Halloween is right around the corner, but seems to be celebrated earlier and earlier in the calendar every year. I love to celebrate Oktoberfest, my years living in Germany have kept its imprint on me, especially in the fall season, so I don’t rush Halloween. But once the first weekend in October is upon us, I’m ready for the Spooky Season… as my daughter calls it. I’ve always loved Halloween and visiting some of the historical and spooky locations that are perfect to visit any time of year, but especially in Autumn.
When many think of the most popular Halloween locations Salem, Massachusetts is always the first that comes to mind. I had always wanted to visit Salem and was disappointed as a history teacher when we visited Boston on a field trip and didn’t have Salem in the itinerary. Just a couple years ago, I finally had the opportunity to visit Salem and see all the spooky attractions. Salem attracts the major tourist groups; those interested in historic Salem Witch Trials, fans of the cult classic movie Hocus Pocus and those interested in witchcraft. Read more about the specifics of Salem, Massachusetts in my blog The Bewitching Town of Salem.
Erie East Coast Locations
There are many other creepy cities on the East Coast, especially since there are so many old, historic locations that date back to our founding fathers and ghosts of their past. Boston, Massachusetts is also known for its Haunting Ghost tours and creepy cemeteries that can be toured all year long and the perfect introduction before a day trip for short excursion to Salem. The best one is the Haunted Trolly tour since it tells the stories of the Boston Strangler, the executions at Boston Common and ghosts at the Omni Parker House all before walking through two of the oldest burial grounds and hearing about a grave robbing scandal like no other!
Providence, Rhode Island is the only place I think I might have felt something paranormal, but at the same time I wonder if my youthful naivete and hype from a ghost tour was really to blame for a sleepless night in the state’s capital city. For family fun visit the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Park Zoo. You can take a walk or boat ride to hear about Providence’s paranormal activities and famous ghost stories. Visit the grave of the horror fiction author H.P. Lovecraft’s grave in the Swan Point Cemetery. Spend a night enjoying the Mansion Halloween Haunt at Linden Place or compete in the Providence Monster Dash 5k and kids dash. Run through the RIPTA tunnel with zombies and special effects to keep the ambience going all season long.
Sleepy Hollow, New York is the famous location of author Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and has continued to see visitors to its beautiful fall landscapes and a chance to see the Headless Horseman. Book a lantern-lit tour of the cemetery, where famous residents can be found… both buried and as ghosts. There is a festival called the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze with over 7,000 illuminated jack o’lanterns. Check out the Old Dutch Church built in 1685 and the Philipsburg Manor, a historic home and gristmill that is turned into an infamous Haunted House during Halloween. The original Headless Horseman bridge is no longer standing, but there is a new bridge located nearby for pictures and reference. Also check out Patriots Park where British spy Major John Andre was captured during the Revolutionary War. The Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse is a picturesque lighthouse on the Hudson River to end your tour of the infamous location. Stay at the historic Tarrytown House Estate, these two 1840’s mansions were later turned into a hotel.
Being my hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I often overlook it for spooky specters since it is so prominent with Revolutionary War and Constitution history. But this former United States capital city is also home to Eastern State Penitentiary, which is said to be the most haunted place in America. Enjoy the full-immersion haunted house experience in the Terror Behind the Walls event held annually. Philly is also a great place for adults to celebrate Halloween with the Dark Philly Adult Night Tour that tells R-rated tales of vampires and pirate ghost ships while visiting historical sites illuminated at night. The Bellevue hotel is the most well known for being haunted, with guests reporting drastic drops in temperature and the feeling of something tugging at their covers and toes while sleeping.
Also in Pennsylvania is New Hope, a suburb of Philadelphia that gets into the Halloween spirit. This picturesque town on the Delaware River, bordering New Jersey, hosts “Scarecrows in the Village” with both humorous and scary displays. Younger children will love to go to Sesame Place for their Spooktacular each year during Halloween Season and is a much less expensive version of Mickey’s not so Scary Halloween Party. Sleepy-Hollow Haunted Acres is a nationally acclaimed haunted attraction with cutting edge technology and special effects. Lantern-led ghost tours are available to book in September and October.
Charleston, South Carolina is another historic, East Coast city that has seen its fair share of war and ghosts that hang around. Be sure to attend the Ghosts of Charleston Night-time walking tour to get your fill of Charleston’s haunted history on an evening ghost and cemetery tour. This tour gets you after-hours access to the Unitarian Church Graveyard. There is also a narrated Haunted Ghost Cruise of Charleston Harbor on a catamaran that accesses sites you can’t see from land. If you want to stay in a haunted house that doubles as a haunted hotel, check out Annie’s Bed & Breakfast.
Savannah, Georgia is always on the short list for most haunting cities, but the residents of this city go all out when Halloween is upon them. The city hosts a Trick or Trot 5k run as a way to bring a healthy balance to a day dedicated to eating chocolates and sweets. Don’t miss the Savannah Ghosts & Gravestones Trolly Tour, this tour takes you through the grand old southern town. You’ll pass by former battlegrounds, historic cemeteries and houses said to be home to some of Savannah’s sinister residents. The most Haunted Hotel in Savannah is the Marshall House, due to its history as a hospital during the Civil War. Guests have reported seeing soldier spectors with missing limbs on the 1st floor.
Spine Chilling Celebrations in Famous Cities
New Orleans, Louisiana is full of Voodoo vibes and ghost tales to get your spine tingling in this town nominated as one of the best Halloween towns in the USA. Between the Voodoo culture and the history of pirates in the Big Easy, plus the vibrant celebrations the city is known for going all out and doing it at Halloween too. Be sure to go on a French Quarter ghost tour, listening to stories of infamous hauntings and NOLA’s spookiest tales. NOLA’s official Halloween parade is called Krewe of Boo, a spookier version of Mardi Gras. Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 hosts a variety of tours for history buffs or paranormal tourists between the above-ground tombs and statues. Frenchmen Street is the place to be on Halloween night to see the parade of costumes and dance to live jazz music. Masquerade parties at local bars across the French Quarter with live music and classic cocktails is a great time during October and there is even a Vampire Ball where you can dress in your finest vampire attire and enjoy a blend of ceremony, live performances and dancing.
Anoka, Minnesota holds the title of “Halloween capital of the world” because it claims to be the first US city to host a Halloween celebration to avoid pranks and the season has taken off in this town ever since. Plan to travel during the Light Up the Night Parade followed by a fireworks spectacular. Anoka hosts a House decorating contest and homeowners run with it! The pumpkin bowl is a fun football game and the Gray Ghost 5K run are two great ways to get involved in some sports that burn more calories than just dressing up and eating candy. This family friendly Halloween town hosts kid friendly movie screenings, costume parades, scarecrow contests, bonfires and even balls & parties.
Estes Park, Colorado is a mountain village that is located at the entryway to Rocky Mountain National Park. It is also known for being the location of the infamous Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for the Stephen King Novel, “The Shining.” In October the town takes on a Spookier feel with decorations and festivals to celebrate. Attend the “Shining Ball” to see theater characters, take part in a costume contest, enjoy late night dancing and even a murder mystery dinner to keep with the theme of the season. Enjoy trick or treating on Main Street and take the little kids to the family-friendly Autumn Gold festival or Pumpkin & Pilsner festival for family fun and festive beer.
Las Vegas, Nevada is known for its adult entertainment and sexy costumes all year round, but they get even sexier during Halloween! One of the highly anticipated events is the Las Vegas Halloween Club Crawl, these are popular in Vegas any time of year, but remember to dress up in October for added fun. Vegas is a popular place to catch a show, but this time of year skip the Cirque du Soleil shows for shows like Sistahs! The Hocus Pocus Parody, Ghost Stories in a spooky interactive experience or off-strip the Conjurors Cabin of Wonders are putting on a Halloween-themed hypnosis show. There is also an official Saw & Blair Witch escape room which is also perfectly themed for Halloween. Finally, the sexy costume contests, dancing and spooky themed drinks are happening at the Virgin Hotel at the Sin City Halloween Ball, Freaks on Fremont, Haunted Manor at Circa’s Legacy Club or at Zouk Night Club in Resorts World.
Haunting European Cities
Dublin, Ireland is one of the best cities to celebrate Halloween in Europe. The Irish love this holiday and have many festivals and celebrations where costumes are worn. The Bram Stoker Festival is one you don’t want to miss when in Dublin. Glastonbury, UK is most well known for being the resting place of King Arthur’s tomb, since the tradition says this is the “The Isle of Avalon” where King Arthur goes after his last battle. However this area is also well known for its Samhain, a Celtic Festival that marks the end of the summer and start of winter. Some of the ways this is celebrated is with Zombies! The High Street is closed down so that the undead can shuffle through a parade, raising money for charity. The Big Creative Samhain Market is a quick way to celebrate or the Sacred Samhain: The Dragon’s Path-Retreat is a 4-day immersive experience taking this festival to a whole new level from just one night dressing up and eating candy.
Transylvania, Romania is not a destination many travelers can say they have visited, even those who have been to Eastern Europe…but I have! I also have the horrifying photo proof of being attacked and bitten on the neck by a poorly costumed Dracula actor. This certainly is not high on my bucket list of travel experiences, but it was one for the books. Transylvania has taken its famous location from the Dracula stories and used it to their advantage with Halloween and Dracula loving tourists alike. It was one of the few light parts of my visit to Romania, since I was visiting a teacher friend of mine in Bucharest. We visited the infamous Romanian orphanages to read to and play with the children living their entire childhoods there. I bet there are lots of child ghosts haunting those institutions on Halloween.
Halloween is not a Dutch tradition, but the spooky day is still celebrated all over the capital city of Amsterdam by locals, students and expats. The streets and canals come alive with lit pumpkins and trick or treaters dressed up in fun costumes. The clubs will be hosting freaky Halloween parties for the adults, the Dutch know how to have a good time during any holiday! Belushi’s will be having Halloween fun all weekend long and rock n’ roll bar near the RLD will have Halloween themed packages of drinks and dancing. Scary movies are a quintessential part of Halloween and the medieval Pathe Tuschinski Theater shows four horror films in an all-night movie marathon. Numerous other theaters hold shows of the Rocky Horror Picture Show and at Q theater you can see a live actors version. Visiting the Amsterdam Dungeons or going on a ghost walking tour in the city center finishes out the perfect spooky season.
Alluring Alternatives to Halloween
The Anglo-Saxon Halloween celebration corresponds with the Celtic New Year’s Eve known as Samhein. For centuries, people believed that dead people came back from the afterlife between October 31st and November 1st, prompting people to wear masks and costumes to avoid being recognized. In many Catholic countries like Italy & Spain they celebrate All Saints’ Day on November 1st. These traditions started in the 9th century and are less fun and festive and more celebratory of the life of their ancestors. Catholics attend mass, visit cemeteries and decorate graves with flowers as well as visit with living friends and family too. Eating chestnuts or making chestnut necklaces is also popular in Northern Spain and Italy.
Mexico is a great place to experience an alternative to Halloween, “Dian de los Muertos” festival or Day of the Dead. Oaxaca, Mexico is one of the best spots to celebrate Day of the Dead and is said to be the most traditional Muertos celebration. Festivities typically start on October 31st, where the spirits are said to be released after midnight. Then on November 1st is the day for the angelitos, little angels or children who passed away too young. On November 2nd they welcome the spirits of the adults and ancestors they lost with elaborate flowers and clothing and makeup choices. When choosing where to stay, try to stay in the Jalatlaco neighborhood near the Santo Domingo Church. The smells of the cempasúchil flowers permeate the air as homes and businesses decorate with traditional flower garlands. Many visitors like to book a 1-3 day long Day of the Dead tour for the full experience, be sure to book one with an authentic company that provides a traditional meal or two. Visit the Zaachila Market (Thursday), Ocotlan Market (Friday) and the Tlacolula Market (Saturday) as well as visit a flower field in Oaxaca. Many visitors like to dress up with full face makeup and take professional photos in the streets or flower fields for beautiful one-of-a-kind souvenirs.
Regardless of celebrating Dia de los Muertos, Samhain, Halloween or All Saints Day, the fall season and end of October signals a time of mourning or dressing as the dead and inspires lots of fun festivals around the world. Halloween might be considered an American holiday, but it is starting to show more of a spread and impact in other areas and just as lively as ever on the east coast in many of the States oldest cities and creepiest ghosts.
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