The 10 Places to Find a Fright this Halloween
Whether you’re looking for tricks or treats, these supernatural destinations deliver the gruesome goodies!
The nip in the air, the year’s last harvest, the fiery blaze of leaves, the first bonfires, pumpkin everything... These are the unmistakable signs of autumn. The highlight, of course, being Halloween! We’ve conjured up 10 places across the U.S. with haunted happenings for all ages. Because, who says Halloween is just for kids?
Historical Haunts in Salem, MA
The infamous Salem Witch House offers an unforgettable tour that takes you on a terrifying trip back to Salem's darker past.
Come October, trees explode with glorious, burnished color in Salem, Massachusetts. The Salem Witch House, the former home of Judge Jonatan Corwin, has direct ties to the infamous 1692 Salem witch trials. It’s open daily, but timed-entry tickets must be purchased in advance. The spooky Gothic church-turned-Salem Witch Museum explores a dark chapter of early American history. Timed-entry tickets must be secured online, same day, and aren’t available at the door. Strolling cobblestone streets by lantern light is an unforgettably chilling experience with Witch City Walking Tours.
Small-Town Terrors in Sleepy Hollow, NY
Tour Washington Irving's cottage by day, then gear up for a night of fright in Sleepy Hollow!
October is prime time in the pretty village of Sleepy Hollow, renowned as the setting for the tale of the headless horseman. Scattered over 90 boo-ti-ful acres, one-hour guided Sleepy Hollow Cemetery Tours unlock the secrets behind the stones. Advance tickets are essential; no tickets are sold on site. The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze magically unfolds over two scenic locations in Hudson Valley and Long Island. The spectacle features 7,000 hard-carved, glowing pumpkins, synchronized lighting, and an original soundtrack. Purchase self-guided, time-entry tickets online.
Scary Sights in Savannah, GA
Savannah's graveyards aren't the only places famous for going bump in the night...
Centuries-old oak trees bearded with graying Spanish moss under the cover of night are an otherworldly backdrop for Dinner and a Cemetery. In the shadows among the graves at Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah storytellers reveal the secret language of symbols, the seedy past of bootleggers, and the traditional rituals of the Gullah-Geechee indigenous people. The private tour includes a gourmet dinner. There’s also Ghost City Tours, which offers the family and pet-friendly Grave Tales Ghost Tour. It’s free for kids under five!
Eerie Escapades in Anoka, MN
Anoka boasts a long history of Halloween-centric fun, making it the perfect town for your family to find a fright.
Back in 1920, as a means of foiling pranksters, Anoka is said to be the first U.S. city to put on an official Halloween celebration. The self-proclaimed “Halloween Capitol of the World” throws the Anoka Halloween Grande Day Parade which draws costumed participants from all over the Midwest. Generations have reveled in this riotous block party that includes a 5k Gray Ghost Run. If you’re in town on November 1, release your inner demons at the environmentally-minded, composting Pumpkin Smash.
Family-Friendly Frights in Independence, KS
Independence may be a small town, but it celebrates Halloween in a big way.
The largest and longest continually running annual festival in Kansas, the Neewollah Festival—that’s "Halloween" spelled backwards—is a ghastly good time for all ages. For a century, the community has celebrated with a carnival, parades, and musical theatre productions. This year’s nine-day calendar includes both ticketed and free events.
Ghostly Gatherings in New Orleans, LA
The New Orleans Halloween party atmosphere is second only to Mardi Gras, where nothing is taboo.
What could make for more paranormal experience than a Halloween getaway to the “"Most Haunted City in America?" The Big Easy’s street parties attract outlandishly garbed partygoers on Frenchman Street in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood and on the French Quarter's decadent Bourbon Street. Ghost City Tours has something for everyone: family and adults-only tours, plus a wickedly fun haunted pub crawl. Buy tickets online; kids under five are free. Held the Saturday before Halloween, the Krewe of Boo hits the pavement at sunset and wraps with a blowout afterparty, The Monster Mash. The Mortuary Haunted Mansion comes by its killer digs honestly—it operated as an actual mortuary for 80 years. It’s not for the faint of heart.
Theme Park Thrills in Dallas, TX
Get a heavy dose of screams in Dallas, where the frights come in the only way you'd expect in the Lone Star State—Texas-sized! Photo Credit: Screams Halloween Theme Park
As the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas. The Big D goes all-out with the Screams Halloween Theme Park, the largest immersive Halloween experience in the country. You’ll thrill to five creepy houses, the zombie wasteland, a haunted cemetery, nightmarish clowns, Scary-Oke, plus tarot card and palm readings. Screams is not recommended for those under 16. Another massive Halloween affair is The Dallas Halloween Block Party, the largest in the state. Fairies, ghosts, and goblins converge for a night of devilish entertainment—and, it’s free for all ages!
Phantasmal Fun in Las Vegas, NV
Sin City doubles down on Halloween because it coincides with Nevada’s statehood anniversary. Walking the Strip, you’ll fall under the spell of some of the most creative and outrageous Halloween costumes in the U.S.
For top-rated terror, the Freakling Bros. Horror Shows delivers a trio of frightening shows through Halloween night. The R-rated Gates of Hell is exclusively for adults 17 and older… if you dare. Tickets can be purchased online or onsite. Historic Boulder City, between Las Vegas and Hoover Dam, hosts Tom Devlin’s Monster Museum featuring The Fright Zone. It’s an all-ages scary time, open daily, with kids five and under admitted for free. HallOVeen at the Magical Forest welcomes ghouls and boys ages 8 and up to a spooktacularly decorated cemetery crawling with friendly ghosts and witches, carnival games, rides, and trick-or-treat stations. Admission includes two mini-escape rooms. Get tickets online; sales benefit Opportunity Village, which serves people with disabilities. Children three and under are free!
Boo-tacular Times in Buena Park, CA
Though the shift in weather may be minimal in the fall, Southern California sparks plenty of hair-raising Halloween excitement.
SoCal’s largest Halloween event is Knotts Scary Farm which promises “nightmares that never end.” Sinister attractions in the seasonally transformed theme park include haunted houses, mazes, 1,000 scary monsters, and evil clowns. An eerie event held at Griffin Park, the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride boasts animatronic creatures, theatrical effects, all-new mazes, and sordid scare zones. Stick around for Monte Revolta’s rock performance and a nosh at the Dead-End Diner. Be sure to buy your timed-entry tickets in advance online.
Spooky Celebrations in St. Helens, OR
Nothing says Halloween and fall like a family-friendly outing through a massive "maize maze."
The town square of St. Helens is instantly recognizable as the filming location for Disney’s Halloweentown. The month-long Spirit of Halloweentown festivities feature costume contests, a haunted hotel, magic shows, and the Museum Of Peculiarities And Oddities. Tickets are capped at 200 daily and must be purchased online. Two miles of pathways wind through eight acres of corn at The Maize at The Pumpkin Patch. This year’s theme, Bridgetown, celebrates the bridges of Portland that connect the community. Open daily, kids ages five and under get in free.
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