Is it just me, or does everything feel a bit spookier when the air gets chilly and the nights start to grow just a little bit longer? As a lifelong New Englander who grew up in a Victorian funeral home not far from Salem, Massachusetts, I’ve always loved this time of year—especially everything associated with Halloween.
It’s what inspired me to write The Witches of Willow Cove and its brand-new sequel, The Curse of Willow Cove, a series of books set in a small New England town with a secret history dating back to the Salem Witch Trials. Full of magic, mystery, and adventure, they’re perfect for kids, teens, and adult readers who love spooky stories.
To mark the publication of the second book in the series—which arrives in stores and online this week—I’m sharing 10 of my favorite spooky destinations for Halloween vacations around the country.
1. Salem, Massachusetts
With a year-round tourist industry built around the infamous Salem Witch Trials, the Witch City celebrates all things mystical and magical 365 days a year. Can’t-miss attractions include the Salem Witch Museum, Salem Witch Dungeon, and Salem Pioneer Village.
But Salem definitely raises its game for Halloween vacations when fall rolls around. Its longtime annual Halloween celebration is the biggest in the world, spawning Halloween parades, parties, ghost tours, haunted houses, museum displays, and other eerie events across the city throughout the month of October.
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The city swells with tourists in the fall, but that’s what gives Salem its forever-Halloween vibe. Check the city’s Haunted Happenings calendar for events and activities throughout the season, and don’t be afraid to venture beyond Salem for Halloween fun, too. Corn mazes, hayrides, apple picking, and other fun family activities abound all across New England in the fall.
2. Sleepy Hollow, New York
When the leaves begin to turn, the real-life town made famous by Washington Irving’s fictional Headless Horseman becomes a mid-Atlantic fall getaway destination unlike any other. Families come to Sleepy Hollow and the Hudson Valley from far and wide for Halloween vacations that include haunted hayrides, Sleepy Hollow cemetery tours, gothic mansions, and costumed 5k runs.
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In nearby Croton-on-Hudson, the annual Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze showcases more than 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins. The after-dark illumination utilizes synchronized lightning set to an original soundtrack for an extra dose of spooky chills. And don’t miss the giant Kraken rising from the Croton River!
3. Anoka, Minnesota
It takes a special kind of city to call itself the Halloween Capital of the World, but Anoka earned its title more than 100 years ago by being the first in the nation to put on a giant Halloween celebration on October 31.
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These days, Halloween in this riverfront city about 30 minutes from Minneapolis means ghost tours, scarecrow contests, pumpkin weigh-offs, outdoor movie nights, a house decorating contest, 5k ghost run, illuminated nighttime parade, and the daytime Grande Day parade (the largest in the state). Among Halloween cities, this Minnesota spot really stands out.
4. St. Helens, Oregon
For people of a certain age, Disney Channel’s 1998 movie Halloweentown truly is Halloween. And the real-life Oregon town where it was filmed—St. Helens, not far from Portland—embraces that movie magic with its Spirit of Halloweentown celebration each year.
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Come October, the small city attracts legions of Halloween-loving families to its Riverfront District, which is transformed into the Spirit of Halloweentown with the lighting of the Great Pumpkin. There are costume contests, haunted tours, parades, and all manner of creepy scarecrows throughout the month. Most of the action takes place on the weekends, but the Halloweentown vibe is strong every day of October.
5. Orlando, Florida
Florida’s theme park capital gets into the spirit of Halloween early with festivities kicking off in August each year. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World (for all ages) and Halloween Horror Nights (for teens and adults) at Universal Studios Florida are the headline attractions for Halloween vacations, but SeaWorld, LEGOLAND, and the other Orlando theme parks also get in on the action with spooky events throughout the season.
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Like most Halloween trip destinations, tickets to the Halloween events at Disney and Universal tend to go quickly and need to be purchased well ahead of time. Even if you’re not an advance-planner, though, you can still enjoy the season just by visiting the parks when they’re all decked out for Halloween.
6. New Orleans, Louisiana
With more than 300 years of history, New Orleans isn’t afraid to shy away from its spooky side. Ghost tours, which explore the city’s legendary haunts throughout the year, feel especially creepy during the Halloween season. But there’s also plenty of family-friendly, not-so-scary fun to be had, including the Boo Carré festival at the French Market and Ghosts in the Oaks at City Park. A full list of New Orleans’ Halloween happenings can be found here.
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Many residents of the city go all out with Halloween decorations, and sites like the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum seem particularly appropriate to visit at this time of year. And if you want to stay in a haunted hotel, you have your pick here. Stay on the 14th floor (which is actually the 13th floor) of Hotel Monteleone and you might run into some ghostly guests. Bourbon Orleans Hotel also has quite the reputation for being haunted.
7. Hershey, Pennsylvania
Not really into the creepy side of Halloween? Head to Hershey, Pennsylvania, the self-proclaimed “Sweetest Place on Earth.” The candy-centric destination offers all kinds of Halloween fun for the whole family. At Hersheypark, kids 12 and younger can collect candy at spots around the park, and the whole family can get their groove on at the Hershey Character Glow Dance Party. If you want more thrills, the park turns the lights out on some of its popular rides during the last hour of operation, and the Dark Nights event features haunted houses and other scares.
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Hershey’s Chocolate World hosts a Trick-or-Treat Trail during the Halloween season with plenty of sweets to share. The attraction also recently introduced the new Hershey’s Great Candy Expedition, a train-themed immersive theater experience. You can find packages and deals available during October that include park tickets and stays at The Hotel Hershey or Hershey Lodge.
8. St. Augustine, Florida
As the oldest continuously occupied city in the United States, St. Augustine has a long history and plenty of spooky stories to go along with that. Three children are said to haunt the grounds at the St. Augustine Lighthouse, while the Castillo de San Marcos sits along a river whose name means massacre in Spanish. Not surprisingly, it’s easy to find a ghost tour in the city, which include both walking and trolley excursions.
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But you can also wander the city’s historic streets on your own, keeping your eye out for paranormal activity as you take in the Spanish Colonial architecture. If you want to stay someplace where creepy things might happen, St. Francis Inn, Casa de Sueños, Casa de Solana, and Casa Monica Resort and Spa are all good choices.
9. Dearborn, Michigan
The hometown of automobile pioneer Henry Ford, Dearborn celebrates spooky season in a big way. The annual Henry Ford’s Hallowe’en in Greenfield Village event includes both daytime events that are more festive than frightful and evening experiences like the Hallowe’en Express where the scare factor might be a little higher. There are old-fashioned harvest-themed activities like corn husk crafts, costumed characters, fall food and drink, and free horse-drawn carriage rides to enjoy.
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The Henry Ford historic site also hosts a Hallowe’en Fairy Tale Feast perfect for younger kids, complete with storybook characters and festive eats like mummy dogs and Halloween punch, while the city’s parks and recreation department puts on a creepy Haunted Trail in October older kids would love. And if you want a hotel with a haunted history, check in to The Henry.
10. Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is known as one of the country’s most haunted cities, so of course it’s a must-visit destination during the Halloween season. If you want to try to see some of the city’s spirits for yourself, there are plenty of ghost tours that take visitors to spots known for paranormal activity. And with historic sites all over the city, there are plenty of spooky tales to tell.
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Add to the experience by booking a room at a haunted hotel. Past guests have reported creepy experiences at The Marshall House, Kehoe House, and 17Hundred90 Inn, the oldest hotel in the city. Adult visitors can also enjoy spirits of all kinds during a Savannah Haunted Pub Tour.
Like many areas in Hurricane Helene’s path, Savannah was significantly impacted by storm damage in the immediate aftermath of the natural disaster. Halloween events are still scheduled for later in October, but if you plan to visit, always check with the city or your hotel for updates.
More from FamilyVacationist:
- I tried a lights-on tour of three Halloween Horror Nights houses at Universal Orlando
- Ultimate guide to Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- These are the best national parks for families to visit in fall
Josh Roberts is the author of The Witches of Willow Cove and its spooky new sequel, The Curse of Willow Cove. Beth Luberecki also contributed to this story.
