Halloween isn’t just a holiday anymore—it’s a whole season. Costumes creep into stores before summer ends and Americans spend more than $12 billion getting their spooky on, according to the National Retail Federation. If you live for haunted houses, jack-o’-lanterns or a candy corn sugar rush, a themed getaway is the ultimate way to celebrate.
From Salem’s infamous witch trials to Mickey’s not-so-scary bash in Orlando to New York’s pumpkin-packed Hudson Valley, these 13 destinations deliver Halloween magic for every age. Whether you’re traveling with kids, teens or just adults, you’ll find the perfect spooktacular escape.
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1. Visit Witch City: Salem, Massachusetts
An easy day trip from Boston, Salem is THE place to go to learn about the witch trials and executions conducted in the early 1600s. It’s a must for Hocus Pocus fans. My daughter still talks about the awesome Girl Scout trip she took many years ago when we settle in to watch the film every Halloween.
SheBuysTravel contributor Deb Steenhagen visited recently on a City Experiences tour, led by a Salem resident. She recommends the tour which stops at the Salem Witch Museum and the Charter Street Cemetery, one of the oldest European burial grounds in the US, if you’re interested in learning about this macabre Colonial period.
Known as “Witch City,” Salem leans into its history each fall with the “Haunted Happenings” festival. Activities include haunted houses, ghost tours, seances and more.
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2. Orlando for Disney World and Universal
A trip to Orlando-area theme parks for Halloween is a family adventure you’ll never forget. Both theme parks offer special ticketed Halloween events.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is for the littles. It runs from 7 pm to midnight on select nights beginning mid-August and ending in early November. Kids can dress in costumes, trick or treat throughout the park, meet their favorite villains and enjoy a Halloween-themed parade and fireworks show. Expect to pay at least $100 for kids ages 3-9 and $200 for everyone ages 10 and up.
For teens and adults who can’t get enough of the thrills and chills, a trip to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios is a must-do. The event features 10 movie-quality haunted houses including ones inspired by A Quiet Place and Ghostbusters. Between shrieks, themed food and drinks are available. Costumes are permitted, but rules apply – check out the costume policy here. Halloween Horror Nights begins mid-August and runs into November. Expect to pay at least $100 (more if you choose to add an Express Pass).
3. Pumpkins, Pumpkins and More Pumpkins
I’m a cheerleader for NY’s Hudson River Valley. I’ve lived here my whole life and think it’s one of the world’s prettiest locales, especially in fall when the autumn foliage is Insta-perfect. And it’s super easy to access by train from NYC’s Grand Central Station.
A ton of Halloween events are held annually in the region. But the best and brightest is the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze. More than 7,000 carved pumpkins are artfully arranged along a walking trail that winds through the 17th-century Van Cortlandt Manor grounds in Croton-on-Hudson. There’s a dragon, a working carousel, a replica of the Statue of Liberty and more. A spooky soundtrack adds to the mood. The Blaze celebrates its 21st anniversary in 2025.
The Blaze runs from late September to early November. Ticket options include timed and flex entry. Add-ons include the Gourd & Goblet Tavern, a VIP cocktail experience.
If you plan a weekend visit to the Hudson Valley, include a trip to Sunnyside, the Irvington NY home of Washington Irving. A master storyteller presents a dramatic reading of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow that includes a visit from the infamous Headless Horseman.
4. World’s Largest Corn Maze
Richardson Adventure Farm hosts the world’s largest and most intricate corn maze. Located in Spring Grove, Illinois, it’s an easy drive from both Chicago (1 and 1/2 hours) and Milwaukee (1 hour), so it’s an ideal fall weekend activity if you’re planning a city getaway.
With 9-10 miles of maize trail spread throughout 28 acres, you can lose yourself for hours, if you choose. There are 4 smaller mazes located within the large maze, each with dedicated entry points. This is perfect for families with small children who may tire of the maze adventure quickly.
The farm has a pumpkin patch, sunflower field, carousel, paintball and petting zoo to entertain kids of all ages.
Other fun corn mazes in the US are the Great Vermont Corn Maze (the largest in New England), Skinny Bones Pumpkin Patch in the heart of Nebraska corn country and North Carolina’s Gross Farms.
5. Chunk a Punkin
It’s tough not to smile when you see a pumpkin flying through the air. Head to Western North Carolina for the annual Punkin Chunkin festival scheduled for October 18-19, 2025.
Gather in the main field in Brasstown to watch teams load gourds into cannons, catapults and launchers and send them flying. During warm-up launches, you can check out the machines and, perhaps, be inspired to create your own! There’s plenty of fun on tap for the weekend, which kicks off on Friday night with an “Anything Pumpkin” competition and chili cook-off. Details are available through the event sponsor, the Clay County Chamber of Commerce.
If you want more Halloween fun in the Tar Heel State, check out all the frightfully good events and attractions listed in Visit North Carolina’s “First in Fright” roundup.
6. Spend the Night in a Haunted Hotel
The Crescent Hotel in Arkansas bills itself as America’s Most Haunted Hotel. It’s been featured on the Ghost Hunters TV series and offers daily ghost tours. Guests explore the resort’s nooks and crannies while learning about the resident spirits, including a couple that plunged to their deaths from the hotel roof. Although the late-night tour is reserved for adults only, a kid-friendly, 45-minute tour is available too.
The Crescent is a luxury family resort and spa, located in historic Eureka Springs. This Ozarks destination is a SheBuysTravel favorite and particularly lovely during fall foliage season.
7. Sip Absinthe in a Buffalo Library (Bar)
Absinthe, a black licorice-flavored spirit was banned in the US for nearly 100 years because one of its ingredients was believed to induce hallucinations. Famous writers credit “The Green Fairy” for inspiring their work and you can channel your inner poet at The Merry Shelley, a gothic library-themed bar named for the author of Frankenstein.
The intimate Buffalo NY bar features book-lined walls and patrons are encouraged to use their library voices while sipping a selection from their eclectic drinks menu. The star is the absinthe station where the spirit is poured over a suspended sugar cube as cold water is added, producing an eerie cloud known as “la louche.”
8. Walk Like a Zombie in Asbury Park NJ
Love The Walking Dead and over-the-top Halloween make-up? Then head to the Jersey Shore. The weather’s fab in the fall and the crowds have left so it’s a great time for a getaway. Asbury Park has gotten a major facelift and has new boutique hotels and fine dining spots while retaining iconic gems like the Stony Pony, the bar where Bruce Springsteen launched the E Street Band.
Dress like the undead and head to the boardwalk on the first Saturday in October for the Asbury Park Zombie Walk. Get fully into character with the help of a make-up artists who will help you get your face on for a fee. The assembled zombie herd shuffles along beginning at 4 pm and the results of a costume contest are announced that night. Find details for the 2025 event on the event website.
9. Screen a Movie in an LA Cemetery
Bring your lawn chairs to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles for a movie experience designed to give you the creeps. Founded in 1899, the fully operational cemetery is the final resting place for celebrities including Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney and musician Chris Cornell.
But, after dark, Hollywood Forever becomes an outdoor event space, hosting film screenings during the warm weather months. Catch a horror classic like The Shining or a family favorite like The Nightmare Before Christmas.
10. Go on a Savannah Ghost Tour
Routinely topping “Most Haunted US City” lists, Savannah is a super destination during the haunted season. The Georgia weather’s mild, there are great restaurants and you’re a short drive from Tybee Island, if you need to get your toes in the sand before winter sets in.
A ghost tour is a great way to explore the city and learn about its fascinating history. Some tours are tame enough for kids. We brought our littles on the Ghosts and Gravestones Trolley Tour and it did not induce nightmares. Others are definitely 21+, like The Guy in the Kilt tour that’s a pub crawl too. Whatever your poison, there’s a ghost tour for you.
11. Voodoo in the Big Easy
Thanks to HBO’s True Blood, I can never disconnect Louisiana’s Cajun country from vampires and werewolves. Head to New Orleans in the fall for crawfish, zydeco and voodoo. After Mardi Gras, it’s the most popular time of year to visit the Big Easy.
Check out one of Louisiana’s famous cemeteries and take a haunted tour. And, if you’re interested in casting a spell, head to one of the many voodoo shops offering candles, charms, potions and more. Special events, including Halloween-themed parades and seasonal haunted houses, are held annually. The New Orleans tourism event calendar is the best resource for up-to-date info.
12. Attend the San Antonio Day of the Dead River Parade
Pull on your cowboy boots and paint your face for the annual Day of the Dead River Parade in San Antonio. The Friday evening event kicks off a weekend celebrating the Mexican traditions associated with Dia de Muertos. You can check out giant Calavera skulls decorated by local artists, sip tequila and dance the days and nights away at the event’s music festival.
2025 Dates are October 24-26. Find event info here.
13. Visit the World’s Largest Haunted House
For true Halloween fans, the ultimate experience is a trip to Fort Worth to experience the Cutting Edge Haunted House. This attraction holds multiple Guinness world records and takes nearly an hour to walk through. Housed in an abandoned meat-packing plant, Cutting Edge features chills, thrills and over-the-top special effects.
Read More:
- Most Haunted Hotels in the USA for a Spooky Good Time
- The Disney World Halloween Party: Spellbinding or Disenchanting?
- Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Delivers a Creepy Good Time
- Yummy (and Weird) Pumpkin Spice Products You Simply Must Share with Your BFF
- The Best Apple Picking Spots in Massachusetts (Plus an Easy Apple Crisp Recipe!)
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