Halloween is a holiday full of spooky fun, not just a day of costumes and trick-or-treat. Experience the holiday in a completely different way with a Halloween weekend trip. If you’re looking for cool places to go for Halloween, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll show you some of the best town to go to in the US on Halloween and specific places that are perfect for a spooky Halloween weekend getaway. Whether you’re looking to experience attractions or events, these Halloween getaways are sure to fit your needs.
Table of Content
Which Town Has the Best Halloween?
Best Haunted House to Visit for Halloween
Best Halloween Theme Park
Best Pumpkin Patch
Halloween Events in the U.S.
Which Town Has the Best Halloween?
Across the U.S., there are many cities with a history and atmosphere perfect for celebrating Halloween. And among the destinations most sought after by horror fans are these:
Salem, MA
Salem, a town with a history of witchcraft and witch trials, is a favorite Halloween destination every October.
City Highlights for Halloween
Haunted Happenings in Salem will continue throughout the month and include a variety of events and performances. You can wander through the Witch House or the Salem Witch Museum to delve into the history of the city. If you’re brave enough, you can also head to The Burying Point, where the judges involved in the witch trials are buried. When you come to Salem, you’ll find a variety of guided tours that will take you to learn more about the stories and travel to the spiritual sites.
Sleepy Hollow, NY
The town is famous for Washington Irving’s short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Sleepy Hollow itself is a picturesque town with a wealth of historic buildings, and is a popular Halloween weekend destination thanks to the legend of the Headless Horseman.
City Highlights for Halloween
A favorite annual Halloween activity in Sleepy Hollow is a trip to Philipsburg Manor for a haunted house experience. And participating in Cemetery Tours, which offer historical and cultural presentations during the day and lantern-guided walking tours of the cemetery at night. For family trips, The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze will be more popular. There will be over 7,000 Jack O’Lanterns on display.
New Orleans, LA
New Orleans is known for its diverse culture, music, and cuisine, but it also has a creepy side. Its history is filled with voodoo, ghosts, and unique burial traditions, making it one of the best Halloween destinations for adults.
City Highlights for Halloween
New Orleans has had an officially organized Halloween parade, Krewe of Boo, since 2007, which takes place the weekend before Halloween weekend each year. In 2025, it will be Saturday, October 25th, starting at 6:30 p.m. Above-ground cemeteries are also unique to New Orleans, with St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 being the oldest and well worth a visit. You can also join Voodoo Tours to learn more about this culture.
Anoka, MN
Anoka is known as the Halloween Capital of the World and has a history of over 100 years of Halloween celebrations. The city has a charming landscape and is perfect for families.
City Highlights for Halloween
Halloween events in Anoka can be dazzling, from the Grande Day Parade to the Spooktacular Carnival and a parade just for kids that takes Halloween celebrations to another level.
Best Haunted House to Visit for Halloween
And if you’re not looking to head to the city for a vacation, but want to find nearby locations to experience the Halloween atmosphere. For example, if you want to visit an actual haunted house to get the scary feeling, or if you just want to find the perfect pumpkin. Here are some great Halloween vacation ideas for all tastes.
For those who crave a scare, a haunted house is the ultimate Halloween experience. But we’re not talking about ones with all sorts of amenities. We’re talking about real, genuinely creepy places with a history of supernatural activity.
Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, CA
The home was built by Sarah Winchester, the widow of a rifle magnate, who believed she was haunted by the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles. To appease them, she continued to expand the house over 38 years, creating a labyrinth of strange staircases, doors to nowhere, and endless hallways. Roughly 160 rooms, 47 fireplaces, 10,000 panes of glass, 17 chimneys, 950 doors, and 40 staircases remain.
Today, you can take a tour of the place for $41 for a tour of 101 rooms to get a feel for the eeriness of the place.
Whaley House, San Diego, CA
Whaley House was once named the most haunted house in America by several media outlets. The house was built on a site that was once a cemetery and public hanging place. Visitors report seeing and hearing the spirits of the Whaley family and other past residents. Today it offers daytime and nighttime tours, along with tools provided to help you check for paranormal activity. Admission for a self-guided tour costs $13.30.
The Amityville Horror House, Amityville, NY
The house is now a private residence and is not accessible; you can only take a look at the exterior of the house. The story of the Lutz family, who fled the house after only 28 days due to what they claimed was a supernatural event, is one of the most famous ghost stories in the country.
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Weston, WV
Said to be one of the most haunted places in West Virginia, the Trans-Allegheny Asylum opened in 1864. By the 1950s, the facility was overloaded and in deplorable condition until it closed in 1994. Today, it offers ghost tours to the most popular attractions. There are also ghost hunter events that will last up to eight hours to ensure you get to tour the entire building.
Waverly Hills Sanatorium, Louisville, KY
Once a tuberculosis hospital, Waverly Hills is known as one of the most haunted places in the world. The sheer number of deaths here has reportedly left a lingering dark energy, and many people have witnessed paranormal phenomena here. They offer different types of ghost tours for the truly brave.
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, St. Augustine, FL
The St. Augustine Lighthouse is a hot spot for paranormal activity. It has been the site of the tragic deaths of three girls, and since then, there have been reports from staff and visitors of hearing children’s voices and seeing apparitions on the stairs. The Lighthouse’s Spooky at Night Tour is a creepy historical adventure for your Halloween vacation idea list.
Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park, Yuma, AZ
It’s not just a museum, it’s a former prison known for being haunted by past inmates. Due to the harsh conditions, there was a high death rate of inmates, with the Dark Cell being the most haunted part of the place. You can learn about the history of this place by visiting its cells and galleries.
Zak Bagans’ The Haunted Museum, Las Vegas, NV
If you’re a fan of supernatural TV shows, you’ve probably heard of Zak Bagans, whose museum in Las Vegas is filled with haunted artifacts from around the world. Each room tells a unique and often frightening story. The museum is a completely different experience, perfect for a spooky weekend in Sin City.
Best Halloween Theme Park
If you’re looking for places to have Halloween fun and not be so scary, parks with a Halloween theme would be a great choice for a family trip.
- Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights: Held in Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood, this is one of the most popular Halloween events. It features elaborate haunted houses based on popular horror movies, a “scare zone” where monsters roam, and live performances. The event runs from September 4th through November 2nd.
- Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Held at Walt Disney World in Orlando and Disneyland in California, the event offers a cheerful, not-too-scary experience with special parades, fireworks displays, and trick-or-treating throughout the parks. Select dates from August 15 through October 31, making it a perfect choice for families with young children.
- Knott’s Scary Farm: Located in Buena Park, CA and operated by Six Flags. Dozens of haunted mazes, scare zones, and live entertainment are featured during the Halloween season.
Best Pumpkin Patch
For many, Halloween also represents the festive, cozy side of fall. Visiting a pumpkin patch is a classic part of any Halloween celebration. Across the country, you’ll find countless farms with corn mazes, hayrides, and of course, rows of pumpkins to choose from. And with these pumpkin patches at the top of the list, you have the option of visiting them.
- Cool Patch Pumpkins, Dixon, CA: It is home to the world’s largest corn maze, which will open in September. Offering tractor tours, a children’s play area with plenty of photo ops.
- Pumpkin Hollow, Piggott, AR: The pumpkin farm has a 25-year history and attracts thousands of visitors each year. Activities include pumpkin picking, straw castles, zombie shooting, and a nighttime haunted house, especially for families and school groups!
- Craven Farm, Snohomish, WA: Washington’s classic pumpkin patch and fall festival venues, including mazes, pumpkin cannons, and country fairs, are perfect for visitors looking for a traditional holiday atmosphere.
- Bengston’s Farm, Homer Glen, IL: This is one of the most popular family farms in the Chicagoland area, offering pumpkins, rides, a petting zoo, homemade desserts and more.
- Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch, Culver City, CA: Offering ornate decorations, pumpkin houses, face painting, and miniature horse rides. There are also a variety of activities and amenities for the little ones, including an air mattress slide and crop knowledge instruction.
Halloween Events in the U.S.
Halloween weekend trips also don’t necessarily require traveling to cities and specific locations. Attending some big events is also a great way to celebrate Halloween.
Jack O’Lanterns
Carved pumpkins are the theme of Halloween, but some places turn them into art and have large exhibits to visit.
- The Great Jack O’Lanterns Blaze: The event, held in Croton, NY, on the Hudson River, featured more than 7,000 intricately carved Jack-o’-lanterns arranged into incredible sculptures and exhibits. It runs from September 12th through November 16th.
- The Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns: This is Long Island‘s most visited fall event and will make its grand return in 2025 with more than 10,000 illuminated objects, including 7,000 hand-carved pumpkin lanterns, 3,000 specialty lanterns. open on 21 select nights from October 3rd through November 1st.
- Magic of the Jack O’Lanterns: Two carry out locations are offered, Denver, CO and Los Angeles, CA. Thousands of gorgeous hand-carved pumpkins and unique photo spots will be on display.
Halloween Carnival
Halloween carnivals are a fun way to celebrate the holiday. These events usually feature costume parties, street parades, decorated cars, and live bands.
- West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval: It takes place every year on October 31st at Santa Monica Blvd and runs from 6 pm to 11 pm. One of the biggest street drag parties in the U.S., Hundreds of thousands of people will be in attendance, featuring drag performances, DJ stages, and themed dress-up galas. The program is suitable for adults.
- Anaheim Fall Festival & Halloween Parade: The event has been going on since 1923 and will begin on October 25th this year. The fall festival runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Halloween parade starts at 7 p.m. Includes a children’s carnival, parade, decorated cars, and live bands. Great for families and close to Disneyland.
- Northalsted Halloween Parade: Expected to take place on October 31 from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., the event will be a Parade combined with a Block Carnival, featuring a Costume Contest and live performances.
FAQ
What is the #1 Halloween town in the US?
Salem, Massachusetts will hold the first place title, and its historical significance and month-long celebration make it an icon of Halloween towns in America.
What park is not so scary for Halloween?
For a less intense, family-friendly option, Disney’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is the perfect choice. Designed for all ages, the event features friendly characters in costume, a fun parade and fireworks. Just Halloween holiday fun without the scary vibes.
Where is the best place to trick or treat in the US?
Some cities, such as New Orleans or Anoka, host large community events, including trick-or-treating. But for a classic, quintessential community experience, the best place to go is usually your neighborhood.
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