While Halloween’s myriad crafts, corn mazes, and pumpkin patches reiterate for America that the holiday isn’t just for those enjoy goose bumps on the back of their neck, it’s still fun to get spooked out every now and then. The five fun cities below boast a lot of Halloween spirit, and travelers who have an interest in fright, fun, or even history should consider these seasonal destinations that have a lot to offer at the end of October.
1-Anoka Minnesota: “The Halloween Capital of the World”
Anoka’s reputation for celebrating Halloween in style doesn’t come from nowhere. A town-wide festival begins ten days before Halloween, consisting of costume contests, parades, and ghost tours culminates in a night of delight for trick-or-treaters of all ages roaming the streets in costume. Anoka is a generously family-friendly destination, and while a local bar and hotel are supposed to be haunted, this is a great place to bring the kids when you want an upbeat and PG-rated version of the holiday.
2- Salem, Massachusetts: Witches and History
Salem was the site of the macabre 1692 witch trials, every October the city commemorates the event with a Haunted Happenings Festival. Witch trial re-enactments are a favorite of locals and visitors alike. The “Old Witch House,” associated with the witch trials is still standing today, and the home of presiding judge for the 1692 trials has turned into a museum. Don’t forget to visit other attractions, including the Salem Witch Museum and the Witch Village. Salem has a host of historical spooky sites to capture your attention throughout the Halloween season.
3 & 4: Savannah, Georgia and New Orleans, Louisiana: “America’s Most Haunted City”
Both cities make the claim of being America’s Most Haunted, and with Southern culture similarities, both probably come close. Savannah offers scenery of old mansions and huge old trees with limbs thickly draped in spooky spanish moss, while New Orleans is filled with stories of hauntings and voodoo. Savannah offers several historical ghost tours, such as The Ghosts and Gravestones Tour of Savannah or the The Sorrel-Weed House Ghost Hunters Tour. The Day of the Dead is celebrated in New Orleans and the city also hosts a music festival called the Voodoo Experience, because no one knows how to party like NoLa. With tours that center on ghosts, voodoo, vampires, and local legends, New Orleans makes for a great adult destination for a Halloween night that doesn’t end until dawn.
5- Tombstone, Arizona
The site of the famous shoot out at the OK Corral and the Boothill Cemetery, Tombstone almost became a ghost town but was resurrected by tourism. The shoot-out at the OK Corral occurred in late October so Helldorado Days festival begins every year in the third week of October, nicely befitting a Halloween vacation. The Helldorado festival began in 1929 and features a parade, carnival and OK Corral Shoot-out re-enactments. Visitors can also enjoy walking around the spooky gallows yard and the haunted Bird Cage Theater.
America’s (often violent and bloody) history makes for a great backdrop for Halloween’s spooky celebrations, and if you’re planning to travel in October, be safe, and have fun! (And if you like your destination to make it an annual trip, consider buying a timeshare on the resale market to save you money!)
