Best Places to Travel for Halloween
Are you looking for the best places to travel for Halloween?
This guide will show you the best destinations in the United States for a spooky, fun time!
I absolutely love Halloween (it’s a close contender for being my favorite holiday, in second place just after Christmas.) And I especially love traveling to spooky destinations around Halloween!
Although Halloween originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain in what is now Ireland, it’s an even more popular celebration in the United States. (Much like St. Patrick’s Day, interestingly enough!)
There are many great destinations in the US where you can celebrate Halloween. In lots of these places, the festivities aren’t limited to October 31 — the Halloween spirit is present all month long.
Here’s a look at the best places to travel for Halloween in the United States!
1. Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is one of the most famous Halloween destinations in the United States. This historic coastal town is best known for the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, when witch hysteria gripped the community.
Even today, Salem capitalizes on its witchy reputation. Throughout the entire month of October, the town puts on its famed Haunted Happenings celebration, which includes parades and other special events. I’ve been to Salem in October twice now, and I absolutely love the atmosphere at this time of year!
Some of the best things to do in Salem include visiting the historic Witch House and the House of the Seven Gables, going on a ghost tour, checking out filming locations from Hocus Pocus and Bewitched, visiting the Salem Witch Museum, and browsing the many witchcraft and occult stores on Essex Street.
You can easily visit Salem as a day trip from Boston (it’s just a 30-minute train ride) or spend the night there. I highly recommend visiting on a weekday in October, because weekends get very crowded.
🎃 Search for hotels in Salem, Massachusetts here.
2. New York, New York
New York is another one of the best Halloween destinations in the United States. I might be biased because I live here, but I really do believe New York is the best place to celebrate any holiday.
While New York is a lot more popular at Christmas because of its extravagant decorations and festive happenings, it’s also a great place to visit around Halloween. Fall is in full swing at this time of year. You’ll be able to see beautiful fall foliage in Central Park while enjoying the crisp October weather.
Many neighborhoods get into the Halloween spirit with amazing decorations, although sometimes not until later in the month. The Upper East Side is one of the best areas to check out Halloween decorations.
The most famous thing to do in New York on Halloween is attend the Village Halloween Parade. The parade takes place every year on October 31 in Greenwich Village — and it’s a frightfully good time.
You can also take a ghost tour in the Greenwich Village (known for being a very haunted area) if you won’t be in town on the day of Halloween itself and can’t attend the parade. And if you’re in New York any time during October, you can also take a day trip to the next spooky destination on this list…
🎃 Search for hotels in New York, New York here.
3. Sleepy Hollow, New York
Just a 50-minute train ride from New York, the town of Sleepy Hollow is another great place to visit around Halloween. This town is best known for being the setting of Washington Irving’s 1820 short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, which popularized the character of the Headless Horseman.
During the month of October, the town goes all out embracing its spooky reputation, with storytellers performing dramatic renditions of Washington Irving’s classic tale, tours of the Gothic Lyndhurst Mansion and the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, and a big Halloween parade followed by a block party.
Just north of Sleepy Hollow, one of the most popular Halloween attractions you can’t miss is The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze, a spectacular immersive experience featuring more than 7,000 illuminated hand-carved pumpkins. Tickets for this sell out quickly, so be sure to book yours as far in advance as possible.
🎃 Search for hotels in Sleepy Hollow, New York here.
4. Asheville, North Carolina
Next up, Asheville is another great Halloween destination in the United States. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, this town is known for its beautiful scenery and its haunted history.
The fall foliage on the Blue Ridge Parkway and its surroundings is gorgeous at this time of year, and mid to late October is usually when it peaks. One of the things Asheville is best known for is being home to the Biltmore Estate, an extravagant chateau-style mansion constructed by the Vanderbilt family.
It’s said to have its fair share of ghosts, and you can easily spend a full day touring the Biltmore House and the sprawling grounds of the estate. There’s no better place to stay in Asheville than the Grove Park Inn, a lovely historic hotel that is said to be haunted by a spirit known as the Pink Lady.
The town of Asheville is known for its great restaurant and brewery scene, making it a fun place to visit. You can also take a ghost tour to learn more about the haunted history and spooky legends of the town.
🎃 Search for hotels in Asheville, North Carolina here.
5. Savannah, Georgia
A major contender for “The Most Haunted City in America” is Savannah, Georgia. This coastal city was allegedly spared by Union General Sherman during the Civil War because it was too beautiful to burn.
It’s full of old Southern charm, with elegant mansions surrounding picturesque squares filled with Spanish moss-draped live oak trees and fountains. It’s also known for being an extremely haunted city. Taking a candlelit nighttime ghost tour is one of the best things to do in Savannah around Halloween.
You can also take a haunted pub crawl in Savannah. Other spooky activities include checking out the city’s haunted cemeteries, Bonaventure Cemetery being the one best known for supernatural activity.
Late October is a great time to visit Savannah — I’ve now been twice around Halloween, and both times, the weather had cooled down (it’s normally very hot and humid) making it very enjoyable.
🎃 Search for hotels in Savannah, Georgia here.
6. Orlando, Florida
Orlando is one of the best Halloween destinations because the two biggest theme parks here (Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort) go all out for the holiday with fun and spooky special events all month long. (In fact, you can even partake in the Halloween festivities beginning in September!)
Disney World is the more family-friendly choice at Halloween, with Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party taking place on select nights throughout the season at Magic Kingdom. Even if you don’t attend this special ticketed event, you can enjoy the Halloween decorations at Magic Kingdom and the other parks.
Universal Orlando is better for adults with its famous Halloween Horror Nights, a special nighttime event featuring haunted houses, performers, and immersive horror experiences around the parks.
If you’re looking for something a little different outside of the theme parks, you can also take a ghost tour of downtown Orlando to learn about the haunted legends surrounding the city.
🎃 Search for hotels in Orlando, Florida here.
7. New Orleans, Louisiana
Yet another city that is frequently described as “The Most Haunted City in America” is New Orleans, Louisiana. With its mixture of French, Spanish, Caribbean, and African influences, this Southern city has a very unique cultural identity — and a centuries-old reputation for being steeped in the supernatural.
You can take a ghost tour to learn more about the city’s spooky history and legends of ghosts, vampires, and voodoo. Another popular activity is taking a haunted pub crawl around the city.
There are many haunted locations around the city, including the famous Hotel Monteleone. This historic hotel in the French Quarter is a great place to stay on a Halloween trip (if you dare.)
Although New Orleans is best known for its big Mardi Gras celebration in the spring, it gets extremely festive for Halloween too. One of the events you can’t miss is the Halloween parade, Krewe of BOO!
🎃 Search for hotels in New Orleans, Louisiana here.
8. Anoka, Minnesota
Until I started doing research for this list, I had somehow never heard of Anoka, Minnesota. But now it’s definitely on my list of places to go around Halloween! This town located about 30 minutes outside of Minneapolis has proclaimed itself “The Halloween Capital of the World.” A big claim for a small town!
But Anoka lives up to the title, going all out in the month of October. The Anoka Halloween Festival has been taking place for more than 100 years now, which shows that this town really loves Halloween.
Every October, the small town is transformed with Halloween decorations and family-friendly Halloween fun, including multiple parades, haunted houses, pumpkin displays, hayrides, and more.
🎃 Search for hotels in Anoka, Minnsota here.
9. Los Angeles, California
Another great place to travel for Halloween in the US is Los Angeles. Being such a big city, there’s a lot happening throughout the Halloween season, including over-the-top parties, parades, and more.
The West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval is one of the biggest can’t-miss celebrations, with this massive block party drawing tens of thousands of revelers every year on October 31.
Los Angeles is also known for being a particularly haunted city, especially Hollywood. Taking a ghost tour is a great way to immerse yourself in the spooky history and haunted legends of Hollywood.
Like in Florida, the California theme parks go all out for Halloween too. Universal Studios Hollywood puts on Halloween Horror Nights every fall, while nearby in Anaheim, you can experience the fun and family-friendly Oogie Boogie Bash at Disneyland Resort on select nights throughout the fall season.
Additionally, Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park a turns into Knott’s Scary Farm during the Halloween season, while Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia hosts its annual Fright Fest celebration.
🎃 Search for hotels in Los Angeles, California here.
10. St. Helens, Oregon
Finally, one of the best places to travel for Halloween is St. Helens, Oregon. This small town is about 40 minutes from Portland. Its biggest claim to fame is being the filming location of Halloweentown.
This Disney Channel movie is a Halloween classic for many families, and St. Helens has capitalized on this connection to turn itself into a premier Halloween destination in the United States.
Every October, St. Helens hosts the month-long “Spirit of Halloweentown” celebration, a family-friendly event bringing the movie magic to life. The town square is decorated with giant pumpkins, spooky displays, and special events like costume contests, haunted houses, and Halloween parades.
🎃 Search for hotels in St. Helens, Oregon here.
Spooky Places to Travel for Halloween
This guide showed you the best places to travel for Halloween in the United States.
My personal favorite places to visit around Halloween are Salem, Massachusetts and Savannah, Georgia. I just love the atmosphere in both cities! Orlando, Florida is another one of my favorites because I love theme parks and think it’s a lot of fun how Disney World and Universal Orlando go all out for Halloween.
Enjoy your Halloween trip!
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