I visited Hell, Michigan. Yes, the small town really embraces its name.

Amanda AdlerJan 13, 2024, 02:03 IST

Hell, Michigan, is small but filled with themed decorations and shops. Amanda Adler

I drove an hour outside of Detroit to go to Hell, Michigan.
It was the perfect spooky-season detour full of heavily themed experiences and souvenirs.

Located an hour outside of Detroit, the small town of Hell, Michigan, embraces its unusual name with various infernal experiences perfect for Halloween fans.

Hell has supposedly been around since the mid-1800s and it's technically an unincorporated community in Putnam Township, meaning it has no clearly defined boundaries or exact population statistics.

Recently, I took a road trip to explore this themed town and found that it offers a lighthearted journey into the underworld brimming with quirky signage, comical souvenirs, and plenty of photo ops.

My drive through downtown Hell took a few moments but offered an eye-catching array of signage filled with flames and devilish puns.

The town's saloon displayed this tongue-in-cheek sign.Amanda Adler

There are numerous legends about how Hell got its name, but a placard suggests the town's history is a lighthearted one.

Regardless of how the town got its name, everyone agrees it was founded in 1841.Amanda Adler

The town's main building contains a post office, ice-cream parlor, and souvenir shop.

My son got a kick out of browsing through the store's themed mementos.Amanda Adler

The ice-cream parlor was also on theme.

Faux flames covered the ceiling. Amanda Adler

Many of the store's items cost $6.66 to make things even more on theme.

The novelty bells sold at the store were marked with a price tag of $6.66.Amanda Adler

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

Hell's mayor for the day gets to enjoy having their name displayed on chalkboards throughout town.Amanda Adler

There wasn't much food in town, but I found a barbecue restaurant that hadn't opened yet.

The town's Gates of Hell made for a great photo op.Amanda Adler

There wasn't much food in town, but I found a barbecue restaurant that hadn't opened yet.

A flame-covered barbecue restaurant looked nearly ready to open during my visit.Amanda Adler

My travel schedule only allowed me a short visit, but signs made me curious about spending the night at the town's campground.

I didn't stop to enjoy any outdoor recreation while in Hell, but this sign showcased what I was missing.Amanda Adler

Although I wouldn't want to spend an eternity in Hell, this signpost gave me ideas for other unusually named places I might want to visit.

I've visited two other places on this sign — Nag's Head, North Carolina, and Temperance, Michigan — but I'd like to see them all eventually.Amanda Adler

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I visited Hell, Michigan. Yes, the small town really embraces its name.

My drive through downtown Hell took a few moments but offered an eye-catching array of signage filled with flames and devilish puns.

There are numerous legends about how Hell got its name, but a placard suggests the town's history is a lighthearted one.

The town's main building contains a post office, ice-cream parlor, and souvenir shop.

The ice-cream parlor was also on theme.

Many of the store's items cost $6.66 to make things even more on theme.

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

There wasn't much food in town, but I found a barbecue restaurant that hadn't opened yet.

There wasn't much food in town, but I found a barbecue restaurant that hadn't opened yet.

My travel schedule only allowed me a short visit, but signs made me curious about spending the night at the town's campground.

Although I wouldn't want to spend an eternity in Hell, this signpost gave me ideas for other unusually named places I might want to visit.