you can pick up your badge…if you dare.”

Bernstein expressed her pride in being one of the first northern Kentucky attractions included in the program.

“I think it’s an honor. It’s awesome that our state is bringing all of this together,” she said.

With the USS Nightmare bringing nautical frights to life in Newport, and the Ghosts of Covington Haunted History Tour also joining the program, northern Kentucky is quickly becoming a must-visit destination for paranormal enthusiasts.