I visited Hell, Michigan. Yes, the small town lives up to its name.

• I drove an hour from Detroit to Hell, Michigan.

• It was the perfect way to celebrate the spooky season, full of themed experiences and souvenirs.

• I don’t want to spend eternity in hell, but the trip inspired me to visit other unique cities.

An hour outside of Detroit lies the small town of Hell, Michigan, which lives up to its unusual name with various hellish experiences. perfect for Halloween fans.

Hell has reportedly existed since the mid-19th century and is technically an unincorporated community within Putnam Township, meaning it has no clearly defined boundaries or accurate population statistics.

I recently took a road trip to explore this themed city and found it to be a lighthearted journey into the underworld full of quirky signs, weird souvenirs, and plenty of photo opportunities.

My drive through downtown Hell took a few moments, but featured a striking array of signs filled with flames and devilish puns.

As I began my journey, I was glad that the highway to Hell, Michigan, was well paved.

After passing a farm labeled “Purgatory Cattle,” I came across a few small shops, each one full of colorful signs featuring flames, cartoon devils, and the odd pun.

These thematic markers proved to be urgently needed, as the city centre is so small that it is difficult to miss them.

There are numerous legends about how Hell got its name, but a sign indicates that the town’s history is rather cheerful.

Before I set out on a trip to Hell, I did some research into how the city got its name and came across a few different answers, all of which seem to be the subject of heated debate.

One theory is that German travelers in the 1830s said the city was “so beautifully bright,” and only part of that statement has stuck.

Another theory is that a business owner who founded the town said something like, “I don’t care what you call the town! Call it hell for all I care.” And one theory is that the people who first discovered the land thought it was hellish conditions, with its many wetlands and mosquitoes.

Signs around town did not provide any further information about the origin of Hell, but seemed to indicate that residents found the nickname funny.

The town’s main building houses a post office, an ice cream parlor and a souvenir shop.

The main building in Hell is Screams Souvenirs from Hell & Helloween, a gift shop that sells everything from fun-themed t-shirts and bumper stickers to coffee mugs and rubber ducks.

The ice cream parlor also fit the theme.

You can purchase ice cream at the store’s Creamatory, which offers menu items like the Gravedigger Sundae, made with frozen treats from Holy Cow Dairy.

To make things even more themed, many items in the store cost $6.66.

Everywhere I looked, it seemed as if the city’s residents fully embraced the newness of living in a place called Hell.

The owners of Screams have taken this playful spirit even further by putting a price tag on many of their souvenirs that corresponds to the devil’s biblical number.

I was tempted to take home a degree from Damnation University or be sworn in as mayor for a day.

The store also offered visitors the opportunity to Buy other unique items.

For a small fee, I could buy my own square inch of Hell, earn a diploma from Damnation University, or even become Mayor of Hell for a day.

It’s mostly for fun, since there is no mayor in hell.

There wasn’t much to eat in town, but I found a barbecue restaurant that wasn’t open yet.

In front of the store was Gates of Hell, which led me through a park full of even stranger signs and more bizarre photo opportunities.

This path also led to the city’s mini golf course, which was also themed.

There wasn’t much to eat in town, but I found a barbecue restaurant that wasn’t open yet.

Aside from the Creamatory and a saloon, there aren’t many culinary options in Hell.

However, The Smoke Doctor 2, a Grill restaurant along the city’s main street the opening seemed imminent.

My travel schedule only allowed me a short visit, but signs made me curious to stay overnight at the town’s campground.

As an avid camper, I was drawn to the town’s campground. From what I saw, the grounds offered opportunities for camping, fishing, and swimming.

Hell also seems to have many hiking trails around beautiful lakes nearby.

Since I was only passing through, I didn’t have the opportunity to explore the region’s outdoor recreational activities.

Although I don’t want to spend eternity in hell, this guide gave me ideas for other places with unusual names that I might want to visit.

On my way out of Hell, I noticed a large sign pointing to other towns with unique names. Although one of them was listed as Heaven, Michigan, I couldn’t find it on the map.

However, I have been to Paradise, Michigan before. While not quite as themed as Hell, the name was appropriate as Paradise boasted fabulous waterfalls, scenic hiking trails, enchanting views of Lake Superior, and some of the tastiest whitefish I’ve ever eaten.

And now I feel like visiting other towns with funny names. With the holiday season just around the corner, maybe I’ll find myself in Santa Claus, Indiana, or Eggnog, Utah.

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