Experiencing spooky season away from home shows you just how far Halloween’s influence stretches. From cities that are built on bodies to towns with more haunted houses than supermarkets per square mile, check out our list of the best places to visit for Halloween!
1. Oaxaca, Mexico
Few places around the world have Halloween-related traditions as famous as Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Although it is celebrated across Mexico, nowhere does it quite like Oaxaca, a state that prides itself on its continuation of Indigenous cultural traditions. With firework-filled street parties and brash brass bands lining the roads, the capital city of the state becomes party central in the lead up to the event, which officially takes place across November 1 and 2.
The holiday is more about welcoming back the spirits of loved ones than being chased by ghouls, but striking outfits and candle-filled cemeteries give the city an eerie feel. Try not to have your appetite scared out of you, though: Oaxaca is a culinary heartland, and food and drink is just as much a part of the celebration as the famous La Catrina.
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2. Savannah, Georgia
A lot of US cities take Halloween celebrations seriously, but few have embraced it quite like Savannah. Epic trick or treat routes, endless Halloween-themed parties, and jack-o-lantern sculpting competitions: there’s something for all ages and fear tolerances.
The Savannah Moose Lodge’s Haunted Forest is one of the main events on the local calendar, but missing out won’t break your Halloween fun. The whole town is saturated with spooky spots, like Marshall House, used as a makeshift hospital for Yellow Fever outbreaks and the Civil War, so you’re sure to get a scare anywhere you go. Time our USA Road Trip right and you’ll be able to see this city at its spooky best.
3. Salem, Massachusetts
The creep capital of the United States, Salem is most famous for the Salem Witch Trials that once blighted this seemingly quaint town, and its association with the occult hasn’t wavered since.
The Salem Witch Museum gives an intriguing and important account of this gruesome history and should be a part of any trip here during spooky season. Outside of that, Salem really embraces its witchy reputation during this time of year with special events like seances and potion-making classes, making it one of the best places to visit for Halloween.
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4. Edinburgh, Scotland
When building an extension to the city’s tram network, Edinburgh council had to take into account one factor most city politicians don’t: what to do with the human remains that would be disturbed by the digging.
Scotland’s ancient capital is known for its abundance of established graveyards too, and on Halloween (or Samhain, as it was called in ancient Celtic times) locals and visitors alike gather in them to wander through the mist and soak in the atmosphere. The city also offers plenty of haunted tours, with the best ones taking you through some historic graveyards and the famous Edinburgh vaults. Check out our Scotland in a Week trip and you’ll have plenty of time to wander along the tram line that’s built on the graves of paupers.
5. Palermo, Italy
The history of the mafia is intrinsically tied to the Sicilian capital of Palermo, but that bloody past isn’t the only thing that makes this one of the best places to visit for Halloween. The Catacombe dei Cappuccini, or Palermo Catacombs, are known as “the place where the living meet the dead.”
This name exists for a good reason, with lots of creepy remains stacked up throughout these gloomy tunnels which run under the city. Although it’s definitely not a place for the faint-hearted, at least you know that you can reward yourself with some of the best food in the world after facing these unsettling spaces.
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6. Bhangarh Fort, India
As an ancient land with over a billion inhabitants, it’s no surprise that subcontinental culture has spawned countless ghost stories. So, the fact that Bangarh Fort in Rajasthan is known as the most haunted place in India means it’s a no-brainer if you’re looking for the best places to visit for Halloween.
Some say the unfortunate history is the result of a curse, and the building is out of bounds to visitors after dark, adding to its allure for thrill seekers.
7. New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is considered one of the best party towns in the US, and if you choose to celebrate Halloween here you’ll no doubt agree. Add in the fact that the city has a pretty spooky past thanks to numerous deadly disease outbreaks and its famous links to supernatural practices like voodoo, and you have the perfect destination for this time of year.
The Halloween parade is one of the biggest and best in the country, so make sure you catch at least some of it as it winds through the famous French Quarter. Otherwise, there are a number of walking tours that will take you through the heart of the city and entertain while informing.
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8. Knott’s Berry Farm, California
Every October, this SoCal institution transforms into Knott’s Scary Farm, with thousands making the trip to see haunted mazes, spooky shows, and a legion of creepy characters lurking in the shadows, ready to give you the fright of your life. If you want to get the adrenaline pumping, then there are few better places to head for Halloween.
9. Transylvania, Romania
With its gothic architecture and association with Dracula, Transylvania is undoubtedly one of the best places to visit for Halloween.
Though Bram Stoker had never actually visited Transylvania, he was right to make it the home of his famous beast, who fits right in with the ghoulish folklore of the area. There are Halloween parties across the Romanian region, with many taking place in ancient castles, or you can find screenings of the horror classic Nosferatu.
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10. The Stanley Hotel, Colorado
Horror buffs will know that this famous colonial revival hotel on the shores of Lake Estes inspired Stephen King to write The Shining, making it the perfect addition to a list of the best places to visit for Halloween.
King’s recollections of his encounter with the hotel vary slightly, but what’s certain is the impression it left on him, and the cultural impact of his fateful stay. Reportings of hauntings and other paranormal activity have come up in recent years, after its association with The Shining became more public.
11. Sleepy Hollow, New York
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and its Headless Horseman is one of the most well-known scary stories in the world. The fable, penned by Washington Irving, is set in this idyllic New York locale, and residents have embraced their famous fake son and all the horror that entails.
It doesn’t all have to be all violent ghosts and paranormal activity if you visit for Halloween, with haunted hay rides and old mansions to explore at night. Plus, a visit to the famous Sleepy Hollow Cemetery – where Irving is buried – is sure to get you in the Halloween mood. No matter what you’re looking for in a trip this spooky season, you’re sure to find it here, which is why it’s one of the best places to visit for Halloween.
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12. Anoka, Minnesota
Anoka was allegedly the first place in the world to put on a Halloween celebration, in the hope of stopping its youth population from pulling pranks.
This tradition continues into the present, with giant pumpkins, rivers of candy corn, and a rambunctious Halloween parade. There’s even a “ghost run,” with people in costume or makeup racing around the city, usually for a good cause. It doesn’t all have to be doom and gloom!
13. London, England
The English capital is packed to the brim with events during October, reaching a crescendo on Halloween night (or the weekend that falls closest to it). Even without those goings-on, centuries of gory history and ancient streets give the city plenty of eerie corners.
Almost all royal residences have lots of haunting stories around them, but the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace are considered to be among the most haunted places in the world, with lots of modern visitors claiming to feel and even see ghostly presences while visiting.
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14. Williamsburg, Virginia
The historic city of Williamsburg has its fair share of ghost stories, driven by the legacy of slavery and the Civil War. There are nearly 170 reputed haunting sites in the city, each with their own terrifying first-hand tales of interactions with the beyond.
Halloween here can be a lighter affair too, with lots of all-age events held throughout October.
15. Paris, France
The Francophone world isn’t quite as big on Halloween as most English-speaking countries, but there’s no denying its epicentre Paris is full of spooky spots and haunted locations. The most notable is definitely the extensive system of catacombs that zigzag under the city.
Tours of these skeleton-filled tunnels can freak out even the most rational-minded, and when you add in the massive cemeteries that dot the city, you have plenty of places to visit to catch a fright. If you’re here during the Halloween period you’ll also get to see the French celebrate All-Saints day, a solemn remembrance of the dead and a different but no less interesting tradition than we are used to.
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16. St Helens, Oregon
Just a short drive from Portland, St Helens is undoubtedly the spooky capital of Oregon, and undoubtedly one of the best places to visit for Halloween in the entire country. The reputation has always been there, but after Disney filmed most of Halloweentown in the city, locals really embraced the connection.
From mid-September St Helens is transformed into one big Halloween attraction, with a parade, numerous shows, and haunted houses and train rides to enjoy. The only question is how early can you arrive?
17. Prague, Czechia
European capitals are all generally old enough to have long histories of hauntings, but Prague is one of the most saturated with scary goings on. The Czech capital is one of the best places to visit for Halloween, especially if the night is spent wandering the mazy alleys that make up its Old Town.
The city has several themed events running throughout October, including storytelling festivals and pumpkin carving workshops, but if you really want to get into the spirit you need to make the short drive to Sedlec Ossuary. This church is decorated with the bones of somewhere between 40-70,000 people, and makes for an awesome if not frightening sight.
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18. Aokigahara Forest, Japan
Also known as the Sea of Trees, this lush, primeval forest just outside Tokyo has a reputation far larger than the 30 square kilometres it covers. Formed by a lava flow from Mt Fuji, this is a spot where compasses go haywire due to the resulting magnetite, and sound is often swallowed by the porous lava rock. This, plus the forest’s folkloric history of ghost stories and unfortunate links to darker elements of Japanese culture, can make it a spooky place to visit despite its undoubted natural beauty. A must-visit if you’re in the area before or after our Japan in a Week tour.
Where is the best place to vacation for Halloween?
The US is one of the best places to vacation for Halloween, but as you can see above there are plenty of other options.
What is the #1 Halloween town in the US?
Salem is the #1 Halloween town in the US thanks to its longstanding links to the occult and witchcraft.
