Spooky season is around the corner. Jack-O-Lanterns and an eerie atmosphere are going to light up the streets. Get yourself and your costume ready for this season of chills. Looking for the best places to visit for Halloween? You have stumbled on the right page! We have compiled a list of the most spooky and unique places to visit this Halloween. Ready to get some goosebumps?
Best Places to Visit for Halloween – Summary
- New Orleans, USA
- Savannah, Georgia, USA
- Salem, Massachusetts, USA
- Sleepy Hollow, New York, USA
- Dublin, Ireland
- Edinburgh, the UK
- London, the UK
- Transylvania, Romania
- Oaxaca, Mexico
1. New Orleans, USA
New Orleans is known for its mouth-watering Creole dishes and insane festivals. But.. do you know that New Orleans is also popular for its urban legends and horrors? New Orleans has voodoo traditions, eerie cemeteries, and spooky houses. If it is about Halloween, New Orleans is top-notch!
If you want to celebrate Halloween in New Orleans, you can start by visiting the centuries-old building and cemeteries in the city. You can see festivals and vibrant events as the night approaches. We recommend visiting Canal Street and French Quarter to see awesome costume festivals. Then, you can see the hype Voodoo Festival in New Orleans. Therefore, New Orleans is one of the best places to visit for Halloween.
2. Savannah, Georgia, USA
Looking for something scary? Savannah has a lot on its plate! The small town in Georgia is considered one of the most haunted cities in the US. It is home to century-old buildings and pre-war times houses. Savannah gives out the best Halloween experience with its haunted places and scary stories.
Savannah is shrouded with haunted houses, trick-or-treating, costume parties, and horror movies during Halloween. If you want to look for genuine scary experiences, you must visit the haunted places in Savannah. You can visit Marshall House, a century-old hotel that is home to ghosts and poltergeists. You can also try visiting Moon River Brewing, an old beer house known for its urban legend of a female ghost in a white dress. With all its fear factors, Savannah is one of the best places to visit for Halloween.
3. Salem, Massachusetts, the USA
We have to include Salem if we are talking about Halloween. The small city is famous for Witch Trials, a gruesome history in which women accused as witches were punished. Nowadays, the scary story is one of Salem’s main attractions. If you are looking for a unique Halloween experience with witches and magic, Salem should be on your bucket list!
Salem takes Halloween seriously. You can expect crowded streets, decorated houses, and extravagant Halloween festivals during the holiday. The city is also home to the biggest Halloween festival in the world – Haunted Happenings. So, wear your scary costume, grab some Halloween special drinks, and enter haunted houses. You can also give a taste of some witchcraft by getting your future told by tarot cards or clairvoyance. It is an out-of-the-box experience!
4. Sleepy Hollow, New York, USA
There is a quiet village located on the outskirts of New York, avoiding the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. Sleepy Hollow is a favorite destination for New Yorkers to spend their fall. The village has classic houses, old cemeteries, and historical spots. The quiet and eerie atmosphere of Sleepy Hollow makes it a great destination for Halloween.
Sleepy Hollow is filled with mysterious and enchanting places. You can visit Headless Horseman Bridge, Philipsburg Manor, and Sleepy Hollow Cemetery which will give you goosebumps, especially on Halloween Night. Looking for festivals? You can see the Jack-o-Lantern Blaze and Haunted Hayride. The Jack-o-Lantern Blaze is a stunning festival that features thousands of jack-o-lantern. Meanwhile, Haunted Hayride will give you an adrenaline rush with its haunted house and scary costumes. Therefore, it is one of the spookiest places to visit for Halloween.
5. Dublin, Ireland
Do you know that Halloween originated in Ireland? In ancient Celtic times, Irish people celebrated “Samhain”, which was the root tradition of Halloween. Samhain is the time of the year when spirits from the underworld roam freely on earth. People wore costumes to disguise themselves as spirits, avoiding bad luck and harm. That is why we wear spooky costumes on Halloween.
Until today, Samhain is celebrated in Ireland. You can expect vibrant and feisty Halloween festivals in Dublin. Go to Parnell Square on October 31st, where you can find a grand Halloween parade. Looking for a real fear factor? Visit Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. The 18th-century castle will give you chills with its urban legends and ominous vibes. The horror will be more intense with actors dressing up as scary ghosts!
6. Edinburgh, UK
Edinburgh is a fascinating city rich in culture and history. There are numerous buildings, towers, and castles that stood for centuries in the city. You can feel the eerie atmosphere of Edinburgh as fall comes, as the city has tons of brick buildings and a gray cityscape. With its rich history and all-out spookiness, Edinburgh is one of the best places to visit for Halloween.
Make sure you are ready to be scared in Edinburgh. The city has ghosts, poltergeists, witches, and wizards. You can see the spooky Edinburgh Castle with its urban legend “Ghostly Piper Boy” and have some great Halloween chills. You can also get in touch with wizards and witches as you visit Harry Potter’s filming sites, like Victoria Street which inspires Diagon Alley. Looking for more chills? Try visiting the Underground Edinburgh. The mysterious, abandoned town gives you no clue about what is lurking behind its brick walls.
7. London, UK
Vibrant and beautiful are some words that can describe London. The gorgeous view of London Bridge, the Thames River, and the towering Big Ben attracts travelers from all over the world. Behind its beauty, London hides a scary yet interesting history. You might have heard of the legendary Jack the Ripper or Bloody Mary. Those spooky stories make London a great place to visit for Halloween.
Halloween is celebrated widely in the city. You can both go partying in pubs and look for spooky places in London. There are a lot of pubs in London that have Halloween special events. If you feel like partying, get your costume ready and go to pubs! You can also enjoy scary tours, like Jack the Ripper Ghost Walks or London Bridge Ghost Walking Tours. As one of the best places to visit for Halloween, London is real spooky!
8. Transylvania, Romania
Transylvania looks like a town out of a fairytale. The town is situated between lush hills and has towering fortresses and castles. Between Transylvania’s stunning castles, lurks the legendary Count Dracula. This scary vampire designed by Stoker catches the attention of people all around the world, especially horror lovers. For that reason, Transylvania is one of the best places to visit in Halloween 2023.
Visiting Transylvania on Halloween can be a great idea. There are numerous historical places with gothic architecture and eerie atmospheres to visit. You must visit Bran Castle in order to see Dracula’s hideout. This castle was once the residence of Vlad the Impaler, a cruel Romanian king who inspired the making of Dracula. On Halloween night, you can expect costume parties and events in the castle. It is a great way to have both fun and a chilling Halloween!
9. Oaxaca, Mexico
Mexico is popular for its exceptional culture, traditions, and heritage. One of the most popular traditions in Mexico is the Day of the Dead or Dia de Los Muertos. It is a unique and colorful tradition as people celebrate death, viewing the day as a happy moment of reuniting with deceased loved ones. The Day of the Death is celebrated with flowers, colorful decorations, delicious food, prayers, and of course, the sugar skull makeup or La Catrina.
Oaxaca is the epicenter of the Day of the Dead celebration, considered the biggest in Mexico. The city is decorated with marigolds and colorful ornaments. There are extravagant parades on several streets, with people wearing skull makeup and traditional Mexican dresses. Visiting Oaxaca during Halloween is a great way to explore the cultures and traditions of Mexico.
Going to costume parties, getting inside haunted houses, and celebrating Halloween will be a lot of fun with friends. Do you know that you can get new friends that will travel with you in JoinMyTrip? Yes, you can get lots of like-minded friends that love traveling with JoinMyTrip. And also join handpicked trips that are led by our awesome TripLeaders.
Whether you want to visit Transylvania or see the Day of the Dead in Mexico this Halloween, JoinMyTrip got your back. Start your adventure of a lifetime with us!